A year ago on 27 Elul 5758, my grandmother Rebbetzin Chaya
Ruchoma Altusky was niftar, thus bringing to a close a
fruitful life of 93 years of Torah, chessed and
tznius.
Chaya Ruchoma was born in Rutke, where her father HaRav
Avrohom Moshe Gorelik zt"l served as rav. From
childhood she displayed an exceptional love and dedication to
Torah. There were no Jewish schools for girls in those days,
so her father put up a partition in the local boys'
cheder and Chaya Ruchoma, at the age of 6, sat on her
own on the other side of the curtain absorbing the boys'
learning. Her father also taught her the weekly explanation
of the Ramban on the portion of that week.
Her love of Torah also convinced her father to send her to
Bialystok as a teenager to attend a school similar to the
Bais Yaakov with which we are familiar today. My grandmother
stayed at the home of the rosh yeshiva, HaRav Avrohom
Yoffen zt"l, the son-in-law of the Alter of Novardok.
She became very attached to the Rebbetzin of Novardok from
whom she received Torah knowledge befitting a Jewish girl.
But my grandmother thirsted for more. When Rav Yoffen
zt"l spoke to his students, she hid under the wide
table which had a long tablecloth and listened to the
shmuess.
The yearning for Torah knowledge continued throughout her
marriage. She married HaRav Yehuda Altusky zt"l one of
the outstanding talmidim of the Lomza Yeshiva and
author of seforim Hagiyonei Yehudi on Torah and
holidays.
Due to the danger of my grandfather's being mobilized by the
Lithuanian army, my grandparents were forced to leave
Lithuania (as advised by the Gaon R' Chaim of Brisk). They
arrived in the U.S.A. where my grandfather served in
rabbinical posts in several prominent cities in New York. He
was also one of the heads of Agudas HaRabbonim in the
U.S.A.
Throughout his long rabbinical career, his wife stood at his
side in all matters. She also gave lectures to the women and
formed a strong relationship with the wives of the
kehilla. Even during this period, when she was so busy
teaching others, she continued attending all Torah lectures
available, even lectures in Talmud.
Her immersion in Torah was the only thing that calmed her in
times of stress and trouble. She would take a sefer
and feel her mood changing for the better. She also had
learning partners every Shabbos and every day she learned one
chapter from Tanach. Her knowledge of Torah and
midroshim was extraordinary.
Her love of learning helped her raise sons to Torah in that
dark period in the U.S.A. when every parent had the goal of
"my son the doctor/lawyer" and not a ben Torah. She
was indeed honored to raise her three sons to become true
bnei Torah. The eldest son, Rabbi Zev Altusky
shlita, is a prominent and veteran educator in the
U.S. Her second son is the Gaon HaRav Chaim Dov Altusky
shlita, the author of the well known seforim
Chidushei Basra on Shas and other Torah topics and
rosh mesivta of Torah Ohr. Her third son, Rav Yaakov
Altusky shlita, is one of the prominent students of
the Mir Yeshiva in U.S.A. who helped establish the great
Brisk Yeshiva in Jerusalem.
Her midda of chessed to others was exceptional.
She was generous beyond imagination. She never took anything
for herself, designating all her money for food and aid to
the needy people. Her husband once gave her money before the
holidays to buy herself a fur coat, as was customary in
rabbinical circles at that time, and she immediately
transferred the money to her sons who were studying in
kollel. This repeated itself three times.
Her generosity was so exceptional, that she could not bring
herself to take from others. As soon as she was given a gift,
it found its way to another member of the family. When my
grandfather made plans to go on vacation, she refused to go
along and stayed home alone, explaining that she cannot
imagine sitting while being served by someone else. In his
later years when his health was failing she went along to
help her husband and said then that it was a great sacrifice
on her part.
She was also exceptional in her honoring of her parents. When
her aging father became ill, she took him into her home and
took care of him for many years. When her mother also became
ill, she also took her into her home and cared for her. But
the situation became too difficult and her health was
endangered. Her son Rav Chaim Dov traveled to Rav Moshe
Feinstein zt"l to ask him to convince her to put her
mother in a home. Rav Moshe came to her home and said that
one life cannot endanger another and said she must put her
mother in a home. Reluctantly she agreed, and visited her
mother daily from morning until night. But after several
weeks, she brought her mother back to her own home,
explaining that she was not respected as befitting such a
prominent rebbetzin. She also noticed that her mother
was given tranquilizers to keep her quiet. She assumed the
care for her mother until she died. Those years were
extremely stressful due to the tremendous difficulties
involved, and she was forced to resign from her teaching
position.
All her actions were done in complete modesty. The walls of
her home can attest to that. She hated all fanfare and ran
away from honor.
As in her life, so was her petirah. She died in the
U.S.A. on erev Shabbos and her body was brought to
Eretz Yisroel on erev Rosh Hashanah, several hours
before sunset. Due to the late hour, the levaya took
place with only a small circle of family and friends present,
and with only her mechutan, the gaon HaRav
Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg shlita, the rosh yeshiva
of Torah Ohr, giving a short hesped.
Her love and dedication to Torah and her extreme devotion to
her sons' Torah continued after her petirah. Her sons
were not forced to stop their Torah lectures and were able to
continue to learn, as Rosh Hashanah canceled the seven days
of mourning.
May these words guide us to walk in her path and learn from
her deeds. She should be a melitzas yosher to all her
descendants and family and all Klal Yisroel. May we
live to see her again with the coming of Moshiach and
techiyas hameisim.
T. N. Tz. B. H.
