If there were any empty seats on motzei Shabbos in the
cavernous Garden State Convention Center, in Somerset, New
Jersey, the site of Agudath Israel of America's 77th national
convention, they were few and far between. The hall held more
than 4000 seats -- and those standing in the adjacent exhibit
area made the figure higher still.
Words of Tehillim, Times of Need
The evening began, as all main sessions of Agudath Israel
national conventions do, with the recitation of a chapter of
Tehillim on behalf of the sick and endangered among
the Jewish people.
The True Value of the Tiny Vessel
Yaakov Ovinu was the point of departure for Rabbi Aryeh
Malkiel Kotler, rosh hayeshiva, Bais Medrash Govoha-
Lakewood. The Lakewood Rosh Yeshiva remarked on the oddity of
the gemora's comment on the lesson of Yaakov's return
for pachim ketanim, -- the decision that rendered him
vulnerable to that attack: a tzaddik's possessions are
more dear to him than his body.
From a number of sources, Rabbi Kotler demonstrated that the
"partnership" of gashmiyus in the service of
ruchniyus is the Torah's ideal, and that is what
Yaakov sought in retrieving the vessels. That absorption of
the physical into the spiritual was indeed the great merit of
Yaakov and to render this world subservient to ruchniyus, he
said, is the tachlis of Agudath Israel.
Unity in Service of Kedusha
Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe and Rosh Agudath
Israel of America, then addressed the gathering to acclaim
the multifaceted work of Agudath Israel, and he called on his
listeners to support the movement in every way.
Noting that it was the yahrtzeit of the Mezritcher
Maggid, Rabbi Perlow quoted the Chassidic giant's insight
that Hashem's being oseh sholom bimromov is a
reference to the fact that Shomayim is comprised of
aish and mayim. Opposites, even antagonists, he
explained, can be brought to peace by their dedication to
kiddush shem Shomayim. That, the Rebbe asserted, "is
the secret of Agudath Israel's bringing together of diverse
communities into a unified entity."
In conclusion, Rabbi Perlow suggested, "In this generation we
will be asked [upon arrival in the World to Come], `What did
you do to be marbeh kevod Shomayim?' and `What did you
do for the benefit of others outside your own camp?' and `Did
you participate in addressing the needs of the am
kodosh?'"
Invidious Interaction
The Novominsker Rebbe was followed by his fellow Moetzes
Gedolei HaTorah member, Rabbi Elya Svei, rosh
hayeshiva of Yeshiva of Philadelphia. The Rosh Hayeshiva
began his address by enjoining his listeners to make a
special effort to infuse the new convention site with
kedusha. He then developed the theme of the historical
repercussions of Klal Yisroel's choices.
Had Yaakov Ovinu come to Mitzrayim in chains, as was decreed,
the Rosh Hayeshiva recounted in the name of Rav Aharon Bakst,
golus Mitzrayim would have lasted its full 400 years
and, at its end, kabolas haTorah would have
immediately ushered in Moshiach. But because of the honor
with which Yaakov arrived, and the interaction he and his
family had with Mitzrayim, it has proven necessary for our
people to suffer other subsequent and bitter exiles.
The insensitive people of the time likely attributed the
harsh decrees in Mitzrayim to the Jews' separation from the
surrounding culture, he continued, but the truth was just the
opposite: it was interaction with their surroundings that
intensified their trials. Today too, he maintained, some see
hatred for Jews as sourced in our separateness, when
precisely the opposite is the truth.
Shortening the Labor
Golus, Rabbi Svei continued, is a process of birth. He
related that the Vilna Gaon associated the 70 words in
"Ya'ancho Hashem beyom tzoro" with the 70 "groans of
chevlei leido" and the "70 years of chevlei
Moshiach." And the greatest pains of the birthing mother
is the final stage of her labor; the darkest night of
golus is the time before the dawn of geula.
"What must we do," Rabbi Svei asked, "at the time of
chevlei Moshiach, to be saved from the chavolim?"
The key, he answered, lies in what Rav Bakst explained.
Just as the interaction with Mitzrayim delayed the geula
from that golus, so does the infiltration of the
surrounding culture prolong our own. We must, he went on, see
that we, and in particular the yoshvei ohel of our
times, are protected from the "dirt and influence" of the
"outside".
Mistaken Voices, Misguided Plans
Voices are heard complaining, the Rosh Hayeshiva asserted,
"that there are `too many' Bnei Torah to be
supported." But they are wrong, he declared; the more Bnei
Torah, the better for Klal Yisroel.
The Philadelphia Rosh Yeshiva then addressed the "terrible
situation" in Eretz Yisroel, where "600,000 Gentiles have
been brought into the country," for the purpose, he
suggested, "of counterbalancing the growth of the frum
populace." Funding has been cut back from botei chinuch,
he noted, and increased for the Arab population. "What
will be," he asked, "when there is peace?"
Turning closer to home, Rabbi Svei took exception to the
attitude that special yeshivos should be established for
students who are likely to become "future baalei
batim." "Only a yeshiva that aims at making roshei
yeshiva," he declared, "will yield truly frum baalei
batim!"
And he stressed as well that "yeshivos are not hefker!"
Not anyone can establish a yeshiva; only those who have
received a mesorah from earlier generations can create
yeshivos.
He decried as well the attitude that non-Orthodox clergy can
have a place alongside Orthodox rabbis in Jewish educational
"institutes", a phenomenon that is so obviously unacceptable
yet exists in a well-established Orthodox community. "Facing
a chillul shem Shomayim like that," he said, "we
cannot remain quiet."
Avira De'ar'oh
Two special guests from Yerushalayim -- Rabbi Pinchas
Friedman, rosh hakollelim, Belz; and Rabbi Uri Zohar,
administration member, P'eylim/Lev L'Achim -- rounded off the
Motzei Shabbos program.
Rabbi Friedman emphasized the importance of the partnership
between those who are fortunate to be able to be entirely and
exclusively engaged in Torah-study and those who are involved
in earning a parnossa. That, he explained, is why
Yitzchok Ovinu was mistaken to think that the brochos
of olam hazeh belonged to Esav. On the contrary,
said Hashem; this world must go to Yaakov as well, to be put
to use in the service of ruchniyus.
Children Leading Parents
The second overseas guest speaker, Rabbi Zohar, called
contemporary Israel "a tortured place," where societal
problems, from disdain for parents to murder, have
intensified over recent years. Rabbi Zohar characterized the
internal secular/religious tensions in the Jewish State --
like Rabbi Svei did the era before Moshiach -- as "a birth
process," one that will produce increasingly severe pains
until its happy outcome, which, he averred, will be a mass
return of Israelis to our mesorah. He extolled the
efforts and successes of Lev L'Achim, recounted how many
thousands of secular Jews have become frum -- often through
the example of their children -- and gave a moving account of
his own life's spiritual journey, including the role that his
own children played in it.
Rabbi Zohar also recounted the story of the religious school
in Tzoran, a town with many secular residents. When the
school opened its doors, there were daily demonstrations by
angry secularists. Only 15 children stayed for the duration
of the school's first year. This year, the school's
enrollment stands at 96.
Divrei Brocho, Divrei Tanchumin
Rabbi Shlomo Gertzulin, Agudath Israel's vice president for
finance and administration, chaired the Motzei Shabbos
program, and opening remarks were delivered by Mr. A. Joseph
Stern, convention chairman. The program was prefaced by
greetings from Agudath Israel of America executive vice
president for government and public affairs Chaim Dovid
Zwiebel, standing in for Nesius member Rabbi Chaskel Besser,
who was unable to be present that evening. Mr. Zwiebel read
from and relayed divrei brocho sent from a number of
gedolim in Eretz Yisroel: HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv,
the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, HaRav Aharon Leib Steinman, the Gerrer
Rebbe and the Belzer Rebbe.
Mr. Zwiebel also paid tribute to the memory of the late
rosh hayeshiva of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore,
HaRav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg, zt"l, and to the
memories of several prominent rabbonim and Agudah askonim who
had passed away since the previous Agudah Israel national
convention: Rabbi Chaim Grozovsky, Reb Dovid Turkel, Reb
Moshe Nussbaum, Reb Barish Zolty, Reb Chaim Shea Biderman,
Reb Werner Worscheimer and Reb Luzer Brodt, yehi zichrom
boruch.
