The Torah world lost one of its leading poskim, HaRav
Tuvia Goldstein zt'l, rosh yeshivas Emek Halocho in
New York City and an important conveyor of the teachings of
gedolei hador from the previous generation, who passed
away on Shabbos at the age of 86.
R' Tuvia Goldstein was born in the town of Waldwa, Poland in
5677 (1917) to HaRav Chaim Meir. His father passed away when
Tuvia was still a young boy and he went to live with his
grandfather, HaRav Yonah Yehoshua Goldstein zt'l. His
grandfather on his mother's side was HaRav Dovid Lieberman
zt'l, the rov of the city of Chelm. Waldwa had been
the home of the Bach hundreds of years earlier, and several
decades ago the original manuscript of Hagohos HaBach
on the Shas was found there.
In his youth he began his studies in the glorious yeshivas of
Europe, learning under HaRav Boruch Ber zt'l in
Kamenitz and HaRav Elchonon Wassermann Hy'd in
Baranovitch. He was even a member of the Wassermann household
for an extended period. His clear thinking and profound
sevoros set him apart from the other talmidim.
At Baranovitch he studied in a chaburah with HaRav
Nochum Partzovitch zt'l, rosh yeshivas Mir, and HaRav
Shmuel Birnbaum ylct'a, rosh yeshivas Mir in the US,
who says at a young age R' Tuvia had formed a very tight bond
with his rebbe.
By the age of 17 he had already begun to write halachic
responsa. He continued his studies at Baranovitch until the
outbreak of World War II, when he was forced to seek refuge
in Vilna and, although he was captured by the Russians there,
his subsequent exile to Siberia along with dozens of other
talmidim from the yeshiva actually facilitated their
long-term survival. Approximately 40 talmidim were
sent to Siberia where they spent five years in a work
camp.
Through mesirus nefesh they constantly sought ways to
limit the chilul Shabbos imposed on them. At first
the camp director wanted to give them the death penalty, but
when a government official from Moscow arrived at the camp
and asked to meet with one of them, Rav Goldstein spent
nearly an hour conversing with him. "I am a Jew, and my
mother told me I must do everything for Judaism, and I do not
want to desecrate the Sabbath," he explained.
Upon leaving the meeting the official told the camp director
he could ease their work requirements on Shabbos since they
worked hard all week. From that point on the camp director
was afraid the talmidim had ties with Moscow and gave
them larger rations. And in the freezing cold of -40 degrees
they were even permitted to build a succah.
When the war ended Rav Goldstein went to France where he
spent two years with HaRav Mordechai Pogremansky zt'l,
eventually receiving a visa to the US where he resumed
studying intensely. He married the daughter of a Holocaust
survivor and lived in the US for nearly 15 years in the same
building as HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt'l, who was
mekarev him very much. On one occasion Rebbetzin
Feinstein woke HaRav Goldstein late at night saying HaRav
Feinstein wanted him to help render a ruling in a matter of
pikuach nefesh.
For years HaRav Feinstein would pass on written psokim
and teshuvos for Rav Goldstein to examine, since he
was more familiar with various responsa and poskim and
he wanted to be sure that his references were accurate. In
various places Igros Moshe reads, " . . . which I
heard from my friend, HaGaon Rav Tuvia Goldstein."
Eventually he set up Yeshivas Emek Halocho during a period
when the concepts of horo'oh and halocho were not well-
known in the US, but the yeshiva and kollel were
destined to become one of the country's leading yeshivas with
thousands of talmidim learning under HaRav Goldstein.
He also helped inspire numerous baalei batim living in
the neighborhood, many of whom took part in the bedside
prayer vigil during his final period in the hospital.
HaRav Goldstein's son, HaRav Mordechai ylct'a, said
that despite living in the US for nearly 60 years he never
learned English, remaining with his heritage and speaking
with everybody in Yiddish. Nonetheless he was able to relate
well to his talmidim and to form strong links with
them.
The levaya set out from Yeshivas Emek Halocho on
Sunday evening, with thousands accompanying him on his last
earthly journey. He was eulogized by HaRav Shmuel Birnbaum,
HaRav Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg and HaRav Yeruchom Olshin.
In Israel the aron was brought to the square outside
Yeshivas Mir where a crowd of thousands awaited the
hespeidim. After reciting a chapter of Tehillim
HaRav Yitzchok Ezrachi , one of the roshei yeshivos at Mir,
spoke first. Other speakers included HaRav Yisroel Garber, a
friend of the deceased ever since they studied together at
Yeshivas Kamenitz in Lithuania; HaRav Yitzchok Sheiner, Rosh
Yeshivas Kamenitz; HaRav Tzvi Partzovitz, one of the roshei
yeshivos at Yeshivas Mir-Brachfeld; the deceased's son, HaRav
Mordechai Goldstein, moro de'asro of the Mishkenos Yaakov
neighborhood in Beit Shemesh; and his son-in-law, HaRav Osher
David, who is slated to take his place as rosh yeshivas Emek
Halocho.
Following the hespeidim the procession set out toward
Har Hamenuchos. On his last earthly journey HaRav Yuvia
Goldstein, zt'l, was accompanied by his many
talmidim from the US and Eretz Yisroel and was buried
in the afternoon.
HaRav Tuvia Goldstein, zt'l, is survived by the
Rebbetzin and their sons, HaRav Chaim Meir and HaRav
Mordechai, the moro de'asro of the Mishkenot Yaakov
neighborhood in Ramat Beit Shemesh. His daughters are married
to HaRav Yosef Mermelstein, rosh yeshivas Novominsk in the
US, and HaRav Osher David, rosh kollel at Yeshivas Emek
Halocho, also in the US.
