Although more than thirty days have already elapsed since the
sudden petiroh of Rabbi Meyer Rosenbaum zt"l,
the Torah world continues to mourn his passing as he left
an indelible impression on the hearts and minds of so many
people. A man with a warm heart and a burning drive to do and
accomplish, Reb Meyer zt"l excelled in the three
pillars that uphold the world: Torah, Avodoh and
Gemilus Chassadim.
When Reb Meyer first moved to Lakewood, he was warmly
welcomed by Reb Shneur Kotler zt"l (former rosh
hayeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha) during a period when
baalei batim were discouraged from settling in this
metropolis of Torah (lest they serve as a negative influence
on the Yeshiva and its students). Reb Shneur with his
foresight, told Reb Meyer that there would yet come a time
when Lakewood would need him as a role model of how a ben
Torah should act when venturing out into the business
world. Indeed, as HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky testified during
the shivah, "Reb Meyer never left the walls of the
beis hamedrash." He embodied the teachings and ethics
he learned, and wherever possible put their ideals into
practice.
Reb Meyer, a tremendous talmid chochom, always began
his day with a learning session no matter how busy he was
with business or communal obligations. His chavrusas
testified that his learning was like that of a young
yeshiva bochur. How his face glowed when he thought of
yet another pshat or a new derher. Even during
his last few weeks, when he was too weak for strenuous
activity, his greatest pleasure and satisfaction were derived
from conversing and being mechadesh in learning.
Reb Meyer was not only a teacher by example. He also
delivered various series of shiurim on a variety of
topics, such as Daf Hayomi, Minchas Chinuch and
Chovos Halevovos.
His tefillah was a true inspiration to all those who
heard and observed him. During the year following the passing
of his mother, when he served as chazzan on a daily
basis, countless people made a special effort to daven
in his minyan in order to be uplifted by the
intense concentration and feeling he exerted during a
"regular" weekday davening. On the yomim noraim,
there were those even in the women's gallery who
requested seats as close as possible to Reb Meyer's regular
seat on the other side of the partition in order to be able
to follow along with him as he beseeched his Creator.
Reb Meyer's gemilus chassadim was legendary. As Rabbi
Shmuel Dishon explained at the Seudas Sheloshim in
Yerushalayim, the various leaders in Klal Yisroel are
compared to the different parts of the body. The Kohen Godol
is compared to the head, the Sanhedrin are like the eyes of
the nation. The King, though, is the heart of his people.
"Reb Meyer merited Malchus," said Rabbi Dishon,
"because he was the heart of Klal Yisroel."
Reb Meyer's home and heart were open to people from all walks
of life. He hosted Rabbinic leaders, Torah sages,
fundraisers, Jews in America for medical reasons and even
Yeshiva bochurim or children who were in need of a
"home away from home." Whether he was at home for Shabbos, or
away for the weekend, his home was always available for
guests.
Many rabbonim, askonim, and kollel yungerleit
would flock to his door for his advice and counsel, always
knowing that Reb Meyer would be available for them. Not only
did he assist countless individuals and mosdos with
his generous donations to tzedokoh, but he also threw
himself and the whole force of his talents into ensuring that
so many communal projects and yeshivos would succeed.
Reb Meyer zt"l was a "holech." He strove for
perfection, and with his steadfast bitachon and
uncompromising integrity, he overcame obstacle after obstacle
as he rose rung after rung on the ladder of greatness.
Two Seudos Sheloshim were held in his memory: one in
Lakewood, and one in Yerushalayim. Both were attended by
hundreds of people. In Lakewood, the seuda was held at
the Yeshiva Ketana Hall for close family and friends,
followed by a kinus his'orerus for the city at
large.
At the seuda, Reb Meyer's bechor, Reb Yosef
Yitzchok Rosenbaum, spoke. During the kinus, hespedim
were delivered by Rabbi Shlomo Feivel Schustal, maggid
shiur at Yeshivas Torah Temimoh, Rabbi Yisroel Neuman,
the Rosh Hayeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, Rabbi
Shmuel Leifer, the Chuster Rebbe, and some of Reb Meyer's
chavrusas, Rabbi Berel Leifer and Rabbi Moshe
Jacobowitz.
In Yerushalayim, the seuda was held at Yeshivas Amalah
Shel Torah, where Reb Meyer's son-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Zeev
Feinstein, serves as rosh hayeshiva. The evening
commenced with a siyum by the bochurim of
Shisha Sidrei Mishna. The Toldos Ahron Rebbe,
shlita, was mesayem and then maspid.
Other hespedim were delivered by Rabbi Shmuel
Dishon of New York (father of one of the maggidei shiur)
and the Rosh Hayeshiva.
Yeshivas Amalah Shel Torah was established in August 2000
under the guidance and direction of leading Torah
personalities in Israel and abroad. In the short time since
its inception, Yeshivas Amalah Shel Torah has quickly
attracted dozens of outstanding and dedicated young men, due
to the unique blend of the high level, profound in-depth
study of the Lithuanian Yeshivos and the unwavering devotion
to the service of Hashem in the traditional Chassidic
style.
It was with Reb Meyer's foresight and practical advice that
the Yeshiva was founded and with his constant assistance and
encouragement that the Yeshiva continues to flourish. A rare
combination of uncompromising commitment to Torah study, as
well as to the service of Hashem, Reb Meyer, zt"l, was
an embodiment of the Yeshiva's goals.
It is therefore most fitting, as the Yeshiva seeks to
accommodate the dynamic growth of its student body, that its
building campaign is dedicated as a living memorial for Reb
Meyer Rosenbaum, zt"l. Opportunities in the Yeshiva's
building campaign are available. Please send a fax to (732)
370-3738 or in Israel to (011-972-2) 537-7112.
