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IN-DEPTH FEATURES
Excerpts from volume 3 of the series HaRav miBrisk
— a biography of HaRav Yitzchok Zeev Soloveitchik in
Hebrew. HaRav Shimon Yosef Meller opens new vistas for us
with his unique revelations.
Part I
The books of HaRav Shimon Yosef Meller need no introduction.
They have become famed throughout the world as unique and
superlative works which have become a cornerstone for every
Jewish household, with every Jewish library respecting their
reputation.
The books include the series "Shai LaTorah" in five
volumes, the four volumes of "Uvdos Vehanhogos leBeis
Brisk", "Nasich Mamleches HaTorah" — excerpts from
the life of HaRav Simcha Zissel Broide.
But his supreme masterpiece, published in the last year-and-a-
half, is the biography and excerpts from the life of the
Brisker Rov, HaRav Yitzchok Zeev Halevi Soloveitchik, in two
volumes. Recently, the author has been working hard to
complete and publish the third and last volume, which
includes chapters beginning from the year 5710 (1949) until
that bitter day of erev Yom Kippur 5720 (1959), when
the Rov ascended to the Heavens.
Volume three will cover important aspects of the life of the
Rov, such as "Chosomo Emess," a special chapter
dealing with "Inyonei Chinuch," another on matters of
"hashkofoh," another on the time he spent in Switzerland, as
well as special chapters on the controversies that swept the
Jewish community in Eretz Yisroel in his time, such as the
drafting of women, the excavations of graves, a political
coalition with the National Religious, the swimming pool in
Yerushalayim, the clubhouse dispute in Jerusalem, and
more.
Those chapters which deal with the Brisker Rov's leadership
role have tremendous importance. Indeed, this is the first
time a comprehensive work has been produced which is most
particular about the accuracy of facts, is based on an in-
depth investigation, on audio and visual testimony, a cross-
check of information, and an uncompromising criticism of the
data collected on many incidents which then caused a storm
among the chareidi sector in Eretz Yisroel.
As in the previous volumes, massive and intensive research
was carried out, which spanned years and continents, in order
to fully cover each subject and each event, with clarity,
caution and enormous responsibility.
Even though more than 50 years have passed since many of
these events occurred, there are still a few important
personages, rabbis and public figures left, who were very
much involved in all aspects of these affairs. Exclusive
material of the rarest type was gleaned from these people,
and others, together with documents which have not as yet
been released to the public, which shed new light on many
facts that were unknown to the public in those days.
The overriding need for and striving for maximum precision
with regard to every detail, however trivial and unimportant
it may seem, is the main reason for the delay in publication
of the book.
*
HaRav Meller says:
I recently heard an amazing incident from HaRav Avrohom
Erlanger, one of the rosh yeshivas of Kol Torah, as he heard
it from HaRav Dovid Auerbach — who heard it directly.
Here is the story:
Once the Brisker Rov was talking with a rabbi about a certain
issue, and during the conversation he mentioned a story
involving a certain watchmaker. As hard as he tried, the Rov
could not recall the name of that watchmaker around whom the
story revolved, and since his attempts to bring up the name
from the recesses of his memory were unsuccessful, he stopped
telling the story . . .
`What is this?' he was asked. `Surely the story can just as
well be told even without the minor detail of the
watchmaker's name?'
The Rov replied that it was true that this detail was not of
such vital importance that if it were left out it would
detract from the story. But if he were to continue relating
the story without mentioning the name of that watchmaker, he
was afraid that one of the listeners would eventually forget
the fact that the person's name was unknown, and he would
think that he needed to make up the name of another
watchmaker in order to pass the story on to others —
and he would thereby be responsible for bringing falsehood
into the world. Therefore he was unwilling to continue
telling the story!
Rabbi Meller continues: If the Rov thought it appropriate to
relate this story, there must have been some important and
necessary purpose to it, since the Rov took from his most
valuable time to tell it over to the rabbi. Nevertheless, if
it turned out that this involved possibly leaving out a
detail which might not be expressly true, better the story be
buried and not told!
It has now been 45 years since the Brisker Rov ascended to
the Heavens, to the Yeshiva Shel Ma'aloh. So many
years have elapsed since the Rov was swept up to the Heavenly
regions. Can there still be some new findings?
Rabbi Meller: It is definitely a unique situation! Hardly a
week goes by that we don't come up with some new information
from the members of the Brisker household. Sometimes it is an
unknown dvar Torah, other times a new `Brisker Rov
story,' or some new letter or picture.
Following the publication of the two volumes on HaRav
miBrisk, Rabbi Meller received hundreds and hundreds of
letters: letters of appreciation, responses — and even
new findings.
Many of the letters contained supplementary information, or
new and unknown details about the life of the Rov, as well as
pictures or letters which had been passed around in the
course of time to various people throughout the world. They
were most happy to submit them for publication in the books,
and to participate in this unique documentary venture.
For example, Rabbi Meller showed us a letter he had recently
received in the Rov's handwriting addressed to HaRav Meir
Karelitz, with regard to changes that the Ministry of
Education then wished to implement in the chadorim and
chareidi talmud Torahs. In it, the Brisker Rov writes
brokenheartedly about this grave calamity, expressing himself
in the harshest and gravest terms:
"When everything is said and done, we feel but we do not do
anything about this major and dreadful issue which takes
precedence over all those minor matters that everyone is
putting all their energies into, and all their heart and
soul, etc., etc. And then there is no time to think about
this most central of all issues, upon which the entire future
of Judaism depends, so that we should at least be left with
some remnant of those homes which were built on Torah. It
leaves the impression that we are not in the least interested
in this matter."
Following is a hitherto unknown letter written by the Brisker
Rov.
All the brochos to my loyal friend, the renowned and
great gaon, etc., etc., HaRav Meir Karelitz,
shlita.
May there be pleasantness in our days forever.
"After the blessing from heart and soul. I very much wanted
to know whether the eminent gaon had already met with
the Minister of Education, and what the results were. In the
opinion of R' Yitzchok Meir Levin, a tremendous amount can be
accomplished through him. He already spoke with him about
this. But it is crucial that the rabbonim follow up on this.
This must be done very soon, as he told me when he came to my
house on motzei Shabbos, since the government is
already busy preparing everything for the next school year,
by which time the law of compulsory education will already
have come into effect.
"I have not as yet received any information from the eminent
gaon as to what is being done about this. I spoke to
the Ponovezher Rov about his joining the efforts with the
above mentioned . . . the Prime Minister as we had agreed
upon, but his response was negative.
"I really have no idea whom to ask and whom to apply to. When
all is said and done, we feel that we do not do anything
about this major and gravely serious issue which takes
precedence over all those minor matters that everyone is
putting all their energies into, and all their heart and
soul, etc., etc. And then there is no time to think about
this most crucial of all issues, upon which the entire future
of Judaism depends, so that we should at least be left with
some remnant of those homes which were built on Torah. It
gives the impression that we are not in the least interested
in this matter.
"I have poured out my heart bitterly to the eminent
gaon, for there is no one even left to talk to about
it, and I await the eminent gaon's response, for this
matter demands a solution as soon as possible. I remain his
dear and beloved friend who honors him and desires his peace
and well-being . . . "
28 Nisan, 5709 (1948), Jerusalem
Stamp of Truth
Excerpts from the chapter, "Chosom Shel Emess" from
the book HaRav miBrisk, part three, soon to be
published in Hebrew.
One of the talmidim and those close to the household
of HaRav Eliezer Plachinsky described beautifully the fear
and trepidation that gripped him at the mere mention of the
name or allusion to the Brisker Rov, when he said that the
basis of the feeling of fear that he had was—the
feeling of the Rov himself. He brought down the words of the
Gemora in Horayos (10) which speaks of a king
who is in a situation of, "ein lo al gabov elo Hashem
Elokov" (he has no one over him except Hashem).
In the Brisker Rov too you saw clearly that ein lo al
gabov elo Hashem Elokov. He lived the truth as it was,
without any dependence on anyone or anything.
He had absolutely no fear of any human being, whoever the
person was, and no fear of any event or of anything else.
There was only one, single yoke that he bore, the yoke of his
G-d. Him alone did He fear, and that fear that he himself
felt, was felt by everyone around him. And it was because of
that bare truth, which had no tinge of personal desire or the
desire to curry favor, that people both far away or near felt
the fear!
*
Let us take an example. When he first came to Eretz Yisroel
and heard a rumor that there were certain people who were not
careful about separating terumos and ma'asros,
he replied in a shocked voice: "How can it be? Are they not
terrified of the aveiroh?"
That was the kind of response he had, like the shock of
someone who approaches a furnace with his eyes wide open.
(Heard from HaRav Rephael Shapiro, at a hesped for the
Brisker Rov.)
You might say, it was his yiras Shomayim that was
palpable. That was certainly true, but it seems that above
all it stemmed from a clear and distinct awareness of the
essence of the din of separating terumos and
ma'asros, and an intense amazement that a person would
not care to be particular with that mitzva.
Does he not know that this is an aveiroh? How can he
possibly deny the reality and behave in contradiction to his
knowledge of it being an aveiroh. How is it that the
emess has not taken away his peace of mind and
impelled him to keep the din as it is, without any
arguments?
*
The spirit of emess shielded him all day long.
Consequently: his whole mind and might was immersed in Torah
and in the truth of its ways, and a steadfast faith in the
Borei Olom was as simple for him as night and day. It
is no wonder then that, in those stormy days when there was a
sudden heavy bombardment of Yerushalayim and cannon balls
were flying over the streets, then everyone ran for shelter
— but the Brisker Rov, who also wanted to live and
desired shelter and protection, just opened a sefer
Tehillim and uttered a heartfelt prayer about the
imminent danger.
You might say: that is the power of emunoh. That is
certainly true. But it was more than that: reality had to be
subordinated to the light of truth. And since we are
ma'aminim bnei ma'aminim, the real truth is: what
better or more appropriate refuge do we have than to open up
our sefer Tehillim and pour out our hearts to Hashem
that He should answer us in times of trouble and be our
Fortress and Refuge!
*
And since the emess was like a crimson thread passing
over all of his steps and his actions, ever since he was old
enough to understand, the path ahead of him was crystal clear
to him, without the slightest deviation, without any baseless
doubts and fears, without any groping around in the dark. It
was a level of emess which constantly examines what is
the rotzon of Hashem, the Guide and Director of all
actions. When should I be happy and when should I be sad;
when should I fear and when should I trust; when should I act
and when should I desist. Such was his way; the entire song
of his life was a single encapsulation of the fulfillment of
the rotzon Hashem in perfection, in truth, and in
simplicity.
Acquire Emess
The Brisker Rov related: An author once brought the Gaon of
Vilna the manuscript of his essay on the order of
tefilloh for his assessment. The essay began with an
explanation of why the prayer of Adon Olom was
instituted to be said first, following the statement by
Chazal: (Brochos 7:2):
"From the day that HaKodosh Boruch Hu created His
world there was no one who called HaKodosh Boruch Hu
`Adon' (Master) until Avrohom, as it says
(Bereishis 15:8): "O L-rd, G-d, whereby shall I know
that I shall inherit it." From this they also made the
deduction that the order of prayer should begin with the
prayer of Adon Olom as a reminder of the zchus
Avrohom, as it says in the Gemora that even
Daniel's prayer was only answered in the merit of Avrohom.
The Gaon derived great pleasure from seeing that explanation
and told the author: "Even if the book was printed just for
that one thing it would be sufficient."
The HaRav Yitzchok Maltzan brings down this explanation in
"Siach Yitzchok" on that posuk, in the name of
the sefer Maggid Tzedek, and notes at the end: "The
Vilna Gaon finds this matter correct he praised it."
In his introduction to the sefer Kanfei Yonah by HaRav
Eliyahu Yonah Segal, av beis din of Ashminah (Vilna,
5646-1885), the story is brought down in the following
words:
"I have heard it said about the Vilna Gaon that once a
certain author came to him to ask for his haskomoh on
a peirush of the tefilloh, and he saw at the
beginning of the sefer the reason for beginning the
order of tefilloh with the Adon Olom, . . . The
Vilna Gaon commented: "Even if the book was printed just for
that one thing it would be sufficient."
Someone commented on this story by asking the Brisker Rov:
"Why was the Gaon so amazed? After all, the vort was
so short and so extremely simple?"
The Rov replied: Torah shleimoh hi, hafoch bo vehafoch bo
dechulo boh (It is a complete Torah [thought], learn and
relearn it and you find everything in it). He went on to
say:
Oib der Gaon hat meshabei'ach gevven dem vort, iz der vort
emess, un in emess iz kein untersheid nisht do tzuvishen
groys und klein (If the Gaon praised this vort it means
it is emess, and when it comes to emess there
is no difference between `big' and `small!').
Heard from HaRav Meshulam Dovid Halevi
Soloveitchik.
End of Part I
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