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IN-DEPTH FEATURES
Part Two
First Be A Man
In his typically fascinating and impressive manner, HaRav
Shechter zt'l, provided instruction about the
fundamentals of Kelm mussar although as he put it, he
was giving us, "the merest touch, the smallest amount, while
balancing on one foot."
Rav Shechter: I made note of three main principles of
Kelm mussar. Though there are more, I tried to place
them in [broad] categories.
The first one, which is the starting point of everything, is:
"First be a man." People understand the prayer [said
following the morning blessings], Le'olom yehei odom yerei
Shomayim, as meaning, "A person should always fear
Heaven." But in Kelm they put a stop after the first three
words, so that it means, "Always," or "first, be a man." Then
they would start again and say, "A person should always fear
Heaven."
The meaning of this is very straightforward. Rabbi Akiva
said, "Man is precious because he was created in Hashem's
image. As an extra token of endearment he was informed of
this . . . Yisroel are precious because they are called
Hashem's sons. As an extra token of endearment they were
informed that they are called Hashem's sons" (Ovos
3:14).
Creation in Hashem's image refers to man's ability to think.
"And man's advantage over animals is naught" — that
exist without thinking, then — "for all is vanity"
(Koheles 3:19). But with the ability to think, man is
in Hashem's image. This is a separate advantage, distinct
from that of Yisroel's being "precious because they are
called Hashem's sons."
The common understanding of this is that on the level of
"Yisroel are precious" there is no need for [developing] the
[lower] level of "in Hashem's image" but this is untrue. Even
a person who learns Torah and merits a connection to the
level of "Yisroel are precious," still needs to relate to the
fundamentals. In our context the fundamental level is
"Derech eretz kodmoh laTorah — (Correct behavior
precedes Torah)."
In what sense does correct behavior precede Torah?
In Kelm they viewed it as the foundation upon which the
entire edifice [of a person's character] is erected. A
foundation of derech eretz is something that Torah can
be built on. If there is no derech eretz there can be
no Torah. It's evident that this is what Chazal meant when
they said, "If there's no derech eretz, there's no
Torah (Ovos 3:17)."
Man's preciousness in being created in Hashem's image obliges
him to refrain from acting on impulse, without forethought.
The basis of this idea comes from Rav Yisroel [Salanter,
zt'l]. "A man in his glory who does not understand"
— what is he? — "[he] is comparable to animals
and is like them (Tehillim 49:21). This was a basic
and straightforward idea in Kelm. "A man in his glory" refers
to his being a thinker, to having the ability to think. All
the instruction about derech eretz kodmoh laTorah
hinges on this ability.
But we're not talking about what the gentiles consider
derech eretz [i.e. good manners]. Their code of
derech eretz is based on the seven mitzvos of bnei
Noach. Our derech eretz, which precedes Torah, is
based on six hundred and thirteen mitzvos.
This approach points us in the direction of character
refinement that results from reflection. In Kelm this [work]
was part and parcel of the daily regimen, relating to the
command to, "go in His ways" (Devorim 10:12, 11:22,
26:17).
What's more — I'll tell you briefly — in Kelm
things were arranged on the basis of the assumption that it
is impossible to engage in correcting all of ones' traits at
the same time. They therefore proposed that one select a
single central characteristic and pursue perfection in that
area in particular. It might be the trait of deliberation
— "Do not act rashly" (Orchos Chaim). Or it
might be the trait of orderliness — being orderly in
one's actions, speech and general affairs. Attaining
perfection in a single trait would then lead to all round
correction of character. Or, for example, one might choose
the trait of acknowledging the truth, in which Reb Nochum
Velvel [Ziv zt'l, the Alter's son] excelled, meriting
perfection in all his other traits through that one.
Mussar Scholarship
The second fundamental [of Kelm] is: "Torah study is equal to
all others." It is commonly thought that in Kelm they were
absorbed in mussar and, while they might have learned
Torah as well, mussar was their main occupation. It's
not true! There were two learning sedorim in Kelm, one
from eight-thirty until one- thirty and the second from three
until nine, during which they learned gemora and
poskim.
The big difference between Kelm and other yeshivos was that
elsewhere they learned mussar for half an hour a day
and in Kelm they learned mussar for an hour a day
— but no more. They were busy learning Shas all
day, following a certain plan, as was done in all the
yeshivos.
When the Mashgiach [Reb Yeruchom] learned in Kelm, do you
know who his chavrusa was? The gaon Rav Naftoli
Trop zt'l! For ten years! And it was in Kelm that Reb
Naftoli developed into a great rosh yeshiva.
Even though the Alter was the principal source of
instruction, or [later] Reb Hirsch or Reb Nochum Velvel, the
pattern of thought was one that could be applied to both
Torah and mussar. It was one and the same approach.
"Torah study is equal to all others," refers to Torah
scholarship. The novelty of Kelm was scholarship in mussar
as well.
Before the time of the Alter, and Reb Yisroel before him,
people thought that mussar study was suited to the way
householders learn. Any ordinary householder can open Ein
Yaakov and learn Chazal's mussar teachings —
that was what they thought. Then Reb Yisroel came along and
showed that there is scholarship in Chazal's non-halachic
teachings as well. Scholarly insight is as necessary for
understanding the statement, "Moshe received the Torah at
Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua" (Ovos 1:1), as
it is for understanding the law of the "ox that gored a cow"
(Bava Kama 46). It's needed for Pirkei Ovos and
for every statement of Chazal's, for this is the method of
study that leads to the truth!
That is what the Alter passed on to his talmidim who
went on to become mashgichim in the yeshivos. That's
why, when people heard the Mashgiach [Reb Yeruchom] it seemed
as though they were hearing Reb Chaim Brisker.
I know Mirrer talmidim who developed into scholars and
were later appointed as maggidei shiur in yeshivos
gedolos in America, who told me explicitly that they
received their profundity from the Mashgiach's
shmuessen.
Do you understand? They acquired the scholarly skills for
studying Shor shenogach es haporoh from the
Mashgiach's discussions. I also know this and feel it to be
the case.
In Old Age He Will Not Veer from It —
From Self-Training
The third fundamental that I made note of is the idea:
"Yisroel is a youth and I love him" (Hoshea 11:1).
This is the foundation of [successful education], "Train the
lad according to his way; even when he grows old he will not
veer from it" (Mishlei 22:6). This posuk is
usually explained to mean, give him a powerful enough
education when he's young, whose effects won't leave him even
when he's old. This is correct as well. In Kelm, though, they
said, based on a principle of Reb Yisroel's, that the words,
"even when he's old he won't veer from it," refer [not to his
early education but] to the actual pursuit of training. In
other words, ensure that he'll be involved in training
himself throughout life. See that he retains [the qualities
of] youth even in old age and that he never ceases adding to
his knowledge and working on himself.
"And he equipped his disciples," ( Bereishis 14:14).
Chazal say that this refers to Avrohom's servant Eliezer, who
was already a mature adult who "drew upon his master's
teachings and disseminated them to others" (Rashi, ibid.
15:2). Yet the posuk calls him a disciple. He was
still occupied with self-correction and training.
This is the meaning of the posuk [in Hoshea],
"for Yisroel is a youth and I love him." Don't grow old [and
fixed in your ways]! When a person grows old he sustains
himself solely from what he studied in his youth. Now his day
has passed [and he no longer renews himself].
This posuk shows us how Klal Yisroel surpasses
the other nations. Even in old age they continue learning and
improving themselves like youths. This is what we saw in Kelm
— freshness and the embodiment of [the posuk's
words], "They will still give produce in old age; they will
be lush and fresh" ( Tehillim 92:15).
This is how I explain the closing words of the Rosh's
Orchos Chaim, "Do not become used to standing still,
unless it's in the presence of a scholar and pay attention
and listen to his words." A person's main task in this world
is to spend his life in cheder learning.
Did You Set Fixed Times for Torah — With
Your Family?
This is related to the theme of "treating one's fellow man
like royalty." Just as man was created to carry the yoke of
Hashem's rule, he must also bear the burden of other people.
This is the source of the obligation to share the burdens of
one's fellow men. In Kelm they would mention a statement of
Chazal's in this connection: "Did you treat your fellow man
royally, just as you crowned your Creator?"
By the way, when I wanted to put this statement into my
sefer I couldn't find a source for it until I visited
Rav Chaim [Kanievsky], from whom literally no part of Torah
escapes, and he immediately showed me it in the medrash
maseches Chibut Hakever, perek 4.
Have you ever noticed the existence of such a
masechteh in your life? But Reb Chaim showed it to me,
as well as the Reishis Chochmoh, who quotes the
statement in Shaar Hayir'oh, perek 12.
Self-control was something else that was considered
fundamental in Kelm. This was close in meaning to the Ibn
Ezra's comment on the posuk, "For the nezer
(the coronet) of his G-d is upon his head" (Bamidbor
6:7). A person who can control himself is like a king, for
the posuk uses the word nezer, denoting a
crown. Only once a person can control himself and his desires
can he also control others.
To end with, I would like to quote from my sefer on
the Orchos Chaim LehoRosh from a letter that Rav
Doniel Mowshovitz wrote to me from Kelm. The Rosh writes (in
section 44), "Set fixed times for [divrei] Torah
before eating and drinking, and discuss them at your table.
Admonish the members of your household, guiding them
according to the Torah in all matters that require warning
etc."
Here is what he wrote to me in his letter. "He [the Rosh]
seems to understand that setting fixed times relates to
training and teaching one's family and others [not, as is
usually understood, to one's own study] as the posuk
says, `And you shall teach them to your sons and discuss them
when you sit in your house . . .' (Devorim 6:7). `In
your house,' doesn't refer to the house of sticks and stones
that you've bought or that you rent. It refers principally to
the family circle . . . I have also seen gedolim who
constantly spoke about emunoh and bitochon at
their tables, about [the traits of] alacrity and tranquility
and about love of Torah and mitzvos [in order] to banish the
prattle and speech about the mores [and] vanities of this
world and to instill love of Olom Habo."
He means that the question, "Did you set fixed times for
Torah?" doesn't refer to the number of hours that one has
spent learning oneself, but to what one's principal
attachment was: to Torah or to other things.
I had the merit of receiving this letter after I came to
America — I think that it was the last letter that left
Kelm. I left Kelm straight after Simchas Torah 5701 (1940)
and they were martyred on the fifth of Av that year. In the
introduction to my sefer I record what we found out
about how they were martyred, in holiness and purity. (This
was published in Yated of parshas Nitzovim,
5761, in an article for HaRav Shechter's first
yahrtzeit. The section was entitled, "The March to
Slaughter through Kelm.")
Reb Doniel wrote me the letter in response to my having
written to him telling him that we were establishing a
kollel.
We indeed had the merit of opening the first kollel in
America, which we eventually handed over to Reb Aharon
[Kotler zt'l]. It was the Beis Hamedrash Govoha of
White Plains and he later moved it from White Plains to
Lakewood. Rav Nosson Wachtfogel and Rav Simchah Zissel
Levovitz zt'l were there. Altogether there were close
to fifteen avreichim there.
From Chochmah Umussar to Daas Torah
Rav Shechter brought the first part of our discussion —
the highly instructive talk that he'd prepared in advance
— to a close with these words. "So my friend, I've
tried to briefly convey — and only briefly — a
little from the vast ocean of the Beis HaTalmud of Kelm for
wisdom and mussar."
The "little" that I'd heard gave me some idea of the breadth
and magnitude of the memories that must still remain
undisclosed. I decided to move from a monologue to a
dialogue, in an attempt to steer our conversation towards
further revelations.
YN: You mentioned the daytime timetable in Kelm. What
used to happen in the evenings?
Rav Shechter: The second seder continued until
nine o'clock, then mussar was studied until ten. Then
we davened ma'ariv and went to eat the evening meal.
Whoever wanted to go back to learn after that could do so but
all in all, in Kelm they were particular about going to sleep
on time.
YN: In other words, the second seder lasted
from three in the afternoon until ten at night, without a
break?
Rav Shechter: Yes, yes, without interruption. In Kelm
they learned Rabbenu Yonah's Shaarei Teshuvoh,
Mesillas Yeshorim and Chovos Halevovos. Another
thing they had there were the collections of the Alter's
talks entitled, Chochmah Umussar, single articles from
which were given to individuals — not the entire
sefer because it hadn't yet been published [in book
form], just individual articles. A person would be given one
article and when he finished, he'd be given another.
I was fortunate in something Reb Doniel said to me. He told
his brother-in-law Reb Gershon, who was the menahel,
that since it was wartime they ought to give me all the
shmuessen to bring to America, even though we had no
idea then of what would happen. Boruch Hashem, I
published all the essays in the two volumes of Chochmah
Umussar.
(Rav Shechter thus saved the priceless treasure of the
Alter's shmuessen from oblivion. He also had a hand in
the publication of the series of volumes of Daas Torah
from the Mirrer mashgiach Reb Yeruchom, which were
published by the latter's son Reb Simchah Zissel Levovitz
incorporating Rav Shechter's notes.)
Reb Simchah Zissel arranged the material in the following
way. The material that we learned in the shiurim [on
Chumash] was not enough [by itself] to make up a
lengthy sefer so he divided [the material that he had
on] each parsha into two sections. One was
biurim, explanations, which was what we learned in the
Chumash shiur. The second section contained points [on
the parsha] from shmuessen that he'd delivered
during the year; this part was called maamorim,
talks.
Another point — the Mashgiach would always leave the
yeshiva during Tammuz and travel to Marienbad, on doctors'
instructions. He would stay there until Elul. We therefore
wouldn't learn with him from parshas Pinchas to
parshas Ki Seitzei, so Reb Simchah Zissel only put out
maamorim on those parshiyos. The section on
Chumash Devorim nevertheless still fills two
volumes.
Chumash Devorim is indeed the greatest mussar
work in the world — die grester mussar sefer. So
we learned in Kelm and it's really self-evident. There are
awe- inspiring lessons in each and every parsha.
I was friendly with the Mashgiach's son, Reb Simchah Zissel.
When we used to meet in America I would tell him some new
insight of mine and he'd remark, "What do you say? Father
says that! Father says that!"
The first time [it happened] I kept quiet. The second time he
said the same thing to me again. The third time I told him,
"Listen! Your father said it but now I'm saying it as
something of my own. I don't want to delay the Redemption
[promised in the gemora (Megilloh 15) for attributing
sources] but since I don't remember and on the other hand
it's become my own — as the posuk says, "For
Hashem's Torah is his sole desire and he dwells on his Torah
day and night" (Tehillim 1:2). Chazal say that to
begin with it's Hashem's Torah but afterwards it becomes
his Torah, in other words it's eigene, it's his
own, his very own."
We Had a Teacher!
Through Heaven's kindness, boruch Hashem, we had good
fortune. People speak about seeing a teacher. Rav Yisroel
Salanter would say, "The chassidim think that they
have a teacher; the misnagdim think that they don't
need a teacher. And they're both wrong!" In Mir I was
fortunate enough to see what a teacher is! And what's more,
it was in a yeshiva of great men!
YN: Was it at all possible to establish a personal
bond with the Mashgiach?
Rav Shechter: Sure, sure!
YN: Even though there were five hundred
talmidim in Mir?
Rav Shechter: Yes, and what's more, the bond was still
very strong even though he only spoke to you once a year.
There's another reason why the bond was so powerful. The
Mashgiach usually spoke in the yeshiva three times a week, on
Friday night after kabolas Shabbos, in the yeshiva, or
at home when he caught cold, as he was very sensitive to
colds. That was one shmuess, lasting for a minimum of
an hour-and-a-half.
He spoke again on Shabbos after seudah Shelishis,
because in those parts during the summer there was at least
an hour-and-a-half between sunset and nightfall and [though
twilight was shorter] in winter the arrangement stayed the
same.
The third shmuess was on Wednesdays. Each
shmuess lasted for at least an hour-and-a-half,
multiplied by three and you get to five hours!
In addition, he would teach us [the overseas students]
Chumash on Friday nights after the meal — even
on the short summer nights — for a minimum of two hours
and sometimes for longer, and again on motzei Shabbos
and again in the middle of the week. In other words, we
would listen to the Mashgiach teaching Chumash for a
minimum of six hours a week, besides the shmuessen.
That's why we were so close to him. It was no casual
relationship but like father and son, a real, genuine mentor.
We knew what a teacher really is. We would approach him with
every problem that we had, small or great and he would solve
it.
End of Part II
The gaon and tzaddik Rav Shmuel Shechter
zt'l managed to escape from vale of slaughter in
Eastern Europe together with other subjects of the British
crown, which ruled over Canada, the country of his
nationality. The British government paid for their passage on
the Trans-Siberian express and thus transferred them to the
eastern edge of Soviet Russia, from where they continued to
Australia and onwards. The main points of the story appeared
in the interview that we published with Rav Menachem Manes
Moore zt'l, of Gateshead, who was with Rav Shechter on
the journey.
They boarded the train in Kovno, capital of Lithuania, on
Shabbos. Rav Shmuel Shechter related:
"The Kovner Rov, author of the Dvar Avrohom, was the
godol hador of the time after Reb Chaim Ozer and we
went to ask him about traveling on Shabbos. He answered us
with a question: "A shaila fregt ihr? (You're asking
questions?)" He was amazed that we'd come to ask about such
an obvious question that related to danger to life. Then he
gave us his blessing and also came to accompany us when we
left.
"We spent several months in Australia and one of the things
that we did was assist our friend Rav Chaim Dov Silver to
open a cheder. Our journey to Australia was paid for
entirely by the British, while our passage from Australia to
America was paid for by the Australian Committee of Reform
Jews, which presided over all the Jews there. Listen
carefully to understand why this was.
"When they saw us when we first arrived, they thought we were
collecting money, like others who'd been there. But when they
saw us speaking English they began to worry that we might
settle there and that we might cause them `problems.' They
therefore offered us some `good advice.' `You can't stay here
because there's nowhere for you to learn. Go to America and
we'll pay for your trip.'
"And they indeed paid for all our traveling expenses from
Brisbane, Australia to New York. That was Hashgochoh
at work, my friend! They didn't want too much
Yiddishkeit in Australia and we gained our passage to
America, where we started a new era in building and
disseminating Torah. Since then, faithful Orthodox
communities have been founded in Australia too."
Rav Shechter and his friends made history in America when
they opened the first Beis Hamedrash Govoha LaTorah — a
kollel in White Plains, New York — for the
avreichim and bochurim who had escaped from
Europe. When Rav Aharon Kotler arrived in America they put
the kollel into his hands and he transferred it to
Lakewood, making it the nucleus of his yeshiva
gedolah.
Several years later, after the war had ended, Rav Shmuel
returned to Europe, this time at Reb Aharon's behest, on
behalf of the Vaad Hatzalah which was run by the gedolei
Yisroel in New York under the protection of the American
armed forces. Reb Aharon wanted the group that went to Europe
to engage in rescue and relief to include a ben Torah
of stature, and he chose Rav Shmuel as his emissary.
This period demanded particular dedication and sacrifice. Rav
Shmuel was alone and far from his family, involved in
intensive rescue and rehabilitation work among the survivors,
principally in Frankfurt, Germany. What did he do in order to
preserve his mussar spirit and to keep the embers of
Kelm glowing within him?
"That year, 5706 (1946), I would travel once a month to
Gateshead, England for Shabbos, where I was the guest of Reb
Elya Leizer Dessler zt'l. We were very close to the
family from our days in Kelm. Moreover, when we had traveled
to Kelm, Rav Dessler's wife and daughter were there, visiting
their family. When the war broke out and travel became
impossible they remained there, and they joined us on our
journey to Australia where they stayed until the war ended.
It was simply impossible to get to England then because of
the state of emergency. One could only reach America, which
had not yet joined the war.
"I was together with Reb Elya Leizer again in 5707 (1947)
when we traveled together from England when he went to serve
in Yeshivas Ponovezh in Bnei Brak. At that time the
Ponovezher Rov wanted to put me in charge of the preparatory
school and the yeshiva ketanah in Botei Ovos
but as Hashgochoh had it, it didn't work out because
my wife wasn't willing to come to Eretz Yisroel while there
was a state of war there.
"I went in to the Chazon Ish and asked him how much pressure
I was allowed to put on her to make her agree to come. He
told me, "Chas vesholom, no pressure, because
everything that will go wrong she'll tell you, `Nu, I
told you . . . there's no milk, other things are
unavailable.' "
"I was left without any leverage and seeing that I was very
despondent as a result, he put his hand on my shoulder and
said, `You'll yet come to Eretz Yisroel, don't
worry!'
"That was in 5708, when there was a war going on here and my
wife therefore refused to come. Boruch Hashem, we did
merit coming later, with our family as well. I have two sons
and two daughters in Eretz Yisroel and two daughters
in New York. All of them have families of bnei Torah,
and are occupied with Torah, through Heaven's kindness and in
their ancestors merit," Rav Shechter concluded with
satisfaction.
Rav Shechter conveyed to us one of the most prominent and
fundamental ideas in the edifice of Kelm thought.
In all the yeshivos they would say Orchos Chaim
Lehorosh after prayer during Elul and the Aseres Yemei
Teshuvoh. This was also taken from Kelm, but in Kelm itself
they said it all year round. Every day following prayers the
shaliach tzibbur would remain in his place and
continue with [reading out] the Orchos Chaim.
On Wednesdays for example he would make the sound for a new
sentence — Ssst! — and would begin [at the
set place for that day] in a loud voice, with a particular
chant, and was followed by the congregation [reading it after
him]. Each week they would complete all one hundred-and-
thirty-one paragraphs of the Orchos Chaim.
In his commentary to the Orchos Chaim, Rav Shechter
points to an important principle which he read out to me. He
told me that gedolei Yisroel have agreed with him that
this forms the correct introduction to the sefer's
contents. The idea is connected to the Kelmer principle
concerning Derech eretz kodmoh laTorah (Correct
behavior precedes Torah).
"There are several pieces [in the sefer] where even
though the [proscribed] action is clearly forbidden by
halochoh, the Rosh nevertheless warns against it on the
grounds of the human mind's realization that it's wrong.
[This is] akin to [Chazal's statement], `Something dangerous
is more stringent than something [that is just] forbidden by
halochoh.' This is the great principle: Something that the
mind determines to be correct is included in derech
eretz. Chazal said, Derech eretz kodmoh laTorah,
meaning that the Torah [i.e. the dictates] of correct
behavior take precedence; this is because of the stringency
of an obligation that is dictated by the intellect."
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