A PUBLICATION OF THE RABBINIC ALUMNI OF THE ISAAC ELCHANAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY • AN AFFILIATE OF UNIVERSITY CHAV RUSA Volume 45 • Number 2 אין התורה נקנית אלא בחבורה (ברכות סג:) January 2011 • Shevat 5771 In This Issue Divrei from: Goldwicht Rabbi Dr. David Horwitz Rabbi Naphtali Weisz

ראש השנה לאילנות

New Rabbinic On Being a Maggid: Advisory The Storytelling of Committee Rabbi Page 4 Page 15 In This Issue

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Page 3 News from RIETS The 2010 RIETS dinner, a reunion shiur for former Richard M. Joel students of Rabbi Hershel Schachter, and the new President, Rabbinic Advisory Committee. Rabbi Dr. Chancellor, Yeshiva University Rosh HaYeshiva, RIETS

Rabbi Julius Berman C hairman of the B oard of T rustees , R I E T S Page 12 Musmakhim in the Limelight Longevity in the rabbinate Rabbi M a x and M arion G ri l l Dean , R I E T S

Rabbi Kenneth Brander David Mitzner Dean, Center for the Jewish Future

Rabbi Dean Emeritus, RIETS Special Advisor to the President on Yeshiva Affairs Page 18 Practical Halachah A Renewable Light Unto the Nations Rabbi Robert Hirt Vice President Emeritus, RIETS By Rabbi Naphtali Weisz

Rabbi Chaim Bronstein Administrator, RIETS

Page 5 Special Feature Page 15 Special Feature CHAVRUSA Orthodox Forum Marks On Being a Maggid: A Look A Publication of RIETS Rabbinic Alumni 20 Years of Service to the at the Storytelling of Rabbi Rabbi Ronald L. Schwarzberg Community Hershel Schachter Director, The Morris and Gertrude Bienenfeld By Zev Eleff D epartment of J ewish C areer D e v e lopment and Placement Page 6 Divrei Chizuk Page 19 Book Reviews Rabbi Elly Krimsky A Potential Holiday Editor, CHAVRUSA By Rabbi Page 8 Back to the Page 21 Lifecycles Rabbi Levi Mostofsky Associate Editor, CHAVRUSA Beit Tu Bi-Shevat and the Sanc- Ms. Keren Simon tity of Fruits of the Land Assistant Editor, CHAVRUSA of Israel By Rabbi Dr. David Horwitz Rabbi Robert Shur Graphics and Layout, CHAVRUSA

CHAVRUSA is published three times a year by the Rabbinic Alumni of Editorial Policies the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, through the office of the Morris and Gertrude Bienenfeld Department of Jewish Career Development and Placement. • CHAVRUSA will consider articles and letters for publication.

Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future serves as the community • Books authored by musmakhim that are reviewed by musmakhim will be service arm of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). considered for publication as well. It continues the work of the Max Stern Division of Communal Services • Obituaries about and authored by musmakhim will be considered for publication. which, for over 60 years, has served as one of the premier service organizations for the Jewish community. • CHAVRUSA aims to maintain the Hebrew pronunciation style of the author of the article. Transliterations follow the author’s preference i.e. academic, Ashkenazic,

500 West 185th St. Suite 413 modern Hebrew or the like. While we will remain consistent within articles, each New York, NY 10033 author will be afforded to transliterate within his comfort level. 212-960-5400 x6360 [email protected] • CHAVRUSA reserves the right to edit articles received for publication, and will [email protected] make every effort to show a draft form to the author prior to publication. www.yu.edu/cjf • Contributions may be sent to [email protected] Editorial contributions and submissions to CHAVRUSA are welcome. • In addition to CHAVRUSA magazine, articles and divrei Torah may also be This publication accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. All submissions are subject to editing and are used at submitted for publication in the weekly Rabbinic Alumni e-newsletter. Please the editor’s discretion. Opinions expressed in this publication do not e-mail them to [email protected] necesarily reflect official Seminary and/or University policy.

2 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 In the News RIETS Dinner 2010 RIETS honored dedicated leaders and educa- classes at synagogues during Simchat Torah tors of the Jewish community at its Annual and Sukkot. Dinner of Tribute on Wednesday, Oct. 20, Dr. Wolowelsky is dean of the faculty 2010 at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. at the Yeshiva of Flatbush in , NY, Honorees include Guests of Honor Rabbi where he teaches math and Jewish philosophy. Joel ’60R and Judy Schreiber and Dr. Joel He is associate editor of Tradition, the journal Wolowelsky, who was awarded the Lifetime of Orthodox Jewish thought published by the Achievement in Jewish Education award. The Rabbinical Council of America, and the series President Richard M. Joel, Dr. Joel Wolowelsky dinner also paid tribute to Alvin Blumenfeld MeOtzar HoRav: Selected Writings of Rabbi z”l through the establishment of a scholarship Joseph B. Soloveitchik. fund in his name. Mr. Blumenfeld z’l, a distinguished and Rabbi Schreiber has served as a member widely admired trustee of RIETS and a former of the RIETS Board of Trustees since 1996. He board member of the Yeshiva University High is a graduate of Yeshiva College, Schools, was a graduate of YU High School for Graduate School of Jewish Studies and RIETS. Boys and Yeshiva College. Together with his His wife, Judy (nee Bunim), is a graduate of wife, Lois, they established the Lois Blumenfeld YU’s Brooklyn Girls High School and received Personal Endowed Scholarship Fund at YU’s President Richard M. Joel, Rabbi Joel Schreiber, a master’s degree from YU’s Wurzweiler and the Lois and Mrs. Judy Schreiber School of Social Work. The Schreiber family’s Avi Blumenfeld Fellowship in Israel, and This year’s dinner also featured divrei generosity has supported many YU initiatives, have supported many other YU initiatives. At Torah at each table courtesy of current RIETS including the Aaron and Blanche Schreiber the dinner, Mr. Blumenfeld’s family announced students, and a lively dance set at the end of Torah Tours Program that provides students that a new scholarship fund for undergraduates the dinner, which feted the honorees and the opportunity to present sermons and teach would be dedicated in his memory. brought a sense of bonding to the attendees. n Former Students Return to Yeshiva to Spend Time With Rav Schachter RIETS hosted a reunion shiur for the talmidim of Rabbi Hershel Schachter ’67R on Nov. 18, 2010. Over 80 former students from both Yeshiva College and RIETS attended the evening, in which Rabbi Schachter offered introductory remarks to Sefer Kodshim. Rabbi Schachter has had a distinguished career with RIETS, joining the faculty in 1967 at the age of 26 as the youngest in the seminary’s history. Since 1971, Rabbi Schachter has been rosh kollel of the Marcos and Adina Katz Kollel and also holds the Nathan and Vivian Fink Distinguished Professorial Chair in . In addition to his teaching duties, Rabbi Schachter lectures, writes and serves as a world-renowned . A prolific author, he has written more than 100 articles, in Hebrew and English for such scholarly publications as HaPardes, Hadarom, Beth Yitzchak and Or Hamizrach. His books include Eretz HaTzvi, B’ikvei HaTzon, Nefesh HaRav, MiPninei HaRav and Ginat Egoz and the newly released Torat HaRav. n

3 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 In the News

Rabbinic Advisory Committee (RAC) Established

A new body of Rabbinic Alumni leadership, the Rabbinic Advisory Committee (RAC), has been created and launched by RIETS and the Center for the Jewish Future. In the spring of 2009, at the behest of Yeshiva University and RIETS President Richard M. Joel, three dialogues were held at his home with three groups of RIETS alumni. Divided up by the amount of time since receiving , each cohort contained a mixture of musmakhim representing alumni in the pulpit, education, the chaplaincy and those serving Jewish organizations, as well as musmakhim who do not serve as klei kodesh at all. The President, joined by the Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS Rabbi Yona Reiss ’91R and the David Mitzner Dean of the (L-R) Rabbi Eliezer Zwickler, Institute for University School Partnership Director Dr. Scott Goldberg, Center for the Jewish Future Rabbi Kenneth Rabbi Binyamin Blau, Rabbi Perry Tirschwell, Rabbi Elchanan Weinbach, CJF David Mitzner Dean Rabbi Kenneth Brander, Rabbi Shalom Baum, RIETS Max and Marion Grill Dean Rabbi Yona Reiss, Director of Brander ’86R, had a frank and constructive The Morris and Gertrude Bienenfeld Department of Jewish Career Development and Placement Rabbi dialogue with those assembled. Those three Ronald Schwarzberg, RIETS Alumni Director Rabbi Elly Krimsky, Rabbi Moshe Neiss, Rabbi Howard Zack, meetings led to the proposal to convene a Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Rybak and Rabbi Shmuel Silber new group — the RAC — which would be on three areas: building relations with RIETS Dr. Shlomo Rybak ’66R, Passaic, NJ; Rabbi led by RIETS alumni who have distinguished alumni and extending more services to them; Shmuel Silber ’02R, Baltimore, MD; Rabbi themselves in service to YU and RIETS, working to help the professional rabbi thrive Perry Tirschwell ’97R, Boca Raton, FL; Rabbi representing varying demographics of age, and succeed in the various fields of avodat Elchanan Weinbach ’90R, Bala Cynwyd, vocation and geographical diversity within the hakodesh that they serve; and helping YU and PA; Rabbi Howard Zack ’85R, Columbus, . RIETS promote its values and message in the OH; and Rabbi Eliezer Zwickler ’01R, West The newly appointed members of the communities. We wish the members of the Orange, NJ. RAC convened their first meeting on Oct. 20, RAC well as they begin serving in this new The Yeshiva and the thousands of the same day as the RIETS dinner. They heard role, and we look forward to seeing the fruits members of the Rabbinic Alumni owe a from President and Reiss of their labor and experiencing the benefit they tremendous debt of gratitude to the officers and Brander. They then received briefings will bring to the Yeshiva and its musmakhim. who have led our alumni association over from teams representing various YU divisions The members of the Rabbinic Advisory the past few years. Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Rybak, including admissions, alumni relations, Committee are (in alphabetical order): Rabbi who served as president, continues on as a advancement and the Institute for University Shalom Baum ’94, New Milford, NJ; Rabbi participant in the RAC, as does Rabbi Moshe School Partnership. During the latter part Adam Berner ’94R, New Milford, NJ; Rabbi Neiss who served as a vice president. We of the meeting, the RAC conclave asked its Binyamin Blau ’89R, Beachwood, OH; Rabbi graciously thank Rabbis Gideon Shloush ’97R members to set forth their priorities for such Kenneth Hain ’78R, Lawrence, NY; Rabbi and Dovid Kupchik ’93R for serving as vice a group, after hearing the presentations of the Elazar Muskin ’81R, Beverly Hills, CA; Rabbi presidents and Rabbi Moshe Rosenberg ’84R morning. Moshe Neiss ’75R, Riverdale, NY; Rabbi for his service as secretary. n The group chose to focus its attention

4 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Special Feature

Orthodox Forum Marks 20 Years of Service to The Community

An interview with Rabbi Robert Hirt (RRH) to the edits. The articles are then revised based ’62R, senior advisor to the President, who upon the input from the two-day conversation. has chaired the Orthodox Forum since its We endeavor to produce a body of literature inception. that is a reflection of multi-disciplinary current thinking on a specific topic which highlights the CHAVRUSA: How was the Orthodox interface of Torah and society. Forum born? RRH: In the mid-80’s, Rabbi Dr. Norman CHAVRUSA: Do you feel challenged taxing issues. That is where the volumes of the Lamm ’51R, myself and others were talking after 20 years to revisit some of the Forum can be helpful. We are not interested about the need to provide greater explication topics from a more contemporary in selling books; we want them read. Most and appreciation for what the concept of lens? of the volumes can be downloaded for free Torah Umadda really means and how both RRH: The last conference on believing and at www.yutorah.org. Rabbis and educators components operate in close harmony. We non-believing Jews was also addressed in our need to take the articles they feel are most convened some of our best thinkers and asked second volume. But we felt that it behooved germane to the intellectual and spiritual needs them what they thought the burning issues us to revisit not the topic but the challenges of their community and make them available were and solicited their ideas about them for faced by that issue. The world has changed. for discussions in thinking or learning circles publication. We wanted the volumes to be We want to look at the issues in new ways. or chaburot. The authors should be invited authoritative, not authoritarian. We aimed Another change is that we seek to have shorter through the YU/CJF Speakers Bureau to the to produce a body of literature that would articles and pieces written by younger authors, community or invited to the teacher in-service provide insight and information on these not just the senior people in the field. The next days. We don’t just send out the volumes; our issues. That’s how the Orthodox Forum was volume, which will address cultural changes, goal is to have their contents read. born, with the goal of bringing people from will feature many writers under the age of 40. Furthermore, we would welcome both inside and outside YU around a table. The bottom line is that we need everyone to suggestions of topics to be addressed from the sit around one table—even if it’s 70 or 80 Rabbinic Alumni. While we will ask specific CHAVRUSA: By what process are the people—to be part of a process, not part of an writers to present papers and invite them to topics and authors chosen? audience. We are looking for different formats the two-day seminar in New York, the input RRH: A group of 15 or 20 thinkers are on our and there is a need to extend the process of our alumni can certainly help us identify steering committee. They represent all the beyond the two-day conclave in New York. appropriate topics. n fields of leadership that we have. Every year we ask them what topics they feel should be CHAVRUSA: How can the Rabbinic addressed. We select the editor for the volume Alumni partner with you in the by seeing who in the steering committee and Forum? the subsequent subcommittees seem most RRH: We live in a world where there is passionate about the topic. The group then asks competition for ideas, values and lifestyle. people to write new articles for the new volume. People do not need us to come up with the We then convene a larger group to discuss challenges. There are plenty of blogs, listserves the articles, which ultimately helps the authors and web sites addressing these issues. We revise and fine tune their articles. In essence, look to make our contribution by providing the book is being read in draft form and the religious leaders with resources to guide authors experience a peer review which leads their members and students through these

5 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Divrei Chizuk

for man and woman clothing from hides” (Bereshit 3:21); He visits the sick, as it states, “Hashem appeared to him [Avraham] in Elonei Mamre” (Ibid. 18:1); He comforts the Tu Bishvat: mourner as it states, “Behold, after the death A Potential Holiday of Avraham, Elokim blessed Yitzchak his son” (Ibid. 25:11). Finally, Hashem engages in burial of the dead as it states, “He buried Rabbi Meir Goldwicht him [Moshe] in the valley” (Devarim 34:6). Therefore, we too must clothe the naked, visit the sick, comfort the mourners and bury the dead. Why did not teach us the basics of the mitzvah in the contexts of our hen you come to the Land and you here is how we can understand this passage. From own lives and professional fields? What shall plant any food tree, you shall the beginning of creation, Hashem only focused on do we gain from the aforementioned list of treat its fruit as forbidden; for three planting, as it is stated “Hashem Elokim planted examples and details? Each person finds his Wyears they shall be forbidden to you, they shall not a garden in Eden” (Bereshit 2:8). You too, when own way of emulating Hashem’s ways. be eaten. On the fourth year, all of its fruit shall be you enter the Land of Israel focus initially on Rather, Chazal teach us one of the most sanctified to Hashem. On the fifth year you shall planting as it states, :When you come to the land important lessons of life. Each person has a eat its fruit, so that it will increase its crop for you, and you shall plant any food tree…” (Vayikra name, which is received at birth or at his brit. I am Hashem, your Elokim (Vayikra 19:23-25) 19:23). (Vayikra Rabba 25:3) A person goes with this name his whole life. “After Hashem your Elokim shall you go.” Chazal teach us that when we come to This midrash teaches us that the purpose (Devarim 13:5). Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon Eretz Yisrael and plant a tree, we fulfill the of life is to merit a second name, one of the asked, is it really possible for a human being to go mitzvah of v’halachta bidrachav. This midrash names of Hashem. Imagine that two people after the Holy One Blessed be His Name and to is a challenge to understand since the vast walk on the street as an important Jew passes cling to Him? Can flesh and blood ascend to the majority of those who live in the land and by. One says to the other, “See this man. He heaven and cling to His Divine presence? Rather, those who emigrate there never planted a tree is a true baal chessed, a true baal tzedakah.” in Israel. How can this be? What do Chazal That man has a birth-name, why call him a mean? baal chessed? Just call him by his name. The Aharon and Moshe In order to answer this question, let answer is that it behooves each of us to try us attempt to learn the sugya ofv’halachta to acquire a second name. When the Borei earned second names, bdrachav. This mitzvah appears eight times Olam sent Moshe back to Egypt, Aharon in Sefer Devarim. This repetition demon- was dispatched to meet Moshe on the way. aside from the ones strates how fundamental and important this The two brothers reunited and embraced mitzvah is. However, despite its ubiquity in (Shemot 4:27). The midrash (Shemot Rab- Devarim, we do not find it mentioned once bah 5:10) invokes a verse from Tehillim from their birth. in the other four seforim of Chumash. How (85:10) to describe that emotional reunion: can this be? “Chessed and truth met. Righteousness and They succeeded in The explanation is as follows. The Ram- peace kissed.” The midrash describes Aharon bam (Sefer Hamitzvot #8) suggests to us that as chessed, citing a verse comparing the urim incorporating those the fulfillment of the mitzvah ofv’halachta v’tumim and ish chasidecha (Devarim 33:8). bidrachav has two aspects. First, mah hu Likewise the midrash identifies Moshe as qualities into their rachum, mah hu chanun, tzadik… (just as He emet, quoting a biblical verse (Bamidbar is compassionate, forgiving and righteous, 12:7) where Moshe’s trustworthiness is personalities and so should we…) as both Sifrei in Eikev and described. What do Chazal aim to teach us? the Gemara ( 133) establish. There Why not merely “Moshe met Aharon?” Why thus acquired second is also a second component as seen in the do Chazal summon chessed, emet, tzedek Gemara (Sota 14) which describes actions and shalom? Aharon and Moshe earned appellations. Hashem performs for man. He clothes the second names, aside from the ones from their naked, as we read “Hashem Elokim formed birth. They succeeded in incorporating those

6 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Divrei Chizuk qualities into their personalities and thus A bird’s innate nature is to fly away from any- that even poshei yisrael perform mitzvot like acquired second appellations. thing remotely fearful. When this bird hovers pomegranates. Our challenge is to reveal Chazal aim to teach us that the path over its eggs, it battles its inclination to fly the potential in ourselves, and to convince to meriting a second name—a name of away. The eggs are only potential. If a bird has and strengthen others that they too should Hashem—and the proper road to fulfill such mesirat nefesh for potential, how much believe in the wonderful powers and abilities v’halachta b’drachav is to follow certain acts more effort should be expended for objects that they have. which will crown us with our second names. already born. Rabbah saw how the student When Hashem created His world, Diligence in that particular mitzvah will internalized the mitzvah, and did not feel almost every day He said “ki tov.” After creat- acquire for us that second name, and we thus he was ascribing motives to the Almighty’s ing man he said “tov m’od.” The difference fulfillv’halachta b’drachav. mitzvot or actions. between tov and tov me’od is that tov con- This notion of second names has a This also explains the Gemara (Brachot notes harmony while tov me’od represents the practical side as well. When Hashem created 17a) that as the students in Rav Ami and Rav intangible, the potential to be recognized. man and showed him all the trees in the Chanina’s yeshiva would take leave of one The species that can recognize potential and Garden, he stated that you are like them, “ki another, they blessed each other “olamcha actualize it is man. Therefore we learn in the ha’adam etz hasadeh” (Devarim 20:19). A tree tir’eh b’chayecha,” that which is hidden or only midrash (Psikta Zutrata Lekach Tov, Bereshit has a hard outside but can also create fruit. potential will become revealed. May we see 1) that me’od and adam are the same three let- Hashem reminds man that we too can be it. No one should wake up one day and regret ters spelled differently. For this reason Eretz fruitful and creative by building. The Borei not actualizing their potential. Yisrael is described as tovah ha’aretz me’od Olam tells man that he has a great potential, This notion of actualizing that which is me’od (Bamidbar 14:7). It has tremendous and encourages us to use it. Be like a tree potential represents the simchat hachag of physical and spiritual potential. and bring our potentials to fruition, we are Tu Bishvat. We celebrate the beginning of For this reason we learn in the name told. The Vilna Gaon points out thatetz and the sprouting of the fruit. It would have been of Yochanan ben Zakai that if one b’tzelem share the same gematria. worthy to celebrate yom hapri in the sum- holds a tree to be planted in one’s fist and is If this is true, this explains the Gemara mer after it’s harvested. We celebrate in the informed that Mashiach has come, first one (Brachot 33a) where a student in Rabbah’s winter because in , process is part of should conclude the planting and then go yeshiva who acted as the shaliach tzibur said, the goal. The path is as important as the final greet the Mashiach (Avot d’Rebbe Natan ch. “ata chasta al kan tzipor, ata chus v’rachem destination. 31). The essence of the geulah is actualizing ” - “You have mercy on the nest of the We also see this in the fruit of the seven potential, which can be represented through bird, may You too have mercy upon us.” Rab- species, the shiv’at minim. Halachah ascribes the act of planting, which can lead to the bud- bah praised his student saying, “How much priority to those foods closer to the word ding of a fruit. does this student know how to appease his eretz in the verse (Devarim 8:8) which intro- Every new beginning since the Creation Creator!” Abaye responded to him that it’s duces us to the fruits of the Land. The verse of the world begins with a tree. Hashem put forbidden to daven this way, for the Mish- states, “A land of wheat and barley, grapes, man in Gan Eden. On Yaakov Avinu’s final nah (Ibid.) says, he who declares “may Your figs and pomegranates; a Land of olives and night in Israel, he cut down branches of the compassion extend to the nest of the bird” is dates.” Therefore the order of importance arazim that Avraham had planted, to give silenced. The mitzvot of Hashem are decrees; begins with olives and dates, followed by to each one of the tribes as they were about our Sages felt that we have no right to ascribe grapes, figs and pomegranates. I believe there to begin their difficult exile. Afteryetziat motives to them. Why then was Rabba so is an additional message to this prioritiza- Mitzrayim, Moshe threw a tree into bitter laudatory of his student? Why was he com- tion. With regard to olives, we eat the fruit waters. We of course find planting when we plimentary of behavior that was seemingly and throw away the pit because it is bitter. arrive back in the Land of Israel, as quoted oppositional to the ? The answer With dates, we eat the fruit and suck the seed at the beginning of this article. Parents plant is that the student shaliach tzibur was not because it is sweet. With grapes, sometimes trees when babies are born. Tradition has it addressing HaKadosh Baruch Hu. He did they come with seeds and sometimes that the branches of those trees serve as the not come to grade the Ribbono Shel Olam. without. With figs, we eat the fruit and the poles of the chupah when the children marry He described what he personally learned and seeds together, as they cannot be separated. (Gittin 57a). All this because trees symbolize felt from this mitzvah, the yir’at shamayim Finally, with pomegranates, we only eat the the actualization of potential. The more we he gained from his experience from this seeds as they themselves are the fruit. We see believe in our own potential, we will merit to mitzvah. He identified the unique trait found that which was bitter at first turns sweet and see generations of fruit as it says in the mish- in this bird. All creatures nurture their young transforms into the food itself. This shows nah “eilu dvarim she’adam ochel peiroteihem until they are ready to become independent. the depths of Chazal’s knowledge, positing ba’olam hazeh” (Pe’ah 1:1). n

7 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Back to the Beit Midrash

claimed that this last rule is only le-humrah, but not le-qula. That is, if the hanatah of a tree took place during the seventh year itself, after Tu Bi-Shevat and the the Rosh Ha-Shanah of Tishrei but before Tu Bi-Shevat, one does not say that technically Sanctity of Fruits of the hanatah was a sixth-year hanatah. Rather, these fruits are also defined as perot shevi‘it the Land of Israel and have the same rules as fruits that have a ‘‘seventh year hanatah” after Tu Bi-Shevat Rabbi Dr. David Horwitz of the seventh year.8 R. Isaiah Horowitz (the Shelah Ha-Qadosh), on the other hand, wrote that this law exists even le-qula. Hence, fruit that experienced hanatah after Rosh Ha- Shanah of Tishrei but before Tu Bi-Shevat would have the laws of fruit that grew on the 9 he Mishnah that begins Massekhet trees of the upcoming year. R. Menachem sixth year, not the seventh year. Rosh Ha-Shanah states: Ha-Meiri adds that as the winter cold begins Tu Bi-Shevat is also relevant to the TThere are four New Years…On the first of to subside at Tu Bi-Shevat, the hanatah of prohibition of orlah, the law that one may not Shevat is the New Year for trees according to the trees at that time becomes more prevalent eat fruit for the first three years of the tree. ruling of Beth ; Beth Hillel, however, every subsequent day.6 The Magen Avraham quotes the place it on the fifteenth of that month.1 Many mitzvot whose fulfillment Ashkenazi custom to eat many diverse types depends upon the holiness of the Land of of fruit on Tu Bi-Shevat, in order to honor The Halakhah, of course, follows Beth 10 Israel possess rules that have ramifications the name of the day—the new year of trees. Hillel. Since Tu Bi-Shevat is listed with But based upon the halakhic categories we the other New Year dates in this Mishnah, with respect to Tu Bi-Shevat. With respect to ma‘aserot (tithes), for example, as the have discussed above, an interesting question including days that have the halakhic status arises; the fruits that one eats on Tu Bi- of a Yom Tov, many Jewish customs have law states that one may not tithe fruit that grew on one year upon fruit that grew on Shevat surely were from trees whose hanatah evolved that treat the day like a holiday. were of the previous halakhic year with The Mehabber writes that we do not recite the previous year, the cutoff period is Tu Bi-Shevat.7 If and only if the hanatah of a fruit respect to trees (that is, even if the hanatah tahanun on that day, or on the preceding occurred after Rosh Ha-Shanah, it surely 2 occurred before Tu Bi-Shevat, the fruit would Minchah. Moreover, if a community has occurred before Tu Bi-Shevat). So, how are proclaimed a series of bahab (Monday, be considered the previous year’s fruit. Regarding Shevi‘it (the seventh year of we honoring the New Year with respect to Thursday and the following Monday) fasts, trees when the fruit that we are eating was and Tu bi-Shevat occurs on one of those the Shemitah cycle, in which one may not work the land, and whose fruit are designated halakhically part of the old year’s crop? An days, the fast is postponed until the week interesting answer was suggested by R. Leible 3 as perot shevi‘it with their own particular after Tu Bi-Shevat. The Magen Avraham Eger, R. Akiva Eger’s grandson, who became writes that a groom should not fast if his laws), although the cutoff point for working the land is the Rosh Ha-Shanah that occurs a Hasid. He cited a celebrated Talmudic wedding day is on Tu Bi-Shevat, as this day is passage in Berachot: mentioned in the Gemara.4 on Tishrei, explain that with respect to trees, the Rosh Ha-Shanah that defines R Hanina b, Papa said: To enjoy this world Why did Hazal assign Tu Bi-Shevat to without a benediction is like robbing the Holy be the beginning of the year with respect to perot shevi‘it is Tu Bi-Shevat! Thus, fruit whose hanatah occurred on the eighth year One, blessed be He, and the community of trees? The Talmud writes that the reason is Israel …11 that most of the winter rains have concluded (that is, the first year of the new Shemitah by then.5 This law assumes another, namely, cycle), after Rosh Ha-Shanah, but before Tu (ad loc.) writes that one steals the that the designation of a year with respect Bi-Shevat, when one may resume working berachah from God (for the berachah was to trees follows hanatah, and Tu Bi-Shevat the land, is still designated as perot shevi‘it! His due) and one steals from the collective is roughly the beginning of the period of R. Yitzhak Mirsky, in his work Hegyonei Jewish people as well, for when a Jew sins hanatah (literally, blossoming; the first Halakhah, presents an interesting dispute (and eating without a berachah is surely point in time when what has grown can be regarding this last point. The Tosafist R. a sin) the fruits of Eretz Yisrael become formally defined as a fruit) for the crop of Samson of Sens (the “Rash Mi-Shantz”) damaged. Thus, the custom of the Jewish

8 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Back to the Beit Midrash people is davka to eat, and first make a are commandments whose observance is spiritually equal to the entire people of berachah, on fruits of the previous year. After uniquely tied to the Land of Israel is itself Israel. He was concerned about the spiritual one praises God for the previous year’s fruits, due, in his view, to the inherent sanctity of foundation of the Jewish people as they we are confident that with this zechus, God Israel, a sanctity that makes the very ingestion entered the Holy Land; wishing to ensure will ensure that the new year’s crop of fruits, of the fruits of that land a virtuous deed. that one’s quest for spirituality in the Land the crop that halakhically begins on Tu Bi- R. Tzvi Yehuda gave his own unique should not be motivated by an exclusive Shevat, will be a bountiful one.12 explanation to the case of Moshe Rabbenu. desire of individual fulfillment, but with a Many people have a custom davka to eat If there is an inherent sanctity in eating the desire for the improvement of the tzibbur on Tu Bi-Shevat the seven fruits with which fruits of the land of Israel, why then did the as a whole. Therefore, the Talmudic passage Israel was praised. We will use this fact as a Talmud (Sotah, 14a) state that Moshe did does not speak in the active sense (how I segue to discuss some halakhot regarding the not desire to go to the Land in order to eat its [=Moshe] will perform mitzvot) but in the shiv‘at ha-minim. fruits but in order to fulfill its mitzvoth? passive sense (how the commandments After one eats from these fruits, one He quoted in his explanation the book will be performed for the entirety of the makes the berachah aharonah of me‘ein Binah la-‘Itim, a collection of sermons Jewish people through me [=Moshe]). That shalosh. The nusah of the barachah includes authored by the Italian Rabbi R. Azariah is, Moshe only wanted to enter the Land the phrase “and (may we) eat from the fruit Figo (1579-1647), the author of Giddulei in a manner that would enable the totality (of Israel) and be satisfied from its bounty.” Terumah, a commentary of Sefer Ha-Terumot of Klal Yisrael to spiritually benefit. But The Tur quotes an opinion that it is not of R. Samuel Sardi. In his derashah entitled certainly, R. Tvi Yehudah exclaimed, there appropriate to include those words. This is “Et Dodim” (derashah #46) he suggested exists enormous spiritual benefit as well for because one should not desire to go to the that the passage means something else: any Jewish individual who eats perot Eretz Land of Israel in order to enjoy its fruits, Surely, it is an intrinsic value to go to the Yisrael, as the Bach teaches us.17 but rather to observe the mitzvoth that can Land of Israel and to be zocheh to eat its The notion that there are seven special only be fulfilled in the Land of Israel (as Rav fruits, as the Bach indeed understands. The fruits that distinguish the Land of Israel Simlai [Sotah 14a] states, Moshe Rabbenu aforementioned Talmudic passage was is based upon a verse in the Bible: “A land certainly did not plead with God to enter not dealing with the individual spiritual of wheat and barley, of vines, figs and the Land of Israel in order to taste its fruits. benefit that a person would from eating pomegranates, a land of olive trees and Rather, he wanted to observe the mitzvoth the fruits of the land. Rather, the Gemara honey” (Deuteronomy 8:8). In Massekhet that can only be fulfilled there).13 Indeed, the is discussing Moshe Rabbenu, who was Eruvin (4a-b), R. Hannan cited this verse in author of the work Torah Temimah, R. Baruch Ha-Levi Epstein, expressed surprise at the fact that the accepted custom is to recite this passage expressing our desire to eat the fruits of Israel, in light of the fact that the Talmud clearly disapproves of such sentiments.14 R. Joel Sirkes (“the Bach”), in his commentary on the Tur, writes that indeed there is a spiritual value in eating the fruits of Israel themselves. In his view, when one ingests the fruits of Israel one is nourished from the holiness of the divine Shechinah.15 R. Zvi Yehuda Kook zt”l often quoted this Bach, emphasizing that the value of Eretz Yisrael is not exclusively due to the commandments that one fulfills there. He pointed out that the Talmudic phrase is mitzvot ha-teluyyot ba-aretz, and not aretz ha- teluyyah be-mitzvot. It states that the mitzvot are dependent upon the Land, and not that the Land is dependent upon the mitzvot. R. Tzvi Yehuda exclaimed.16 The fact that there

9 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Back to the Beit Midrash

Deuteronomy, listed the seven fruits of Eretz 4. Figs (allude to) the size of a dried fig, that this coming year, the time period that Yisrael, and proceeded to quote halakhot that regarding (the laws of) carrying (from with respect to fruits commences on the are derived from each one:18 one domain into another) on the day of Tu Bi-Shevat, God will continue to 1. Wheat (was mentioned) as (an allusion Sabbath. bestow His magnanimity and beneficence to what) we have learned: If a man 5. Pomegranates (are an allusion) as we upon the Jewish people, by nourishing us entered a leprous house (carrying) have learned: All defined wooden both physically and spiritually. n his clothes upon his shoulders and his utensils of householders (become clean sandals and his rings on his fingers, he if they contain holes) of the size of Endnotes becomes unclean forthwith, but they (i.e., pomegranates. 1. Rosh Ha-Shanah 2a (Soncino ed.) the items he was wearing) remain clean 6. A land of olives (is an allusion to the) 2. Shulhan Aruch Orach Hayyim 131:6. 3. unless he stayed there (for as much time) land (where) all the legal standards are Mehabber. ad loc. See also ibid., 572:3, Mordecai, at the beginning of his comments to Rosh Ha- as is required for the eating of half a loaf of of the size of an olive. (The Talmud Shanah, and the commentary of Bigdei Yesha to wheat bread but not barley bread, while later modifies this to most of the legal the Mordecai by R. Isaiah Horowitz (the Shelah in a reclining posture and eating with standards.) Ha-Qadosh) ad loc.) some condiment. (The Talmud assumes 7. Honey (of dates)(is an allusion to the 4. Magen Avraham, Orach Hayyim, 573:1. These that one can eat wheat bread much more eating of food of) the size of a big date references, as well as many that will be cited in quickly than barley bread.) (that constitutes an offence) on the Day this article, can all be found in R. Yitzhak Mirsky, 2. Barley (is an allusion to the following: of Atonement. Hegyonei Halakhah, vol. 3 (Jerusalem, 2010), for we have learned, a bone the size of a Why are these seven fruits of Israel pp. 87-95. 5. Rosh Ha-Shanah 14a. barley grain causes defilement by contact singled out above and beyond other fruits and carrying, but not by (being in the 6. Meiri, Bet Ha-Behirah, Rosh Ha-Shanah 2a. of Israel? R. Isaiah Horowitz, the Shelah 7. Rosh Ha-Shanah 12a-b. See also Sifre to same) tent. Ha-Qadosh, understood that it was precisely 3. Vines (are an allusion to) the quantity of Deuteronomy 14:22, and Rashi ad loc. because of the halakhot regarding standards 8. Rash to Torah Kohanim,. Parashat Be-Har, a quarter of a log of wine (the drinking (shiurim) of Torah that are derived from the Chapter 1, #4. of which constitutes an offense) of a Torah’s mention of these fruits. Therefore, 9. Shelah, Sha‘ar Ha-Otiot, (Jerusalem, 1975), 57b, Nazirite. when one eats one of the shiv ‘at ha-minim, s.v. od hineni modi‘a. one should have in mind the wheat, 10. Magen Avraham, Orach Chayyim, 131:16. barley, etc. from which one’s soul receives 11. Berachot 35b enjoyment, that is, one should think about 12. R. Leible Eger, Torat Emet (Shmot), quoted in On Tu Bishvat, we the halakhot that are derived from the biblical MIrsky, Hegyonei Halakhah, p. 89. 13. verses concerning the shiv ‘at ha-minim.19 Tur Orach Hayyim 208. 14. Torah Temimah (Vilna, 1904), Deuteronomy show the Ribono shel I would add that when one eats one 3:25. Olam that we looked of the shiv‘at ha-minim on Tu Bi-Shevat, 15. Bach, Orach Hayyim 208, quoted in Mirsky, one can combine this last thought with the Hegyonei Halakhah, p. 90. aforementioned idea of R. Leible Eger and 16. See Sichot R. Tzvi Yehuda, Shemot (Jerusalem, at the spiritual side of conclude the following: on Tu Bishvat, we 1997), p. 26. demonstrate to God that our enjoyment 17. Besides the previous note, see Sichot Ha-Rav the bounty that He of last year’s fruits was not exclusively a Tzvi Yehuda, Ba-Midbar (Jerusalem, 2001), pp. physical act, important as the ingestion of 420-22; Sichot Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehuda, Devarim has granted us, i.e., we the perot of Eretz Yisrael per se is, as R. Tzvi (Jerusalem, 2005), p. 212. In that last source Yehuda taught us. We show the Ribono R. Tzvi Yehuda emphasizes that in his view, have recognized God’s shel Olam that we looked at the spiritual the qedushah of the Land of Israel is absolutely side of the bounty that He has granted us, intrinsic, and is not a result of the mitzvot that may only be performed there. i.e., we have both recognized God’s ultimate ultimate ownership of 18. I have used the Soncino translation (with ownership of the universe by making modifications). the universe by making berachot over the fruits, and we also keep 19. Shelah, Sha‘ar Ha-Otiot, quoted in Mirsky, in mind the halakhot that pertain to these Hegyonei Halakhah, p. 94. berachot over the fruits. fruits. As a consequence, we pray to God

10 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771

Musmakhim in the Limelight Longevity and Burnout in Avodat Hakodesh Musmakhim in the Limelight

Chazal often use the imagery of forestry and vegetation to depict endurance, resilience and durability. Our sages spoke about the acacia wood planted and nurtured by our avot hakedoshim for their children’s journey through the wildnerness (Tanchuma Trumah 9). We encounter the ultimate blessing that a fruit’s offspring should mirror and continue the usefulness and sweetness of its parent (Taanit 5b-6a). We are also aware of the story of Choni Hamaagel, who finally understood the value of an old man planting a tree that takes 70 years to bear fruit (Ibid. 23a). R. Eliezer b. Shamua’s students asked him to what he ascribed his longevity? He did not answer describing his work ethic, healthy eating habits or genetic mazal. He offered rationales not from the gymnasium or health food store, but rather habits of piety (see Sota 39a). For this edition of CHAVRUSA, we asked Rabbi Ronald Schwarzberg ’83R (RRS), director of the Morris and Gertrude Bienenfeld Department of Jewish Career Development and Placement to interview two of our chaveirim who have enjoyed long careers in one institution, Rabbi Aaron Brander ’59R (RAB) long-serving principal of the Yeshiva of Central Queens (YCQ) and Rabbi Dr. Mordecai Zeitz ’62R (RMZ), who has served Congregation Beth Tikvah Ahavat Shalom Nusach Hoari and the Hebrew Foundation School, Dollard Des Ormeaux, Montreal since its founding over 47 years ago.

RRS: Describe your positions? Heller had fewer students, part of the merger RMZ: I had the unique privilege and stipulated that I would become principal of the pleasure to serve as rabbi of one of the com- new merged YCQ. I remained there until my munities that YU founded. While in Hobo- retirement. ken finishing my doctorate, YU came to me At Bnai David, we had a large afternoon with the idea of moving to the West Island Hebrew school and after five years, we built it of Montreal, which they felt had a promising to close to 500 students. The greatest accom- future. The developer was a baal teshuvah and plishment was with the NCSY program at indeed we have built a center of Jewish activity Bnai David, which had no mechitzah, despite in this new community. Our synagogue and Rabbi Hayyim Donin, the shul’s rabbi, desir- day school continue to be a center of Jewish ing one. The youth minyan, however, had activity in West Island, the fastest growing Jew- a mechitzah. Many of those who graduated ish community in North America. This can be from that NCSY chapter are leading individu- attributed to affordable housing, as opposed to als in the contemporary Detroit community. in the inner core of the city, and we are blessed Rabbi Aaron Brander with second-generation young families who RRS: I was part of the Bnai David NCSY chapter after your tenure and tions and personality. Those who joined me look back on their wonderful childhoods and I can testify that it remained strong enjoyed the ride and share in the successes. are raising their own kids here. Although we until the mid-to-late 70’s, when the They bought into it and lessened the aggrava- are an Orthodox community, we never push synagogue ultimately banned the tion. I think if you have to focus on limited Orthodoxy. During the course of building the mechitzah in the youth minyan. You goals, you reset the goals for other things, you development, the Reform and Conservative were a mainstay and a builder for limit burnout. Today, the fact that there are so synagogues closed. We are the only Jewish many baalei teshuvah in the subur- many alternatives makes everything a lot more institutions here aside from the Federation, ban Detroit area. complicated. Chabad and a Sephardic community. Let me ask another question. There is a problem of burnout today. Is RAB: I did not have the luxury that R. Zeitz RAB: My career began in Mt. Clemens, MI, this a more current issue than when had. I came to Bnai David when it was already where I served after the famous mechitzah you began your careers, or has it an established shul. When I arrived at YCQ, fight which was immortalized in the volume always been an issue? What is the the school was well established and already Sanctity of the Synagogue. Those were some history of this from your vantage had a reputation. I had to approach my work of the happiest days in my career as I took a points, having had outstanding, long differently. I too am a workaholic, but I’m congregation that was not interested in Ortho- and wonderful careers? also a people person. All of my students, doxy and made an impact. They did not want RMZ: It’s very easy to become burned out. teachers and parents knew that I was always to install me because they were sure I would I have always been a workaholic and very available to them. I will always make time for not last. To this day I still have friends from Mt. hands-on with practically every aspect of the every individual. I found it wise to meet with Clemens. I then worked as the educational synagogue. That’s how our shul works. What- individuals and not groups. For example, if a director at Bnei David in Oak Park Michigan ever limited successes you may have balances group of parents wanted to discuss a teacher, for five years, when I was asked to come and out the burnout and the pressure. There is I told them that I would discuss the teacher become principal of the Heller Academy in also another important factor in my particular with them as individuals, but not in a group Queens. Although I told them I had only case. In the earlier years, I was blessed with setting. Although it would be a lot quicker to administrative experience and no education baalei batim who understood and joined me in meet the group as a whole, I preferred to meet degree, they still took me. Four years later the what we wanted to do. I had the advantage of with each set of parents one on one, since the Heller Academy merged with YCQ. Although fashioning the synagogue around my inclina-

13 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Musmakhim in the Limelight

family time. My shul always fargined me to be You can’t just regurgitate the same information with my family because of my level of devotion over and over. We made a Chanukah video to the synagogue. My son is one of the key and sent it out to the entire membership. It was lay leaders at the Kingsway Jewish Center in the talk of the town for Chanukah. Brooklyn and my daughter went on aliyah and Younger colleagues: Study your market, and is a mainstay in her community. I only have know your strengths. Know what you can’t ac- nachas. complish and don’t do those things. Don’t be RAB: I tried to make sure that supper time afraid to bring in people more proficient than and Friday night would be private family time. yourself and don’t worry about them outshin- I was lucky that I lived three blocks from the ing you. If you show this kind of strength, you school, and was hence able to set my ap- will become stronger. Also, don’t bite off more pointments around the supper hour. I too than you can handle. am fortunate to have a wife considerate of RRS: What can the RIETS curriculum my meshugeneh hours, who made sure that do to help your musmakhim stay Rabbi Dr. Mordecai Zeitz everything was taken care of. My children fresh and avoid burnout? issues were different for each parent. I felt the too are all involved communally, with a son as RMZ: YU and Rabbi (Kenneth) Brander same way about the students. Even when we dean of the CJF, a son in rabbonus in Califor- have done a tremendous job in creating imagi- had 700 students, I knew each and every one nia and a son in law who serves as the director native programming. These kinds of materi- by name and pretty much knew how they were of admissions at YU, and two others who are als are significant and important. Practical doing in class. I had a photographer come and important leaders in their communities. My shimush in terms of rabbinic training (aveilus, take pictures and created a rolodex of all the wife prevailed. kiddushin, geirus…) also cannot be underes- students, and memorized that list so when I RMZ: I was once standing in the driveway of my timated. Shimush is indispensable, especially saw them in the hallway I knew them. That house and some kids from my shul who drove by when you have to rub shoulders with col- meant a lot to them. It’s important to set goals audibly stated, “Wow, the rabbi has a house!” leagues of different backgrounds and mesorot, that are achievable. Pie in the sky will never be especially the practical matters you need to do RRS: How have you both been able accomplished. Even though YCQ won a Blue on a daily basis. to stay at the same place for so Ribbon in education, it happened in stages. many years? What kept or keeps RAB:I would say that in the field of Jewish It was not all of a sudden. You build steps you fresh, innovative and looking education, RIETS has to continue to improve. until you reach goals. If you overreach you are forward to every day? What chizuk We are only beginning to train our students to bound to fail. would you give to guys out there go into the field of chinuch and providing the RMZ: The blessing of having leaders who have who are devoting themselves to klal wherewithal to succeed. Many are leaving this a personal contact with you and grow with your Yisrael, but are feeling burn out? to the right wing. People going into the field, vision also helps. The early leaders of our shul , RAB:I must tell you that within the school especially elementary school education, are who were not at all machers, are now leaders of setting every day there’s something new. We people from Lakewood, Chaim Berlin, Torah the Montreal community . They didn’t want to had to deal with different situations every Vodaas. Years ago, when one attended the To- disappoint me and came through for me. day. You also have to keep up with the new rah Umesorah conventions, there were tracks literature in your field. You can’t stagnate. You for Bais Yaakov schools and day schoools. RRS: How did you balance personal have to go to conferences, read journals, and Today, we find sessions split between faculties life and family with your profes- whenever there is something worthwhile, at Bais Yaakovs and chadarim. Day schools sional goals? Was that part of the don’t hesitate to bring it in. Bring your baalei are on the side. We are not doing enough equation of not burning out? batim into your vision. If you go gung ho curriculum development. We need to provide RMZ: I have to count my blessings. My wife without your baalei batim, if and when it fails, curriculum materials and other resources for was always accommodating, understood my you have no one to back you up. Hopefully it the mechanech to deal with issues with a dif- meshugeneh hours, cared for the home and doesn’t. I feel this is very important. You need ferent twist than other schools. was always there to support. Our vacations to be on the cutting edge of your field. were always very significant and important. I’m RMZ: In rabbonus, we need to train the stu- blessed with children and grandchildren all of RMZ: I would suggest that you need to be dents that Judaism exists and thrives outside whom are committed to their local synagogue. cognizant of the changing market. The needs of the New York area. Chumrah is not the only We all saw the shul as an extension of our of the baalei batim today are different. You option all the time. We need to be able to open family and vice versa. This did not mean that have to continue changing and refining. Every doors and not scare people away. We should our home was always open. We understood bar mitzvah is fresh and new, as is every class. opt for inclusiveness over exclusivity. n

14 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Special Feature

On Being a Maggid A Look at the Storytelling of Rabbi Hershel Schachter

by Zev Eleff ’11R

here is much to consider about the Herman Wouk and Rashi on Once the storm settles, Queeg demands that pedagogical stylings of Rabbi Hershel Deuteronomy 17:11 he be permitted to resume his post and that Schachter. Reviewing my five years The famed novelist Herman Wouk served the ship’s log be stripped of all mention of spentT in Furst 307 and in Glueck 517, it is ap- as visiting professor at Yeshiva College from the mutiny. Maryk refuses to yield the station parent to me that Rabbi Schachter utilizes dif- 1952-1957. Wouk’s classes and lectures and to doctor the books. The remainder of ferent lecture presentations in order to achieve were immensely popular with students the novel centers on Maryk’s court-martial, different educational goals. who appreciated being in the presence of a and more abstractly, the propriety of usurping Of course, there were the countless oc- Pulitzer Prize-winning author. The Pulitzer, of control from an ill-suited leader. casions when we would travel with him course, was the most prestigious of the awards Consistent with his understanding of Rashi, throughout the pages of the Bavli to explore Wouk had won for The Caine Mutiny, first Wouk sums up his point toward the end of the Rabbi Schachter’s unique conception of published in 1951. While at Yeshiva, Wouk book. “The idea is,” says one regretful crewman chazakah or bittul mitzvat asei. Sometimes developed a relationship with Professor David upon reflection of the entire episode and his Rabbi Schachter would marshal some 20 Fleischer, the longtime head of the English incompetent skipper, “there’s nothing to do proofs as he showed us that he was undoubt- department. Rabbi Schachter frequently but serve him as though he were the wisest edly correct. And then, there was that time recounts that when he was an undergraduate, and the best, cover his mistakes, keep the ship during our study of Kidushin a number of Professor Fleischer once related that Wouk’s going, and bear up.”1 years ago when Rabbi Schachter struggled inspiration for The Caine Mutiny was derived That Wouk saw navy life as an analogy for aloud for nearly an hour on comprehending from his understanding of Rashi’s well- Jewish practice comes as no surprise to those a difficult piece in theChidushei HaRamban. known comment on the verse, “You shall familiar with his writings. Indeed, in This is It was certainly not the first time he had en- not turn aside from the matter which they My God, Wouk articulated the parallel he saw countered that particular Ramban. Yet, Rabbi shall declare to you, to the right nor to the between the navy and Jewish observance. Schachter purposefully read and reread those left” (Deuteronomy 17:11). On this, Rashi “Possibly because the navy meant so much words in order to show us that sometimes famously states that we are compelled to in my life,” confessed Wouk, “I have always even the best scholars struggle through a follow a judge “even when he says to you that thought that the Jewish place among mankind Tosafot or a Ramban. the ‘right’ is ‘left’ and that ‘left’ is ‘right.’” somewhat resembles the position of navy men As aspiring educators, many of us surely On the surface, Wouk’s theme is consistent among other Americans.”2 paid close attention to Rabbi Schachter’s with Rashi. The Caine Mutiny tells the story Moreover, confirmation of Wouk’s fascina- presentations and his careful formulations of Captain Philip Francis Queeg of the tion with this Rashi is evident from the Her- of various topics. Yet, as far as pedagogy is U.S.S. Caine. The author describes the crew’s man Wouk Papers held at Columbia’s archival concerned, what captured my attention more discontent with Captain Queeg’s orders collections. Although much of Wouk’s papers than anything else was Rabbi Schachter’s and his unstable psychological constitution. remain restricted, one writer has made a rel- storytelling that occupied significant space in When it becomes all too clear that Queeg’s evant notebook scribbling public. Apparently, nearly every one of his daily shiurim. It seems condition has jeopardized the safety of the Wouk’s working papers for The Caine Mutiny like a reasonable exercise, therefore, to review ship in the midst of a horrible storm, one of contain a paraphrase of another Rashi, this and reassess some of his more recurrent stories. the officers, Lt. Stephen Maryk, forces Queeg one from I Samuel 12:11, with a similar theme out and assumes control of the U.S.S. Caine.

15 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Special Feature as the one referred to by Professor Fleischer: in Alexandria as a traditionalist thinker. In that generation, “Jephthah in his time, as Samuel in his time; Each year, sometimeOn during Being the months a Maggid:contends Rabbi A Schachter, Look it was in reality the meanest leader, once set over you, must of either Elul or Tishrei, Rabbi Schachter Rabbi whose creative have your loyalty as though he were the no- invariably reflects onat the followingthe Storytelling account. brilliance producedof Rabbi many novel approaches blest of the noble.”3 Rashi’s comment, actually During the Geonic period, the Jews of to contemporary halachic issues. The Rav, a modified citation from Rosh Hashanah 25b, Alexandria, Egypt, wouldHershel hold an annual Schachter however, was more inclined to follow the paths ostensibly implies that authority is binding, march on Yom Kippur.by The Zev parade Eleff served paved by the Rishonim and Achronim, without even when it is in error. as a public declaration that the Jewish much deviation. Moreover, to reinforce his While this is one reading of Rashi, Rabbi community subscribed to the Oral Law. claim, Rabbi Schachter has over and over again Schachter prefers the Ramban’s interpreta- This idea accords with Dr. , made mention of a Conservative rabbi who tion found in his gloss of the Rambam’s Sefer Yeshiva’s second president, who noted 70 reviewed the Rav’s Ish HaHalachah sometime HaMitzvot (Shoresh n.1). There, the Ramban years ago that Alexandrian Jews during the during the 1970s. The reviewer was thoroughly cites the first Mishnah in Horiyot which rules Second Temple period seemed to have unimpressed with the philosophical essay, that one who is aware that the Sanhedrin ruled indeed split Yom Kippur into two spiritual claiming that at its heart, the work merely in error may not follow that decision. In other arenas: one for fasting and repenting and espoused Orthodoxy’s traditional approach words, a talmid chacham is not allowed to another for celebrating.4 Although Dr. Belkin to Halachah. While the Rav’s elegance in adhere to an erroneous Sanhedrin the same does not develop this point further, we might language and style were unique and unmatched, way a responsible crewman should not adhere suggest that this celebration was in honor of the content itself, this Conservative writer to the orders of a lunatic captain. our ancient Oral tradition. contended, was anything but novel. Perforce, Rashi’s dictum speaks to those It is also of interest that Philo Judaeus I have always been struck by this account and who are not expert in Halachah, clarifies of Alexandria noted that of all the Jewish have from time to time pressed Rabbi Schachter the Ramban. Those who are proficient, on holidays, it was Yom Kippur, with its to recall where he might have seen the review. the other hand, certainly may not follow an dual meanings, that Jews observed most Then, a few months ago, I purchased a used erroneous ruling. In contradistinction to punctiliously. “On the tenth day is the fast,” copy of the Rav’s BiSod HaYachid VeHaYachad. Wouk’s claim, authority has considerable Philo began, “which is carefully observed not While leafing through the pages, a newspaper limitations. As people steeped in text and only by the zealous for piety and holiness but clipping from the July 27, 1984 edition of knowledge, we have the responsibility to also by those who never act religiously in the London’s Jewish Chronicle fell out of the book. push our leaders to produce cogent argu- rest of their life. For all stand in awe, overcome It was Rabbi Louis Jacobs’s review of Halakhic ments and sound decisions. Entitlement by the sanctity of the day.”5 Man, the (at that time) recently translated and rank have no place within Judaism’s Rabbi Schachter’s utility of this story is English version of the Rav’s lengthy essay. conception of authority. meant to buttress the thesis of Rabbi Yosef Jacobs, the founder of Conservative Dov Soloveitchik, the author of the Beit (Masorti) Judaism in England, did not see HaLevi. According to him, the first tablets the Rav’s work as “a source of inspiration,” that Moshe held in his arms as he marched as many Orthodox Jews had for the past A Talmid Chacham down from Sinai contained what would forty years. “It is almost as if Soloveitchik is become the Written as well as the Oral repeating,” wrote Jacobs, “in the language of is not allowed to traditions. The second set of tablets that Western thought, the old dissatisfaction of the Moshe received on the first Yom Kippur in the Litvak with Chasidic whimsicality.” Although adhere to an erroneous wilderness contained just the Written portion. Jacobs called the work a “fine philosophical Consequently, the notion of Oral tradition poem, written by an outstanding halachist,” Sanhedrin the same finds its roots on that day, when our tradition he argued against those who prefer to see it was split in two. The Rav, developing his as a “systematic treatment of a great theme.”7 great-grandfather’s thesis further, understood While Jacobs is not the Conservative rabbi to way a responsible that while Shavuot represents the celebration whom Rabbi Schachter has routinely referred, of the Written Law, it is most appropriate to his review conveys the identical message: the crewman should not commemorate the Oral tradition when we Rav was, as another of the Rav’s students has first received it on Yom Kippur.6 commented, a master performer and masterful adhere to the orders of presenter of information.8 At the same time, The Rabbi who Reviewed Ish though, Rabbi Schachter believes, the Rav was HaHalachah a lunatic captain. a staunch traditionalist whose dedication to his Quite frequently, Rabbi Schachter describes grandfather’s teachings is unquestioned. his mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik,

16 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Special Feature

Teaching Themes and Trends Not surprising is the importance Rabbi Schachter has placed on storytelling as a tradition he received from Rabbi Soloveitchik himself, who would lace many tales and lore into his classes when opportunities presented themselves. While I am in no position to assess the Rav’s stories, there are several points one may glean from Rabbi Schachter’s anecdotes. First, there is a common thread that may be woven through these stories as well as the many others within Rabbi Schachter’s repertoire: rabbinic tradition and authority. The “rules and regulations of beit din,” as Rabbi Schachter phrases it, is a useful portal to consider contemporary Orthodox life. Many of the crucial issues of the day—from the role of beit din in society to women’s issues, and onward to synagogue matters—center on this very theme. Rabbi Schachter’s stories, as do many others, provide a perspective to contextualize such communal concerns. It is not by coincidence that, as Rabbi Schachter himself once told us, the theme “young enough to be his grandchildren.” 3. Arnold Beichman, Herman Wouk: The Novelist that links the 40 essays in his Eretz HaTzvi is as Social Historian (New Brunswick: Transaction the concept of kol detikkun rabanan keein He found comfort in the fact that as he delivered his lectures, Reb Chaim, Rabeinu Pub., 2004), 75, n.10. See also Fred Smokin, “Was doritah tikkun. In other words, central to Captain Queeg Good for the Jews?,” Midstream 45 Rabbi Schachter’s scholarship is the notion Tam and the Rambam would enter through the doors. Suddenly the chain of tradition (January 1999): 35-38. of rabbinic authority and its limitations. The 4. Samuel Belkin, Philo and the Oral Law: was transported into the Rav’s classroom.9 same can be said, I would wager, for BeIkvei The Philonic Interpretation of Biblical Although just as meaningful, the opposite HaTzon and Ginat Egoz. A cursory counting Law in Relation to the Palestinian Halakah of the entries for Tractate Sanhedrin in the effect is true of storytelling. As the teacher (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1940), indexes of these works reveals the centrality smiles at his eager students, no matter what 216. of rabbinic authority within Rabbi Schachter’s age, and begins to tell a tale from 50 or 500 5. De Specialibus Legibus 1:186 halachic thought. years ago, there is a feeling among all in the 6. See Zvi Schachter, Divrei HaRav (Jerusalem: OU A second point: for Rabbi Schachter, story- room that they have been retrojected into a Press, 2010), 119-25. 7. Louis Jacobs, “Order into a World of Chaos”, Jewish telling is an instructive tool akin to the study of different time and place. In this scenario, the Chronicle (July 27, 1984): 41. history. Rabbi Schachter frequently provides students are the visitors in Reb Chaim and the Netziv’s Volozhin, or maybe one of the Furst 8. , “The Rav: My Rebbe; An biographical information about the Chatam Essay on the Derekh Halimud of Rabbi Joseph , the Netziv or Rabbi Hall classrooms some 40 years ago. Just as Louis Jacobs commented about B. Soloveitchik,“ in Mentor of Generations: before elucidating their teachings. Other times, Reflections On Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik the Rav, this too is not a new idea. It has been , Rabbi Schachter speaks more loftily about ed. Zev Eleff (Jersey City: Ktav, 2008), 206. articulated by many others. The creativity, history. With the absence of prophesy, Rabbi 9. Abraham R. Besdin, Man of Faith in the Modern Schachter has frequently said, analysis of the though, is not within the story—it’s found in World: Reflections of the Rav, vol. II (Hoboken: historical past is humankind’s best predictor how one chooses to tell it. n Ktav, 1989), 22. of the future. Perhaps then, more noticeably Endnotes than Torah learning, history links the past and 1. Herman Wouk, The Caine Mutiny: A Novel of future chains of our Mesorah. World War II (Garden City: Doubleday, 1951), The same can be said of storytelling. Rabbi 519. Soloveitchik famously described the sensation 2. Herman Wouk, This is My God: The Jewish of teaching a much younger generation, Way of Life (Garden City: Doubleday, 1970), 56.

17 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Practical Halachah Breishit outlines Hashem’s intimate involvement with the natural world and describes G-d proudly looking upon His work and declaring, “v’hine tov meod” — “and A Renewable Light behold, it was very good.” Man is created and immediately charged with caring for creation, Unto the Nations “And Hashem placed man in the Garden of Eden, l’avda u’lishamra, to work it and to guard Rabbi Naphtali Weisz it.”2 Rabbi Norman Lamm identifies both a Rabbi, Beth Jacob Congregation, Columbus, OH positive and a negative element to this call for stewardship. Man has been appointed an “oved,” a worker who builds and crafts, as well as a “shomer,” a watchman who “is obligated to keep the world whole for its true Owner, and is t seems ironic that Tu B’Shvat, the Jewish Rabbi Shimon would say: One who walks along responsible to return it in no worse condition 3 holiday celebrating trees and nature, falls in a road and studies, but interrupts his studying to than he found it.” the dead of winter. A cynic might explain say, “How beautiful is this tree! How beautiful is The negative prohibition of bal tashchit Ithe timing as appropriate in light of Ortho- this plowed field!” – Scripture considers it as if he is an expression of our duty as a shomer. doxy’s “cold embrace” of environmental causes. had forfeited his life. Although the Torah expresses bal tashchit narrowly as calling for the preservation of And it is true that these issues consistently I remember my high school rebbe explaining fruit trees during times of war,4 the Rambam5 rank low on the communal agenda of contem- that the severe punishment for interrupting makes it clear that the prohibition has much porary Orthodoxy. We justify this low priority one’s Torah study to admire a tree is appropriate broader applications. As he points out, with reasons that range from the historical (our since involvement with nature is, per se, bittul This principle applies not only to trees. long exile has engendered a national sense of Torah and it also poses the danger of leading Whenever someone destroys a useful artifact, rootlessness that has lead to a disregard for to further disregard for Torah values. There is a rips clothing, demolishes a building, plugs up a nature) to the biblical. To be sure, Hashem’s perceived conflict within Orthodoxy of Torah 1 spring or senselessly destroys food, he violates bal initial charge, “fill the earth and conquer it” versus teva, His word vs. His world. A deeper tashchit. appears to grant man permission to exploit the look at our sources, however, uncovers the 6 natural world as he sees fit. Furthermore, the Torah’s view of an appreciation for nature that Similarly, the Sefer Hachinuch sees, in well known mishna in Pirkei Avot (3:9) has does not come at the expense of a commitment addition to the environmental ethic in bal become a lightning rod for those who accuse to Torah, but rather contributes greatly to it. tashchit, the basic definition of what it means Judaism of a contempt for nature: continued on page 20

18 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Book Review

At RIETS, without exception, we must take Rabbi Ferrell accomplishes his goal by Biur haShulchan: bechinot (examinations) on explaining the fundamental concepts that Hilchot Basar B’chalav Yoreh Deah, i.e. hilchot basar b’chalav (laws of underlie these dinim. He uses citations from by Rabbi Eliyahu Ferrell ’94R milk and meat), etc. However, it can be quite Rishonim and Meforshei Shulachan Aruch, difficult to get ourselves to chazer (review) side by side with scientific and historical data, Reviewed by Rabbi Shmuel Landesman ’93R these all–important halachot. Life gets busy, plus pictures and charts. Rabbi Ferrell also we do daf yomi, there is no one to chazer with, quotes never-before published psakim on are among reasons that years can pass without these halachot from Rav Hershel Schachter, our reviewing these halachot that are critical Rav Yisroel Belsky, Rav Dovid Feinstein to us as rabbanim or baalei bayit (owners of and Rav J. David Bleich. As an added bonus, kosher kitchens.) Rabbi Ferrell, a rabbinical coordinator for OU Rabbi Ferrell has a solution to this chazara Kashruth, shares how the preeminent certify- dilemma. He published this past June the sefer ing agency deals with basar b’chalav issues. Biur haShulchan: Hilchot Basar B’chalav. As Rabbi Personally, I can attest as to the value of Ferrell writes in the preface: “This sefer would be this sefer. This summer, I studied four pages of help to musmachim who are doing chazarah. a day from it (the book is 82 pages long) and This sefer is not meant for those who are not in less than three weeks was able to do a com- learning or have never learned these halachot prehensive chazarah of hilchos basar b’chalav, with a rebbe” To ensure that his work does not plus learn new practical applications of these get misused, Rabbi Ferrell cleverly does not halachot. translate some key terms which are well known This sefer can be obtained directly from to those who have studied Y”D, but unknown Rabbi Ferrell for only $10 (plus $3 postage) to those who have not. Otherwise, the language by e-mailing him at [email protected] or calling in Rabbi Ferrell’s English sefer is both crisp and him at 212.613.8394. Rabbi Ferrell can also articulate. email you a sample chapter. n

or which spell mitzvos, “mitzvoth.” The book Angel for Shabbat: will bring you back to a different era in Jewish Thoughts on the thought, where it was OK to entertain the idea of the world being several billion years old or the Weekly Torah Portions idea that superstitions are actually bad and not by Rabbi Marc D. Angel ’70R integral to Judaism. Reviewed by Rabbi Asher Lopatin ’96R On the other hand, Rabbi Angel does not hold back on expressing his views on every Rabbi Marc Angel has just come out with contemporary flashpoint in Orthodoxy, from a unique book entitled Angel for Shabbat. It is the Gedolim, to discrimination against Sefar- a semi-autobiographical, Modern Orthodox adim in Emanuel, to Postville and the Rubash- manifesto and Bill of Rights, using the back- kins to parking lots and protests in Jerusalem. drop of the parshiot and chagim to illustrate the Whether you agree with Rabbi Angel or not, key points of Rabbi Angel’s thought. This book it is fascinating to see how a pulpit rabbi of a is Old World and New Age: it quotes classic 17th century colonial New York congregation Hassidic and Sefardic masters — from Levi can use the language of the Rambam to leap Yitzchak of Berdichev to the Kotzker Rebbe to from the text of the parsha to blast charlatans Rav Chaim David Halevi, Chacham Ovadia who would espouse an irrational Judaism or Yosef and Rabbi Benzion Uziel — and classic teachers who would demand a literal interpre- shout out either “How can Rabbi Angel say secular thinkers such as Dr. Bruno Bettleheim, tation of midrashim. Was Rivka really 3 when this!” or “Lead the way Rabbi Angel! We are Eric Fromm, Paul Johnson and a half-dozen she decided to marry Yitzchak? Can we view right behind you!” former presidents of the United States. You Mordechai and Esther as assimilated Jews? This is a parsha book like no other— in a just don’t see books written today which cite This book will get you off your comfy chair to sense it is a gorgeous and tender polemic, where Rabbi J. H. Hertz who quotes Marcus Jastrow

19 CHAVRUSA • SHEVAT 5771 Practical Halachah A Renewable Light Unto the Nations continued from page 18 to be a good person: world—about one in eight—lack access to neighbors for energy, Israel has looked to the This is the way of the righteous and those who clean water. More people die each year from heavens to provide an alternative solution. Its improve society ... that nothing, not even a mustard water-borne diseases than through armed con- abundant sunshine led to early adoption of so- seed, should be lost ... if possible they will prevent flict,7 so finding a solution to this global threat is lar water heaters, but cutting-edge research and any destruction that they can. Not so are the among the most pressing issues facing the world development has advanced Israel well beyond wicked who rejoice in the destruction of the world. today. The Jewish State currently leads the inter- the “dud shemesh” which sit atop 90 percent 10 If our obligation as “shomer” includes the national community in water conservation and of Israeli homes. A Jerusalem based solar negative prohibition of bal tashchit, then desalination, purifying and reusing 75 percent company, BrightSource Energy, recently began “oved” describes our positive role as a worker of its waste water each year. To put that in per- to build the world’s largest solar energy project and a fabricator. Especially in today’s climate spective, the second most efficient nation, Spain, in Southern California, which will produce 8 of numerous environmental concerns, we have recycles only 12 percent of its water. A turning enough energy to power 140,000 homes, dou- the unique ability, and urgent responsibility, to point in Israeli water conservation occurred in bling the amount of solar electricity currently 11 be an “oved” and to take the natural resources the 1930’s when a Polish immigrant noticed produced in the United States. that Hashem created and improve upon them a tree growing in the Negev desert, “without Israel is also working to end the world’s for the benefit of humanity. It is, therefore, a water.” Simcha Blass dug around the tree and dangerous addiction to Arab oil. While elec- great source of pride, and a kiddush Hashem, uncovered a leaky pipe dripping tiny droplets of tric vehicles are now available in many coun- that some of the most exciting breakthroughs water onto its roots. Blass went on to develop tries, Israel has taken the first groundbreaking in clean technology are currently being devel- drip irrigation, now a multimillion dollar Israeli step to build an extensive network of battery oped by Jews in Israel. A number of examples export that is responsible for saving thousands exchange stations and plug-in charge spots for 9 will illustrate how Israeli environmental in- of lives in third world countries. electric vehicles. Its small size makes Israel the novation is the inspiring outcome of the great In addition to its chronic water shortage, perfect test market for this revolutionary con- intersection of Torah and Teva. the State of Israel has also faced a perpetual cept that can transform the entire transporta- Nearly one billion people throughout the energy crisis. Unable to rely on its oil-rich continued on page 23

Book Review

Angel for Shabbat continued from page 19

Rabbi Angel’s father, wife and congregants eration gap and address issues that the Modern, and directs. He has authored and edited 28 books and come into the picture as being part of the story Centrist and Chareidi world are struggling with hundreds of articles. He has served as president of the of a former president of the RCA and leading today. Nostalgia is just the start; this book wants Rabbinical Council of America, the Rabbinic Alumni of Orthodox rabbi (he is now emeritus at New to take you to a world of independent thinking, RIETS, Sephardic House, and various other organiza- York City’s Historic Spanish and Portuguese bold questioning and strong “inner calm” that tions. He has served as an officer and board member of UJA-Federation of New York, the HealthCare Chap- Synagogue) who has only gotten more passion- will wake you up. It’s not a book to read just laincy, American Sephardi Federation, Cancer Care and ate and self-confident to try to make a differ- every week — it’s a book to go through in one other agencies. He has won national rabbinic awards ence in the world. Parsha after parsha, in pithy sitting, and then to ponder it again as our Jewish from the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations and two-page essays, I found myself saying, “Don’t year, and our Torah, unravels before us. Good the United Jewish Communities, and the Finkle Award hold back Rabbi Angel! Tell us what you really luck putting it down! n of the New York Board of Rabbis. think!” Tell us how you think it might be mor- ally dubious to reject Thanksgiving as a Jewish Angel for Shabbat is published by the Institute for Jew- Rabbi Asher Lopatin, now in his fifteenth year as spiri- ish Ideas and Ideals, New York, 2010 and is available tual leader of Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel Congregation holiday! This book is a must read because it through the online store of jewishideas.org. in Chicago, holds an M.Phil. in medieval Arabic thought recreates a time in Orthodoxy where doing from Oxford University as well as a BA in international Thanksgiving and reading the Hertz chumash Since 1969, Rabbi Angel has served Congregation relations and Islamic studies from Boston University. and quoting Harry Truman were all very much Shearith Israel, the historic Spanish and Portuguese Rabbi Lopatin won a Rhodes Scholarship in 1987 part of the “frum” Jewish experience. But at the Synagogue of New York City, founded in 1654. For from Massachusetts and was a Wexner Fellow. He has same time the ideas in this book, and Rabbi several decades he served as its rabbi and now as its rabbi also been a Truman Scholar, Boston University Trustee Angel’s uncompromising style, bridge the gen- emeritus. He now devotes himself full time to the work of Scholar and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. the Institute of Jewish Ideas and Ideals which he founded

20 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Lifecycles

Publications Rabbi Daniel ’98R and Rivka Alter Rabbi George ’72R and Fredda Rabbi Jon ’04R and Miriam Gross on on their son, Yehuda Meir, becoming Finkelstein on the birth of a the birth of a daughter, Raya Liba. Rabbi Marc D. Angel ’70R: Angel For a bar mitzvah. granddaughter to Ariel and Abby Rabbi Shmuel ’01R and Shari Hain Shabbat: Thoughts on the Weekly Finkelstein. Torah Portions (Institute for Jewish Rabbi Dovid ’09R and Aliza Asher on the birth of a daughter, Rachel Ideas and Ideals, 2010). on the birth of a daughter, Elana. RIETS student Daniel and Bryna Leah. And to grandparents, Rabbi Fox on the birth of a daughter, Kenneth ’78R and Nancy Hain. Rabbi Chaim ’10R and Yael Axelrod Rabbi Michael Broyde ’93R: Rivka Neima. Innovation in Jewish Law: A Case on the birth of a son, Aharon Rabbi Yehuda ’05R and Shoshana Study of Chiddush in Havineinu Matisyahu. Rabbi Dr. Manfred “Meir” Fulda Halpert on the birth of a daughter, (Urim Publications, 2010). ’59R on being honored with the Leora. Rabbi Michael ’06R and Dr. Debra Marbitz Torah Award at the American Bashist on the birth of a son, Levi Rabbi William ’55R and Sylvia Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman ’98R and Committee for Shaare Zedek Medical Yitzchak. Herskowitz on the birth of a great Stuart W. Halpern: Mitokh Ha’Ohel, Center World of Heroes Awards Essays on the Weekly Parashah from granddaughter, Keira Charlotte Katz. Rabbi Gedalyah ’98R and Miriam Dinner. the Rabbis and Professors of Yeshiva Berger on the birth of a daughter, Rabbi Yair ’10R and Talia Hindin on University (YU Press, 2010). Rabbi Hersh Moses ’58R and Shira Tiferet. And to grandparents, the birth of twin daughters, Leba Sarah Galinsky on the birth of a Rabbi Dr. Dean David ’68R and Dean Chana and Eliana Rachel. Rabbi Dr. Barry Freundel ’75R: granddaughter, Tehilla Batya, born Why We Pray What We Pray: The Pearl Berger. to Shaya and Chaya Galinsky. Rabbi Carmi ’71R and Sara Horowitz Remarkable History of RIETS student Chaim Yosef and on the birth of a granddaughter, (Urim Publications, 2010). Rabbi Mallen and Sonia Galinsky Leora Blumenthal on the birth of Gefen, born to Elisha and Hodaya upon their grandchildren both a daughter, Esther Tehila. Horowitz. RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi becoming bar mitzvah: Yitzchak ’73R: Shiurei Rabbi Irwin ’60R and Judith Yehuda Dov Gold, son of Rabbi Shaul Rabbi David ’72R and Marcia HaRav on Inyanei Tefillah and Borvick on the birth of a great- and Adina Gold, and Yehuda Dov Jacobowitz on the birth of a Keriat Shema, which contains 52 granddaughter, born to Esther Galinsky, son of Rabbi Shimon and granddaughter, Chaya Perel, born to essays of the Rav’s classic Torah and Rafi Offenbacher. Yonat Galinsky. Rabbi Moshe and Batya Jacobowitz. (OU Press, 2010). Rabbi Matt Brenner ’02R on his RIETS student Chesky Gewirtz on President Richard M. and Esther Rabbi Reuven Grodner ’65R: marriage in May 2010 to Dori Braude his marriage to Aliza Rabinovich of Joel on the marriage of their Rav Soloveitchik on Prayer - על התפילה from South Africa. Queens, NY. daughter, Ariella, to Shlomo Gross ’04R: The Benzaquen of Los Angeles, CA. RIETS administrator Rabbi Chaim Rabbi David ’68R and Leah Jewish Case for the One State ’72R and Brenda Bronstein on the Glicksman on their grandson, Rabbi Benjamin ’00R and Abby Solution (published by Rabbi marriage of their daughter, Sarah, to Kalman Yaakov, becoming a Kelsen on the birth of a daughter, Jonathan Gross, 2010). RIETS student Jeremy Baran. bar mitzvah. Adira Tova. Rabbi Gil Marks ’79R: the cookbook, Rabbi Aaron ’59R and Ellen faculty member Cantor Rabbi Eric ’07R and Dara Kotkin on Encyclopedia of Jewish Food (Wiley Brander on the marriage of their Sherwood and Batya Goffin, on the the birth of a daughter, Bruriah. & Sons, 2010). granddaughter, Aliza Kranzler, to birth of a grandson, Shmuel, born to Rabbi M. Aaron ’43R and Bessie Rabbi Adam Mintz ’85R, editor of Shloimie Zeffren. Rabbi Uri and Yael Goffin. Kra on the birth of a great- the new Orthodox Forum volume: Rabbi Asher ’92R and Batyah Rabbi Eric ’07R and Leora Goldman granddaughter, Nava Ashira, born The Relationship of Orthodox Jews Brander on the marriage of their on the birth of a son, Ruvain Moshe. to Josh and Adeena Kra. Also to the with Believing Jews of Other Relgious daughter, Esther Malka, to Eli Heller. grandparents, Ethan and Madeline Ideologies and Non-Believing Jews Rabbi Marvin ’65 and Judy Goldman And to Esther’s grandparents, Rabbi Kra, and Sarah and David Goldstein. (Ktav, 2010). Series Editor is Rabbi on their grandson, Evan Goldman, Aaron ’59R and Ellen Brander. Robert S. Hirt ’62R. becoming a bar mitzvah. And to Rabbi Aaron ’09R and Lynn Kraft on Rabbi Avi-Gil ’09R and Tamar Evan’s parents, Joseph and Laura the birth of a son, Eli. Rabbi Zev Reichman ’02R: the Chaitovsky on the birth of a Goldman. English edition of Remove Anger Rabbi Ira ’72R and Faigie daughter, Ahuva Bina. And to great- from Your Heart (Judaica Press Rabbi Joshua ’09R and Dr. Rachelle Kronenberg on the birth of a grandparents Rabbi Samuel ’58R 2010) by Rav Avraham Tubolsky, Goller on the birth of a daughter, grandson, Yair Nechemia, born to and Tzivia Bramson. which Rabbi Reichman translated Penina Devora. Ely and Elana Kronenberg. from its original Hebrew. RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yitzchok Rabbi Avrohom ’94R and Chava Rabbi Eliezer ’75R and Lucy Langer ’65R and Sarah Cohen on the RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel Gordimer on their son Yaakov on the birth of a granddaughter, marriage of their son, Dovid, to Schachter ’67R: Divrei HaRav, becoming a bar mitzvah. Rivka Esther, born to Elisheva and Chana Anemer of Lakewood, NJ. collected lectures, insights Yossie Schulman. Rabbi Macy Gordon ’56R on the and rulings of Rabbi Joseph B. Rabbi Ira ’01R and Chevi Ebbin on birth of a great-grandson, Matanya Rabbi David ’10R and Adina Lessin Soloveitchik, zt”l (OU Press, 2010) the birth of a son, Isaac Roi. Yisrael, born to Betzalel and Nitzana on the birth of a son, Chananya Yakov. Rabbi Tzvee Zahavy ’72R: “In Rabbi Shaul ’07R and Sara Libby Friedman. And also on the marriage Rabbi Aryeh ’05 and Estee Search Of The Logic Of Judaism: Epstein on the birth of a son, Aaron of two granddaughters, Nava Lightstone on the birth of a From Talmudic Chaos To Halakhic Moshe. Friedman to Tzori Weider, and Edna daughter, Shayna Hadassah. Linearity,” in the book, Judaic Logic Friedman to Yanai Apelbaum. And to Rabbi Yaacov ’06R and Aliza Feit in the Series: Judaism in Context Nava and Edna’s parents, Dr. Alan RIETS student Eytan and Allie on the birth of a son, Yitzchak. (Gorgias Press). and Etana Friedman. London on the birth of a son, Rabbi Daniel ’98R and Leah Moshe Avraham. Rabbi Wally Greene, PhD ’69R Feldman on the birth of a daughter, Mazal Tov on receiving the 2010 Lifetime Rabbi Uriel ’01R and Shani Lubetski Shaindel Tovah. And to grandfather Rabbi Moshe ’10R and Navah Adler Achievement for Jewish Education on the birth of a son, David. Rabbi Mordecai E. Feuerstein ’72R. and on the birth of a son, Gavriel in the Diaspora Award for his role in Dr. David ’71R and Vivian Luchins Dovid. RIETS student Yoni and Romema founding the SINAI schools for Jewish on the birth of a grandson, Benyamin Feiner on birth of a daughter. special needs students. Zev, born to Mordechai and

21 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Lifecycles

Suzannah Luchins. And on receiving Rabbi Menachem ’75R and Karen Rabbi Label ’79R and Debby Esther Avigdor on the loss of her the Sarah Rivkah & Bernard Lander Rosenfeld and Rabbi Alan and Linda Sharfman on the birth of a husband, Rabbi Isaac Avigdor, Memorial Award at the OU’s 15th Yuter on their grandson, Eliyahu granddaughter, born to Sarah father of Rabbi David Avigdor, Rabbi Annual Ben Zakkai Reception. Neriyah, becoming a bar mitzvah. and Shimshi Leibler. Morton Avigdor, Rabbi Merrill Avigdor And to Eliyahu’s parents, Dr. Avi and and Mr. Jacob Avigdor, and brother of Rabbi Isaac Mann ’78R on the Rabbi Jay C. ’79R and Jody Shoulson Esther Rosenfeld. Dr. Abraham Avigdor. marriage of his son, Aryeh to on the birth of a granddaughter, Neta Nechama Reece of Passaic, NJ. Rabbi Reuven ’90R and Judy Penina, born to Dr. Rivka and Marc Ayelet Batt on the loss of her Rosenstark on the marriage of their Wiznia. And to great-grandparents husband, Rabbi Ahron Batt ’58R. Rabbi Meyer H. ’78R and Shulamith daughter, Shifra, to Yair Jablinowitz. Rabbi Solomon ’49R and Bertha Y. May on the marriage of their Rabbi Hillel Bick ’67R, Rabbi Ezra Shoulson. daughter, Elisheva Tehila, to Yoni Rabbi Yisroel ’02R and Ruchie Bick ’73R, and Rabbi Yussie Bick Schwartz of Philadelphia. And on the Goldberg on the birth of a son, RIETS student Sandor Shulkes on on the loss of their father, Charles birth of a granddaughter, Devorah, Yaakov Tzvi. And to grandparents his marriage to Rachel Rein of Fair “Shaya” Bick, brother of Anita born to Rabbi Joshua and Rachaeli Rabbi Yitzchak ’62R and Judy Lawn, NJ. Berliner and Shirley Motechin. Lobl. Rosenbaum. Rabbi Moshe and Baila Shulman on Rabbi Benjamin ’56R and Elaine Rabbi Efraim ’65R and Felice Rabbi Yitzchak ’62R and Judy the birth of a granddaughter, Chiena Blech on the loss of their son-in-law, Mescheloff on the birth of a Rosenbaum on their grandson, Meira, born to RIETS student Motti Stephen Lubofsky, husband of Yael grandson, Yoav Reuven, born to Gilad Yechiel Mordecai Dovid, becoming a and Tzippi Klein. Blech Lubofsky and father of Noam, and Amital Mescheloff. bar mitzvah. And to Yechiel’s parents, Daniel and Eliana. Rabbi Chanan ’82R and Dr. Beverly Rabbi Moshe and Rivkie Rosenbaum. Rabbi Moshe ’75R and Dr. Simon on the birth of a grandson, Rabbi David Chanofsky ’56R on the Vivian Neiss on the birth of a RIETS student Benji and Aliza Rubin Sholom, born to David and Mira loss of his sister, Rachel Wood. granddaughter, Aliza Alexandra, born on the birth of a daughter, Tovah. Simon. Haviva, David, Rena and Miriam, on to Jonathan and Mindy Neiss. And to Rabbi Chaim ’68R and Esther Rabbi Moshe ’56R and Marion the loss of their mother, Tzivia Donin, great-grandfather Rabbi Dr. Edmund Sacknovitz on the birth of twin Talansky and Rabbi Dr. Henoch wife of the late Rabbi Hayim Halevy Neiss ’48R. grandsons, Matan Yosef and Amitai ’62R and Dr. Rochelle Millen on the Donin z”l ’51R and sister of Esther RIETS student Yitz and Aviva Novak Dov, born to Rabbi Dr. Baruch and marriage of their granddaughter, Steinhart. on the birth of a daughter, Ayelet Adina Hain. Atara Malkah, to Shlomo Askotsky. Rabbi Mordecai E. Feuerstein ’72R Shoshana. And to Atara’s parents, Rabbi Alan Rabbi Jeffrey ’95R and Ilana Saks on on the loss of his wife, Yitzchak and Naomi Talansky. Rabbi Israel ’51R and Alizah their son, Shalom Amit, becoming a Shayndel Feuerstein, mother of Leah Poleyeff and Dr. Alvin and Miriam bar mitzvah Rabbi Stuart ’69R and Anita Tucker (and Rabbi Daniel ’98R) Feldman, Schiff on their grandson, Doniel on the birth of a grandson, Yishai Dovid (and Aliza) Feuerstein, Shifra Rabbi Ben ’60R and Liza Samson Poleyeff, becoming a bar mitzvah. Aharon, born to Aviel and Osnat Tucker. Feuerstein, Penina (and Yossi) on their grandson, Yosef Mayer, And to Doniel’s parents, Linda and Samet, Yosef, Aviva, Elisheva, and becoming a bar mitzvah. And to Rabbi Yehuda ’10R and Ilana Arthur Poleyeff. Nechama Feuerstein. Yosef’s parents, Dr. Israel and Susan Turetsky on the birth of a daughter, Rabbi Kenny ’09R and Ilana Pollack Samson. Shira Miriam. Rabbi Joel Finkelstein ’89R, Harris on the birth of a son, Yonah Betzalel. Finkelstein and Saul Finkelstein RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel Rabbi Dr. Elihu ’79R and Brenda on the loss of their father, Bernard Rabbi Baruch ’01R and Leah Shifra ’67R and Shoshanah Schachter Turkel on the birth of a grandson, Finkelstein, husband of Caroline. Price on the birth of a son. on the birth of a grandson, Yehuda Yehuda, born to Daniel and Sarala born to RIETS student Shay and Rina Turkel. Chani Hilewitz on the loss of her Rabbi Steven and Karen Pruzansky Schachter. husband, Rabbi Yehuda Hilewitz on the birth of a granddaughter, RIETS student Aryeh Chayim Urist ’72R, father of Chaim (and Mindy) Kayla Leah, born to Dina and Hillel Rabbi Dr. Elihu ’57R and Freida on his marriage to Chaya Mizrachi of Hilewitz, Dr. Yedidya (and Dr. Mindy Weingarten. Schatz on the birth of their 48th Monsey, NY. Levine) Hilewitz and Ayelet Hilewitz. grandchild, Renena, born to Bat- RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel Rabbi Elie ’05R and Avital sheva and Assaf Spiegel; and on Rabbi David Hill ’47R on the loss of and Chasida Reichman on the Weissman on the birth of a son, the birth of their seventh great- his wife, Lenore Hill, mother of Tzerel birth of a granddaughter, Beekura Yehuda. grandchild, Tzvi, born to Shaindie Goldschmiedt, Jacob Hill, Nechama, born to RIETS student Tani and Shai Markovich. Rabbi Naftali ’08R and Navah Wolfe Bermish, Rebecca Raab, and the late and Chana Prero. on the birth of a daughter, Eliora. Jonathan Hill z”l. Rabbi Etan ’09R and Rebecca RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel And to great-grandparents Rabbi Dr. Schnall on the birth of twin sons, Eve Jacobs on the loss of her and Chasida Reichman and RIETS Bernard Rosensweig ’50R and Rabbi Aharon and Baruch. husband, Rabbi Jacob D. Jacobs administrator Rabbi Chaim ’72R and Fabian ’52R and Ruth Schonfeld. ’74R, on June 2, 2009. Brenda Bronstein on the birth of a Rabbi Joel ’60R and Judy Schreiber Rabbi Howard ’77R and Annette granddaughter, Talya Leah, born to who were honored at the RIETS Rabbi Joseph Karasick ’45R on the Wolk on the birth of a grandson, their children RIETS student Yosef Annual Dinner of Tribute. loss of his wife, Mrs. Pepa Karasick, Raphael Yosef, born to Yonatan and and Batya Bronstein. mother of Rabbi Mark Karasick Rabbi Sonny Alvin ’52R and Ivy Lani Wolk. ’73R, George Karasick and Bernice Rabbi Dani ’03R and Ayala Rockoff Schwartz on their granddaughter, Rabbi Daniel ’02R and Anna Yolkut (and Rabbi Benjy ’69R) Mandel and on the birth of a son, David Aryeh. Michal Hannah, becoming a bat on the birth of a son, Yehuda Hendel. sister of Margie Zwiebel and Anita mitzvah. And to Michal’s parents, RIETS student Yosef and Hedva Walker. Dr. Bashie and Yoni Schwartz. Rabbi Lawrence ’78R and Rosen on the birth of a son, Eliezer. Florence Ziffer on the birth of a Rabbi David Koenigsberg ’74R RCA and CRC Av Beis Din Harav RIETS student Menachem and Aliza granddaughter, Chaviva Leah, born to and Miriam (and Rabbi Dr. Chaim Gedalia Dov Schwartz ’49R on his Rosenbaum on the birth of a son. Yosef and Esther Ziffer. ’65R) Brovender on the loss of their marriage to Chana Sora Back. mother, Gertrude Koenigsberg. Rabbi Dr. Bernhard ’74R and Rabbi Shmuel Segal ’08R on Condolences Charlene Rosenberg on the birth of a Rabbi Pesach Levovitz on the loss his marriage to Leah Kanner of Emanuel “Manny” Adler on the loss of granddaughter, Ahuva Leiba, born to of his wife, Rebbetzin Freida Malka Lawrence, NY. his father, Rabbi Dr. Jacob Adler ’48R, Ilana and Joshua Merl. husband of Dorit Adler. Perlow Levovitz.

22 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771 Lifecycles

Rabbi Joseph Oratz ’82R, Suzie Rabbi Dr. Yaacov Rosenthal ’93R, Dr. Rabbi Jerry (Yechiel) Shatzkes Tzipora Steinmetz on the loss of her Lowinger and Dina Perlman on the loss Brett Rosenthal and Adam Rosenthal ’70R and Rabbi Shaul Shatzkes on husband, Rabbi Sol Steinmetz ’56R, of their father, Rabbi Irving M. Oratz, on the loss of their father, Dr. Martin the loss of their mother, Rebbetzin father of Steven Steinmetz. brother of Rabbi Ephraim Oratz and Rosenthal, husband of the late Yehudis Shatzkes, widow of the late Esther and Rabbi Etan ’95R Tokayer the late Rabbi Pesach Oratz z”l ’50R. Marilyn Rosenthal z”l. RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rav Aharon on the loss of Esther’s father, Morris Shatzkes zt”l and daughter-in-law Rabbi Pinchas N. Pearl ’82R on the Elisabeth (and Rabbi Arthur ’56R) Nadjar. of the late RIETS Masmich Rabbi loss of his mother, Ruth Pearl. Schneier, Francois (and Miriam) zt”l. Rabbi Benjamin ’69R (and Shevi) Nordmann, and Claude (and Maya) Dina and Rabbi Moshe ’84R Yudin , Evelyn Rothman (and Rabbi Nordmann on the loss of their Rabbi Solomon ’49R (and Bertha) Rosenberg on the loss of Dina’s Bernard Rothman ’59R), Tzippy mother, Bluette Nordmann. Shoulson, Blanche Romirowsky and mother, Eva Meyer. Twersky and Sara Wikler on the loss Rabbi Harold Romirowsky on the loss Esther Roos on the loss of her of their mother, Mrs. Adele Yudin. Rabbi Dr. Bernard Rosensweig ’50R of their sister-in-law, Rose Shoulson, husband, Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu “Jack” on the loss of his wife, Rebbetzin wife of the late Rabbi Abraham Rabbi Ari Zahtz ’04R and Rabbi (Steinhorn) Shalem ’61R, brother Miriam Rosensweig, mother of RIETS Shoulson z”l and aunt of Rabbi Jay C. Yaakov Werblowsky ’02R on the loss of Tasya Stone, and father of Deena Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Dr. Michael ’80R ’79R (and Jody) Shoulson, and Toby of their grandmother, Rebbetzin Alta (and Harvey) Wrubel, Darona (and (and Smadar) Rosensweig, Judah (and Azrielli Graduate School Dean Shmidman, widow of the late Rabbi Zvi) Bernstein, Nechama (and Lazer) (and Deborah) Rosensweig, Joshua Rabbi Dr. David ’72R) Schnall. Shmuel Shmidman z”l, and mother Blisko, and Aleeza (and Avi) Lauer. (and Aviva) Rosensweig, Sharon (and of Judith Werblowsky, Chanie Zahtz, Mollie Kolatch Simonson on the loss Dr. Danny) Gottlieb and Marylin (and Avi Shapiro and Carmi Shapiro on and Rabbi Dr. Michael Shmidman (of of her husband, Rabbi Louis (Eliezer) Meir) Amar. the loss of their father, Rabbi Joshua Teaneck), and aunt of Rabbi Michael Simonson ’37R. Shapiro ’49R. Shmidman (IBC faculty).

Practical Halachah A Renewable Light Unto the Nations continued from page 20 tion industry. 12 Originally conceived as an come into the Land, and you shall plant.” lishing House, 1971. Devarim 20:19, “When thou shalt besiege a city a idea to make the world “a better place,” founder Many of the serious environmental concerns 4. Shai Agassi has promised that Better Place will long time, in making war against it to take it, thou that now face the global community — scarce shalt not destroy the trees thereof by wielding an ax be the biggest international brand to come out water resources, the dangerous addiction to for- of Israel since Jaffa oranges.13 against them; for thou mayest eat of them but thou eign oil, and desertification— have confronted shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field Another Israeli start-up has developed a the State of Israel since its inception. Applying man that it should be besieged of thee?” material that attracts and retains dew. Shaped Jewish ingenuity to our biblical mandate to be 5. Hilchot Milchamot, 6:10. into trays and placed around crops, this mate- an “oved” is now providing the answers to some 6. Mitzvah 529. rial will take the dew that forms overnight and of the world’s most pressing problems. 7. More troubling statistics are available from the not- funnel it directly onto the plant and its roots. Yeshayahu hanavi wrote long ago that one for-profit organization www.water.org. Field tests promise enormous water savings, day, “The desert and the parched land will be 8. Israel Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, www. investinisrael.gov.il. reducing the water needed for crops by 50 glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blos- 14 percent. Based in the village of Gan Yoshiya, 16 9. The fascinating history is available on the “About som.” Our generation has been privileged to Us” page at www.Netafim.com, the irrigation the name of the company is Tal-Ya, “G-d’s dew.” witness not only the miracle of the blooming The State of Israel is one of only two coun- company founded by Blass. of Israel’s deserts, but the emergence of the 10. Neil Sandler, “At the Zenith of Solar Energy,” tries in the world that ended the 20th century Jewish State as a global leader in environmen- BusinessWeek, 3/26/2008. with more trees than it started with, thanks tal innovation. It is clear that concern for Teva 11. Karin Kloosterman, “Brightsource Gets a Billion,” to the efforts of the Jewish National Fund in does not take away from our appreciation of www.israel21c.org, 3/1/2010. planting more than 240 million trees in the last Torah. On the contrary, we see it bringing the 12. See chapter 1 in Start Up Nation: The Story of 15 century. As religious Zionists, we should view Torah to life and, to paraphrase Isaiah, inspir- Israel’s Economic Miracle by Dan Senor and this incredible achievement as a sign of the first ing the Jewish people to become a “renewable” Saul Singer, McClelland & Stewart, 2009. flowering of our redemption, reishit tzmichat 13. Ron Friedman, “Better Place’s Electric Vehicles Land light unto the nations. n geulatenu, in light of Vayikra Rabbah (25:3): in Israel,” Jerusalem Post, 2/8/2010. R’ Yehuda ben Simon began, “You shall follow the Notes 14. Karin Kloosterman, “Tal-Ya Water Irrigation Trays L-rd your G-d.” Is it possible for flesh and blood to 1. Breishit 1:28. Make the Most out of Dew,” www.greenprophet. com, 6/6/2009. follow the Holy One Blessed be He? ... What this 2. Breishit 2:15. 15. According to the JNF web site, www.jnf.org. means is that in the beginning the Holy one Blessed 3. Rabbi Norman Lamm, “Ecology in Jewish Law 16. Isaiah 35:1 be He engaged in planting, similarly “you shall and Theology” in Faith and Doubt, KTAV Pub-

23 Chavrusa • Shevat 5771