FEATURE I The Person Behind... Rabbi Ben Tzion The Force Behind ‘The BY YOSEF GESSER 18 Hamodia August 17, 2011 Many people have seen car magnets or bumper stickers with “The Shmuz” proudly displayed on them. Others might be familiar with Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier’s n Shafier recordings of “The Shmuz” on CD or the Kol Haloshon telephone line. Perhaps they’ve even read his new book, The Shmuz on Life – Stop Surviving, Start Living. Yet others may have had the opportunity to attend one of Shmuz’ Rabbi Shafier’s inspiring shmuessen, which he has given in cities across America and beyond. Who is this relatively new marbitz Torah whose work has galvanized thousands to rethink their connection with Yiddishkeit, their relationships with others, and their view of themselves? Inyan Magazine 17 Av 5771 19 Beginnings determined to address this vital deficit. find a way of taking these yesodos, Born and bred in the Kew Gardens Rabbi Shafier’s own yeshivah training fundamentals, and bringing them into Hills section of Queens, New York, Rabbi prepared him well for this challenge. their world,” he explains. His method Ben Tzion Shafier is a product of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim places a strong would prove beneficial not only for the Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim, having learned emphasis on the study of mussar, which yeshivah’s talmidim but ultimately for a in its main center in Forest Hills and in stems largely from the fact that Rav much larger audience. its Rochester, New York, branch. He is a Leibowitz’s father, the founding Rosh Rabbi Shafier began to prepare and talmid of its esteemed Rosh Yeshivah, Rav Yeshivah, Rav Dovid Leibowitz, zt”l, was deliver shmuessen to the high-school Alter Henoch Leibowitz, zt”l, who one of the foremost talmidim of students, with their needs in mind. In headed the yeshivah for about sixty Slabodka. Slabodka was one of the fact, the first thirty or so lectures of “The years and was one of the builders of major yeshivos of the mussar movement, Shmuz” were basically presentations he Torah in America after World War II. which was established by Rav Yisrael had made to these bachurim. Shortly after his marriage, Rabbi Salanter in the 1800s to foster character Shafier and his wife settled in Rochester, development and yiras Shamayim. New Surroundings, New Mission where he learned in the Chofetz Chaim Rav Dovid Leibowitz’s son and After a twelve-year stint in Rochester, kollel and delivered the eleventh-grade successor, Rav Henoch, strove to preserve the Shafiers moved to Monsey, New York, shiur in the mesivta. this derech. To this end, his talmidim where Rabbi Shafier became a rebbi in In those days (the situation has delved into sifrei mussar such as Mesillas the new Chofetz Chaim branch there. A changed since then), Rabbi Shafier’s Yesharim and Chovos Halevavos. pivotal point in his life occurred when shiur consisted of sixteen- and seventeen- Rabbi Shafier wished to bequeath to Rav Leibowitz summoned him to discuss year-old bachurim who were from solid his students this sublime path of serving an issue of great concern. frum homes. They were learning and Hashem. However, he realized that these The Rosh Yeshivah explained that davening, but many were lacking in their enduring mussar classics would not there were many yeshivah graduates in knowledge of some of the basics of inspire teenage minds if he simply read the workforce who were unconnected; hashkafah — issues such as why Hashem and translated the words for them. The they were out of touch with their wants us to do mitzvos and what our timeless messages had to be former rebbeim and purpose is in the world. This affected the communicated in a way they would quality of their avodas Hashem. find meaningful. “I was fighting robotic Judaism,” “I had to recalls Rabbi Shafier. He was (Right) Rabbi Shafier delivers The Shmuz in Lakewood. 20 Hamodia August 17, 2011 were not maintaining regular Torah concentration of this core group lived. ‘The Shmuz’ study sessions. They davened in various He asked the talmid to contact his The concept that had taken root that shuls but identified with none; they had former classmates. weekday evening about eight years ago no relationship with a Rav. In short, they That first week, the shmuess drew has expanded into a worldwide were unanchored. This lack of fourteen young men. The next week phenomenon that has touched connection to a spiritual guide and there were more; many of the talmidim thousands of Jews from all walks of life. chevrah put their ruchniyus and that of had been inspired by the lecture and The reason for this success is that the their families in danger. brought along a friend. The group began material Rabbi Shafier provides supplies Rav Leibowitz felt that Rabbi Shafier growing, attracting young men from his talmidim with an essential vitamin — was equipped with the tools to forge a Queens and Monsey as well. a solid grounding in hashkafas haTorah, link with these young men. The Rosh After a while, there were enough a worldview based on Torah. Yeshivah requested that Rabbi Shafier interested parties to warrant a separate Many of these young men strongly stop teaching and devote his time to shiur in each location. In the context of desire to know more about the reason for establishing a program to strengthen these groups, Rabbi Shafier was able to keeping mitzvos, the power of tefillah, and inspire this crowd. He wanted Rabbi fill another crucial need — helping those how to fortify their yiras Shamayim, Shafier to provide them with the anchor seeking advice and direction. Both single strengthen their emunah, and they so needed. and married young people began understand the deeper meaning of In his quest to carry out his rebbi’s gravitating toward Rabbi Shafier with Shabbos and the Yamim vision, Rabbi Shafier told one of his their issues regarding shidduchim, former talmidim from Rochester that marriage and the like. he planned to deliver a shiur in Brooklyn, where the greatest Inyan Magazine 17 Av 5771 21 Tovim. They are thirsting for answers on deals with one of the most formidable noted this problem in a presentation he these topics and on many other aspects tasks facing a human being: rectifying gave at this year’s Torah Umesorah of Yiddishkeit, and Rabbi Shafier slakes undesirable character traits. The Vilna convention. He found his audience of their thirst. Gaon says this is a person’s main mechanchim, some with many more Rabbi Shafier points out that the purpose in life. Conquering anger or years’ experience than he has, very problem is not new. Hundreds of years uprooting envy may seem daunting, but receptive to his call. In fact, the supply of ago the Ramchal and Rabbeinu Bachya interpersonal relationships, especially his new book, Stop Surviving, Start Living, discussed the need for chizuk in matters within the family framework, are which he had brought to the convention of yiras Shamayim and ahavas Hashem. dependent on such victories. Sifrei mussar sold out. Rabbeinu Bachya, in his introduction to offer a system for how to better ourselves The success of The Shmuz lies in Chovos Halevavos, writes that a Jew must in these areas, and Rabbi Shafier passes Rabbi Shafier’s transmission of these serve Hashem both externally and along this essential information to his timeless truths in a way contemporary internally. The first type of Divine service listeners. audiences can easily relate to. is accomplished through mitzvos we As an example, in “Anger perform, such as tzedakah, mezuzah, Management” (Shmuz #30), Rabbi Developing the Approach tzitzis, and sukkah. The second type Shafier points out that if one becomes The mussar system Rabbi Shafier was involves acknowledging Hashem’s aware of his anger when it is a mere exposed to under Rav Leibowitz in Oneness, cultivating emunah in Him, flicker, he can catch it and extinguish it Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim prepared him fearing Him, and humbling ourselves before it becomes a raging fire. He offers for The Shmuz. before Him. a practical piece of advice: carry an “The strength of The Shmuz is that Rabbeinu Bachya writes that he index card and mark down each time the Rosh Yeshivah, zt”l, taught us how to penned his sefer because of the scarcity you’re stirred to anger. If you have understand a Chazal,” says Rabbi of works that explain how a Jew should resolved to combat this tendency, you Shafier. The same goes for a comment think and feel — the obligations of the will automatically find your anger made by Rashi, Daas Zekeinim, Sforno or heart and mind. Although such reduced. By reducing the frequency of other meforshim, which are approached knowledge constitutes yesodei kol your anger, you will develop the habit of using the teachings of Rav Henoch’s hamitzvos — the bases for all the mitzvos avoiding it, and you will be on the road father, Rav Dovid. — we often practice mitzvos routinely to eradicating this tendency altogether. The method of presentation is much and neglect their foundation. Countless listeners lament the fact the same as that in a shiur or chaburah. The Shmuz also that they were not taught such vital, life- It begins with a question on a Gemara or changing concepts in their yeshivah other source, continues to develop the years. Rabbi Shafier topic, and culminates with an answer that enables one to understand the Continued after Kinyan Magazine (Left) Rabbi Shafier with his Rosh Yeshivah, Harav Alter Henoch Leibowitz, zt”l. (Above) Rabbi Shafier with Harav Noach Weinberg, zt”l, who spoke at a melaveh malkah for Tiferes Bnei 22 Hamodia August 17, 2011 Torah several years ago.