Introduction

Rav Gifter zt”l 1 Introduction When Rav Tzvi Markowitz zt”l, the chief rabbi of Ramat Gan was asked why he doesn’t tell stories of his great Rebbe, Rav Shimon Shkop, he would say, “generally people who tell stories about their rebbe are usually telling stories about themselves, I don’t like talking about myself.” Writing about our Rebbe Rav Mordechai Gifter zt”l, after 20 years, is an expression of how the void created by his passing is still evident. Hardly a day goes by without the feeling that his wisdom and guidance are sorely lacking. The years spent in his presence created the perimeters in which future growth were possible, always building on those foundations and returning to those lessons. It is my hope that this short compilation will arouse an interest in the hadracha of the Rosh Yeshiva that is available in his seforim and hundreds of tapes. Throughout his legacy he touches on a myriad of topics and issues that are as vital now as they were when the Rosh Yeshiva first addressed them. In a Hesped that the Rosh Yeshiva delivered on the yarzheit of the Alter Telzer Rov he stated1, “Although I did not know the Rosh Yeshiva personally, my knowledge of him is from his Torah. But this is the true way to recognize a person. Just as our recognition of Hashem is only through His Torah.” The same can be said of the Rosh Yeshiva, even though he lived amongst us, he was not of our dimension. As “talmidim” we can gain a 1 Printed in Moriah 131 page 99 2 Rav Gifter zt’l glimpse of his stature from his writing. In this regard a special measure of gratitude is due to Rav Zalman Gifter for his continued efforts in publishing the multitudes of manuscripts that the Rosh Yeshiva left. The Rosh Yeshiva’s words impacted the listeners as they emanated from a heart that was saturated with the very ideas that he imparted. The truth of the message, even when the demand was beyond our grasp, penetrated the heart and left a tangible impression. Early years Rav Gifter would often tell that as a youngster he would spend time in the Baltimore shul with the children of the local Rabbi. One day Rav Shimon Shkop visited the Rabbi. The Rabbi brought the young boy to receive a brocha from the sage. Rav Gifter said “the appearance of Rav Shimon was akin to that of a malach” and the brocha “Zolzst vellen lernen”, you should want to learn, inspired him throughout his life. He never disavowed his years in public school and would often remark that in public school they would wash a boy’s mouth with soap for speaking inappropriate language. was ,ע''ה Rav Gifter’s uncle, Rabbi Samuel L. (Yehudah Leib) Sar the Dean of the Rabbi Isaac Elchonon Theological Seminary (RIETS). He convinced Rav Gifter’s father, Reb Yisroel, to send Rav Gifter zt”l 3 his son to high school at RIETS. Notwithstanding the paucity of his Talmudic knowledge, he was accepted. In fact, the comment that he was placed in the first shiur because there was no shiur lower in which to place him, was a cause for added effort on his part. His mentor and Rebbe in those formative years was Rabbi Moshe Aaron Poleyeff zt”l. A relationship that spanned many decades was forged at that time. Rav Gifter would fondly recall his years in Rav Poleyeff’s class, and Rav Poleyeff’s special control over the students with love and affection. Their correspondence of almost 30 years, which was printed by his son Rav Zalman Gifter, is a window into many personal aspects of Rav Gifter’s life. The Rosh yeshiva’s progress in learning is evident in the changing titles that he received from Rav Poleyeff, at first my dear talmid culminating in Harav hagaon! After a year and a half, the young Mordechai was promoted to the shiur of Rav Moshe Soloveitchik, the Rosh Yeshiva. to תרצ"ג His life changed completely with his decision in relocate to the Telzer Yeshiva in Lithuania. He was forever grateful to his uncle, Mr. Shmuel Leib Sar who was the force behind the idea. He left America on the Bernengaria2 steamship on Oct 26, 1932 when he was 16 years old. The Berengaria was the pride of the Cunard fleet and included 2 Milei DeIgros 2 pg.92 4 Rav Gifter zt’l many entertainment options on board. At the outset of their voyage the ship was struck by a severe storm. In seconds, the party atmosphere was replaced with fear. For about fifteen minutes, the ship buffeted by the storm struggled to retain an even keel. When the storm abated, the young Mordechai expected a sense of solemnity to reign on the ship. He was shocked to see that almost immediately the passengers returned to their partying. This, he retold, was the first question he asked his Rebbe, the Rosh Yeshiva Harav Avrohom Yitzchok Bloch Hy”d, how is it possible that they did not stop for even a moment afterwards? The Rov explained that the nature of a human is such that true change is not achieved by momentary inspiration3, but only after serious effort4. The vision that accompanied the Rosh Yeshiva for his entire life was his first sight of the Beis Hamedrash. He would recount the powerful impression the sight of the Beis Hamedrash made on him, and in his stentorian voice he would exclaim, “Un keinem batelt,” no one was idle. Yet, in time this same impression, as deep as it was, would deepen. In a letter that he wrote in 1935 to Mr. Morris Siegel (who also had a hand in encouraging him to study in Europe) he writes, “The spiritual enjoyment to be had from study of the Torah is beyond all description. It is only to be felt, and that, only for one who studies in the yeshiva of Telz.” His vision of a Yeshiva in which no bochur ever bateled, was explained by a colleague, “in his four amos it was impossible to 3 Tape yr06 4 Tape 154 where the Rosh Yeshiva speaks about epiphanies & Pirkei Emunah Ch.1 pg.23 Rav Gifter zt”l 5 battel, he himself did not know how to battel!” The Rosh Yeshiva was a genial person, and anyone could talk with him, but he did not suffer fools or foolishness lightly. An off color or flippant comment would result in a harsh rebuke. He pointed out the incident recorded in Chagigah 3b as a lesson how a Rebbe must relate to a talmid. The harsh rebuke stands in contradistinction to the current attitudes of educators. It must be stressed that the response of the Rebbe was not caused by negative character traits, but from the realization of the detrimental effects of the talmid’s lack of reverence5. he ,תרצ"ד In his first letter to Rav Poleyeff from Telz, in describes his learning regimen and that he spoke in learning with the Rov. He never said it, but others said that at the time he was regarded as the American illuy. Rav Zalman Kramerman relates that in his day one of the tone setters in Telz was Mordechai Gifter. His voice reverberated in the Beis HaMedrash as he and his chavrusah argued as they learnt, his face would turn red from the exertion and the shouting6 Once in conversation he commented that in Telz there was no access to the indulgences that are all so common today, all they had was sweet fresh water from a nearby well. The Rebbetzin remarked that there was a kiosk wherein they sold ice cream. The Rosh Yeshiva in total amazement replied, “in all my years there I did not know about it.” He would stress that in order to be successful in learning it is necessary to prepare oneself and the best preparation is feeling 5 Pirkei Emunahh vol. 1 pg.101 6 Shimcha Lo Shachachnu vol. 2 pg. 344 (Eliach) 6 Rav Gifter zt’l the chidush and sensation of Matan Torah. But grabbing a bite or a drink in the dormitory detracts from kabolas HaTorah7. After a strong worded shmuesss against the pizza generation, the organizers of the Chanukah Melava Malka were nervous to serve the standard pizza. They sent a bochur to ask the Rosh Yeshiva. The Rosh Yeshiva replied that it is a healthy food with protein and starch. For Melave Malka it is fine but not as a food to grab and eat in the gourmand manner common in the modern world. The Mesorah of Telz was to become his mesorah. Although the yeshiva was founded by Rav Leizer Gordon, for whom the Rosh Yeshiva had immense respect, the unique Telzer hashkofa was created by Rav Yosef Yehuda Leib Bloch zt”l, known in the Yeshiva as the Alte Rov. His Shiurei Daas were the cornerstone of many of the Rosh Yeshiva’s shmuessen. Unique to the Telzer Yeshiva was that the mussar shmuess was called a “shiur”, to convey the integral importance of Hashkofa nechona to the talmidim. Just as halocha has a shiur so does machshova. The Rosh Yeshiva called his shiurei daas a shmuess and printed them under the title Pirkei Emunah, subtitled Shiurei Daas. He explained that neither he nor the listeners are holding by that elevated level that the shmuess could be defined as a shiur daas8. In numerous shiurim the Rosh Yeshiva references the 7 Tape 03 8 Tape 24 Rav Gifter zt”l 7 Alte Rov’s Shiure Daas.

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