Yeshiva University Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Center for the Jewish Future 500 West 185 Street , NY 10033 A PUBLICATION OF THE RABBINIC ALUMNI OF THE RABBI ISAAC ELCHANAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY • AN AFFILIATE OF UNIVERSITY CHAV RUSA Volume 45 • Number 1 אין התורה נקנית אלא בחבורה (ברכות סג:) September 2010 • Tishrei 5771 In This Issue Divrei from: Rabbi Zevulun Charlop Rabbi Josh Flug Rabbi Menachem Penner Rabbi Zvi Romm

זמן שמחתינו

Conference for Torah Perspectives on Assistant Monetary Aspects of the Page 5 Deep Water Oil Spill Page 19 In This Issue

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Page 3 News from RIETS RIETS introduces new leadership initiative, Richard M. Joel and conference for assistant rabbis President,

Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm Chancellor, Yeshiva University Rosh HaYeshiva, RIETS

Rabbi Julius Berman Chairman of t he Board of Trust e e s , r i e T S Page 12 Musmakhim in the Limelight A look at rabbis who teach Torah to women Rabbi Yona Reiss M a x a n d M arion Grill D e a n , r i e T S

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

Rabbi Zevulun Charlop Dean Emeritus, RIETS Special Advisor to the President on Yeshiva Affairs Page 19 Practical Halachah Torah Perspectives on the Monetary Aspects Rabbi Robert Hirt of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Vice President Emeritus, RIETS By Rabbi Joshua Flug Rabbi Dr. Solomon F. Rybak President, Rabbinic Alumni

Rabbi Chaim Bronstein Administrator, RIETS Page 5 Chomer L’Drush Page 10 Back to the Ideas for Sukkot Beit By Rabbi Menachem Penner “I and He”: Perspectives on the Mitzvah of Lulav A Publication of RIETS Rabbinic Alumni By Rabbi Zvi Romm Rabbi Ronald L. Schwarzberg Director, The Morris and Gertrude Bienenfeld Page 8 Divrei Chizuk Page 22 Lifecycles D epa rtm e nt of Jewish Career D e v e lopm e n t The Four Species and Placement By Rabbi Zevulun Charlop

Rabbi Elly Krimsky Editor, CHAVRUSA

Rabbi Levi Mostofsky Associate Editor, CHAVRUSA

Ms. Keren Simon Assistant Editor, CHAVRUSA

Rabbi Robert Shur Graphics and Layout, CHAVRUSA Editorial Policies

CHAVRUSA is published three times a year by the Rabbinic Alumni of • CHAVRUSA will consider articles and letters for publication. the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, through the office • Books authored by musmakhim that are reviewed by musmakhim will be of the Morris and Gertrude Bienenfeld Department of Jewish Career Development and Placement. considered for publication as well. • Obituaries about and authored by musmakhim will be considered for publication. Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future serves as the community • CHAVRUSA aims to maintain the Hebrew pronunciation style of the author of the service arm of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). It continues the work of the Max Stern Division of Communal Services article. Transliterations follow the author’s preference i.e. academic, Ashkenazic, which, for over 60 years, has served as one of the premier service modern Hebrew or the like. While we will remain consistent within articles, each organizations for the Jewish community. author will be afforded to transliterate within his comfort level. • CHAVRUSA reserves the right to edit articles received for publication, and will 500 West 185th St. Suite 413 make every effort to show a draft form to the author prior to publication. New York, NY 10033 212-960-5400 x6360 • Contributions may be sent to [email protected] [email protected] • In addition to CHAVRUSA magazine, articles and divrei Torah may also be [email protected] www.yu.edu/cjf submitted for publication in the weekly Rabbinic Alumni e-newsletter. Please e-mail them to [email protected] Editorial contributions and submissions to CHAVRUSA are welcome. This publication accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. All submissions are subject to editing and are used at the editor’s discretion. Opinions expressed in this publication do not 2 necesarily reflect official Seminary and/or University policy. Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 In the News RIETS Introduces Huberfeld Family Semikha Leadership Initiative

The Yeshiva has introduced the Huberfeld Family Semikha Leadership Initiative, a thre-year fellowship at RIETS designed to mold future leaders of the American rabbinate. “It is our privilege to be afforded this special opportunity to provide enhanced leadership training to students in consonance with time-treasured Torah prin- ciples of areivus, our communal responsibility towards Klal Yisroel,” said Rabbi Yona Reiss ’91R, the Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS. As part of the fellowship, students will receive crucial leadership and entrepreneurial training that will enable them not only to play a vital role in (l-r) Rabbi Yaacov Feit, Rabbi Yechiel Shaffer, Dovid Bashevkin their future respective commu- nities, but to create and guide the institutions that stand at the helm in the rabbinic, organizational and busi- tem,” said Rabbi Feit, who will participate of those communities. ness worlds and benefit from personalized in a joint program between RIETS and the The talented young men that com- professional coaching. “This offers me the Beth Din of America. “One of my goals prise the first cadre of Huberfeld Fellows unique opportunity to learn from successful through the fellowship is to create several are Rabbi Yaacov Feit ’05R, Rabbi Yechiel Jewish leaders in the field and the chance initiatives that will educate the community Shaffer ’10R and RIETS student Dovid to continue my studies within the walls of at large. This will include seminars, articles Bashevkin. Yeshiva University,” said Rabbi Shaffer, who and publications that clarify the roles and “The goal of this program is not to obtained his semikha from RIETS as well procedures of beth din.” produce leaders who will fill positions as his master’s degree in education from Bashevkin, who is currently complet- in existing institutions,” explained Rabbi YU’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish ing both his rabbinic ordination at RIETS Marc Penner ’91R, director of profes- Education and Administration in June. He and a master’s degree from YU’s Bernard sional education for RIETS. “It is to train also served as a leader on the CJF-AJWS Revel Graduate School, believes the fel- leaders who will envision and create the student trip to El Salvador. “I can continue lowship will help him develop as a leader institutions of tomorrow.” The fellowship my development both academically and in and an educator. “I’d like to eventually program will combine an individualized the field under the best guidance.” Rabbi involved in communal leadership, educa- curriculum of directed post-semikha Torah Feit, a member of the Yadin Yadin tion and growth,” said Bashevkin, who has learning at RIETS with a full complement at RIETS, looks forward to furthering his been involved with several Jewish organiza- of professional training, tailored to each of training in Jewish jurisprudence through tions and schools in the past. “My hope is to the fellow’s career aspirations. Each fellow the fellowship. “Our community doesn’t become as valuable an asset as I can for the will also be assigned multiple mentors fully understand or trust the beth din sys- Jewish community.” n

3 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 In the News

Assistant Rabbis Gather for Professional Development Seminars Presented by CJF

Twenty-two assistant rabbis from across North America recently gathered for two one- day seminars presented by Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future (CJF). The semi- nars featured presentations on topics ranging from “Relationship to the Senior Rabbi” and “Assistant Rabbi vs. Senior Rabbi” to “Pro- gramming and Best Practices” and “It’s Not Too Early: Building your Financial Future.” The seminars were hosted by Congrega- tion Edmund J. Safra in New York’s Upper East Side. The ’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Elie Abadie, also serves as director of the Jacob E. Safra Institute of Sephardic Studies at Yeshiva University. “Assistant rabbis are a growing sector of the Orthodox clergy whose respective roles Participants at the Assistant Rabbi Conference are often undefined,” explained Rabbi Levi Mostofsky, director of rabbinic programming not get attention and recognition at broader community of peers to discuss their particular at the CJF and one of the events’ coordina- rabbinic gatherings. These seminars provide challenges and opportunities.” n tors. “They are budding professionals who do them the opportunity to come together as a

Table set aside for RIETS Rabbinic Alumni in the Jacob and Dreizel Glueck Center for Jewish Study Dedicated in memory of Harav Dovid Lifschitz zt”l Feel free to come by anytime to learn in the vibrant and exciting atmosphere of the newest makom Torah on the YU uptown Wilf Campus. The table for rabbinic alumni is located on the second floor of the new beit midrash, and is accesible by both stairs and an elevator.

4 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Chomer l’Drush

and the vagaries of “nature.” Soloveitchik spoke of the dread that modern man faces Chomer L’Drush despite his advances in science and technol- ogy. The fear is not new. Shlomo Hamelech, and Ideas for despite all of the guards that surrounded him Sukkot and despite the relative peace in his time, was haunted by a “pachad ba’leilot” — a fear of the unknown and uncontrollable that looms Rabbi Menachem Penner around the corner. Modern Man, in particular, Director, Professional Rabbinic Education, RIETS is haunted by this feeling of insecurity despite 5 Rabbi, Young of Holliswood all that he has accomplished. (The Rav once suggested that this “pachad ba’leilot” was the fear of degenerative disease and senility — a malady that no-one, despite their power, riches and brilliance can avoid. The Rav, himself, y the Yom Tov of Sukkot, the kehillah — remove them from the distractions of our would be subject for more than a decade to — and sometimes the Rav — may be homes, and celebrate them? this “pachad ba’leilot”. ) tired of long derashot. No matter how Meals in the sukkah are made all the more spe- A simple approach would be to say “All will wonderfulB and meaningful one’s Yomim No- cial by the attention we give to our children’s be OK— Hashem will protect us.” And, of raim divrei Torah have been, Sukkot becomes decorations. And how nice it is that there are course, He does and He will. But the sukkah, a time for something a bit different: short, yet no couches for family members to retire upon where it does rain sometimes and we do not thought-provoking ideas. I share with you a before the meal is finished! This message can always feel completely protected, begs us to collection of insights relating to Sukkot and be a very powerful one to share with our ba’alei consider a more sophisticated approach. In- simchah that I have used or will be using in bayit. What do we truly need to be happy? stead, suggests Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo, Holliswood and encourage you to share simi- Perhaps the answer is found in our sukkot. the sukkah is a challenge to celebrate what we have despite our genuine fears and uncertain- lar ideas with me at [email protected]. Please 2. An interesting contemporary look at the ties. He writes that “to be happy when all is also feel free to e-mail me for full copies of the concept of happiness can be found in a recent well is of no significance. But to fully aware of sources referenced in this article. edition of Commentary magazine.2 The author Sukkot is the paradigmatic festival of reviews two recent books about happiness — the dangers which surround us, while simul- simchah and we are commanded three times one from a personal and one from a political taneously continuing our lives with ‘song and 6 in the Torah within the context of this chag perspective — and concludes that the books harp’ is what makes humans great and proud.” to be happy. In fact, we are told (or exhorted) have confused the concepts of “happiness” and 5. From its inception, Sukkot represents “vehayita ach sameach.” “fulfillment.” In a few powerful sentences, the dreams as of yet unfulfilled and the ability A number of reasons can be suggested for writer explains that happiness not a “right” but to rejoice in the process of geulah while it the special joy of Sukkot. The simchah may a gift for which we must be most thankful. continues to unfold. Rabbi Ben Tzion Firer be related to the material joy of the completed asks why two holidays, Pesach and Sukkot are 3. Simchah is, of course, not just a concept; we harvest. While there is an element of joy necessary to remember Yetziat Mitzrayim7. He are commanded to be happy on the chagim intrinsic to the other chagim, the fact that work answers that while Pesach commemorates the and this commandment is one of the most remains to be done in the field gets in the way day of Yetziat Mitzrayim — “So that you may difficult mitzvot to fulfill. To eat, to drink, even of true simchah on Pesach or Shavuot .1 At remember the day of your exodus from Egypt to sing — that may be easy. To actually remain the same time, the simchah of Sukkot may be …,”8 Sukkot marks the days that followed happy for seven, eight or nine days in a row tied to the spiritual joy of the time spent with — “ So that your generations shall know that is extraordinarily difficult. The Vilna Gaon Hashem in Tishrei and to the sense of relief for in sukkot did I make the Children of Israel claimed that there is no more difficult mitzvah having been forgiven on Yom Kippur. Either dwell when I brought them out from the land than “vesamachta bechagecha.”3 way, Sukkot is a good time to look at happiness 9 Rav Soloveitchik often differentiated be- Egypt.” The latter focuses not on the day of and to think about what makes us happy. tween mitzvot whose kiyum was one of action the Exodus, but on the many difficult days that 1. Most people feel a real sense of joy while and those whose kiyum was balev. The former followed as they stood between the Exodus eating the yom tov meals in their sukkah. can be most challenging to fulfill, especially for from Egypt and the entrance into Eretz Yisrael. This is, on the surface, somewhat strange. an extended period of time. This theme of Sukkot is most important We leave our comfortable homes to sit on and relevant. It reminds us that we should not 4. And Sukkot, if understood on a deeper level, rickety chairs in a hut and we find ourselves despair of a complete geulah if the redemption makes this challenge even harder. The sukkah delighted. Why ARE we so happy in the suk- does not materialize immediately. It reminds reminds us of our vulnerability.4 Despite all of kah? Is it possible that what we do on Sukkot us to celebrate each stage of the geulah, even as our human efforts, represented by the building is to take the things that are most valuable to we await the final stage of the redemption. of the sukkah, we remain open to the elements us — our family, our friends, our tradition continued on page 6 5 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Chomer l’Drush

Chomer L’Drush and Ideas for Sukkot continued from page 5

We are reminded of this message by our ha’geulah. His role restarts when he is ready to I don’t have horns on my head. It is because they special “guests” in the sukkah. Rav Firer notes announce an imminent geulah. But that’s not have this idea about me that I am a tzaddik, that all of the ushpizin longed for a redemption Sukkot. Sukkot is not about the moments of and if I go out to them, I am making a statement they could not yet taste. Avraham, Yitzchak geulah themselves, but the long journeys that about myself that I am someone special.” Rav and Yaakov are promised Eretz Yisrael but are lead from one stage of the geulah to the next.10 Meir Shapiro asked, “And what is wrong with not given the land in their lifetimes. Yosef is 6. Part of the joy of Sukkot is in the multitude making such a statement?” The Chafetz Chaim exiled and must await redemptions for himself of mitzvot we are able to perform. It is a crucial said, “What do you mean ‘what is wrong?’ It and for his family. Moshe and Aharon are time to show our children that mitzvot, even is ga’avah.” Rav Meir Shapiro said, “And if it unable to cross into Eretz Yisrael. And Dovid when they are somewhat “inconvenient,” are is ga’avah, so what?” The Chafetz Chaim said, Hamelech yearns for the Beit HaMikdash, but a source of joy. The attitude that we bring to “Ga’avah is a terrible aveirah.” Rav Meir Shapiro is not zocheh to build it himself. They send a yeshiva ba’sukkah can have lasting effects on said, “And what happens if one does an aveirah?” single message to those who will one day sit our family. If we complain about the cold, the The Chafetz Chaim said, “Why, for an aveirah in sukkot: “Be patient. It may not happen just pine needles, the bees, the mosquitoes and ev- one will be punished in Gehenom.” Rav Meir yet. It may not even happen in your lifetime. erything else that distracts us, we send a mes- Shapiro said, “Throngs of Jews will have pleasure But geulot come slowly. Most important, they sage that mitzvot are a burden. However, if we from seeing you. Aren’t you willing to accept some do eventually come.” During the long journey show a genuine love for one of the few mitzvot punishment in order to give Jews pleasure?” The it may seem difficult — yes, “the shade will be that we can perform with our entire bodies, we Chafetz Chaim was electrified. From then on, greater than the sunlight” — but the end will send a powerful message to the next genera- every time the train pulled into a station he was eventually come. tion.11 Rav lamented that a the first one on the platform to meet the people. Perhaps, for this reason, Eliyahu HaNavi is generation was lost to observance Rabbi Dr. Twerski continues, “This story not invited on Sukkot. Eliyahu is the mevaser despite the great sacrifices of their parents to tells us that we must be willing to accept some keep Shabbat when they came to the shores of discomfort to give others pleasure. “ This America. Though parents sacrificed so much was said in the cotext of a dispute between a to keep the Shabbat, a generation grew up brother and sister regarding their mother. But seeing Shabbat as a burden rather than a joy. what a powerful lesson for us about sitting in Shabbat meant not just loss of income, but, the sukkah and giving “pleasure” to the Rib- usually, loss of a job. Children, unable to see bono shel Olam. the joy and value of the Shabbat, yearned for 8. Another interesting connection to sim- the day when they could throw that burden 12 chah can be found in the takanot of Rabbi away. Unfortunately, many did. Yochanan ben Zakkai relating to lulav and We often take it for granted that our children chadash. The Gemara15 tells us that Rabbi understand the meaning that brings Yochanan ben Zakkai established two takan- to our lives. Very often, however, they hear only not zecher le’Mikdash — one, that the lulav the sarcasm, the sighs and the complaints. It is be taken all seven days, even outside of the important to use Sukkot, zman simchateinu, as Mikdash, and another that new wheat remain a time to clearly express how fortunate we are assur on the entire 16th day of Nisan (the “Yom to have the mitzvot ha’Torah. HaNeif”), despite the fact that the Mikdash 7. Another angle to consider is the joy we give was destroyed and no Korban ha’Omer was 13 to Hashem on Sukkot. Rabbi Dr. Abraham being prepared for offering. What, asks Rav Twerski tells a famous story about the Chafetz Elyashiv, is the connection between these two 14 Chaim that illustrates this idea: takkanot? On the return from a convention in which many He answers that the takkanot have the Torah sages participated, the train made stops in opposite effect. To legislate seven days of lulav several towns, whose Jewish communities came observance as a remembrance to the Temple out to greet the gedolim. The Chafetz Chaim, days was to send a message that a long period however, in his profound humility, never went on of galut was forthcoming. One doesn’t cre- the train platform to meet the people. HaGaon ate a remembrance for something unless a Rav Meir Shapiro of , although he was a significant period of time will elapse before it young man, boldly approached the elderly sage. is renewed. The affect of this first takana was “Why aren’t you going out to meet the people?” devastating for the people. They understood, he asked. The Chafetz Chaim answered, “Why through the eyes of their gadol ha’dor that the should I go out? What is it that they want to see?

6 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Chomer l’Drush

Footnotes 1. Chizkuni, Da’at Zekeinim and others to Devarim 16:15. See Meshech Chochma to this pasuk who suggests that the mi’ut of “ach sameach” comes to limit those who rejoice only because of the materials aspects of the simchah. Ultimately, their simchah will be clouded by jealousy and will not be complete. 2. “The Dawn of the Happiness Busybody”,Com - mentary, April 2010, pp. 51-54. 3. Quoted in Sefer Divrei Shalom, p. 36. 4. It is interesting that the Sukkah, which started as a symbol of our material success in Eretz Yisrael (see to Vayikra 23:43), has become a symbol of our wanderings in exile. For further elaboration of the theme of sukkah as historical galut, see Rabbi Isaac C. Avigdor, Two for Ten, pp. 131 and Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Faith in the Future, pp. 150- 153. An interesting look at the value of Galut can be found in Rav Soloveitchik’s Abraham’s Journey (Masoret HaRav), in the chapter on Avraham’s wanderings, especially pp. 75-80, and Rabbi Yisroel Reisman’s Pathways of the Prophets, in a fascinat- ing chapter entitled “Prava Galus,” pp. 25-40. geulah might be far into the future. Therefore, is connecting oneself to the Klal (similar to 5. See of Rav Soloveitchik, Saturday night, Dec. a second takana was necessary — one that the famous words of Rav Soloveitchik in Al 16, 1978, Sedra “Vayaytze” which can be found at reminded them that geulah could come at any HaTeshuva). For this reason, the Midrash www.613.org 16 moment. chose the daled minim as the ultimate 6. Thoughts to Ponder, vol. 1, pp. 135-137. 9. A further thought on the joy of being symbol of victory. It is when we are bound 7. Eleh Heim Mo’adai, vol. 1, pp. 149-152. forgiven: Rav Chaim Yaakov Goldvicht, the together like the four species that we can be 8. Devarim 16:3. past of Yeshivat Kerem BeYavneh, confident of our victory. 9. Vayikra 23:43 suggested a fascinating insight to the famous 10. According to the Vilna Gaon, Sukkot 10. My own thought. Rav Firer himself suggests else- Yalkut Shimoni (651) that speaks of the Jewish specifically celebrates the joy of a renewed rela- where that Eliyahu is left off the “guest list” because people emerging victoriously from beit din with tionship with G-d. In his commentary to Shir Sukkot is a time of rachamim and inclusion of all their lulavim and etrogim held high as a symbol HaShirim,19 the GR”A suggests that the 15th types of Jews. Eliyahu represents kana’ut and is thus of victory.17 Why are the daled minim chosen as of Tishrei was chosen as the date for Chag not welcome on Sukkot. the symbols of our victory? Ha’Sukkot because it was on that very day that 11. See Rav Moshe Meir Weiss, Passionate Judaism, Rav Goldvicht explained that victory can the Ananei HaKavod, removed from the Jew- pp 165-167. only be assured by attaching oneself to the ish people after the chet ha’eigel, were restored. 12. Derash Moshe, vol. 1, to Parshat Pinchas, p. 133. Klal. When the angels question as to why The Jews were forgiven on Yom Kippur and 13. See Alshich to Vayikra 23:37 who explains that it Klal Yisrael cannot sing shirah on the Yomim several days later began to build the Mishkan. is not we, but Hashem who has complete simchah Noraim,18 they are looking at our chances in Only after the building of the Mishkan begins on Sukkot. the Heavenly court as a tzibbur. Why, they ask, is the atonement complete and only then did 14. Dear Rabbi, Dear Doctor, pp. 20-21. should Klal Yisrael, confident of victory, not the clouds reappear. This occurred on the 15th 15. Bavli, Sukkah 41a. sing shirah during the judgment? The answer of Tishrei, five days after Yom Kippur. The 16. Quoted in He’arot al Masechet Sukkah by Rav given by the is that each Jew is also sukkah thus represents the special protection Yonah Emmanuel, p. 191. I have seen this idea judged as an individual. “Is it possible that the that we receive from Hashem even after we quoted in the name of the Sfat Emet, but have not King sits on his Throne of Judgment and the have sinned — if we are able to do teshuva. been able to locate a source in his writings. books of life and death (for each individual) The chag thus follows beautifully on the heels 17. Yikra d’Chaim (Memorial Volume in memory of are open and Israel should sing shirah?” of the Yomim Noraim. Rav Goldvicht, zt”l), pp. 71-75. See there at length There is no greater symbol of the unity of It is my hope that some of these thoughts as he incorporates many ma’amarei into Klal Yisrael than the daled minim, repre- can enhance your Sukkot and the yom tov of this idea. senting so many different types of Jews your kehillot. n 18. Bavli, Rosh Hashana, 32b. bound together. Rav Goldvicht explains in 19. Kol Eliyahu, Parshat Emor, 84. a beautiful essay that part of doing teshuva

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their invoking of the Borei Olam Hakadosh Ba- ruch Hu, the Creator, these giants who “brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that Zeh Hakadosh all men are created equal,” projected the ultimate Baruch Hu truth about all of us, that the Tzelem Elokim — the irrepressible and undying spirit of Hakadosh Baruch Hu — reposes securely, inextricably Rabbi Zevulun Charlop and eternally in us and our descendants. Murbiyos Near the end of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when literally and miraculously victory was snatched from the jaws of defeat but which unfortunately brought in its wake massive casu- ri Etz Hadar, zeh Hakadosh Baruch Hu very moment, I am uplifted! (Vayikra Rabbah alties, my father, Rabbi Yechiel Michel Charlop … hod v’hadar lavashta (Tehillim 104) 30:9) zt’l shared with me on the Hoshanah Rabbah Kapos Temarim zeh Hakadosh Baruch Hu But the question remains, how and why of that year, as the war was winding down and P… tzadik katamar yifrach (Tehillim 32) do we need the aravos altogether? They have our enemies were on the run, that he now Anaf Eitz Avos zeh Hakadosh Baruch Hu … no Torah, they have no maasim tovim. What do understood more fully the mishnah in Sukkah v’hu omed bein hahadasim (Zechariah 1) they add or contribute? On the contrary, they (Sukkah 45a). Arvei nachal zeh Hakadosh Baruch Hu … solu may diminish from the wholesomeness and How was the mitzvah of aravah accomplished? l’rochev b’arvos b’Kah shmo (Tehillim 68) sanctity of the others, separate or united. There was a place below Yerushalayim called (Midrash Vayikra Rabba 30:9) The answer, it seems to me, is provided two motza. The agents of the beis din would descend Probably the most popular and well midrashim earlier, in anticipation almost, which there and collect murbiyos of aravah and would known midrash relating to the daled minim, the astonishingly denominates each of the four erect them at the sides of the altar, with their tops four species that we take on Sukkos is the one species and each on its own as the Holy One bent over the altar... that defines and distinguishes the wholeness of Blessed Be He, even the lowly and undistin- The Gemara (Sukkah 45a) describes these the Jewish people in its distinct and possibly at guished aravos. murbiyos, as very tall willows, which surround- times disparate parts: even as the esrog has taste What in the world does the midrash ed the mizbeyach on Hoshanah Rabbah and and fragrance, taam vareyach, so too are there mean when it proclaims of each of the minim, around which seven hakafos were made. Jews who combine Torah, identified with taste including the aravos, individually, Zeh Hakadosh My father asked, why did they particularly and maasim tovim, good works, identified with Baruch Hu, this is the Holy One Blessed Be He. choose aravos? They should have surrounded fragrance. The lulav refers to those Jews who For me, this midrash is a startling articula- the mizbeyach with the beautiful esrogim or the have taste, Torah, but want for maasim tovim, tion of one of the loftiest and essential teachings imposing lulavim, or the sweet smelling and fragrance. Others are likened to hadasim, to of Torah, of Yiddishkeit, that all Jews - and in a comely hadasim instead. myrtles. They havemaasim tovim but are not real sense all humanity - in different ways, what- It was in the context of the heavy and necessarily learned in Torah. Finally, we have the ever their station and whoever they be, share at heartbreaking casualty reports that he sensed a willows, the aravos, which have neither taste nor bottom the breath of Hashem, the tzelem Elokim, new understanding of murbiyos — the aravos fragrance. the image of God, that He infused into Adam of Hoshanah Rabbah. While it is true that the And the midrash wonders, how does Harishon at the very inception of Creation. talmidim of the Yeshivot who served in HaKadosh Baruch Hu relate to these human wil- And, it is this truth which was self evident to the Tzahal sustained, early on, possibly the greatest lows, without taste or fragrance? Founding Founders of these United States and losses certainly in relative proportion to their U-ma haKadosh Baruch Hu oseh lahem? speaks to the overriding splendor of the Ameri- numbers. This was owing to the fact that they L’ovdan, ee efshar. Ela, amar Hakadosh Baruch can democracy and sets it altogether apart from chose to stay at their posts, to man the border Hu, yuksheru kulam agudah achas v’hein the French Revolution that followed. on Yom Kippur, so that their less observant m’chaprin elu al elu. Ve’im asisem kach, osa sha’ah ani mis’aleh. The American Revolution was defined and comrades could go home for the Holy Day. took its strength from the Declaration of Inde- Nonetheless, it was clear that the vast What does the Holy One Blessed Be He do with pendence which proclaims in that elegant and majority of those who died al Kiddush Hashem, or to them? He can’t destroy them! Instead, He ‘ties vaulting cadence that “We are endowed by our protecting and defending Eretz Yisrael against them all together into one congregation and they the sneak, brutal and sweeping onslaught of the atone for each other.’ And if you do this, at that Creator with certain inalienable rights.” With enemy, were the less lettered and less devout

8 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Divrei Chizuk

Israeli soldiers. My father noted that they may the prophet who was fleeing from the Almighty I don’t believe that ever before in human have been perceived in some quarters as the ara- who put upon him an urgent, awesome, charge history has this psalm been more understood vos of our people — no taste and no fragrance. to preach teshuvah to the forsaken metropolis of and felt as in the last 25 years, and increasingly However, the truth of the matter was that in all Nineveh, which otherwise stood imminently to in the last five to ten years. The psalm introduces likelihood without their sacrifices, we could be destroyed. Jonah apparently for some reason the notion of va’tchasreihu me’at me’Elokim, of not have emerged victorious in those dark days. not altogether clear to us, took flight on a ship man being slightly less than Elokim, with ki er’eh Without them, heaven forefend, there may not which in time was met by a furious storm which shamecha, ma’aseh etzb’osecha, yareyach v’chochavim have been a state of Israel today. threatened to break his ship apart, burying crew asher konantah… On Hoshannah Rabbah, a day likened to and passengers in the deep oblivion of the sea. Buckminster Fuller, the noted architect and Yom Kippur, it was the aravos which adorned the When his fellow voyagers asked Jonah, iconoclast who died several years ago observed, mizbeyach, because their human representations the stranger among them, who they prop- “Until I was 28, we knew only about our own were closest to the mizbeyach. They proved to be erly suspected is the cause of their impending galaxy. In 1923, Hubble discovered another the korbanos, the sacrifices, which saved the day. misfortune, “who are you and where do you galaxy. Since then we have discovered 2 billion In the conglomerate of the Jewish people they come from?” Unafraid he says Ivri Anochi, I am a beyond that.” And I might add that in the years were surely not an unimportant component. Hebrew, even as he is running away from G-d. since, even millions and possibly billions more. Therefore, no less of them do we declarezeh Avaryanim was the word chosen for sinners Amazing! But that is exactly what Chazal told us HaKadosh Baruch Hu. because of its cognitive similarity to ivri. We nearly two millennia ago in Brachos (32b) and Having said all this, however, as bnei Torah don’t force the aravah to be bound up with the specifically in the explanatory note that appears and maaminim b’nei maaminim, we must know other more committed kinds. In fact, the aravah, in the Artscroll edition of the (note 23), that no less than the heroic soldier on the battle- as distanced as he is from the many hallowed which invokes Chazal’s understanding centuries field, in different and possibly in profounder perspectives of our faith, nonetheless wants to ago of the vastness of the universe. ways, and yiras Shamayim cannot be part and parcel of the Jewish people and to The Gemara, undoubtedly taken from be trumped. This truth should never be lost on show himself before the Almighty at least once some ancient Mesorah that was handed down us. a year. His Jewish tzelem Elokim is still alive and from generation to generation, pictures for us One of the premier commentaries, the pulsating and is witnessed to the fact that he is a hierarchy of galaxies with the names ligyon, Atzei Yosef found in editions of the midrash, un- not, heaven forefend, sundered from his roots, rahaton, karton and gostera, telling us the precise derstood the inclusion of the aravos among the from klal Yisrael. And in this sense, it can be said number of stars attached to each of these galax- daled minim from a different vantage point. With of this aravah zeh Hakadosh Baruch Hu. He is a ies. Artscroll computes or attempts to compute their failings and all — without taam and reyach posheya or a chotei perhaps, but he proclaims ivri their total number: “Ligyon, rahaton, karton — it was the aravos who surprisingly wanted to anochi, and therefore he is called an avaryan. and gostera are titles for different officers [taken be at one with the esrogim, the lulavim and the Vat’chasreihu me’at m’Elokim, apparently from Roman military parlance] hadassim. That in itself is a mighty saving grace. (), proceeding in a hierarchy from the v’chavod v’hadar te’atreihu. Avaryanim higher to the lower levels (Ben Yehoyada). Each But there is another concept, certainly no less “officer,” representing a system of stars or other The authors of the Yom Kippur machzor majestic than tzelem Elokim, and probably deemed it appropriate to open the Kol Nidrei heavenly bodies, controls numerous lower- another understanding of tzelem Elokim, that level “officers” and their “divisions” beneath service with a special plea to the beis din shel tzelem Elokim not only applies to the moral and maalah, the tribunal above and the beis din shel them, and so on. The lowest level “officers,” the ethical imperatives which ought to distinguish gosteras, numbering in the hundreds of millions matah, the tribunal here on earth, to allow the him from other inhabitants of the universe, but avaryanim, loosely translated as sinners, to pray (12x30x30x30x30x30), each has attached to gives nearly literal meaning to David’s soaring it several billion stars (365 thousand myriad). with the congregation. Indeed it can and should conception of who man is when he proclaims, be construed as a call of welcome to them. This amounts to quadrillions of stars.” ki er’eh shamecha, ma’aseh etzb’osecha, yareyach A talmid of mine through a strange hap- I often wondered why the wordavaryan for v’chochavim asher konantah. mah enosh ki sizk- sinner was chosen and not the more common penstance was in the same car with Garrett erenu uven adam ki sifkidenu va’tchasreihu me’at Reisman, the only Jew to have lived on a space posh’im and chot’im, words or forms of these me’Elokim v’chavod v’hadar te-atreihu. words which abound in the machzor? It seemed station for 90 days. He returned to earth a little When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fin- to me that avaryan was deliberately selected over two years ago. And our talmid, upon learn- gers, the moon and the stars which You established. ing that he was Jewish, asked if he had placed a over its more familiar synonyms because it also What is man that You are mindful of him and the resonates the word ivri, which is a highlight of mezuzah on the space station, not really expect- son of man that You think of him? You have made ing a positive answer. He was surprised when Maftir Yonah, which we read as prelude to Neilah. him slightly lower than Elokim and have crowned Most of us are familiar with the story of Jonah him with glory and honor. (Tehillim 8:4-6) continued on page 11

9 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Back to the Beit Midrash

and His Chosen People. It is not accidental that the four species are used to portray both G-d and the Jews. Part of the message of the “I and He”: Four Species is precisely that Yisrael v’Kudsha Brich Hu chad hu — that the Jewish People Perspectives on the and G-d are truly united. Mitzvah of Lulav This notion, that lulav conveys the identification of G-d with the Jewish People, helps explain certain aspects of the hoshanos Rabbi Zvi Romm recited with the taking of lulav and esrog. Instructor of Talmud, Isaac Breuer College Rabbi, Bialystoker Synagogue, NYC The Mishnah (Sukka 45a) records the opinion of R’ Yehuda that instead of saying “Ana Hashem hoshiana na” (“Please, O G-d, save now”) when circling the altar in the Beis HaMikdash, the kohanim instead nd [through the performance of the contains those who posses both Torah and good said “Ani vaHo hoshiana na.” While noting mitzvah of lulav] may I know how Your deeds. “A palm branch” — this refers to Israel; that the gematria of “ani vaHo” equals that Name is called upon me, such that [my just as the lulav has taste but no scent, thus Israel of “ana Hashem,” Tosfos question what the enemies]A will fear to approach me … contains those who posses Torah but no good significance of “ani vaHo” might be. They This phrase, culled from the Yehi Ratzon deeds. “A branch of myrtles” — this refers to suggest that it means “I and He” — that, as prayer recited by some prior to performing the Israel; just as the myrtle has a scent but no taste, it were, G-d Himself is in captivity when mitzvah of lulav, calls for explanation. What thus Israel contains those who posses good deeds the Jews go into exile. The prayer asks G-d does it mean to have G-d’s name “called upon” but no Torah. “And willows of the river” — this not only to save us, but, so to speak, to save the one who performs the mitzvah of lulav? refers to Israel; just as the willow has neither scent Himself. The phrase “ani vaHo” thus identifies How does this mitzvah affect that result? nor taste, thus Israel contains those who posses G-d with the Jewish People as a central The answer may lie in a striking Midrash neither Torah nor good deeds. component of the hoshanos. in Vayikra Rabba (30:9): This theme is carried further in numerous “A goodly fruit (i.e. the esrog)” — this refers to Part of the stanzas of the poem authored by R’ Eliezer the Holy One, Blessed be He, about whom it HaKalir which concludes the hoshanos: says “You donned glory and beauty.” “A palm symbolism of the As you saved a nation and its G-d, both in need branch” — this refers to the Holy One, Blessed of G-d’s salvation — so may You save us now! be He, about whom it says “The Righteous One Four Species is to As you saved the plant [Israel] who sang “He will flower forth like a palm tree.” “A branch of saved [us],” the same word is vocalized as “He myrtles” — this refers to the Holy One, Blessed show that a unique was saved” for the One who delivered it — so be He, about whom it says “He stood among the may You save us now! myrtles.” “And willows of the river” — this refers bond exists between As you saved with the expression “I will redeem to the Holy One, Blessed be He, about whom it you,” which can also be read as “I will be re- says “Praise the One who rides in the Heavens G-d and His deemed with you” — so may You save us now! (aravos) using His Name.” Chosen People The theme in all these stanzas, as well as Each of the four species taken on Sukkos others, is that G-d goes into exile together with is deemed to be symbolic of G-d Himself Here, the four species are portrayed not the Jewish People, and that He is redeemed in some fashion. Thus, the one performing as representing G-d, but as representing the from exile together with us. Once again, the the mitzvah of lulav is taking objects which Jewish People. Other midrashim see the four hoshanos stress the identification of G-d with represent — metaphorically, of course — the species as symbolic of various aspects of Klal the Jewish People. Almighty Himself. Yisrael, the Avos and Imahos (30:10) or the When we consider that the hoshanos Yet just a few paragraphs later in the Sanhedrin (30:11). are recited while circling the bima with the same Vayikra Rabba, we find another passage Which is the “true” symbolism of lulav Sefer Torah, a third element is added to this (30:12) which addresses the symbolism of and esrog? Perhaps we can suggest that all the equation: The notion that G-d and the Jewish lulav from a very different perspective: symbolic representations are correct. In fact, People are both identified with the Torah— “A goodly fruit” — this refers to Israel; just as part of the symbolism of the four species is to Yisrael, Kudsha Brich Hu, v’Oraisa chad hu. the esrog has both taste and scent, thus Israel show that a unique bond exists between G-d Based on all this, we can understand the

10 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Back to the Beit Midrash phrase with which we began — describing the sense G-d’s name is called upon the person ourselves. On Sukkos a realignment of that lulav as exemplifying how “Your Name is called through fulfilling the mitzvah of lulav. relationship takes place. G-d invites us, so to upon me” — in greater depth. Indeed, the one Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur posit a speak, to join Him on “His side” of the table. who performs the mitzvah of lulav is declaring relationship with G-d whereby we approach We are able to identify with Him, as He identi- that the Jewish People, and by extension, Him, so to speak, from the opposite side of the fies with us. May we merit to be deserving of himself, identifies with the Almighty. In this table. We are being judged and need to defend that lofty identification. n Divrei Chizuk Zeh Hakadosh Baruch Hu continued from page 9

Reisman told him, “I did in fact affix a mezuzah not least of all, His ability to manage billions of be found in Eikev.” on one of the posts of the space station.” people all at once. However, the Torah Temimah (Devarim At the same time, only in the last few years, Today the GPS can do it, so can the 1:28) demurred from the Gaon’s revision and the GPS has become part of us, it goes wherever Almighty. We have reached an age where before said that Chazal, purposely cites the verse in we go. It can direct billions of people to billions things could only be ascribed to Elokim. Today, Eikev deliberately skipping over its first mention of destinations instantaneously. It can tell a we are me’at me’Elokim. because in Devarim the words were uttered billion people at the same time all around the Science, it has been recently reported, by the meraglim, the notorious spies who globe with absolute precision, how they can get stands on the threshold of penetrating man’s searched the land of Canaan and brought back to their destinations. And if any of them or all mind and the dreams of man as well to know an altogether depressing and evil report about of them, for that matter, make a wrong turn, it what he is thinking – day or night, awake or that land and are explicitly called liars by our will immediately change directions in a second asleep. Sages. How can you derive a teaching, says the for those billion people in a second. Wherever The recent advance of science can also Torah Temimah, from liars? So therefore, they you are, whether in China or Timbuktu or the complicate or clarify biblical exegesis. The To- skipped over that verse, went to Eikev, for there Bronx, the itinerary will be changed; it knows rah tells us in Parshat Devarim (1:28) and then it was Moshe Rabbeinu who proclaimed Arim exactly where you are. repeats word for word in Parshat Eikev (9:1) U’vezuros BaShamayim. In the last two years we have seen the that in the upcoming battle against the seven On the surface the Torah Temimah’s an- Hadron Collider, which hopes for the first nations who then held sway in Canaan-Eretz swer seems to be a brilliant reposte to the Gaon’s time to move at speeds faster than the speed of Yisrael, they would come against a formidable concerns. light. Theoretically it would take us back in time. opponent whose cities are fortified to the However, in light of recent discover- We have reached a pass in history when we heavens, arim g’dolos uvetzuros bashamayim. ies, how can we say that the pasuk in Eikev can think of going back in time. It is axiomatic Ami (Chullin 90b) wondered: How can originally emanated not from Moshe obvi- in Judaism that the closer one gets to the past, there be cities in the heavens? The whole idea is ously speaking in Hashem’s name? Hashem the closer you come to ma’amad har Sinai, the preposterous! Therefore we derive from these is simultaneously haya, hoveh v’yihiyeh at once closer you come to Hashem. Chadesh ya’meinu pesukim that dibra Torah b’lashon havai - b’lashon and knows that there would be arim batzuros k’kedem. It’s uncanny that the word Hadron, guzma - that the Torah from time to time bashamayim. Unless the pasuk refers specifically which is an acronym of scientific terms and uses exaggeration to make a point.. TheSifrei , to cities on earth whose towers rise literally into parts that comprise this collider, is hadron, which interestingly enough makes a similar comment the endless expanse of heaven, precisely because means returning or going back. about hyperbole, but uses the verse in Eikev, not they are endless, the Gaon’s fixing of the text Only a short while back, in the August 11, that of Devarim, as its proof. would not be improper. Moreover the Torah 2010, New York Times Blog Opinionator exclu- The Vilna Gaon notices this anomaly and doesn’t explicitly say that G-d said it or that sive online commentary from the Times, Garry wonders why the authors of the Sifrei would Moshe spoke in His name. So it may not be a Gutting, a noted philosopher of our day, wrote a use Eikev as the proof verse, when trhe pasuk question at all. However this may go counter to biting critique entitled, “On Dawkins’ Atheism: first appeared earlier in Devarim? As a general the famous assertion of Chazal that HaKadosh A Response,” and attempted to demonstrate principle, Chazal cite the first time the proof Baruch Hu Diber Me’Toch Grono Shel Moshe – that the scientific assertions that Dawkins made verse appears. Why in this instance does the That the Almighty spoke through the larynx and the so called proofs that he conjured, were Sifrei pass over the verse in parshas Devarim and of Moshe – so our problem with the Gaon’s actually vulnerable and indeed could not stand goes to Eikev? The Gaon therefore emends this understanding remains. the test of rigorous philosophical analysis. midrash and leaves it with a different text,girsa , Having said all this, it is still only me’at Without going into the itinerary of his thinking, altogether, whereby the Sifrei mentions first the m’Elokim. But me’at is hardly less than before and Dawkins rejects Hashem’s omniscience, and, pasuk in Devarim and then adds “that it can also He remains approachable yet unbridgeable. n

11 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Musmakhim in the Limelight Teaching Torah to Women “Not only is the teaching of Torah she-baal peh to girls permissible but it is nowadays an absolute imperative. This policy of discrimination between the sexes as to subject matter and method of instruction which is still advocated by certain groups within our Orthodox community has contributed greatly to the deterioration and downfall of traditional Judaism. Boys and girls alike should be introduced into the inner halls of Torah she-be-al peh.” Letter dated May 27, 1953 from Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik to Rabbi Leonard Rosenfeld, chairman of the education committee of the Hebrew Institute of Long Island and director of the Department of Yeshivot at the New York Board of Jewish Education pp. 83 - “Community, Covenant and Commitment: Selected Letters and Communications” by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot, ed. pp. 83. The Toras Horav Foundation, 2005 Musmakhim in the Limelight

The Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 60) teaches us that during the lifetimes In the modern world, transmitting “Torat imecha” is not sufficient. As of both Sarah and Rivkah and in their merit, candles burned all week the Rav explained in the letter above, teaching women Torah shebaal illuminating their home, blessing was found in their bread and a cloud peh is an ‘absolute imperative.’ was tied above their tent. Perhaps this cloud was a precursor to the Although many halachic traditions frown upon teaching women Torah ananei hakavod, the clouds of glory that accompanied our ancestors sheba’al peh, the Rav, following in the giant footsteps of the Gerer through the wilderness, which according to Rebbe Eliezer (Sukkah Rebbe and the Chofetz Chayim, ruled differently. Twersky 11b) the sukkot represent. ’85R in a public eulogy for his grandfather the Rav, brought support for As the role of women and their education has evolved in society, our the Rav’s decision: Torah community needs to ensure that the paradigm of Torat Imecha The chachmei hamasorah are not merely human tape recorders for (Mishlei 1:8) continues to contribute to the eternality of our people. As transmitting masorah. Their understanding and interpretation are was so eloquently expressed by the Rav zt’l: an integral part of the masorah. Hence, there’s no distinction, and I used to have long talks with my mother. In fact, it was a monologue there can be no distinction, between Torah shebaal peh and magidei rather than a dialogue. She talked and I “happened” to overhear. What Torah shebaal peh, and the chachmei hamasorah who transmit Torah did she talk about? I must use a halakhic term in order to answer this shebaal peh…The Rav zt”l boldly applied the masorah he received in question: she talked me-inyana de-yoma. I used to watch her arranging pre-WWII Eastern Europe in the post-war America and Eretz Yisrael ... the house in honor of a holiday. I used to see her recite prayers; I used In his applications and implementations, his views were not necessarily to watch her recite the sidra every Friday night and I still remember the those of the majority. But the principles of masorah were the same. He nostalgic tune. I learned from her very much. Most of all I learned that brilliantly and heroically guided Klal Yisrael under modern conditions in Judaism expresses itself not only in formal compliance with the law but the same glorious tradition as the Chazon Ish’s “vnireh” [regarding his also in a living experience. She taught me that there is a flavor, a scent, psak] on “moridin v’lo ma’alin,” the Chofetz Chaim’s “vnireh” in Likutei a warmth to mitzvoth. I learned from her the most important things in Halachos with reference to Talmud Torah lanashim, and in fact all life — to feel the presence of the Almighty and the gentle pressure of chachmei hamasorah. [transcript of the shiur] His hand resting upon my frail shoulders. Without her teachings, which CHAVRUSA gathered three rabbinic alumni who have devoted quite often were transmitted to me in silence, I would have grown up a themselves to teaching women Torah. Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld soulless being, dry and insensitive. (RFS) ’52R, Rabbi (RCB) ’65R and Rabbi Shlomo (Tradition Vol 17 No. 2 – Spring 1978 – “A Tribute to the Rebbitzen of Hochberg (RSH) ’73R all have enjoyed distinguished careers in Talne”, pp. 77) avodat hakodesh. We asked all three to discuss their successes and The Rav continued to illustrate his point that while his father taught him experiences teaching Torah to women. the laws of Shabbat, it was his mother who taught him how to live and love Shabbat.

CHAVRUSA: How did you get your day) the next day because the following day he start teaching Torah to women? was going to Warsaw to plead with the Gerer RFS: I was the first faculty member to teach Rebbe to withdraw his support for the nascent Talmud at Stern College for Women. Dr. Bais Yaakov of Cracow. The Chofetz Chayim Belkin zt”l asked me to teach at YU and asked went and met the Gerer Rebbe, who told him, me if I would prefer teaching uptown at the “Maybe you’re correct in Radin. But in Warsaw men’s campus or in midtown at Stern College. I need it. Should the Jewish women go to I asked the Rav his opinion and he suggested Christian schools, and learn from priests? My that I teach at Stern. He also counseled me to young Chassidim will marry those girls?” Dr. teach text, not to instruct baal peh. The cur- Belkin continued that, “The Chofetz Chaim riculum was up to me, so I requested to teach returned to Radin and told us that the Gerer Gemara. The Rav was happy with my decision Rebbe convinced him to found a Bais Yaakov and encouraged me. in Radin as well.” At one point, Dr. Belkin wanted to move RCB: My desire to teach Torah stems the Stern library uptown as a cost-cutting from my 12 years as a student at the Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender measure. They would arrange men’s days and of Flatbush. My main motivation for attend- women’s days. He faced opposition from ing Yeshiva College, which was then not the because Rabbi Elefant, the rosh yeshiva, roshei yeshiva and some of the faculty, who accepted choice it might be today, was to maxi- realized that due to the difficult economic feared that the school would end up co-ed. He mize my opportunities to learn. Of course, the situation, for an extra $50 a month, he could called a meeting of the faculty at Stern, which eventual opportunity to enter the Rav’s shiur attract the best students to his kollel. It was an I attended. He told us the following story: As was a major goal and motivation. eye-opening experience for me. I had thought a youngster, Dr. Belkin studied in Radin. One After in 1965, I moved to Israel. that if you could make your way through a daf day the Chofetz Chayim told the boys in the I was accepted into the ITRI kollel, which Gemara that you’d never seen before you were yeshiva to be “gozer a taanis” (to decree a fast was made up of the best guys in Yerushalayim a qualified talmid chacham. But I encountered

13 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Musmakhim in the Limelight

whom I had taught in the ITRI women’s pro- make the inspiring choice to make Torah gram approached me wanting to learn as well. learning part of their college experience as an Eventually I started Yeshivat Hamivtar for the entirely or partially new discipline. men and Bruriah for the women. I spent about CHAVRUSA: How is women’s Torah 35 years in those institutions. study different from that of men? RSH: Since the early years of my rabbinic RSH: Women seem to seek not only formal career, I have met numerous women who had knowledge and meaning of the texts and the a tremendous thirst for Jewish knowledge; halachic detail and structure, but also embrace women of all ages — some Yeshiva-educated, learning as a spiritual activity to deepen their many with no formal Jewish education relationship to Hashem, their ahavas Hashem, whatsoever. They shared a tremendous drive as well as their interpersonal relationships. for deveikus/closeness to Hashem, and they It often seems, too, that women more than recognized that their lack of knowledge was a men relate to their Torah-learning and kiyyum barrier which they had to overcome. hamitzvot (performance of mitzvoth) and Rabbi Shlomo Hochberg I continue to enjoy numerous gratifying op- middot (character), not only as vehicles for portunities teaching and learning with women their individual spiritual development, but also people in Yerushalayim who felt that even if in the two communities that I served — Low- as tools which will ultimately enable them to you knew all of Shas and Shulchan Aruch, you ell, MA, a small out-of-town community and build better families and communities. still were not a talmid chacham! At that point now in Jamaica Estates, NY. But the opportu- RFS: Biologically, I don’t think there’s any I realized that learning Torah was going to be a nity to teach at Stern where young women are difference whatsoever. There is nothing that a long haul. After the Six Day War many univer- focused upon forming their religious person- woman can’t understand as well as a man. My sity students, backpackers and whatnot started alities, and their attitudes and life-direction is issue with teaching women Gemara is only making their way through Yerushalayim and exhilarating. that women generally are not afforded the R. Elefant asked me to start an evening learn- I have found the women at Stern to be time necessary to master it. But in principal, ing program for these people. This program “searchers” — both students with a strong there is no difference. eventually led to the founding of Yeshivat background Torah-learning through Yeshiva The problem I faced was that treating Ge- Darchei Noam (Shappels). In Yerushalalyim High school and Israel programs, as well as mara like any other subject was not fair to the there were no co-ed programs so the women those who, with lesser formal background,

14 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Musmakhim in the Limelight girls, or fair to the Gemara. You just can’t teach the elementary concepts. You really need to them. If you teach Talmud as literature, you Gemara like any other subject. The only way to teach a whole year of introduction to Talmud, can’t achieve that. You need yegiyah. The Rav master Talmud is through ameilus, via diligent such as “Eshnav l’Talmud” and the history of would declare that Torah without yegiyah is study. I was only on faculty for three hours a the Talmud by Hertz, which can nothing. week. Furthermore, aside from my students be found in the beginning of Brachos in the I taught Ein Omdin and I told the women who were alumnae of the Yeshiva of Flatbush, Soncino edition of the Talmud. It’s absolutely to go out and buy a Gemara Brachos. One of the women had not studied Talmud previous- magnificent. If you can master that introduc- my students went to her local Jewish book ly. I quickly realized that most of the women tion, then you can go on to the real thing. store and asked to buy a Gemara Brachos. He had no background. I was teaching young The difference is that when men enroll in wouldn’t sell it to her; her father had to go in ladies who were intelligent, but just did not RIETS, they desire to be a shtickel ben Torah and buy it for her. It was a different time. have the tools. So I began by teaching them and already have 10 years of learning behind I was the chairman of the Board of Educa-

A Quiet Revolution By Dr. Rivkah Teitz Blau

As revolutions go, the opening of programs for Rav Eliyahu Akiva Rabinovich-Te’omim (the NJ. She studied women to study Talmud has been a quiet one. ADeReT) and Rav Binyamin Zvi Yehuda Tze’enah u’Re’ena, It involves the opening of a sefer, a book Rabinovich-Te’omim (Rav Kook married the and told us how of Mishnah or Gemara, and the only sound Aderet’s daughter, and when she passed away, fortunate we were beyond the turning of pages comes from the he married her first cousin); she was known to be able to read voices of the teachers and the students. within a learned family as the person to ask if commentaries on our own. I had studied What has happened because of this revolu- you wanted to locate a source in the Talmud. gemara in fifth and sixth grade at the JEC in tion? As their understanding of the connection The Aderet had no problem in quoting her Elizabeth, and heard my father say on his radio between the Written Torah and the Oral To- incisive solution in Yagdil Torah to a question program, Daf Hashavua, that he was happy rah deepens, students’ observance of halakhah, of fasting BaHaB when it fell on Pesach Sheini that women were listening and learning. When Jewish law, becomes more precise and more in 1883. I am one of the great-granddaughters a woman who had contributed to Torah edu- fulfilling. In a life of mitzvot, the more you who would be happy to attain a fraction of her cation passed away, he dedicated the program know, the more you enjoy. The foundations knowledge. that Saturday night in her memory and spoke of Jewish family life have not been shaken; if The family belonged to a world centered about her accomplishments. When I asked the anything, they have been strengthened. on Torah learning. They surely knew Rabbi representative of the yeshiva high school that I Learning Gemara does not work for every- Eliezer’s statement in Sotah 20A about teach- attended why Gemara was not in the curricu- one. Just as for men, so for women—some ing women Torah, yet chose to follow an lum, my classmates were taken aback: “Girls people have an intelligence geared to studying interpretation that permitted it. Dr. Hillel don’t learn Gemara!” When I asked my father Talmud, while some are intellectually inclined Seidman gave an account in Yiddish of the how to counter this, he said, “Don’t answer the to other disciplines. In Europe there were conversation around the table in the home critics. If the greatest avlah of this generation groups who studied Ein Yaakov in the evening of the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, with the women will be that girls learned Gemara, this will be a after a day of work, while others formed a participating fully; Torah was the essence of wonderful generation in Jewish history.” The Chevrah Tehillim; some studied Mishnayot, all their lives. When I drove my uncle Rav significant change in our time is that what had while those who could studied Gemara. At Elchonon Teitz, who had learned in Telz, to been available in learned homes is now open Stern College, after the course of advanced visit my father, he said when we reached the to every interested student. study in Talmud was initiated, several talented highway, “u’v’lekhtekha vaderekh,” and taught In a family that relishes stories about the women asked for an advanced course in me the rest of the way. little ones, what joy all these ancestors would Tanakh; both programs are now flourishing. My grandmother, Frieda Preil, take in my granddaughter Tehilla, who saw an I never understood what commotion there moved to a neighborhood in so that open Gemara on the table, climbed up on the could be about serious learning by women. her granddaughters could attend yeshiva high chair and announced, “I’m being Ima.” The I am named for a great-grandmother, Reb- school; this was before 1963 when my father future is bright. betzin Rivkah Rabinovich, sister to the twins founded Bruriah High School in Elizabeth,

1215 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Musmakhim in the Limelight tion at the Yeshiva of Central Queens and I can’t avoid Gemara. In terms of the experience proposed that the girls learn a little gemara in of Talmud Torah, you have to hook into the eighth grade. My proposal was met with much thousands of years of Talmudic study. To deny resistance. I shared my experience with the women that opportunity would be wrong. Rav and he said, “Why don’t they object to CHAVRUSA: How did your RIETS Rashi and Ramban on ? That’s not education prepare you both in terms Torah shebaal peh?” of knowledge and outlook for your RCB: There does not seem to me a dif- life’s task? ference between men learning and women RCB: I remember the YU Bais Medrash at learning. At Yeshiva of Flatbush I observed that night, when I was a student. You and your we did not learn differently. Men and women chavrusa could easily get a seat; you could come to the table with different backgrounds. get a whole quadrant. Rabbi Yosef Blau ’61R Women who went to the same school as men and Rabbi ’62R had their may be better at language than the men. This own quadrant of the bais medrash; another was my experience. In ivrit b’ivrit schools, quadrant went to me and my chavrusa. Night Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld often the girls are better students. seder looks very different now. his grandson to attend his school in Frankfurt. I opened a yeshiva for men. We developed The Rav made a big impression on me. He pointed out that while the boys learned a way of teaching men. It was obvious to me On the one hand, I was afraid of him. On the Gemara and Rashi, the young women learned that you should teach women exactly the other hand, his human achievements were dinim, halachah, health, and how to run a same way. In the 60s, we were competing with something I could learn from. The Rav loved Jewish household. He was concerned with ashrams. At YU I learned that studying Torah to learn. Often he would learn the sugya in tachlis. I believe Rav Hirsch would have taught was a spiritual experience available to all Jews. shiur with us, as if it was his first time. It wasn’t Gemara to women today. In order to turn that into something real, you as if he had a script to pass along to us students. had to learn the Gemara. Gemara has its dif- Often, he would reconsider and re-learn the CHAVRUSA: What do you see as the ficult patches. Women didn’t have a clear path material. This was especially true in Yevamos, future of women’s ? besides their year of seminary. They didn’t have which he told us he had not learned since he RSH: Today women have opportunities to the program at Stern College that we have to- was a child. The Rav showed passion as well. learn all areas of Torah at a high level, with day. In those days, the Judaic studies programs You know he was troubled by things. We saw Stern College’s undergraduate and graduate in universities had their strange dimensions. the communal concern and his burdens on programs providing the premier venue. Women did not have an obvious path to con- his face. I am certain that in the years to come, the tinue, as the men did. I was interested in open- RSH: I have been blessed to learn with Orthodox community, as well as the broader ing the books with them. I didn’t realize the outstanding rabbeim at RIETS including the Jewish community, will increasingly benefit social stigma associated with women studying Rav zt’l and his talmidim, who taught me on from these learned, committed women as Talmud. Even open-minded people couldn’t the one hand that Torah must always emanate they take advantage of an expanding variety of believe that women were learning Gemara. It from a firm structure of deep commitment opportunities — as Torah teachers and guides, and always elicited a quizzical response. and allegiance to mesorah, and also to ap- as role models at all levels. n In the Chareidi world, there are many preciate that different prisms and perspectives Rabbi Chaim Brovender earned a BA in mathematics women who are very knowledgeable in Torah. could enable one to enhance our avodas No one knows where they got it. Often it is from Yeshiva College and was ordained at RIETS in Hashem (service of Hashem) within our me- 1965. He made aliyah the same year. He was awarded a from the home. In terms of learning Torah, you sorah. They also demonstrated first-hand what PhD from the Hebrew University in Semetic languages it means for a rebbe, rabbi, or teacher to fulfill in 1974. While studying for his doctorate, Rabbi Broven- their mission as a mentor — to care deeply on der began teaching Judaism to students who had come a personal level about all of one’s students of to Israel for the Hebrew University’s overseas program. all ages and levels — and to see in each person Those relationships led to his becoming the found- their unique spiritual and religious personality, ing Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hamivtar in 1976 and and to be responsive to each as an individual. Michlelet Bruria afterwards. Currently, he serves as the president of ATID (www.atid.org) — The Academy RFB: The notion of teaching women Torah for Torah Initiatives and Directions in Jewish Education, can be found within the writings of Rabbi and rosh yeshiva of www.WebYeshiva.org, a fully interac- Shimshon Raphael Hirsch. There is a volume tive online yeshiva. called Parnas l’Davar, which contains a letter that Rav Hirsch wrote to the author asking for Rabbi Shlomo Hochberg has been serving as mashgiach

16 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Musmakhim in the Limelight ruchani and Judaic studies faculty at Yeshiva University’s in education from YU’s Ferkauf Graduate School in the education committees of local Yeshivot and is among Stern College for Women since 1995. He has served 1973. He studied counseling at Teacher’s College Gradu- the founders of YESS! as the rabbi of the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates, a ate School of Columbia University, and at the Special Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld has been the rabbi of the Young congregation of approximately 300 families, since 1990. Education Administration doctoral program at Boston Israel of Kew Gardens Hills since 1951. He received se- Prior to assuming his present rabbinic position, Rabbi University. Rabbi Hochberg is the immediate past micha from RIETS, Yeshiva University. Rabbi Schonfeld Hochberg served in Lowell, MA, for 16 years as rabbi president of the Rabbinical Council of America, has been is the president of Poale Agudah as well as the past presi- of Montefiore Synagogue and principal/dean of Merri- a member of the RCA since 1976, serving on its execu- dent of the Rabbinical Council of America, Rabbinic mack Valley Hebrew Academy. Rabbi Hochberg received tive committee, as treasurer and first vice-president, has Alumni of Yeshiva University, and past chairman of the his BA from Yeshiva University in 1970, followed by a chaired and co-chaired RCA conventions. Rabbi Hoch- Council of Young Israel Rabbis. Rabbi Schonfeld was year of learning at Yeshivat Kakotel. He completed his berg is a past president of both the Vaad Harabonim of one of the founders of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens. semicha studies in 1974 at RIETS, and earned an MS Queens and the Vaad Harabonim of Massachusetts; on

RABBI ISAAC ELCHANAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - RIETS The Gertrude and Morris Bienenfeld Department of Jewish Career Development and Placement, the placement committee of RIETS, the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) and the (OU) congratulates the following leaders on their newly obtained positions in avodat hakodesh.

Rabbi Dovid Asher Rabbi Mark Fishman Rabbi Binyomin Marwick Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Yeshiva University-Torah Mitzion Chicago Congregation Beth Tikvah, Dollard Des Ormeaux, Congregation Shomrei Emunah, Baltimore, MD HAFTR HS, Cedarhurst, NY Community Kollel, Chicago, IL Quebec, Canada Rabbi Philip Moskowitz Rabbi Elon Soniker Ms. Libat Aviv Zev Goldberg Boca Raton Synagogue, Boca Raton, FL Congregation Anshei Shalom, West Hempstead, NY Yeshivat Akiva, Detroit, MI Young Israel of Century City, Los Angeles, CA HANC, West Hempstead, NY Rabbi Yoni Mozeson Rabbi Chaim Axelrod Rabbi Elimelech Gottleib Yeshivot , New York, NY Rabbi Ari Spiegler Yeshiva University High School for Boys Yeshiva of Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, NY Beachwood Kehilla, Beachwood, OH New York, NY Rabbi Duvie Nachbar Rabbi Avi Greene Young Israel of Pelham Parkway, Bronx, NY Michael Stein Rabbi Shalom Axelrod Epstein Hebrew Academy, St. Louis, MO Riverdale Jewish Center, Bronx, NY Young Israel of Woodmere, New York Rabbi Michael Nadata Rabbi Yonah Gross Congregation Schara Tzedeck, Vancouver, BC David Teller Eitan Bendavid Congregation Beth Hamedrosh, Wynnewood, PA YU-Torah miTzion Beit Midrash of Toronto Community of Capetown, South Africa Rabbi Asher Nemes Rabbi Peretz Hochbaum Yeshivat Akiva, Detroit, MI Rabbi Ira Wallach Rabbi Ezra Berenholz Camp Kaylie/OHEL Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Chicago, IL Boys Town Foundation Rabbi Jeffrey Ney Rabbi Naphtali Hoff Yeshivat Akiva, Detroit, MI Rabbi Mayer Waxman Dovi Bergman Torah Day School of Atlanta, GA National Association of Chevra Kadisha Yeshiva University-Torah Mitzion Chicago Rabbi Asher Oser Richmond Hill, NY Ohel Leah Synagogue, Hong Kong, China Community Kollel, Chicago, IL Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe School, Brookline, MA Rabbi Mordechai Wecker Raffi Bilek Rabbi Adir Posy Be’er Hagolah Institutes, Brooklyn, NY Beth Jacob Congregation, Beverly Hills, CA Jewish Family Services, Passaic, NJ Rabbi Wes Kalmar Anshei Sfard Kehillat Torah, Glendale, WI Orthodox Union West Coast Region Rabbi Elchanan Weinbach Block Beverly Hills, CA Stern Hebrew High School, Bala Cynwyd, PA Kehillat Kesher, Tenafly, NJ Rabbi Aaron Kaplan Shaarei Tefilah, Dallas, TX SAR High School, Riverdale, NY Rabbi Daniel Price Rabbi Jay Weinstein Yeshiva of North Jersey, River Edge, NJ Young Israel of East Brunswick, NJ Rabbi Yoni Chambre Rabbi Bryan Kinzbrunner Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living HAFTR High School, Cedarhurst, NY Rabbi Shaanan Scherer Rabbi Akiva Willig Somerset, NJ Columbus Torah Academy, Columbus, OH Congregation Ohab Zedek, New York, NY Boruch Danzger HAFTR High School, Cedarhurst, NY Binyamin Krohn Rabbi David Serkin Rabbi Daniel Yolkut Brith Sholom Beth Israel, Charleston, SC Carmel Elementary School, Hong Kong, China Congregation Poale Zedeck, Pittsburgh, PA Rabbi Yisrael Druin Jewish Academy, East Northport, NY Rabbi Ian Lichter Rabbi Charles Sheer Dovid Zirkind Great Neck Synagogue, Great Neck, NY Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY YU-Torah miTzion Beit Midrash of Toronto Rabbi Ira Ebbin Ohav Shalom Congregation, Merrick, NY Rabbi Aryeh Lightstone Shulman Ms. Deva Zwelling Beth Sholom Congregation, Lawrence, NY JLIC Educator, University of Pennsylvania Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Chicago, IL Rabbi Steven Eisenberg Philadelphia, PA HAFTR, Cedarhurst, NY Rabbi Andrew Markowitz Shomrei Torah, Fairlawn, NJ

The placement committee serves Yeshiva University and RIETS alumni, the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) and the Orthodox Union (OU).

17 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771

Practical Halachah Kama 6a, notes that one can only categorize something as a bor if it causes damage pas- Torah Perspectives on sively. Another category is damage caused by the Monetary Aspects fire (eish). The Gemara defines eish as damage caused by one’s property that was transported of the Deepwater through an auxiliary force (e.g. wind). If some- one left a package on the edge of a roof and it Horizon Oil Spill was blown off of the roof and caused damage on the way down, it is considered eish. If it Rabbi Joshua Flug caused damage after it landed (e.g. someone Director of Torah Research Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future tripped on the package), it is considered a hybrid of bor and eish. The oil is transported by the ocean to the shores. Damages that are caused as the oil 3 s rabbis and educators, we are often The Liability of a Contractor is transported, such as damage to the fish, challenged to find contemporary ap- BP was not actively involved in the oil drill- would be categorized as eish. Damages that plications to laws and scenarios found ing. It hired Transocean and Halliburton as are caused by the presence of oil on the shores, Ain the Torah and the Talmud. The laws relating contractors to complete certain tasks. Who is such as the devaluation of beachfront property, to torts are replete with applications to agricul- responsible when a contractor causes damage would be categorized as bor. tural settings. Congregants or students have to someone else’s property? The Mishna, Baba There are a number of laws relating to bor a particularly difficult time relating these laws Kama 98b, states that if a builder was hired to that impact our discussion. First, Rambam, to modern times. The Deepwater Horizon oil take down a wall and he caused damage, he Hilchot Nizkei Mamom 12:3, writes that one spill provides us with an opportunity to teach must pay for the damage. R. Yehonatan (cited is liable for a bor, even if the pit developed by some of these laws in a meaningful way. In this in Shita Mekubetzet ad loc.,) is of the opinion itself without any human interaction. If it is article, we will highlight some of the relevant that if someone else’s property is damaged, one’s property, one must take responsibility for issues. Please keep in mind that the “facts” of the builder is responsible and the homeowner it. R. Ya’akov ben Asher, Tur, Choshen Mish- the case are constantly changing and signifi- is exempt because a contractor takes on all pat no. 410, adds that even if someone else dug cantly affect any halachic discussion.1 responsibility for damage. However, if the the pit, the digger is only liable until the owner builder is not working as a contractor, rather finds out. Once the owner finds out, the owner Introduction as an employee, the owner is responsible is liable. Rama, Choshen Mishpat 410:4, codi- The Deepwater Horizon was an oil rig owned for damage to someone else’s property. R. fies Tur’s ruling but adds that the owner can and operated by Transocean. Transocean was Elchanan Wasserman, Kovetz Shiurim no. 142, sue the digger for the costs of covering the pit. contracted by BP to pump oil out of a well pri- adds that although R. Shlomo Luria, Yam Shel Second, Tur and Shulchan Aruch, Choshen marily owned by BP. Halliburton was contract- Shlomo, Baba Kama 9:21, exempts the con- Mishpat 410:28, write that if a pit was created ed by BP to cement the well and Halliburton tractor for damages that were not in his control as a result of an accident, the owner is not claims that it completed its job 20 hours prior to (onnes), this exemption does not exempt one liable until he is given proper time to cover the blowout that caused the oil spill. from damage caused to others. Onnes is only the pit. If it was the result of negligence, he is Millions of gallons of oil have leaked out of 4 an exemption from paying for the broken immediately responsible. the well in what has become the largest oil spill materials belonging to the homeowner.2 If one were to categorize certain damages in U.S. history. Damages caused by the oil spill Applying the above discussion to our case, caused by the oil spill as bor, the responsibility will amount to billions of dollars. Aside from the two contractors, Transocean and Hallibur- is primarily placed on BP. BP can sue Trans- actual damages, the U.S. government and local ton, can be held liable for the initial explosion ocean or Halliburton for its part in causing the governments will bill BP for any costs that are if investigations reveal that either one of the damage, but its case with the two other parties incurred through its role in the cleanup and companies caused the initial explosion. How- does not absolve it from responsibility to those containment. ever, it is arguable that if investigations reveal who suffered financial loss. Yet, BP can claim There are two basic questions that must that the explosion was caused by a fault in the that it should be exempt from all bor-related be addressed: First, who should pay for the well itself, BP is liable for the initial explosion. damages that occurred prior to their oppor- damages? Should the blame be assigned to tunity to cap the well. One must then explore BP, Transocean or Halliburton? Second, what The Categories of Nezikin whether the spill was the result of negligence, types of damages are included in the total The Torah presents us with different categories in which case, BP would be immediately costs? We will now explore some relevant of damage. One of these categories is dam- responsible. One must also figure out what is sugyot and how they apply to the oil spill. age caused by a bor (pit). The Gemara, Baba considered a reasonable amount of time for

19 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Practical Halachah

BP to have capped the well. that the eish responsibility may be limited to causing damage to someone else’s property, one Are damages that are categorized as eish the initial flow of oil. The oil that followed the must remove the cause of damage, even if one subject to different rules? It is clear that if initial flow, would be the responsibility of BP is technically exempt from damages that were someone places someone else’s package on as damage caused by its bor. 6 previously caused by that property. As such, the the edge of a roof and it blows off and causes There are two types of costs related to the cleanup costs are the responsibility of BP who damage, the person who placed the pack- oil spill: costs related to the cleanup and costs owns the well. 5 age is responsible for the damage. What if related to reimbursement for damages. Regard- Damages Caused by Gerama the owner of the package knew about the ing cleanup costs, the Mishna, Baba Metzia Some of the damage caused by the oil spill is placement of the package and had a chance 117b, states that if a wall falls onto someone not direct damage. A restaurant on the coast of to remove it? Shita Mekubetzet, Baba Kama else’s property, the owner of the wall is respon- Louisiana that has a slower summer because 5b, s.v. Kashia, quotes the opinion of Tosafot sible to remove the stones. Tosafot, Baba Metzia there are fewer tourists is not directly damaged Shantz that one can be responsible for eish if 118a, s.v. Amar Lei, imply that the responsibility by the oil spill. A lifeguard who was laid off be- one’s property causes damage that is catego- to remove the stones is a function of the stones cause his portion of the beach is closed is also rized as eish, even if someone else it to blame. causing damage to the property. As such, one not directly damaged. Regarding torts, there However, this seems to only apply when the would apply the previous discussions relating to is no legal responsibility for damages caused person who actually caused the damage is damage to the cleanup responsibility. R. Avra- indirectly (gerama).7 There is only a moral not available or able to pay for the damages. ham Y. Karelitz, Chazon Ish, Baba Batra 14:16, responsibility.8 Does this exempt BP from all As such, Transocean or Halliburton would based on the comments of Tosafot HaRosh, indirect damages? be held primarily responsible for the eish Baba Metzia 118a, s.v. V’Amar Lei, contends There is a concept of harchakat nezikin damages. If they are unable to pay, BP would that it is not a function of the laws of damage. which requires one to avoid certain activities be responsible. Nevertheless, it is arguable Rather, when one’s own property is actively that might cause damage to neighbors by

20 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Practical Halachah keeping a safe distance. These laws are found benefit to another, even if there was no ar- opinion of R. Yochanan that the other partner only in Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat no. rangement, the beneficiary must pay. If there shares in the liability once enough time has elapsed 155. There is a dispute among the was no arrangement and no benefit, there is for him to find out about it and hire workers to cover regarding damages that were caused through no payment required. Based on the comments the pit. Rashi, ad loc., s.v. V’Rishon, writes that the gerama when a person did not follow the of Netivot HaMishpat, if there is no arrange- time factor is only significant regarding the partner who didn’t discover the open pit. The partner who proper procedures in distancing his poten- ment and the benefit is less than the price that discovered the pit is fully liable from the moment of tially harmful activity. Rabbeinu Asher, Baba the rescuer charges, one is only responsible for discovery. Tosafot, ad loc., s.v. B’Kdei, write that even Batra 2:27, rules that there is no liability. Sefer the benefit. BP only benefits to the extent that the partner who discovers the open pit is given time HaItur, Dinei Macha’ah (page 53a) rules the government is saving it from cleanup costs to cover the pit before he is fully liable. Shulchan that there is liability. Shulchan Aruch 155:33, that it would have had to incur on its own. Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 410:26, follows the opin- quotes both opinions on the matter. Shach, Additional costs above and beyond that would ion of Rashi. Rama follows the opinion of Tosafot. Choshen Mishpat 155:2, notes that if there is a not be included. R. Yosef Z. Hutner, Ulam HaMishpat 410:26, significant statistical likelihood that the activity Nevertheless, one can claim that the posits that Shulchan Aruch’s ruling that in general, will cause damage, there is liability for gerama government has a responsibility to its people one is given time to cover a pit is only applicable ac- even if one followed the proper precautions. to ensure their safety and there is no other cording to Tosafot. According to Rashi, when there is a single owner, the owner of the pit takes immediate Investigations into the oil spill will eventually option for them to allow the parties to handle responsibility for the pit, even if he does not have reveal whether the proper precautions were the effort on their own. The government time to cover it. taken and what the perceived likelihood of a expenditures are a necessary means of ensur- 5. See Tosafot, Baba Kama 22a, s.v. Isho Mishum spill was at the time of the explosion. ing the safety of its people. When someone Mamono and Minchat Shlomo ad loc. is put in a situation where he must react by 6. The Gemara, Sanhedrin 77b, states that if someone The Cost of Government spending money to alleviate the situation, it is bound an individual close to a dam and opened up Intervention considered garmi (a direct action with indirect the dam and killed the individual, he is culpable The government has been and will continue results) and the party causing the situation if it was result of the first force (ko’ach rishon). If 9 it was the result of the second force (ko’ach sheni), to be involved in the cleanup effort. In general, must pay for the expenses. n he is exempt (i.e. it is considered gerama). Chazon actions taken by the government are more Notes costly than actions taken by a private company. Ish, Baba Kama 1:5-6, notes that if the cause of 1. This article is based on what was known in July, damage was generated through ko’ach sheni, there Additionally, the government tends to spend 2010. is no liability. As such, it is arguable that the oil money on services that may not be absolutely 2. There is a dispute between Tosafot, Baba Kama s.v. that flowed out of the well after the initial explosion necessary. Is BP justified in claiming that it U’Shmuel and Ramban, Baba Metzia 82b, regard- is an eish form of damage that was generated by should only pay for the costs that one would ing liability for complete accidents (onnes gamur). ko’ach sheni. R. Ya’akov Y. Bloi, Pitchei Choshen, pay a private company and not the govern- Tosafot is of the opinion that one is exempt and Nezikin U’Sh’cheinim (chapter 7 note 1) contends ment premium? Rambam is of the opinion that one is liable. Ram- that regarding bor one is responsible even if the bor The Gemara, Baba Kama 116a, discusses a ban seems to agree that in the case of a contractor or was generated through ko’ach sheni because it is employee, one is exempt from accidental damages case where someone went to save the property no different than a bor that developed by itself. It caused to the owner’s property because the contrac- should be noted that there is an important dispute of someone else and the rescuer incurred tor/employee is treated as a shomer sachar (paid expenses from the rescue. The Gemara con- between Rashi, Sanhedrin 77b, s.v. B’Ko’ach, and watchman) and not as a mazik (damager). This R. Meir Abulafia, Yad Ramah, Sanhedrin 77b, s.v. cludes that if he was successful in the rescue would explain why there is distinction between dam- Amar Rav Papa, regarding the parameters of ko’ach mission, he can charge full price. If he was age caused by a contractor to the owner’s property rishon and ko’ach sheni. Rashi is of the opinion that unsuccessful, he only gets paid for his time and and damage caused to a third party. The contractor only the initial waters are included in ko’ach rishon. his costs. Rama, Choshen Mishpat 264:4, ex- does not enjoy a shomer sachar relationship with the Ramah is of the opinion that everything that is plains that this only applies when there was an third party and therefore, he is considered a mazik, released as a result of the initial flow is included in arrangement between the rescuer and the vic- who is liable even in cases of accident. According to ko’ach rishon. tim. If there was no arrangement, the rescuer Tosafot, it is arguable that if the accident was beyond 7. Baba Kama 60a. the control of the contractor, the contractor is exempt only gets paid for a successful rescue mission. 8. See Baba Kama 55b, and Ketzot HaChoshen 32:1, even from damages caused to a third party. R. Ya’akov of Lisa, Netivot HaMishpat 264:3, regarding the different types of moral responsibilities 3. The Gemara, Baba Batra 21b, notes that a fisher- explains that there are two separate reasons to for damage caused by gerama. man has certain monetary rights to the fish that Compare to Rama, Choshen Mishpat 14:5, who pay the rescuer. The first is a contractual ob- 9. normally enter one’s net. rules that if Reuven is told by his co-litigant, Shimon, ligation. When the rescuer is asked to rescue, 4. The Mishna, Baba Kama 52a, states that if two to show up for an appointment at the beit din and there is an assumed payment structure, even partners own a pit and one of the partners discov- Shimon fails to attend, Shimon must reimburse if the mission is not successful. The second is ers that the pit is not covered properly and does Reuven for his costs based on garmi. based on benefit. When one provides financial not cover it, he is solely responsible. We follow the

21 CHAVRUSA • Tishrei 5771 Lifecycles

Publications Rabbi Avraham ’09R and Daniela Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider ’94R and Rabbi Ari ’84R and Esther Jacobs of Bronstein on the birth of a son, the Mt. Kisco Hebrew Congregation Alon Shvut on the marriage of their Rabbi Dr. Alan Brill ’90R: Judaism Elisha Chanan. And to grandparents, in New York on the completion of son, Yehuda, to Atara Piha of Neve and Other Religions (Palgrave RIETS administrator Rabbi Chaim their eruv. Daniel. Macmillan, February 2010). ’72R and Brenda Bronstein. Rabbi Macy Gordon ’56R (and Rabbi Yonatan ’07R and Elana Rabbi Herbert J.Cohen, PhD, ’70R: RIETS student Noah and Sarah former president of YU Rabbinic Kohn on the birth of a son, Ephraim Walking in Two Worlds: Visioning Cheses on the birth of a daughter, Alumni) on the marriage of his Mordechai. Torah Concepts through Secular Adina Malka. granddaughter Nava Devora, Rabbi Stuart ’80R and Karen Studies, as an educational project of daughter of Etana and Dr. Alan RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yitzchok Lavenda on the birth of a the Community Kollel of Dallas. Friedman, of Petah Tiqva, to Tzori ’65R and Sara Cohen and Rabbi granddaughter, Shayna Leora, born Wieder, of Modiin. Rabbi Eliyahu W. Ferrell ’94R: Lawrence ’78R and Florence Ziffer to Tova and Avi Rosenbloom. Biur HaShulchan — Hilchos Basar on the birth of a granddaughter, Rabbi Shlomo Grafstein on the birth Rabbi Yaakov ’73R and Abby Lerner B’Chalav, to provide current students Rochel, to Ari and Devorah Ziffer of of a grandson. on the marriage of their daughter of Yoreh Deah and musmakhim Lakewood, NJ. reviewing Yoreh Deah with the data Rabbi Seth ’04R and Leba Grauer Yosefa to RIETS Student Jonathan they need to go from s’if to s’if with Rabbi Dr. Hillel ’75R and Rock on receiving the Alumnus of the Hefter. clarity and understanding. Davis on the marriage of their Year Award at the Etzion Foundation Rabbi Menachem ’98R and daughter, Leora, to Ezra Blumenthal Annual Dinner. Devora (Cohen) Linzer on the Rabbi Dr. Basil Herring ’73R on of Cedarhurst, NY. republishing his long out-of-print Rabbi Morton Green ’58R on birth of a daughter, Miriam. Also to book, Jewish Ethics and Halakhah for Rabbi Eliot ’75R and Ann Feldman receiving an honorary doctorate from grandparents, Rabbi Dr. Norman Our Time, Sources and Commentary, on the birth of a granddaughter, Yeshiva University at the Toronto ’58R and Diane Linzer. featuring the original two volumes Ahuva Ora, born to Simcha and Convocation and Dinner. Rabbi Elchanan (Charles) ’76R now in one volume. Shoshana (Michaelson) Feldman. Rabbi Wallace Greene ’69R on and Ruth Lipshitz on the birth of Rabbi Dr. Samuel A. Weiss ’46R: “An Rabbi Joel ’89R and Bluma being honored with the Community granddaughter, Tal Meitav, to Batya analysis of the Two Versions of the Finkelstein on their son, Asher, Service Award by Yeshiva Ohr and Yonatan Kolitz. And on the birth Ten Commandments” in MIDSTREAM, becoming a Bar Mitzvah. Simcha of Englewood, NJ and on of another granddaughter, Renana a Quarterly Jewish Review, Spring receiving the 2010 Prize for the Sarah, to Eli and Kedma Lipshitz. Rabbi Moshe and Rebbetzin 2010, pp 38-41. Jewish Educator in the Diaspora by Esti Frank on being honored by Rabbi Elihu ’56R and Chaya Lifshitz College of Education together Congregation Ezrath Israel in Marcus on their granddaughter Raut Rabbi Tzvee Zahavy, PhD, ’72R and with the World Council for Torah Ellenville, NY. Breitbard becoming a Bat Mitzvah. Jacob Neusner: How the Halakhah Education in Jerusalem. Unfolds: Volume Five: Hullin in the And on the birth of their first great Rabbi Zvi ’81R and Tobi Friedman Mishnah, , and Bavli, Part One: Rabbi Gary ’08R and Leba granddaughter, Ruth, to Chana Chen of Ramat Beit Shemesh on the Mishnah, Tosefta, and Bavli and How Guttenberg on the birth of a and Elazar Rosilio. birth of a grandson, Akiva Chaim, the Halakhah Unfolds: Volume Five: daughter, Esther Elka. Leba’s born to their children Daniella and Rabbi Meyer ’78R and Shulamith Hullin in the Mishnah, Tosefta, and grandparents are Rabbi Yitzchak Raphael Tatelbaum of Kiryat HaYovel, May upon the birth of a grandson, Bavli, Part Two: Mishnah, Tosefta, and ’56R and Fay Sladowsky. Yerushalayim. And on the birth of Yitzchak, born to Rabbi Yehuda and Bavli (University Press of America, Inc). a grandson, Moshe Aharon, born Rabbi Michael Hecht ’64R on Nechama May. And on the birth of to their children Yehudit and Dovey receiving a special tribute at the another grandson, Yosef, born to Mazal Tov Polansky of Ramat Beit Shemesh. YU High Schools Annual Dinner of Rabbi Yitzchak and Tova May. Rabbi Moshe ’70R and Cheryl Tribute. Abramowitz on their grandson Rabbi Hersh ’58R and Rabbi Shmuel ’02R and Chani Shlomo becoming a Bar Mitzvah. Sarah (Lebowitz) Galinsky on their Rabbi David ’10R and Ariella (Koenigsberg) Maybruch on the birth grandson, Yishai Naphtali, son of Lior (Cohen) Hellman on the birth of a of a son, Yochanan Yehuda. Rabbi Shimon ’76R and Sharon and Nechama Shtul, becoming a Bar daughter. Rabbi David E. ’58R and Anita (Marks) Altshul on the marriage Mitzvah in Ely, Israel. of their daughter, Eliana, to Adam Rabbi William ’55R and Sylvia Miller on the birth of a great- Pomerantz. Rabbi Daniel ’07R and Tzippy Herskowitz on the birth of their grandson, Judah Yehudah Gelernter on birth of a son. first great grandchild, Amiel David Azriel, born to Michael and Yael Rabbi Eli ’10R and Rebecca Belizon Jotkowitz born to Tova and Ithamar (Koenigsberg) Schertz. And to Rabbi Yaakov ’03 and Jennifer on receiving the Midor l’Dor Award Jotkowitz. Grandparents are Amy and grandparents Heshie and Bonnie Gibber on the birth of a son, from Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh at the Nathan Katz. (Miller) Schertz of Lawrence, NY. Yeshiva’s 40th Annual Dinner. Avraham Yeshaya. Rabbi Joshua ’55R and Claire Rabbi Eddie ’73R and Sandy Rabbi Efrem Goldberg ’01R on Rabbi Julius ’59R and Dorothy Hertzberg on the birth of a great Mittelman on the birth of a being chosen by The Jewish Journal Berman on receiving a special grandson, Moshe Rosenthal. grandson, Akiva Eliezer, born to as one of the 33 Top Jewish People tribute at the YU High Schools Annual Avigail and Michael Gordon. Dinner of Tribute. who have made an impact in South Rabbi Mordechai ’05R and Shira Florida through their extraordinary Hochheimer on the birth of a son. Rabbi Shelley ’03R and Dina Morris Rabbi Jon ’74R and Miriam commitment to the Jewish on the birth of a son, Asher Yisroel. Rabbi Carmi ’71R and Sara Bloomberg on the marriage of their community and Israel. daughter Adina to Rabbi Aviv Melese Horowitz on the birth of a Rabbi Elazar ’81R and Ruhama of Kiryat Ekron. Rabbi Shmuel ’76R and Barbara granddaughter, Gefen, born to Elisha Muskin on the marriage of their Goldin on the birth of a grandson, and Hodaya Horowitz of Mizpeh daughter, Gila, to David Block of RIETS Student Joe Blumenthal on Chaim Yonah, to Yossi and Shifra Yeriho. West Hempstead, NY. And to David’s his marriage to Leah Weixelbaum of Goldin. And on being the guests grandparents Dr. Alvin I. and Miriam Rabbi Alan ’10R and Lisa Houben West Orange, NJ. of honor at their 26th Anniversary Schiff and Jack and Margie Block. on the birth of a daughter, Talia Dinner at Congregation Ahavath Rabbi Dr. Herbert (Chaim Zev) ’51R Shira. Rabbi Eli ’04R and Zemira Ozarowski Torah of Englewood, NJ. and Leona Bomzer on being honored on the birth of a son, Bentzion Baruch with the Keter Shem Tov Award by Asher. And to grandparents Rabbi Joe the Brooklyn Region of Emunah. and Ashira Ozarowski.

22 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771 Lifecycles

RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yaakov Rabbi Ezra Y. ’01R and Dr. Rivka P. Rabbi Joel ’86R and Donna Zeff Dr. David (and Arlynn) Mirvis of ’79R and Peshi Neuburger on the Schwartz on receiving the Rabbinic on the marriage of their daughter Memphis and Theodore “Ted” (and birth of a granddaughter, Elisheva, Alumnus Award from Yeshivat Kerem Chana, to Uri, son of Rabbi Mayer Ruth) Mirvis of Riverdale on the loss of born to RIETS student Aryeh and B’Yavneh at the Yeshiva’s 40th and Michal Lichtenstein. And to their father, Rabbi Allan Mirvis ’41R. Chaya Weistreich. And to great- Annual Dinner. grandparents, Rosh Kollel and RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yaakov grandfather RIETS Dean Emeritus Director of the YU-RIETS Israel RIETS student Simmy Shabtai on his Neuburger ’79R on the loss of his Rabbi Zevulun Charlop ’54R. Kollel in Jerusalem Rav Dr. Aharon marriage to Devora Greer of Boca father, Mr. Max Neuburger, husband ’59R and Dr. Tovah Soloveitchik Rabbi Ian Pear ’05R on the Raton, FL. of Mrs. Ruth Neuburger and also Lichtenstein. groundbreaking ceremony for the father of Naftali Neuburger and Judy Rabbi Avi ’93R and Ditza Silverman new Shir Hadash Center for Jewish Sturm. of Ramat Beit Shemesh, on the Condolences Life in Talbiya, Jerusalem. marriage of their daughter, Yonina, Rabbi Joseph Oratz on the loss of his Carol Stone Applbaum on the loss Rabbi Daniel ’04R and Lea Price to Netanel Rubenstein of Chispin. father, Rabbi Irving M. Oratz, father of her husband, Rabbi Sidney on the birth of a daughter, Avigayil And on their son Elchanan Betzalel also of Suzie Lowinger and Dina Applbaum ’45R, father of Yaakov Miriam. becoming a Bar Mitzvah. Perlman; brother of Rabbi Ephraim Nisan, Alisa Weinrib, Isaac (Yitz) and Oratz and the late Rabbi Pesach Rabbi Uriel ’10R and Aviva (Stroh) Rabbi Sidney ’80R and Michele Kalman, and 10 grandchildren; his Oratz ’50R. Rabinovitz on the birth of a son, Chabin Slivko on the birth of a two stepsons, Elihu and Maurice Yonatan Shalom. grandson, Asher Josef, to Ellie and Stone, and six step-grandchildren. Rabbi Jay L. ’73R and Huti Dave Beatus. Pomrenze on the loss of Huti’s Rabbi David ’66R and Barbara Helen Geller on the loss of her father, Berel Ramras, father also of Radinsky on the marriage of their RIETS student Aryeh Sova on his husband, Rabbi Yehoshua [Eugene] Gittel Hochster, Chia Samson, and daughter, Chani, to Daniel Friedman marriage to Shoshanna Webberly of M. Geller ’48R, father of Simcha Shmiel Ramras. this past January. Boca Raton, FL. Geller, Ora Rosenbloom, Rochel-Leah Michael, Avraham Geller and Batya Rabbi Joseph Radinsky on the Rabbi Abraham “Avi” Robinson Rabbi Reuven ’97R and Rena Ney; brother of Jerry and Howard loss of his wife, Rebbetzin Juliette ’08R on receiving the Loretta Smith Spolter on the birth of a daughter, Geller. Radinsky, mother of Rabbi Elie Legal Internship scholarship (first Moriyah Rachel. And on their son, Radinsky, Dena Radinsky, and recipient). It is reserved for a second- Simcha, becoming a Bar Mitzvah. RIETS board member Elliot Gibber the late Devorah Urkowitz z”l. And year law student with high academic on the loss of his father, Mr. Isadore Rabbi Drs. Charles A. ’51R and eleven grandchildren including RIETS standards who is committed to public Gibber, husband of Ruth Gibber and Regina Spirn on their granddaughter student Tzvi Urkowitz and one-great service. also father of Allan Gibber, Harvey grandchild. Sister-in-law of Rabbi Shoshana Chaya becoming a Bat Gibber, Phyllis Victor, and Esther Rabbi Ari ’01R David Radinsky ’66R and mother-in- and Mitzvah in Israel. Katz. Rockoff on the birth of a daughter, law of Rabbi Mark Urkowitz ’78R. RIETS student Gershon and Nili Leora Leeba. Rabbi David ’52R and Sheila Turetsky Rabbi Yitzchak ’62R and Judy on the birth of a son, Akiva Halpern on the loss of Sheila’s Rabbi Dr.Bernhard ’74R Rosenbaum on the loss of Judy’s and Yosef. father, Hyman Lifschitz, also father Charlene Rosenberg on the birth of mother, Shoshana (Rose) Grossman, RIETS student Noson and Tamar of Rabbi Joseph (and Miriam) a granddaughter, Ahuva Leba, born to who passed away before Pesach and Devorah Waintman on the birth of a Lifschitz and Esther (and Dr. Stanley) Ilana and Joshua Merl of Brooklyn, NY. was buried on Har Hamenuchot on son, Michoel. Landsman. Erev Pesach. Rabbi Benjamin ’60R and Liza Rabbi Josh ’06R and Racheli Rabbi David Kaminetsky, Judah Samson upon the birth of a Rabbi Yechiel “Jerry” Shatzkes ’70R Waxman on the December 2009 Kaminetsky, Nechama Steinhardt, granddaughter, Soroh Rivkah, born to and his wife Dr. Pamela Greenman birth of a son, Eitan Shlomo. And to Faygie Riess, and Symie Liff on the Chanah and Victor Braverman. on the loss of Pamela’s mother, grandparents Rabbi Eddie ’73R and loss of their mother, Mrs. Selma Mildred Greenman, also mother of Rabbi Eliezer ’03R and Shira Sandy Mittelman and Rabbi Zishe Kaminetsky, wife of the late Rabbi Dr. Marion Greenman Myers. Schnall on the birth of a son, ’72R and Lorri Waxman. Dr. Joseph Kaminetsky and sister of Yonatan Tzvi Hirsch. And to Shani Nagler. Rabbi Abraham Shonfeld ’44R Rabbi Steve ’90R and Yael Weil grandparents Rabbi David ’72R on the loss of his wife, Mrs. Chana on their son, Benji, becoming a Bar Etta Kramer on the loss of her and Tova Schnall, and great Shonfeld. Mitzvah. husband, Rabbi Milton E. Kramer grandparents Rabbi Solomon ’49R Esq. ’47R, father of Roberta (and Rabbi Aharon Simkin ’85R on the and Bertha Shoulson. RIETS student Josh Weinberg on Michael) Sigall, Allen (and Bettina) loss of his mother, Barbara Simkin, his marriage to Julia Schafer of Rabbi Elihu ’57R and Freida Schatz, Kramer Esq., and the late David wife of Ray Simkin, also mother of Lakewood, NJ. of Yishuv Hashmonaim, on the birth Kramer z”l (and his wife Karen). Michael Simkin, and Roberta Aharon. of their 47th grandchild, Tamar, to Rabbi Elie Weissman ’05R on Rabbi Yitzchak Korn ’84R on the The Wagner family on the loss of Pinchas and Tzippie Schatz of Yishuv receiving the Young Leader of the loss of his wife, Rabbanit Taube Rebbetzin Bina Wagner, widow of the Rimonim. And on the birth of their Year Award at the YU High Schools Korn, daughter of Toddie and Trudy late Rabbi Feivel Wagner of Forest sixth great-grandchild, Akivah, to Annual Dinner of Tribute. Levine, sister of Dr. Benjamin Levine, Hills, mother of Bracha Shapiro, Ariel and Fraydel Gilor of Yishuv RIETS student Moshe and Sherry Charles Levine, Sam Levine and Rabbi Chaim Wagner, Sara Maybruch Hashmonaim. Winograd on the birth of a baby girl, Beth Bernstein, mother of Bracha and Chani Wagner. Rabbi Arthur Schneier ’56R who Shifra Nechama. and Elazar Hofshteter, Sari, Elisheva, Rabbi Michael Wolff ’81R on the was honored at the Park East Tiferet, Zvi and Avital. Rabbi Jeffrey ’82R and Toby Woolf loss of his father, Ernest Wolff. Synagogue Annual Dinner. on their daughter, Moriah Rachel, Rabbi Yirmiyahu Lebowitz ’99R and Rabbi Stuart ’78R and Chana Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld ’52R and becoming a Bat Mitzvah. his brother, Dr. Jonathan Lebowitz, Zweiter on the loss of Chana’s Rabbi Yitzchok Sladowsky ’56R on on the passing of their mother, Mrs. Rabbi Moshe (Jordan) Yasgur ’81R father, Rabbi Joseph Reifman. being honored by the Ruth Lebowtiz. on his marriage to Yedida Schaffner Council for their leadership of the Sachs. Rabbi Dr. Josh Mark ’91R on the Queens Vaad on the occasion of its th loss of his father, Dr. Julian Mark, 50 anniversary. Associate Professor of Maxiofacial Surgery at AECOM.

23 Chavrusa • Tishrei 5771