A Mashgiach, a Father a Tribute to Rav Dovid Sharfman Zt”L

The week before Pesach is perhaps the he fixed the community mikvah, which was busiest week for Jewish households across the in disrepair, and was an active member of globe, as families scramble to prepare for Yom the Rabbinical Council of America. Now Tov. Shopping, cleaning, kashering and cooking retired and living in Flatbush, he always consume every waking moment, as people race credited his success to his late wife, Reb- against the fast-ticking clock. And yet, this betzin Hilda Sharfman, whose stability year, in the South Florida community, as well as a public school teacher enabled her as others across the globe, time seemed to husband to pursue his dream in the rab- stand still as hundreds of people stopped bonus. everything they were doing that week to Growing up in a family of rab- beseech the Rofeh Cholim, the Healer of bonim and klei kodesh, from a young the Sick, to heal the beloved and revered age, R’ Duvie, as Rabbi Sharfman was mashgiach of Yeshiva Toras Chaim Toras affectionately known, appreciated the Emes, Rav Dovid Sharfman. importance of being marbitz Torah, of When the news first spread that Rabbi teaching and spreading Hashem’s Torah, Sharfman was hospitalized following the wed- and would eagerly await his turn to do so ding of his son, the initial reaction of shock as well. In fact, as a young boy, R’ Duvie’s quickly turned into a collective desire to help. leadership abilities, as well as his tremen- Everyone desperately wanted to do something dous care for each individual, were already for a man who did everything for everyone. And apparent, earning him the respect of his do something they did. Tehillim was said around family, his friends, and his teachers. He was the clock, with the entire Sefer Tehillim collective- well-liked by all and was a model student at ly completed well over 100 times both locally and Yeshiva Toras Emes Kaminetz in Brooklyn. around the world. His long-time classmate and dear friend, Mr. Numerous sedorim during bein hazemanim were Michael Schick, fondly recalls how R’ Duvie did learned in his zechus. Daily asifos were arranged at not have a single mean bone in his body. His sisters Yeshiva Toras Chaim Toras Emes and the North Miami cannot recall his parents ever needing to reprimand him. Beach Community Kollel, as was a nightly women’s He just always seemed to know what the right thing to Tehillim teleconference organized by Bais Yaakov of do in every situation was. His natural leadership skills Miami. Thousands of dollars were donated to various made him a popular leader in high school and contrib- tzedakah organizations. Numerous shiurim, days of uted to his many successful years in Camp Munk. In ad- learning, and divrei Torah were sponsored. A commu- A Mashgiach, dition, his brilliance was already recognized as president nity-wide tinokos shel bais rabbon asifa at the North of the Honor Society, Arista. Miami Beach Community Kollel was overcrowded, as Tragically, at the young age of eleven, he lost his young boys added their tefillos to the hundreds of others mother. Two of his sisters were already married at the storming the Shaarei Shomayim. Talmidim, both past a Father time, and his third sister married shortly thereafter, leav- and present, organized three straight nights of round- ing him without any mother figure in his home until his the-clock learning. father remarried three years later. Yet, even this tragedy Many of his talmidim recalled how Rabbi Sharfman did not get him down. His simchas hachaim and positiv- encouraged them to make even small kabbalos (resolu- and a Friend ity helped him pull through a very trying situation, and tions) to enable growth, and they challenged people to he never complained or questioned Hashem’s ways. Ev- accept upon themselves kabbalos as a zechus for a re- ery year, on his mother’s yahrtzeit during the Nine Days, fuah shelaimah for Rabbi Sharfman. The response was he would make a siyum in her memory at Camp Munk. overwhelming. Many committed to increasing their Following high school, R’ Duvie learned at Yeshiva daily learning. A machsom lefi (a commitment to guard A Tribute to Chofetz Chaim in Yerushalayim for a year. He then ad- one’s speech) was quickly organized. Someone began vanced to the main branch of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, to put on tzitzis regularly, and one woman even began to which at that time was in Forest Hills, New York. Under cover her hair. And there were many more. Rav Dovid the guidance of his rebbi, Rav Henach Leibowitz zt”l, An observer from outside the community was so R’ Duvie learned and grew, preparing himself to answer inspired that she remarked, “I don’t know if it’s the his life’s calling and become a teacher of Torah. amazing community you live in, the connection every- It was during this time that he, along with his long- one feels to the yeshiva, or the closeness and greatness Sharfman zt”l time chaver and current rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Toras of Rabbi Sharfman, but this is mamish unreal, what all Chaim Toras Emes, Rabbi Mordechai Palgon, joined these hundreds of people are doing in his zechus... It’s the first group of bochurim to “branch” in the fledgling absolutely amazing...such a special community.” Upon His Shloshim Yeshiva Toras Chaim of Miami to help strengthen the On Erev Shabbos Hagadol, the eleventh of Nissan, yeshiva and the South Florida community. the special neshamah of Rav Dovid Sharfman returned Rav Akiva Grunblatt, who was the rosh yeshiva to its Maker, leaving his family, his yeshiva, the South By Rabbi and Mrs. Yaakov Kier there at that time, remembers how these outstanding Florida community, and indeed all of Klal Yisroel or- bochurim really put the yeshiva on the local map, earn- phaned. As we approach the shloshim of Rav Boruch ing the respect of numerous families who were then mo- Dovid Aryeh zt”l ben ybl”c Rav Nosson Dov, let tivated to add their support to the still young yeshiva. One such baal habayas was so impressed with these us explore what in fact it was about Rabbi Sharfman His father, Rabbi Benjamin, a well-known rov of boys who helped him make a minyan when he was sit- that caused such an unprecedented outpouring of sup- over forty years, was raised in Newark, NJ, where his ting shivah that he called Rabbi Grunblatt to express his port, and who this great man, whose loss has been felt father served as a shochet. He attended public school gratitude. He exclaimed, “If you are producing boys like so acutely by so many people, in so many places, of so and would go to his father’s slaughterhouse every day to many ages, was. these, you must be doing something right and I want learn with him. This sufficiently prepared him for imme- to be involved!” He subsequently made the initial in- diate acceptance into Mesivta Torah Vodaas. Eventually, His Earlier Years troduction between Mr. and Mrs. Sam Klurman and the he followed his revered rebbi, Rav Dovid Leibowitz yeshiva, which now bears the Klurman name on its north Rabbi Sharfman was born in 1962 to Rabbi Ben- zt”l, when he opened his own yeshiva, Chofetz Chaim, campus, as does its Klurman Elementary School. jamin, sheyichyeh, and Rebbetzin Hilda a”h (née as one of the founding talmidim. He learned there for After returning to Queens, Rabbi Sharfman’s reputa- Weitzman) Sharfman in Brooklyn, New York. As a ben many years until receiving semicha and entering the tion as a baal seichel and baal havana, a man of high zekunim, born twelve years after the youngest of his rabbonus. His first position was as the rabbi of Ridge- intellect and great understanding, continued to spread. A three older sisters, Dovid’s birth was greeted with much wood, Queens, where he remained for over ten years. He chaver of his gratefully remembers the numerous times joy. He was named after his two grandfathers, one a rov then moved to Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, serving as rov that R’ Duvie took the time to patiently and thoroughly and the other a shochet. for over thirty years, until he retired. During his tenure, explain what they were learning. “He was a prince: al- 46 YatedNe’eman 9 Iyar 5777 | May 5, 2017 ways generous, gracious and giving of his well and began giving a weekly Chumash moment. remembered his encounter with Rabbi time and insight, with sterling middos and class in the young Jewish community in He loved Yom Tov and never com- Sharfman years before and remarked how a healthy sense of humor.” Aventura. One South American attendee plained about the hectic nature of Pesach he was such a special and important man. In 1988, he married his wife, Shifra recalled how, regardless of where his per- or the heat of the Miami sukkah. And at Rabbi Sharfman would try to share (née Kamin), who shared his dreams and sonal business travels would take him, he the end of each Yom Tov, he would encour- his love of learning with young bar mitz- aspirations. Together, they began to build always made sure to fly back by Tuesday age his family to make sure to carry the vah boys when giving them a sefer as a a home of Torah in Queens, New York. night to attend Rabbi Sharfman’s invigo- lessons learned beyond that one week and gift. With a twinkle in his eyes, he would At the end of his years in kollel, he be- rating shiur.

Load more