Chavrusa Pesach 2007
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Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary A PUBLICATION OF THE RABBINIC ALUMNI OF THE RABBI ISAAC ELCHANAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY • AN AFFILIATE OF YESHIVA UNIVERSITY an affiliate of Yeshiva University Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future Max Stern Division of Communal Service 500 West 185th Street New York, NY 10033 CHAVRUSA APRIL 2007 • NISAN 5767 :dx ,ufr c–vrucjc tkt ,hbeb vru,v iht VOLUME 41 • NUMBER 3 CHAVRUSA is a publication of the Rabbinic Alumni of the Yeshiva Bids Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary- The Center for the Jewish Future, Farewell to an affiliate of Yeshiva University Rabbi Melech Richard M. Joel President Schachter z’l Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm Chancellor, Yeshiva University somber and large crowd packed Rosh HaYeshiva, RIETS into the Nathan Lamport Rabbi Kenneth Brander Auditorium on February 27 Dean, Center for the 2006 to bid a kavod acharon Jewish Future A to Rabbi Dr. Melech Schachter z’l, a Rabbi Dr. Solomon Rybak beloved Colleague, Father, Zeide, Rebbe President, Rabbinic Alumni Rabbis Brander, Schachter, Genack and Twersky discuss their revered Rebbe. and Rosh Yeshiva. Among those who Rabbi Ronald L. Schwarzberg offered words of eulogy were RIETS Director, Jewish Career Development and Placement Rosh Hayeshiva and Yeshiva University CJF and Rabbinic Alumni Sponsor Chancellor Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm Rabbi Elly Krimsky Assistant Director, Jewish Career ‘51R; Rabbi Zevulun Charlop ‘54R, the Development and Placement New York Premiere of Film and a Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS; Editor, Chavrusa Conversation on Rav Soloveitchik Rabbi Yisrael Meir Steinberg, Rabbi Rabbi Levi Mostofsky Schachter’s son in law; Rabbi Hershel Director of Rabbinic Programming n a scene at the end of “ Lonely Man 1985. Almost 1,200 people attended the Schachter ‘67R, son of the late Rosh Associate Editor, Chavrusa of Faith: The Life and Legacy of event, which was a joint effort of The continued on page 2 Rabbi Dovid Kupchik Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, ” the Center for the Jewish Future and RIETS Coordinator, Educational Placement filmmaker uses a silent and vacant Rabbinic Alumni. Keren Simon I Highlights Nathan Lamport Auditorium to visually Ethan Isenberg never knew the Rav Administrator, Jewish Career Development and Placement depict the Rav’s final departure from but made the documentary with the Yeshiva, due to illness. Earlier in the input and advice of many people con - Rav movie Premiere .......................... 1 Naphtali Lavenda Rabbi Melech Schachter z’l .............. 1 Rabbinic Intern, Jewish Career film, however, the viewer experienced— nected with YU. He desired to know Development and Placement and those who attended the lectures more about the Rav as part of a genera - Divrei Chizuk .................................... 3 re-experienced —the power, vigor and tion ‘ asher lo yada et Yosef ’ and turned to Chomer l’Drush ................................ 4 electricity of the Rav’s special Yarzheit Rabbi Dr. Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff RIETS Back to the Beit Midrash .................. 6 shiurim that define Lamport Audit- ’61R, who encouraged his creativity in Rabbi Zevulun Charlop orium’s history. That very same venue this project. The Phoenix rises .............................. 9 Max and Marion Grill Dean, RIETS was filled to capacity on Saturday night Eisenberg’s film began with the Rabbinic Alumni in Israel ................ 10 Rabbi Chaim Bronstein February 3rd , 2007 for the New York Rav’s childhood, which was dominated Administrator, RIETS Musmakhim in the Limelight ............ 11 premiere screening of independent film by his legendary father Rav Moshe From the Editor .............................. 18 Rabbi Julius Berman maker Ethan Eisenberg’s film about the Soloveitchik, who trained his eldest son Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Lifecycle .......................................... 19 RIETS life of Rav Soloveitchik, the towering vigorously in the Brisker approach to RIETS Rosh haYeshiva from 1941 to continued on page 16 Divrei Chizuk From Our Leaders Rabbi Melech Schachter z”l Rabbi Melech Schachter z’l. continued from page 1 Rabbi Mordechai Willig Yeshiva and Rabbi Mordechai Smilowitz, nd Bnei Yisrael were chamushim when they left Egypt’ husband of one of Rabbi Schachter’s “Zkan (Shmos 13:18). The Targum Yonoson renders that each granddaughters. Harabbanim” one left Egypt with five children whereas the Targum IT’S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO COM - Rabbi Schachter was born in Bucovina A Yerushalmi translates chamushim as armed (see MENT NOW . I saw the movie twice; the first Romainia in 1913 and was greatly influ - who believed Rashi) and adds – armed with good deeds. time I cried unabashedly and I cried almost as enced by the Vizhnitzer Chassidic dynasty. “a Din is a Din!” How is it possible that each one had exactly five children? “much now. And then to be followed by the He came to the United States as a penni - And what were their good deeds? talmidim of the Rav, all of whom were extraor - less 16 year old and enrolled in Yeshiva The Be’er Yosef dinary. We come off Parshas B’shalach . The College and RIETS, where he received explains that only one beginning of Parshas B’shalach we read, semikhah from Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik satiated.” The synagogue loved him so rabbonim. At Rav Melech’s wedding in fifth of Bnei Yisrael left “Vayikach Moshe es atzmos Yosef,” “and Moses in 1937. He later received a PhD from much that two of its gabbaim facilitated 1937, these friends bought him the newly Egypt (see Rashi). The takes the bones of Joseph.” This documentary Dropsie College in 1946 . In addition to his finding his shidduch . released volume of Rav Chaim rest died during the to my mind —and I just thought of it sitting teaching at Yeshiva, he served pulpits Rabbi Charlop declared that Rabbi Soloveitchik’s chiddushim on the Rambam , plague of darkness, as here today because I don’t have a note in front across Pennsylvania and in the Bronx. Schachter’s “Greatest achievements are a volume he treasured his entire life. they were unworthy of of me —is another form of ‘vayikach Moshe es Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm described here in the auditorium.” He noted that Rabbi Schachter characterized his father redemption. Their inno - atzmos Rabbeinu Yosef Dov Halevi Rabbi Schachter, occupant of the Rabbi the Talmud describes ( Megillah 13b) how as an expert in the names that appear in cent children, however, Soloveitchik.’ The Gemara (Sotah 13a) tells us Dr. and Mrs. Leon Katz Chair in Haman ‘cast lots’ to determine the date on gitten , and spoke of his “great amount of did not die. Each family that all the years that the Jews trekked Rabbinics, as zkan harabbanim, having which he planned to exterminate the yiras shamayim .” “A din is a din ” was a con - took responsibility for the through the Wilderness, there were two aronos taught for 54 years at RIETS, Yeshiva Jews. He ruled out month after month stant refrain. Rabbi Schachter ended by children of four other - two boxes - that marched with them, side by College, Stern College for Women, the due to the meritorious events in them – expressing his gratitude to the YU and families. Hence, each left Egypt with five groups of children. side. People asked what was the purpose of Bernard Revel Graduate School and the i.e. Nisan for Pesach, Iyar for Pesach RIETS administration for accommodating Normally, even kind hearted people would hesitate to accept having a box of atzamos, next to the Shechina Wurzweiler School of Social Work. Rabbi Sheini , Cheshvan for the yahrtzeit of Sarah his father’s needs as he aged, the doctors responsibility for others when in difficult circumstances. Their Himself ? ‘V’chi ma darko she meis l’halech im Lamm awarded Rabbi Schachter an hon - Imeinu etc. Haman rejoiced when his lot at Maimonides Medical Center in kindness can compromise the safety and well-being of their own Shechina ?’ And don’t forget that Yosef was the orary degree of Doctor of Divinity at YU’s chose Adar, for Moshe Rabbeinu died in Brooklyn, his sister and brother in law children. It was therefore, this extraordinary chessed of Klal viceroy of all of Egypt. He was brought up in a 66th Commencement in 1997 for his that month. Why did Haman fear the who cared for his father and to Hakadosh Yisrael that Hashem remembers so fondly as “chessed ne’urayich”. strange culture. He lived through dungeons. commitment to Yeshiva and the Jewish month in which Sarah Imeinu died but Baruch Hu for granting his father 94 years. Bnei Yisrael left Egypt armed with these good deeds. You cannot imagine the variety and the dis - people. In his eulogy, Rabbi Lamm spoke rejoiced over the month in which Moshe Rabbi Mordechai Smilowitz offered Our ancestors are rightfully praised for accepting upon them - parate nature of Yosef’s life. And in the end he of Rabbi Schachter as a “profoundly ethi - Rabbeinu passed away? Rabbi Charlop the final eulogy, describing the love his selves the responsibility for the children of others, even as they remained Yosef Hatzadik . ‘ Kiyem zeh kol mah cal personality ,” a man of decency and a answered that while Sarah breathed her wife’s grandfather had for all of his off - faced the formidable challenges of traversing the desert. shekasuv bazeh .’ The one who is in this box pure thinker. Rabbi Lamm, speaking days final breaths, she recognized that her son spring and the pride he displayed in their Notwithstanding these people having witnessed Divine miracles fulfilled everything that is in this box. And before Purim, cited the Gemara ( Chulin was alive and would succeed her hus - accomplishments and their commitment to in Egypt, and their assumption that their sojourn in the desert that’s what I feel tonight and I’ve always felt 139b) that identifies the phrase mor d’ror band.