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ON-SITE FIRST OUT OF THE GATE REPORT BINYAMIN ROSE LIVE AT THE IOWA CAUCUSES JEWISH FAMILY WEEKLY ISSUE 596 I 24 SHEVAT 5776 I FEBRUARY 3, 2016 EndNote Never feel abandoned — your Father’s at your side RABBI MOSHE GRYLAK The kippah resting on your head speaks volumes of your heart LIFELINES Were we seeking trophies, or shidduchim for our kids? Master of all MourningRabbi Rav YY YisroelJacobson sparksBelsky theBUILT TO genuine LAST seekerBACK TO THE inside DRAWING BOARD us allSPICE AND SPIRIT An innovative Stroke by tenuous stroke, These snu oxes NY/NJ$4.99 US$5.99 IL17.90 curriculum primes an estranged artist hold a whi UK£4.50 EU€5.50 CAD$6.50 young builders for life etched a new self-portrait of times gone by cover_596_final.indd 1 02/02/2016 10:14:48 To see our subscription options, please click on the Mishpacha tab A tribute to Rav Yisroel Belsky, of all rosh yeshivah of Torah Vodaath and renowned posek BY Rabbi Yehuda Heimowitz PHOTOS Shulim Goldring, JDN, Mattis Goldberg, Torah Vodaath archives 4040 MISHPACHAMISHPACHA 0000 Month Month 0000 0000 | | Month Month 00, 00, 0000 0000 MISHPACHAMISHPACHA 41 41 rabbi belsky_596.indd 40 01/02/2016 19:49:23 rabbi belsky_596.indd 41 01/02/2016 19:49:48 MasterMaster ofof AllAll HolyHoly TradesTrades The once complimentary phrase, “He’s a One scene jack-of-all-trades,” is now often turned into a paraprosdokian gibe with the addition of: “but a will forever master of none.” There are people who become good at many different things, but don’t excel remain in any of them. And then there was Rav Chaim Yisroel HaLevi Belsky ztz”l, who learned every etched field ofklei kodesh — and beyond — and mas- O tered them all. The pre-Succos scene at the Belsky home in my painted so vividly by talmid Baruch Travitsky would be amazing even if it captured Rav Belsky memory. using every one of his talents, but in reality, the skills he was using that evening represented a It was Thursday night before Succos, mere smattering of his prodigious gifts. and a line of people extended outside Yes, he was able to answersh’eilos in every ba- Rav Belsky’s home, waiting to show him sic area of halachah; he could serve as a mohel their esrogim. Two Hatzolah members and supervise milah, he understood the science were sitting at his table with their two- behind food, technology, medicine, and many way radios. They had toiled to draw other areas, enabling him to rule with little hes- diagrams of the transistors in those itation on complex issues such as kashrus and radios so Rav Belsky could determine gittin. But Rav Belsky was also rosh yeshivah of whether it was halachically permissible Torah Vodaath; the beloved rav of the Kensington to lower and raise the volume on community; an av beis din who restored digni- Shabbos. Rav Belsky corrected their ty and trust to the beis din process; the premier drawings to show them the correct authority on kashrus issues in the OU; therav configuration before ruling on the of Camp Agudah; a sofer, shochet, baal korei, and sh’eilah. A talmid was sitting on the baal tefillah on Yamim Noraim; and perhapsthe couch with a pack of balloons, a mohel’s world expert on the astronomical calculations shield, and some other paraphernalia, necessary to understand sugyos in Eiruvin and practicing to perform his own son’s bris related to Kiddush Hachodesh. And that is only milah the next morning, under Rav a partial list of his facets. Rav Belsky’s thousands of talmidim and campers Belsky’s guidance. During those very Yet despite his obvious genius, Rav Belsky’s moments, two phone calls came in — thousands of talmidim and campers will re- will remember him most for his patience, for his love one relating to a kashrus issue and one member him most for his patience, for his love relating to a get. of every talmid, and for his willingness to sacri- of every talmid, and for his willingness to sacrifice fice his own dignity and wellbeing for the sake —a talmid, Baruch Travitsky of anyone in need. his own dignity and wellbeing for the sake of anyone in need 4242 MISHPACHAMISHPACHA RR2424 Shevat Shevat 5776 5776 | | February February 3, 3, 2016 2016 MISHPACHAMISHPACHA 43 43 rabbi belsky_596.indd 42 01/02/2016 19:50:18 rabbi belsky_596.indd 43 01/02/2016 19:50:34 MasterMaster ofof AllAll HolyHoly TradesTrades A Yeshivah for Life Originally toto those those responsible responsible explaining explaining his his desire desire to to named just Yisroel, Rav Belsky was born studystudy Talmud Talmud at at Beis Beis Midrash Midrash Elyon. Elyon. The The state state in New York 77 years ago to Rav Berl and mademade anan exceptionexception andand allowedallowed himhim toto learnlearn Rebbetzin Chana Tzirel, a daughter of forfor one one year year before before starting starting college. college. Reb Binyomin Wilhelm, who was the AtAt the the end end of of his his first first yearyear inin BeisBeis MidrashMidrash founder of Torah Vodaath. Reb Binyomin Elyon,Elyon, hehe wrotewrote toto thethe statestate again,again, askingasking forfor singlehandedly decided to reverse the aa secondsecond deferral.deferral. ThisThis time,time, hehe waswas turnedturned trend of public-school education for down.down. HeHe wrotewrote aa beautifulbeautiful letterletter thankingthanking Jewish children by creating his own full- themthem forfor theirtheir offeroffer ofof aa scholarship,scholarship, butbut exex-- day yeshivah. In America of 1918, the idea plainingplaining that that his his Talmud Talmud studies studies took took priori priori-- was considered so ridiculous that one ty.ty. Some Some time time later later he he received received another another letter letter balabos he approached for help pointed to statingstating that that the the scholarship scholarship committee committee had had met met his palm and said, “When hair grows here, andand decided decided to to make make an an official official policypolicy changechange there will be a yeshivah in Williamsburg.” fromfrom thenthen onon andand allowallow thosethose whowho wantedwanted toto But Reb Binyamin persevered, building studystudy TalmudTalmud toto deferdefer theirtheir collegecollege scholarscholar-- first an elementary school, then amesivta , ships.ships. YearsYears later,later, RavRav BelskyBelsky metmet someonesomeone and finally abeis medrash. whowho worked worked in in the the Department Department of of Education, Education, As Hashgachah would have it, one of the andand he he remembered remembered Israel Israel Belsky’s Belsky’s name name be be-- stars of his new yeshivah was one Berl Belsky, Rather than spend inging mentioned mentioned in in the the official official protocolprotocol ofof thosethose who eventually learned in Radin. The Chofetz R meetings.meetings. Chaim was so taken that a boy would leave his life studying RavRav YisroelYisroel Reisman,Reisman, whowho observedobserved RavRav the luxury of America to study Torah that he BelskyBelsky for for over over 40 40 years years in in Torah Torah Vodaath — Vodaath — would hold the youngster’s hand and exclaim, those subjects to asas aa bochur bochur,, thenthen inin thethe kollel kollel,, thenthen asas aa mag mag-- “fuhn America, fuhn America!” gidgid shiurshiur,, andand eventuallyeventually asas oneone ofof thetheroshei roshei When Reb Berl returned to the United support his family, yeshivahyeshivah — — recallsrecalls thatthat whenwhen hehe waswas inin 12th12th States, he married Reb Binyomin’s daughter, gradegrade inin thethe 1970s,1970s, RavRav BelskyBelsky showedshowed thosethose establishing the childhood home of the future lettersletters to to his his class, class, demonstrating demonstrating his his difficult difficult rosh yeshivah of Torah Vodaath. Rav Belsky used choicechoice toto sacrificesacrifice aa freefree collegecollege educationeducation toto There is no question that young Yisroel was pursuepursue full-timefull-time learning —learning — andand conveyingconveying blessed with extraordinary genius. But in those them to notice thatthat they they could could do do it it too. too. days — as Rav Elya Katz, who served alongside “So“So what what did did our our father father get get for for staying staying in in ye ye-- Rav Belsky as menahel of the Torah Vodaath Hashem in every shivahshivah instead instead of of going going to to college?” college?” asks asks Reb Reb beis medrash for several decades, recounted at TzviTzvi Belsky. Belsky. “He “He got got Torah, Torah, Neviim, Neviim, Kesuvim, Kesuvim, the levayah — a child growing up in America aspect of Creation, Mishnah,Mishnah, Talmud Talmud Bavli, Bavli, Talmud Talmud Yerushalmi, Yerushalmi, used every ounce of intellect, talent, and skill Midrash,Midrash, Rishonim, Rishonim, Achronim, Achronim, the the four four sec sec-- at his disposal to make money. by understanding tionstions ofof Shulchan Shulchan AruchAruch….…. The eighth-grade graduates in Torah “But“But youyou knowknow whatwhat elseelse hehe got?got? Biology,Biology, Vodaath would traditionally write where His handiwork chemistry,chemistry, physics,physics, astronomy,astronomy, anatomy,anatomy, they envisioned themselves going for high physiology,physiology, history, history, poetry, poetry, and and the the list list goes goes on on ForFor overover halfhalf aa century,century, RavRav BelskyBelsky leftleft nono stonestone unturned —unturned — school, post-high school, and what they saw andand on — on — although although I I never never once once saw saw my my father father inin boostingboosting hishis encyclopedicencyclopedic knowledgeknowledge andand inin caringcaring forfor