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 Max Stern Division of Communal Service 500 West 185th Street New York, NY 10033 CHAVRUSA MARCH 2006 • ADAR 5766 VOLUME 40 • NUMBER 2 CHAVRUSA is a publication of the Rabbinic Alumni of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary an affiliate of Yeshiva University Honoring Our Richard M. Joel 40th and 50th President, Yeshiva University Anniversary Classes: Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm Chancellor, Yeshiva University Rosh HaYeshiva, RIETS As the Rabbi Isaac Rabbi Kenneth Brander Elchanan Theological Dean, Center for the Seminary celebrates the Jewish Future ordination of more than Rabbi Solomon Ryback 170 new musmakhim, it President, Rabbinic Alumni A also honors the careers, callings, and Rabbi Ronald L. Schwarzberg contributions of its rabbonim who have Director, Jewish Career Development and Placement Chag Hasemikah 5766: spent the past 40 and 50 years in the service of the Jewish community. Rabbi Elly Krimsky Celebrating a Glorious Past and a Bright Future Assistant Director, Jewish Career How would the Jewish world look Development and Placement RIETS WILL PROUDLY FETE cation included such a number of without the rabbis from our semikhah Editor, Chavrusa ITS LATEST 170 MUSMACHIM Torah Umadda role models. This semi- classes of 1953-1956 and 1963-1966? Many thanks to June Glazer khah class includes those who entered While the contributions of some are well RIETS who contributed to this article. the semikhah program while in the midst known and acclaimed, others bare the ore than 170 young of careers in business, academia, law, mantle of leadership below the radar. Rabbi Zevulun Charlop Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS talmidei chachamim and medicine. Inspired by what they Institutionally, the Yeshiva family has will descend upon Yeshiva learned at RIETS, many of them have continued on page 4 Rabbi Chaim Bronstein Administrator, RIETS University’s Wilf Campus decided to now embark on careers in on March 26, 2006, to Avodat HaKodesh…In addition to the Rabbi Julius Berman M Chairman of the Board of Trustees, celebrate their Chag Hasemikhah. This many who serve with great distinction in RIETS is one of the largest Chag Hasemikhah synagogues and educational institutions Highlights classes our yeshiva has produced. RIETS of large metropolitan Jewish communities, CJF Kicks Off. 1 now claims more than 2,700 musmakhim the current semikhah class includes rabbis since the Yeshiva’s first three students serving in Nashville, Omaha, Rochester, New Faces in . 1 Rabbinic Placement received semikha in 1906 by a tribunal England, and Switzerland…Of course, Divrei Chizuk . 4 of three acclaimed rabbis representing Yeshiva University takes great pride in the Agudas Harabbonim. The musmakhim the dozens of musmakhim who have Musmakhim in . 7 the Limelight from the 2002 to 2006 graduating classes made aliyah and are bringing the wis- Chomer L’Drush. 9 have already made an impact on our com- dom of life to Israel.” munity in all areas of Jewish leadership. Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, celebrat- Back to the Beit Midrash . 10 In a message to the new musmakhim, ing his 30th year as Rosh HaYeshiva of Life Cycle . 13 President Joel commented that, “Never RIETS, points out that, “There was a New Roshei Yeshiva. 15 before has a Chag Hasemikhah convo- continued on page 4 Divrei Chizuk From Our Leaders Rabbi Solomon F. Rybak, PhD Harbei Lamadti Meirabotai As editor of Chavrusa from the late 1980’s until the beginning Telshe talmidim who were pulled from the Beis Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s original intention was first to bring Umeichaverirai yoter meirabotai of the present decade, I have enjoyed and benefited immensely Medrash by the enticements of the ‘new world.’ It was this Israel to the land and then have them build a sanctuary in Umitalimidai yoter miculam from the close contact that I maintained with the members of the unseemly exchange that provoked Rabbi Arnest to respond to which He could dwell. Yet, because of His boundless love for (Ta’anit 7a) Rabbinical Alumni. Now as president, I value your friendships what he considered to be a rank chillul Hashem. In sum, he Israel, He would not wait until they possessed the land. He R. Chanina’s remark is even more. I can confidently tell you that we are ordaining more said, on the contrary; the success of Reb Baruch Ber was owing wanted to dwell in their midst at once, and commanded them meant to teach us that one’s and better prepared musmakhim than ever before in our hundred to his soft approach even as the success of Rabbi Bloch was instead to build the tabernacle in the wilderness before they education is achieved in stages years since the first Chag HaSemikhah in 1906. My older son is owing to his strict and unyielding sway over his yeshiva. If Reb entered Canaan. “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may with each one complementing a member of our ranks and younger one will join us iy”h as well. Baruch Ber, he wrote, would rule with a heavy hand against his dwell among them” (Shemot 25:8). the other. Please join me in celebrating the Chag HaSmikhah on gentle nature, he would not be Reb Baruch Ber; and if rabbi Contrast this benign, even uplifting, response to a son’s frivo- As I look back on the past March 26th—the next milestone in our glorious history as we Bloch would have adopted the easy approach of Reb Baruch lousness with another reaction recorded in the Talmud in this forty years since I was granted enter our second century of service. Your presence will enhance Ber, he would not be Rabbi Bloch and could not have estab- selfsame ????? which is of a different stripe entirely. smikhah at RIETS, I realize the simcha and will be the greatest demonstration of your hakarat lished the distinctive imperious regime which made Telshe one Rava made an arrangement for his son, Rav Yosef, not dissim- how much I am indebted to hatov to RIETS. of the great centers of Torah that it was. I had remarked then, ilar to the one Rebbe effected for his son, except that Rav Yosef our beloved Yeshiva. I have May you and your families be blessed for all of your efforts in even as we affirm ‘chanoch hanaar al pi darko,’ apparently it is was to spend only six years in the Yeshiva before marrying. After had the privilege of joining with those who have not only studied haramat keren haTorah. no less true ‘yelamed haRebbe al pi tivo.’ A rebbe has to follow three years, however, the young man, not a little bit homesick, at Yeshiva but who have also had the opportunity to continue his essential nature and instincts to see whether that nature is left the Beit Hamidrash on Erev Yom Kippur, intending to visit their association with their illustrious rabbeiim and colleagues in the end soft and gentle or his family for a short while only, and to return immediately after by teaching here. After teaching in our high school for 27 years, firm and unbending. the Holy Day. We must remember that communication and then at Touro College for over a decade and serving all along in RABBI DR. SOLOMON K. RYBAK ‘66R And suddenly, a Gemara which seemed to me to illustrate travel were primitive then. There was no telephone, car or the pulpit rabbinate since 1970, I am now more deserving of serves as President of Rabbinic Alumni. uncannily this paradox, came to mind. The Gemara (Ketubot plane, and hardly a mail delivery system. Long range contact the title bestowed upon me in 1966 by the revered “Rov” and (973) 473-3191 62:-63a) recounts two astonishing episodes which I think speak was at best minimal and more often non-existent. Dr. Belkin zt”l. to the question of yachas between rebbe and talmid and no less So it was not unnatural for Rava’s son to want to come home relevantly, between child and parent. Rebbe Yehudah HaNasi, and see the mishpacha. Nonetheless, when Rava heard about father of the Mishna, arranged a marriage between his son and his son’s return, he literally took himself a weapon to do battle the daughter of Rebbe Yosef ben Zimra. Among the stipulations with him. “You can’t keep your mind off your bride!” he roared. of this match was that Rebbe’s son would first have to study at the Beit Midrash for twelve years before the wedding could take crs vhnek cr hck hvuct vhrsa tcrs vhrc ;xuh cr Rabbi Zevulun Charlop place. Just as the young man was ready to take his leave and hkgn tyn hba ,k, vuv hf/ hba ,ha vhk uexpw ;xuh start out fo the House of Study, they passed his bride-to-be gna /h,hc habhtk uvbhzjhtu lhzht :rnt whrupfs tnuh I remember one of my last gious controversy which found its platform in the volatile before him so that he’d at least have a glimpse of her before ?,rfzb l,buz :vhk rnt wvhptk epbu tbn kea whvuct visits to Rabbi Binyamin Yiddish press in Poland/Lithuania of that time. going off to learn. He was so taken by her beauty that he said: rn tk wsuryht ?,rfzb l,buh :vhk rnt whrnts tfht Arnest zt’l shortly before his Rabbi Arnest’s role in this controversy very much surprised ‘Maybe we can cut the twelve years to six!’ When they passed /ehxpht rn tku ehxpht petira – nearly a quarter of a me as it revealed another side of him of which I was entirely her before him a second time, he succumbed entirely, insisting century ago.