Rav Yitzchok Shlomo Zilberman zt”l Father of the Zilberman Method became a favored talmid of its rosh yeshiva, for most of his life, although he earned his Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel. livelihood as a sofer. With regard to Torah When he came of age, Rav Zilberman learning, he espoused following the precise Rav Yitzchok Shlomo Zilberman was the father of a married the daughter of Rav Yom Tov Zlot- guidelines of Chazal in Pirkei Avos: A child unique educational method that bears his name and nick, in a shidduch arranged by the Chazon should begin learning Tanach at the age of is quite popular. In honor of his twentieth yahrtzeit, Ish. He settled in Shaare Chessed, near his fa- five, Mishnah at ten, and Gemara at fifteen. I met with his son, Rav Yom Tov Zilberman, to learn ther-in-law’s home, and quickly became one In the Zilberman cheder, the children begin of the most prominent residents of the neigh- learning Tanach in first grade and commit about the origin of the method and about many of borhood. He went on to open Talmud Torah five sedorim of mishnayos to memory before the other highlights of his life—including his success Kaminetz, which quickly developed an ex- their graduation. The sixth seder of mishnay- at turning some of the members of Tel Aviv’s bohemi- cellent reputation, but when his recommen- os is learned during their first year ofyeshiva . dations regarding the derech halimud were ketana. an society into baalei teshuvah Chief among them, not accepted there, he opened another school, Today, Rav Zilberman’s method is em- of course, is Rav Uri Zohar. Talmud Torah Hadar Tzion, which went on to ployed in various Israeli chadorim and in become the largest cheder in Yerushalayim. schools in other countries as well, in locales Rav Zilberman was profoundly humble. as diverse as Lakewood, Montreal, and South The general public became aware of him af- Africa. Many schools have also adopted por- BY TZVI YAAKOVSON rebbi of the famed Rav Uri Zohar. It was Rav ter a dreadful tragedy in the month of Chesh- tions of the Zilberman system. The Zichru Yitzchok Shlomo Zilberman who influenced van 5749/1988, when his daughter, Rachel model, which integrates elements of the Zil- You have probably heard of the Zilber- Uri to return to his Jewish roots, and Rav Uri Weiss, and her three sons—Nesanel, Refoel, berman method with some components of a man method of chinuch, along with its off- Zohar still views Rav Zilberman as his spiri- and Ephraim—were murdered by terrorists. more standard program, was developed by shoot, the “Zichru method.” The father of the tual guide. When he speaks about him—as The family had been traveling on a bus from Rav Moshe Kletzkin, a talmid of Rav Zilber- Zilberman method was Rav Yitzchok Shlo- he often does—Rav Uri’s eyes sparkle with Teveria to Yerushalayim that was ambushed man. mo Zilberman. Today, there is a community pleasure. and set ablaze; Rachel and her children were “Today, my father’s educational method of talmidim of Rav Zilberman in the Old City The Zichru and Zilberman methods are trapped in the vehicle and burned to death. is in high demand,” Rav Yitzchok Shlomo’s of Yerushalayim. There are also numerous products of a great man’s vision. Rav Yitz- Rav Zilberman’s hesped for his daughter son, Rav Yom Tov Zilberman, related. “Par- chadorim throughout the country where the chok Shlomo Zilberman was born in Berlin and grandchildren was widely publicized. ents have seen its success; they have observed method is practiced. This week marks Rav and lost his mother at a young age. Together He moved to the Old City of Yerushalayim that the children who learn in these schools Zilberman’s twentieth yahrtzeit, which is a with his father and brothers, he moved to sometime after the incident. become highly knowledgeable, and they fitting time for a look at his life and accom- England and then resettled in Israel before Rav Zilberman passed away on 18 Adar want the same for their own children.” Rav plishments. the founding of the state. He was one of the Rishon 5761. At the levayah, he was eulo- Yom Tov is the oldest son of Rav Yitzchok The Zilberman method, in a nutshell, is earliest talmidim in Yeshivas Kol Torah and gized by Rav Shmuel Auerbach, Rav Nosson Shlomo Zilberman and was the first person the system of learning propounded by the had a close relationship with Rav Shlomo Tzvi Finkel, and Rav Uri Zohar, among other to be educated under the Zilberman system. Vilna Gaon and the Maharal. And while his Zalman Auerbach. He later became one of prestigious rabbonim. “I was the first talmid in the Kaminetz el- educational method is one of his claims to the first talmidim in Yeshivas Mir after it Rav Zilberman described himself as a ementary school when it opened on Rechov fame, many people have heard of Rav Zilber- took up residence in Yerushalayim, and he melamed, an occupation that he pursued Yechezkel. The program in the school was man for another reason as well: He was the 30 21 Adar 5781 | March 5, 2021 Bring up your credit score Save monthly on your budget Get out of debt once and for all based on the Maharal’s method,” Rav Yom the children who learn in this cheder.” Tov explained. His father subsequently left Kaminetz and brought his method to Hadar As far as you are concerned, that joy Tzion. “My father brought rabbeim to Ka- is a positive outgrowth of your meth- minetz who would teach in accordance with od, but it wasn’t the initial purpose. his approach. They included Rav Yitzchok The method wasn’t developed in or- Dzimitrovski, Rav Zundel Kreuzer, and Rav der to cultivate joy in learning. Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg, along with “That is correct,” he confirmed. “The other prominent names.” Rav Yom Tov re- goal was to design an educational system vealed that he himself was the impetus for that would meet the requirements of halacha. the development of the Zilberman method. The children feel fulfilled because they sense “My father used to conduct painstaking, thor- that they have mastered the material.” ough research about everything he did, and You mentioned that the Zilberman the mitzvah of educating his children was no method follows the Maharal. I had exception. He took nothing for granted, and been under the impression that it he insisted on researching the proper way to was the Vilna Gaon’s method. perform that mitzvah. He consulted with the “The Maharal preceded the Gaon by gedolim, and they advised him to bring back about 200 years, and he vigorously protested the glory days of Torah learning in the early the fact that children were not being taught in years by reviving the guidelines taught to us the manner prescribed by Chazal. The Ma- by Chazal.” haral writes that he was alerted to this issue after learning Shaar HaTorah in the Orchos Tzaddikim. The Shelah, the Chavos Yair, and The Natural many other predecessors of the Vilna Gaon likewise protested the deviations from the Method traditional derech halimud. Nevertheless, it Rav Yom Tov offered an analogy to il- was the Vilna Gaon himself, the rebbi of all lustrate his father’s method. “When someone of Klal Yisroel over the past 200 years, who eats completely natural food, he feels good. resurrected the style of learning taught by He may not be able to enjoy the flavors of Chazal.” Pesach Hotels- processed goodies, but he is filling his body Can we buy and sell the Schar of Mitzvos? LegacyG-d sent, of G-d Rav forbid, Dovid or somewhere Solovaitchik in between with nourishing, healthy food. The same can What are the basic guidelines of this Does being a liberal be said of our style of learning. After all is What didA portion Brisk bringin Olam to Haba? the world? method? The 8 halachik questions you should be asking said and done, we learn with great thorough- “The children must learn all of Tanach Brisk: Whatconflictthe Mashgiach exactly before waswith you the signbeing ‘new’ up derech ness and in accordance with the instructions first, followed by the entirety of the Mish- WhatCan Mitzvos was the be ‘new’ bought derech and sold? of Rebbe Can you Chaim pay of Chazal.” nah, and then the entire Shas, with copious ofa Reb TorahWhy wasn’tChaimsomeone there Jew? Brisker? anto OUtake onIs yourany liberalismWhat Pesach Aveiros? areprograms the key “It is the ultimate source of pleasure. It review.” of Brisk? Whatthe last was few years?the message of might be more difficult, but only at the out- CanHow either pesach partyin a hotel rescind can enhance the deal your Pesach..andin Bais Din? set. For a talmid who practices this style of Would it be fair to say that your ap- points againstBriskRav Dovid has brought Halacha?Soloveitchik? to the world? learning, it is highly enjoyable. It brings him proach is at once extremely tradition- how it can destroy your Pesach. pleasure, and it is good for his soul. al and highly innovative? “Most of the parents who are interested in Rav Yom Tov did not agree with that as- the Zilberman method are not motivated by sessment. “It is the mesorah of Chazal. The the fact that they saw in halacha or the Shul- gedolim have taught us for many generations chan Aruch that it is the correct approach,” that this is the proper way to acquire Torah he added.