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N.Y. 914-937-6760 T"BSERVER 5 TIIE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 is published monthly Remembering Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky except July and August, by the n:n:i? p>i~ 1:n Agudath Israel ofAmerica, 5 Beek­ Nissan Wolpin man Street, New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid at New 9 York. N.Y. Subscription $15.00 per year; two years, $27.00; three years, An Appreciation of the Rosh Hayeshiva $36.00. Outside of the United Rabbi Yisroel Belsky (excerpts) States (US funds only) $20.00. $25.00 in So. Africa and Pacific 23 countries. Single copy. $2.00; for­ eign: $2.50. Send address changes Solving the Tay-Sachs Dilemma to The Jewish Observer, 5 Beek­ Rabbi Shimon Finkelman man St., N.Y., N.Y. 10038. Printed in theU.SA. 33 RABBI NISSONWOLPIN Editor Not Too Late for Kayama Avram Cahn Editorial Board DR ERNST BODENHEIMER 37 Chairman Unreal Rabbis RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS Rabbi Avi Shqfran JOSEPH FRIEDENSON RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN RABBI MOSHE SHERER 41 Management Board Fighting the Cults NAITOLI HIRSCH a review article ISAAC KIRZNER RABBI SHLOMO LESIN Strive For Truth II/Bris Milah/Halichos Bas Yisroel/ NACHUM STEIN Lilmod U'lelamed: Judges/Artscroll Mishna Series: Business Manager Nazir-Sotah, Bava Kamma RABBI YOSEF C. GOLDING 47 Second Looks on the Jewish Scene TuEJEWJSH OBSERVER does not assume responsibility for the Shabbos: Uniter or Otherwise? Kashrus of any product or ser­ In Case You had Any Doubts ... vice advertised in lts pages. ©Copyright 1986 50 Cooer photo: Na('hman Wolfson Post Script The Mormons and Your Bobbe and Zaide IYAR5746, MAY 1986 VOL. XIX, NO. 5 51 Letters to the Editor Nisson Wolpin REMEMBERING RABBI E n:>1:i'J P"1~ 1:>~ could keep his dailyschedule ofstudy Kamenetzky was a favorite of Reb I. PERSPECTIVE with their Rav?"The impact of their Yisroel's disciple, the Alter of Slo­ ON TIME respect for the Torah study of a mere bodka. and was much influenced by child never left me," said Reb Yaakov. Rabbi Naftali Amsterdam, who had abbi Yaakov Kamenetzky Can we evaluate the strength of been so close to Reb Yisroel.) ~"~' isnolongerwith us.and conviction of the young Rav of Tzi­ Do we recognize the implications R now Kial Yisroelhas become tovyan refusing to officiate at the when a man of eighty five refuses to painfully aware of its humble status. funeral of an over-zealous congre­ answer a highly complex she'eila Reb Yaakov, blessed as he was with gant? The man who had been told by (halachic query) "because I may at arichas yomim (longevity), living a his doctor to eat on Yorn Kippur, for the moment forget a Tosqfos some­ full 95 years, represented a unique health reasons, was instructed by where in Shas (the entirety of the richness in the Lithuanian tradi­ that Rav to follow this prescription, Talmud)"-as Rabbi Kamenetzky tions of pursuit of excellence in fasted nonetheless, and then died. saldjust eleven years ago? ... And we Torah and midos (the ethical per­ Reb Yaakov did attend the funeral become aware how every psak ren­ sonality) associated with earlier and, apparently to discourage others dered until then was without such a times, a tradition that in its fullness from following this reckless behav­ liability, having Shas. all codes and is so beyond the reach of our at­ ior. announced that the family not their major commentaries at his tainment that it is almost beyond sit shiva, since the man had in effect fingertips! our comprehension. In his absence, taken his own life. Do we fathom the devotion to Klal that greatness of the man and his Do we appreciate the sensitivi tyof and prat (the Congregation and the era are now further removed from a sixty-five year old man who stayed individual) of a man of 90 years of us: up all night-learning throughout, age who tells his loyal, protective Can we gauge the life-long effect of of course-to keep an early morning Rebbetzin. as did Reb Yaakov: "Don't the experience of an eight-year-old appointment, rather than set his leave the telephone receiver off the who saw elderly Jews back into the alarm for dawn since it might dis­ hook-even during my lunch. Pic­ snowbanks to permit him, the "illui turb the sleep of a non-Jewish ture the frustration of the person of Dolhinov," as Reb Yaakov was neighbor who returned from his job who calls. finds the line busy, and known. pass through the narrow at 3 a.m.? (An echo of Reb Yisroel calls again-goes on about his busi­ path dug through the drifts, so he Salanter? Of course! Rabbi Yaakov ness. and stops his car to get out and The Jewish Obseroer, May, 1986 5 "Myfeeling is that G-d granted me these extra years as a gift to usefor others. How can I squander my time on my own comfort?" call again, and again the line is busy. plain. We religious Jews have our ... Besides, my feeling is that G-d own understanding of the passing of granted me these extra years as a gift generations. We look back on Jew­ for me to use for others. How can I ry's face-to-face encounter with G-d squander my time on my own com­ on Sinai at the giving of the Torah as fort?" the spiritual highpoint of world his­ How far removed we are from the tory. The generations immediately way in which the simple facts of after Sinai viewed their parents with halacha absorbed by a Torah per­ awe: 'They actually heard Q .. d speak!' sonality can graduate from chachma And their children after them looked to bina to daas-from knowledge to at their parents with asimilar defer­ understanding to ingrained nature ence: 'Imagine! They actually lived ... the manner in which Reb Yaakov with people who were present at learned as a child that one holds an Sinai!' And so it has been through­ item requiring a bracha in one's out the ages, to the point that my right hand in honor of the bracha. children and grandchildren believe and then. lying in a hospital bed at that my familiarity with earlier gen­ 94, how he strained to maneuver his erations. beyond their horizon of right hand laden with a complement described the implications of this contact-my relative closeness to of intravenous tubes. to grasp the role. Sinai, so to speak-endows me with cup of water on which he wanted to On the plane returning from the a wisdom and spiritual sensitivity pronounce the "Shehakol." ignor­ 6th Knessia Gedolah (International that they do not possess. So they ing his free left hand. Conference) of Agudath Israel in respect me.And I, in tum, attempt to Men such as Reb Yaakov serve as a Jerusalem in 1980. Reb Yaakov was transmit to them whatever I may means of viewing distant times, seated in one of the two seats at the happen to have gathered from pre­ times of pristine purity, inhabited very front of the aircraft, next to vious generations. by men of towering greatness of Yerucham Meshal. treasurer of His­ "But you are a Darwinist. You scholarship and genius of character. tadrut. While the two discussed believe that man is in constant evo­ We must quickly gather our fleeting various matters ("Mainly Tanach, lutionary ascent from the apes. Why impressions of Reb Yaakov before especially some questions he had on should your children or grandchild­ the light he cast upon our lives dis­ Sefer Ruth," reported the Rosh Ha­ ren respect you? All your age and appears into the shadows.