A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E R A B B I N I C A L U M N I O F T H E R A B B I I S A A C E L C H A N A N T H E O L O G I C A L S E M I N A RY • A N A F F I L I AT E O F Y E S H I VA U N I V E R S I T Y

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary

an affiliate of Yeshiva University

CHAVRUSA
Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future
Max Stern Division of Communal Service
500 West 185th Street
New York, NY 10033

APRIL 2007 • NISAN 5767 :dx ,ufrc–vrucjc tkt ,hbeb vru,v iht VOLUME 41 • NUMBER 3

CHAVRUSA is a publication of the

Rabbinic Alumni of the
Rabbi Isaac Elchanan
Yeshiva Bids
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

Rabbi Kenneth Brander

Dean, Center for the
Jewish Future

Rabbi Dr. Solomon Rybak

President, Rabbinic Alumni
A into the Nathan Lamport
Auditorium on February 27
2006 to bid a kavod acharon
to Rabbi Dr. Melech Schachter z’l, a
beloved Colleague, Father, Zeide, Rebbe
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
Rabbi Elly Krimsky
CJF and Rabbinic Alumni Sponsor Chancellor Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm
‘51R; Rabbi Zevulun Charlop ‘54R, the
Assistant Director, Jewish Career
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

I
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 Nathan Lamport Auditorium to visually Ethan Isenberg never knew the Rav
Highlights
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
film, however, the viewer experienced— nected with YU. He desired to know Rabbi Melech Schachter z’l ..............1
Rabbinic Intern, Jewish Career
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
Rabbi Julius Berman From the Editor ..............................18
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

Rabbi Melech Schachter z”l
continued from page 1
Yeshiva and Rabbi Mordechai Smilowitz,
husband of one of Rabbi Schachter’s
granddaughters.
Rabbi Schachter was born in Bucovina
Romainia in 1913 and was greatly influ-
enced by the Vizhnitzer Chassidic dynasty.
He came to the United States as a penni-
less 16 year old and enrolled in Yeshiva
College and RIETS, where he received
semikhah from Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik
in 1937. He later received a PhD from
Dropsie College in 1946. In addition to
teaching at Yeshiva, he served pulpits
across Pennsylvania and in the Bronx.
Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm described
Rabbi Schachter, occupant of the Rabbi
Dr. and Mrs. Leon Katz Chair in
Rabbinics, as zkan harabbanim, having
taught for 54 years at RIETS, Yeshiva
College, Stern College for Women, the
Bernard Revel Graduate School and the
Wurzweiler School of Social Work. Rabbi
Lamm awarded Rabbi Schachter an hon-
orary degree of Doctor of Divinity at YU’s
66th Commencement in 1997 for his
commitment to Yeshiva and the Jewish
people. In his eulogy, Rabbi Lamm spoke
of Rabbi Schachter as a “profoundly ethi-
cal personality,” a man of decency and a
pure thinker. Rabbi Lamm, speaking days
before Purim, cited the Gemara (Chulin
139b) that identifies the phrase mor d’ror
(Shmot 30:23) as referencing Mordechai
in the Torah. What does dror (freedom)
have to do with myrrh? Rabbi Lamm
advanced the Ramban’s answer that the
incense was free from being counterfeited,
chofshi min haziyuf. He then used the same
phrase to characterize Rabbi Schachter.
Rabbi Charlop was six years old when
he first met Rabbi Schachter. His late
father’s shul ‘adopted’ Rabbi Schachter,
since the Yeshiva students did not have
places to go for Shabbat. He recalled
seeing Rabbi Schachter learning late into
the night with his late father, Rabbi
Yechiel Michel Charlop z’l. “He was a
tremendous masmid as he was never
2 3
satiated.” The synagogue loved him so
much that two of its gabbaim facilitated
his finding his shidduch.
Rabbi Charlop declared that Rabbi
Schachter’s “Greatest achievements are
here in the auditorium.” He noted that
the Talmud describes (Megillah 13b) how
Haman ‘cast lots’ to determine the date on
which he planned to exterminate the
Jews. He ruled out month after month
due to the meritorious events in them –
i.e. Nisan for Pesach, Iyar for Pesach
Sheini, Cheshvan for the yahrtzeit of Sarah
Imeinu etc. Haman rejoiced when his lot
chose Adar, for Moshe Rabbeinu died in
that month. Why did Haman fear the
month in which Sarah Imeinu died but
rejoiced over the month in which Moshe
Rabbeinu passed away? Rabbi Charlop
answered that while Sarah breathed her
final breaths, she recognized that her son
was alive and would succeed her hus-
band. Moshe Rabbeinu, on the other hand,
departed this world without his children
following in his footsteps. “Rav Hershel
was the talmid muvhak of the Rav,”
declared Rabbi Charlop, and that gave
Rav Melech great joy.
Rabbi Steinberg ended his stirring
words by relaying that when Rav Melech
could not sleep at night, he would recite
the names of his grandchildren, photos of
whom adorned his refrigerator. When he
arrived at the name of his youngest grand-
child, he would fall asleep. “We will never
forget you,” he cried out.
Rabbi Hershel Schachter described
the kinship his father had for his chaburah
at RIETS which includes many esteemed
Rabbi Melech Schachter z’l.
“Zkan
Harabbanim”
who believed
“a Din is a Din!”
rabbonim. At Rav Melech’s wedding in
1937, these friends bought him the newly
released volume of Rav Chaim
Soloveitchik’s chiddushim on the Rambam,
a volume he treasured his entire life.
Rabbi Schachter characterized his father
as an expert in the names that appear in
gitten, and spoke of his “great amount of
yiras shamayim.” “A din is a din” was a con-
stant refrain. Rabbi Schachter ended by
expressing his gratitude to the YU and
RIETS administration for accommodating
his father’s needs as he aged, the doctors
at Maimonides Medical Center in
Brooklyn, his sister and brother in law
who cared for his father and to Hakadosh
Baruch Hu for granting his father 94 years.
Rabbi Mordechai Smilowitz offered
the final eulogy, describing the love his
wife’s grandfather had for all of his off-
spring and the pride he displayed in their
accomplishments and their commitment to
Torah and mitzvot. President Richard M.
Joel, introduced by Rabbi Charlop as a true
Shaliach Tzibur, led the gathered in Kel
Maleh.
Rav Schachter was the central pillar of
the Halacha L’ Maaseh Program at
RIETS, the Supplementary Rabbinics
Program (SR) and was the mentor of a
generation of musmachim. He was the
author of a major scholarly work, The
Babylonian and Jerusalem Mishnah. His
rabbinic opinions and articles appeared in
many Torah Journals and covered many
different subjects including conversion,
adoption and gittin. ■
Divrei Chizuk From Our Leaders
Rabbi Mordechai Willig
nd Bnei Yisrael were chamushim when they left Egypt’
A
(Shmos 13:18). The Targum Yonoson renders that each
one left Egypt with five children whereas the Targum
Yerushalmi translates chamushim as armed (see
Rashi) and adds – armed with good deeds.
How is it possible that each one had exactly five children?
And what were their good deeds?
The Be’er Yosef
explains that only one
fifth of Bnei Yisrael left
Egypt (see Rashi). The
rest died during the
plague of darkness, as
they were unworthy of
redemption. Their inno-
cent children, however,
did not die. Each family
took responsibility for the
children of four other
families. Hence, each left Egypt with five groups of children.
Normally, even kind hearted people would hesitate to accept
responsibility for others when in difficult circumstances. Their
kindness can compromise the safety and well-being of their own
children. It was therefore, this extraordinary chessed of Klal
Yisrael that Hashem remembers so fondly as “chessed ne’urayich”.
Bnei Yisrael left Egypt armed with these good deeds.
Our ancestors are rightfully praised for accepting upon them-
selves the responsibility for the children of others, even as they
faced the formidable challenges of traversing the desert.
Notwithstanding these people having witnessed Divine miracles
in Egypt, and their assumption that their sojourn in the desert
would be brief, their heroism is aptly referred to as chessed n’eu-
rayich.
For our musmakhim in small communities, this lesson should
be a source of great chizuk. We traveled through the desert to
save ourselves and our families, and in addition, helped others.
Now, rabbanim and mechanchim across the country relocate,
with their families, to a spiritual desert only in order to aid others.
Many who move to smaller communities are rightfully con-
cerned for the spiritual well-being of their own children. Just as
Hashem protected the children of those who left Egypt, despite
—or because of—the additional responsibility they assumed for
the children of others, so too He give a special bracha to children
of Rabbanim and Mechanchim in smaller communities.
May the good deeds of these heroes arm them to continue
their wonderful work for others, even as they and their families are
protected and enabled to realize their goals and their dreams. ■
“ IT’S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO COM-
MENT NOW. I saw the movie twice; the first
time I cried unabashedly and I cried almost as
much now. And then to be followed by the
talmidim of the Rav, all of whom were extraor-
dinary. We come off Parshas B’shalach. The
beginning of Parshas B’shalach we read,
“Vayikach Moshe es atzmos Yosef,” “and Moses
takes the bones of Joseph.” This documentary
to my mind—and I just thought of it sitting
here today because I don’t have a note in front
of me—is another form of ‘vayikach Moshe es
atzmos Rabbeinu Yosef Dov Halevi
Soloveitchik.’ The Gemara (Sotah 13a) tells us
that all the years that the Jews trekked
through the Wilderness, there were two aronos
- two boxes - that marched with them, side by
side. People asked what was the purpose of
having a box of atzamos, next to the Shechina
Himself? ‘V’chi ma darko she meis l’halech im
Shechina?’ And don’t forget that Yosef was the
viceroy of all of Egypt. He was brought up in a
strange culture. He lived through dungeons.
You cannot imagine the variety and the dis-
parate nature of Yosef ’s life. And in the end he
remained Yosef Hatzadik. ‘Kiyem zeh kol mah
shekasuv bazeh.’ The one who is in this box
fulfilled everything that is in this box. And
that’s what I feel tonight and I’ve always felt
it. Kiyem atzmos Yosef Dov Halevi when he was
alive. And he is still alive. Three of his
talmidim published sforim just this past week.
‘Kiyem zeh kol mah shekasuv bazeh.’
”
Rabbi Zevulun Charlop
closing the evening of
the New York premiere
of the movie, “Lonely
Man of Faith: the Life
and Legacy of Rabbi
Joseph B. Soloveitchik.”
Chomer L’Drush
erhaps the most fascinating
P halakha associated with the rab-
binic commandment of daled
kosot is mentioned in the first
Mishna in Arvei Pesachim.
The Mishnah (99b) states
…Even the poorest amongst Israel
…must not drink less than the four
cups of wine [on Pesach night] even if
he/she [must receive a stipend] from
the communal charity fund.
The Rashbam (Ibid., s.v. v’afilu) empha-
sizes this point by stating that if the over-
seer of the fund cannot give the ani funds
to purchase four cups of wine, then the
poor have the responsibility to find funds
through other sources, including borrow-
ing, selling one’s clothing, and hiring one-
self out in order to raise funds to purchase
wine.
The Talmud in Pesachim 112a discusses
the uniqueness of this commandment
which even the poor, at any cost, are com-
pelled to fulfill. The Talmud suggests
“Meshum Pir-sumei Nisa.” Since these
cups of wine proclaim the miracle of
redemption celebrated on Pesach night,
everyone is required to observe this com-
mandment despite any financial difficulty.
However, one is left with the task of try-
ing to understand this Talmudic state-
4 5
A Deeper
Meaning to
the Daled
Kosot
Rabbi Kenneth Brander
ment. After all, there are several com-
mandments on the night of Pesach that
commemorate the redemptive process,
yet none of the others have this require-
ment. Furthermore, regarding all positive
commandments, halakaha stresses that
there is a maximum amount one is per-
mitted to spend in order to fulfill a posi-
tive mitzvah. This is discussed in the
Mishneh Torah (Arakhin 8:13), which
states that a person who spends all of
his/her funds to fulfill a mitzvah is called
a chasid shoteh. This idea is codified by
the Rema in the Shulchan Arukh (Orach
Chayyim 656) as well.
One who does not [have funds] …to
perform a timely mitzvah should not
spend much money to perform it, as it
is stated: “When spending [to perform
a mitzvah] do not spend more than a
fifth [of one’s earnings] even if the
result is the inability to perform a timely
positive commandment.
What is so unique about the four cups
of wine, a rabbinic commandment, that
the rabbis deviated from the maximum
financial bound specified in Jewish Law
when they legislated this law?
In addition to the vague answer men-
tioned in the Talmud, this issue is con-
fronted by many. R. Asher ben Jehiel sug-
gests, in his commentary Baal haTurim
(Shemot 6:6), that if one calculates the
numerical value of the four statements of
redemption it equals the numerical value
of the following statement: Zeh ani b’yis-
rael lo yi’fchatu lo me’arbah kosot. Whether
one accepts this answer or not, the com-
ment highlights an awareness of the odd
nature of the financial commitment
required in regard to the daled kosot. The
Chofetz Chaim, in his commentary Biur
Halakha (Orach Chayyim 656, s.v. afilu),
suggests that the four cups of wine are
merely a model for any positive com-
mandment that one wishes to fulfill.
There is no maximum limit on what one
can spend to fulfill a positive command-
ment. The notion of borrowing funds to
perform a mitzvah applies to any positive
commandment. However, this suggestion
in the Biur Halakha does not explain the
concern of the Talmud with the comment
in the Mishnah regarding daled kosot.
Additionally, it completely contradicts the
statements of the Rambam and the Rama
as well as Talmudic statements found in
Arakhin (28a) and Ketubot (50a).
Perhaps there is another way of resolv-
ing this issue and clarifying the statement
regarding daled kosot in the Talmud.
Commenting on the first Mishnah in
Arvei Pesachim, Tosafot (s.v. lo) and the
Rashbam (s.v. v’lo) paraphrase the Talmud
Yerushalmi and state that the daled kosot
represent the four stages in the redemptive
process. However, if one looks at the orig-
inal text of the Yerushalmi (Pesachim:
chap. 10:1) one will find that Tosafot and
the Rashbam modified the text. The
Talmud Yerushalmi does not refer to them
as “four stages of redemption,” but rather,
“four redemptions.” Yiziat Mitzrayim was
not one redemptive process; it was four
separate processes. The exodus lasted one
full year, slowly redeeming Knesset Yisrael
and ridding them of the slave mentality
that they acquired in Egypt.
Redemption Number One – v’hozeite
The Netziv comments (Shemot 8:28) that
the first stage of the redemption process
occurred during the plague of Arov. Seven
months into the plagues, when chaos per-
vaded Egypt, the Egyptians began to ease
the workload of the Jews. This gave the
slave nation the opportunity to reflect
upon freedom and its value, and reflect on
life itself. The first bold step toward free-
dom is to realize the need and the value of
being free. This is the process of being
transformed from a piece of property into
a person who can determine his/her own
destiny.
Redemption Number Two – v’hezalte
Following the months of self-reflection,
Hashem asked the Jewish people to make
sacrifices for their freedom. They were to
be bold and to realize that they, as individ-
uals, have rights. Before the plague of
darkness, Hashem commanded Moshe:
“Speak now in the ears of the people, and
let every man ask of his neighbor, and every
woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver and
jewels of gold” (Shemot 11:2). Hashem
asked the Jewish people to be assertive
and inquire of their Egyptian taskmasters
the location of their stolen merchandise.
Notice the use of the Hebrew word nah in
this request. Hashem asked Moshe to
speak gently to the Jewish people, realiz-
ing that this is a difficult yet important
transition. This is the first time that
Knesset Yisrael, as a collective entity, was
asked to be assertive against its masters.
Redemption Number Three – v’go-alte
The third component in the redemption
of the Jewish people is the last to occur in
the land of Egypt. Hashem requested that
the Jewish people perform two positive
commandments: the offering of the
Korban Pesach and its prerequisite brit
milah. The midrash (Pirkei de-Rabbi
Eliezer, chap. 28) comments that it is only
due to the merit of the blood of brit milah
and Korban Pesach that the Jewish people
were redeemed from Egypt. These two
commandments represent the Jewish
people’s willingness to assert their own
self-destiny. In a very personal way, cir-
cumcision concretized an internal com-
mitment that the Jewish people had to
their own culture and unique destiny.
After making this commitment, they had
to express their mindset in a public forum.
Through the procedures of the Korban
Pesach, the Jewish people asserted their
culture and values, even when they came
in total contradiction with those of their
Egyptians taskmasters. They captured the
god of the Egyptians, held it in captivity
for three days, and then slaughtered it.
Both actions are statements of rebellion.
They reflect initiative by the Jewish peo-
ple toward their own destiny; sacrificing
uniformity and their physical safety with
regard to their taskmasters.
Redemption Number Four – v’lakachte
The final component of the Redemption
occurs outside of Egypt with Matan Torah.
Why was it necessary to give the Jewish
people the Torah immediately after taking
them out of Egypt? Does not the Torah
represent an effort on the part of Hashem
to make the Jews slaves to yet another
task master? Indeed, we the Jewish peo-
ple are called slaves of God, “For to me
the children of Yisrael are servants; they
are my servants whom I brought forth out
of the land of Egypt” (Va-yikra 25:55).
Indeed Yirmiyahu (2:2) writes: “…I
[Hashem] remember in your favor, the
devotion of your youth, your love as a
bride, when you followed after me into
the wilderness, in a land that was not
sown.” The Radak on this verse suggests
that the act of devotion on the part of the
Jewish people was their willingness to
accept the Torah and sacrifice themselves
to Hashem.
Rav Soloveitchik explained that Matan
Torah is a paradoxical experience, for one
can only feel free when surrendering one’s
freedom to Hashem. Often, we are pris-
oners to physiological and psychological
constraints and social pressures. We are
often coerced into certain roles by our
employer or our community. In reality, we
are never free because if we feel the pres-
sures and coercions of our society, then
our options are restricted, even when
there are no physical shackles upon us. By
surrendering ourselves to Hashem and
the norms and mores of the Torah, we
attain a degree of freedom. This empow-
ers us to recognize that our lives need not
be ones of fate but ones of destiny. Taking
the Jewish people out of Egypt without
this stage of redemption would have con-
stituted a continuation of bondage. This is
the message found in Pirkei Avot (6:2):
…He (R. Yehoshua b. Levi) said fur-
ther, ‘The luchot were the work of
Hashem, and the writing was the writing
of Hashem , charut, engraved upon the
luchot.’ Read not charut (engraved) but
cheirut (freedom), for there is no true
free person but one who occupies
him/herself with the study of Torah.
It would seem that the commandment
of the four cups of wine is unique in the
following manner. While there are many
positive commandments, both biblical
and rabbinic in nature, none fully cele-
brate sacrifice on the part of the Jewish
people. The Meshum Pir-sumei Nisah of
the daled kosot is a declaration of the sac-
rifice on the part of the Jewish people in
the redemptive process. At each stage, the
Jewish people were compelled to give of
themselves to reach that redemptive level.
They had to: (1) reflect upon their lives
and come to the conclusion that freedom
bore new and difficult responsibilities (2)
confront their task masters (3) assert their
culture with rituals that were deemed
repulsive in Egyptian society and (4)
continued on page 15
Back to the Beit Midrash
THE SUBJECT OF THE BERACHA
I
In Maseches Pesachim daf 7a, Rav
Yehudah teaches us “habodek tzarich
sheyevarech”, that we say a birkas
hamitzvah on bedikas chametz. Why
would we have thought otherwise? The
Ritva explains that we would have sur-
mised that no beracha is said on bedikas
chametz because bedikah itself is not a
mitzvah, but merely a hechsher mitzvah for
the subsequent bi’ur chametz, which ful-
fills the mitzvas aseh of “tashbisu”. Bedikah
would then be comparable to other
hechsherei mitzvah, such as making tefillin
or tying tzitzis, for which we do not say a
beracha, based on the rule that any mitz-
vah action which does not actually fulfill
the mitzvah (“lav gmar mitzvasah”) does
not require a beracha (Menachos 42b).1 A
similar conclusion would arise from the
machlokes between Rashi and Tosfos at
the very beginning of Maseches Pesachim,
where Rashi explains that the purpose of
bedikas chametz is to prevent a violation of
bal yera’eh and bal yematzei, and Tosfos
holds that it is to forestall any possibility of
violating the issur of achilas chametz.
According to both Rashi and Tosfos,
bedikas chametz is not inherently a mitz-
vah, but is merely a preparation undertak-
en in order to avoid violating an issur at a
later time, and as such, should certainly
not require a beracha.2
Given this strong formulation of the
6 7
The
Mitzvah
of Bedikas
Chametz
Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh
Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS
‘havah amina’ not to say a beracha on
bedikas chametz, we must examine the
maskana of Rav Yehuda— why do we say a
beracha on bedikah if the act of bedikah is
merely a hechsher mitzvah? Rabbenu David,
in his commentary to this sugya, suggests
two fundamentally different understand-
ings of this halacha. His first explanation is
that the beracha in fact relates not to the
bedikah per se but rather to the biur
chametz, which is “gmar mitzvasah”. We say
the beracha before the bedikah not because
the bedikah itself requires a beracha, but
rather because it serves as the beginning of
the process of biur.3 The Rosh likewise
explains that the beracha is made on the
bedikah qua the beginning of a process
which culminates in bi’ur. As noted by
Rabbenu David, the language of the
beracha, “al bi’ur chametz”, seems to sup-
port this understanding, indicating that the
true subject of the beracha is the ultimate
bi’ur and not the immediate bedikah.
However, Rabbenu David offers a sec-
ond possibility as well, suggesting that the
beracha indeed applies to the bedikah qua
bedikah. Although the bedikah is not a
kiyum mitzvah med’oraysa, he suggests that
on the derabanan plane, bedikas chametz
was enacted as an independent mitzvah.
Bedikas chametz is thus indeed “gmar mitz-
vasah”— of the mitzvas aseh mederabanan
of bedikas chametz. According to this
understanding, we might explain the lan-
guage of “al biur chametz” in accordance
with the Maharam Chalavah (Pesachim
7a), who interpreted the word “biur” as
referring not to destruction but to bedikah
and cleaning, as the word is used in
Devarim 26:13.4
PRACTICAL RAMIFICATIONS
A clear nafka mina between these two
understandings would be the appropriate-
ness of a beracha in a scenario in which
bedikah was done properly but no chametz
was found and the process did not culmi-
nate in an act of biur chametz. According
to Rabbenu David’s first explanation, any
beracha recited on such a bedikah would
be a beracha levatalah, and we would be
required to take pains to avoid being
trapped by such a scenario. Indeed, the
Riaz (Rif daf 4a) quotes the opinion of the
Sefer HaPardes, who holds that one should
not recite the beracha until one actually
finds a piece of chametz. Alternatively,
many Rishonim record a minhag to hide
chametz in the house before the bedikah in
order to insure that the beracha is not
being said in vain. This minhag is codified
by the Rema (Orach Chaim 432:2), and is
common practice. Either of these two
strategies stems from the understanding
that the true subject of the beracha is the
ultimate biur chametz, and therefore the
beracha is only justified if chametz is actu-
ally found and destroyed. However,
Maharam Chalavah, whom we have quot-
ed above as following Rabbenu David’s
second understanding, rejects the afore-
mentioned custom of setting out chametz
to be discovered during bedikah. He
argues that the beracha relates to the very
act of bedikah, and regardless of whether
any chametz is actually found, the act of
bedikah is itself a mitzvah.5
There is some ambiguity regarding
which of these understandings is accepted
halacha lemaaseh. The Rema concludes
that although the minhag is to set out
chametz before the bedikah, this is not
required me’ikar hadin, and the beracha
would still be valid if no chametz was
found. This would seem to imply that the
beracha relates to an independent mitzvah
of bedikah, and this is in fact the first
explanation offered by the Mishnah
Berurah (432:13). However, the Mishnah
Berurah also quotes the explanation of the
Taz (432:4), who assumes that the beracha
must relate to an actual biur chametz, and
explains that even if no hidden chametz is
found during the bedikah, the beracha is
justified because one sets aside the known
chametz to be burned on Erev Pesach
morning (after taking some for breakfast).6
We thus cannot conclusively rule out
either understanding of the nature of the
beracha on bedikas chametz.
TWO TYPES OF BEDIKAS CHAMETZ
Rambam (Hilchos Chametz Umatzah
3:6) holds that one who neglected to do
bedikah until after Pesach is obligated to do
bedikah then, but without a beracha. The
Rambam then holds that bedikah per-
formed before or on Pesach is worthy of a
beracha, but bedikah done after Pesach is
not. What is the logic behind this distinc-
tion? At the outset of our discussion, we
pointed to the birkas hamitzvah as a litmus
test for distinguishing a kiyum mitzvah
from a hechsher mitzvah. An act performed
with a beracha must itself be a mitzvah (or
an integral part of a mitzvah), while an act
performed without a beracha would be
characterized as a mere preparation for ful-
fillment of some future mitzvah or avoid-
ance of some future issur.7 Applying this
insight to the Rambam, we would conclude
that there are ‘two dinim’, two qualitatively
different types of bedikas chametz. Bedikah
performed before or on Pesach is an inte-
gral part of the mitzvah of bi’ur8 or an inde-
pendent mitzvah (depending on which of
Rabbenu David’s two formulations we
accept). After Pesach, however, neither the
mitzvah of tashbisu nor any other of the
mitzvos hachag are applicable, and the
bedikah performed then is not a maaseh
mitzvah, but rather a hechsher for avoiding
the issur of chametz she’avar alav hapesach,
and is therefore not worthy of a beracha.
Similarly, the Meiri (Pesachim 6a) and
other Rishonim hold that one who leaves
home before the night of the fourteenth of
Nisan and performs the bedikah early
must omit the beracha. This opinion is
accepted as halacha lemaaseh by the Rema
(436:2). The Rema’s commentators
explain that this position likewise assumes
the existence of two types in bedikas
chametz. The Mishnah Berurah (436:4),
based on Rabbenu David’s first under-
standing, explains that on Erev Pesach we
view bedikah as the beginning of bi’ur,
because whatever chametz is discovered
will be destroyed the next morning. When
bedikah is done early, however, any
chametz discovered will probably be eaten
in the significant time remaining before
Pesach, and therefore the bedikah cannot
be viewed as a part of the mitzvah of bi’ur,
but merely as a strategy to avoid the future
prohibition of owning chametz on Pesach.
Alternatively, the Shulchan Aruch Harav
(436:1) interprets this psak based on
Rabbenu David’s second understanding,
and explains that bedikah on the night of
the fourteenth of Nisan is considered a
mitzvah derabanan because it is being
done in the way the Chachamim decreed.
Bedikah earlier than the night of the four-
teenth is certainly obligatory, but since it is
not being done in the manner prescribed
by Chazal, it would be seen as merely a
hechsher mitzvah for the prohibitions of
Pesach and not a maaseh mitzvah. While
the Mishnah Berurah and the Shulchan
Aruch Harav disagree in their understand-
ing of the nature of bedikah in its proper
time, they agree in characterizing timely
bedikah and early bedikah as two qualita-
tively different halachic performances.9
Another example of two types of
bedikas chametz is found in the Magen
HaElef (436:9), who holds that one who
has no living quarters on the night of the
fourteenth of Nisan must do a bedikah of
his pockets, but without a beracha. He
assumes that bedikah of a home is a
maaseh mitzvah (see below for further elu-
cidation of this assumption), but a bedikah
which does not focus on a particular loca-
tion is merely a hechsher mitzvah of
destroying that chametz or avoiding the
possibility of averah.
THE EFFECT OF BEDIKAS CHAMETZ
We mentioned earlier Rabbenu David’s
second opinion, which posits that bedikas
chametz represents a kiyum mitzvah med-
erabanan regardless of whether or not it
leads to the destruction of any chametz.
The simplest way to understand this opin-
ion is that although bedikas chametz with-
out actually finding chametz has no effect,
one has fulfilled a mitzvah by performing a
maaseh bedikah. However, we can suggest
a different understanding of the function
of bedikas chametz, based on an enigmatic
comment of the Magen Avraham. Rema
(Yoreh Deah 127:3), referring to a scenario
in which it is unclear whether bedikah has
been done, characterizes this situation as
one without a chezkas issur. Magen
Avraham (437:8) disagrees, arguing that
since we know that bedikah was certainly
not yet performed before the night of the
fourteenth of Nisan, and there is a chezkas
issur. The Mekor Chaim (end of Siman
437) rises to the defense of the Rema, and
argues that bedikas chametz is only
required because of the possibility of hid-
den chametz, but since it is also possible
that there is no chametz in the house,
there is certainly no chezkas issur of
chametz. How would the Magen Avraham
respond to this argument? Perhaps he
would have us focus not on the chametz
which may or may not be found in the
home, but on the home itself. The mitzvah
of bedikas chametz is not to destroy
chametz, nor is it to perform a maaseh
bedikah, but rather it is to convert the
home into a “bayis baduk”, a home which is
certified chametz-free. Chazal required us
to live on Pesach in a home which has
been checked for chametz, and therefore
until we know that the house has been
searched, the house has a chezkas issur, a
status quo of eino baduk. If so, perhaps the
“gmar mitzvasah” which justifies the
beracha on bedikas chametz is not merely
the maaseh bedikah, but the effect of
changing the status of the home and creat-
ing a “bayis baduk”.
Further support for this understanding
could be brought from the opinion, quoted
above from the Magen HaElef, that a
beracha is only made on searching a home.
If the cheftza of bedikas chametz is the
home rather than the chametz, then it is
understandable that the kiyum mitzvah
would not be present when there is no
home to search. This understanding also
seems to underlie the opinion quoted by
the Ran (Rif Pesachim daf 4a) that one
who has multiple homes and speaks after
searching the first home must recite
another beracha on the second home. The
Ran himself rejects this opinion, arguing
1 See also Rabbenu David there, who adds a sec-
ond explanation for the havah amina not to say a
beracha on Bedikas Chametz. He suggests that
since bedikah is a mitzvah derabanan, the
beracha on bedikah is subject to the machlokes
amoraim in Maseches Succah (45b-46a) as to
whether we say a beracha on a mitzvah dera-
banan, and Rav Yehudah is deciding in favor of
the opinion that a mitzvah derabanan requires a
beracha. (Rav Yehuda is then consistent with his
opinion, in Succah daf 46a, that we make a
beracha on netilas lulav for all seven days.)
2 The question of whether Rashi and Tosfos would
agree that there is a positive mitzvah of bi’ur
chametz (in the absence of bitul) is a complex
one, which we cannot properly address here. See
Rashi Pesachim 4b s.v. bebitul be’alma, Tosfos
there s.v. med’oraysa, Ramban there with the
comments of Rav Issar Zalman Meltzer, Rosh
there siman 10, and Mordechai siman 533.
3 Rabbenu David would explain the gemara in
Menachos 42b as saying only that we do not
recite a beracha on a hechsher mitzvah in addi-
tion to saying a beracha on the mitzvah, but it is
perfectly acceptable to say the beracha on the
mitzvah itself before beginning the preparatory
stages, so long as that stage is not distant from the
culmination of the kiyum.
4 One might also suggest that the subject of the
beracha is primarily the maaseh bedikah, but the
language of biur is used to include the bittul
chametz which follows (or preceeds – see
Rambam Hilchos Berachos 11:15) the bedikah.
5 The Riaz rejects the suggestion of the Pardes on
8 9
that even if one has many homes, search-
ing them is only one mitzvah. The first
opinion must assume, then, that each
home is an independent mitzvah. This
assumption is unjustifiable if the focus of
the mitzvah of bedikas chametz is the status
of the chametz or the action of the gavra.
If, however, the focus of the bedikah is the
home, then each home represents an inde-
pendent obligation of bedikah, and requires
its own birkas hamitzvah if the previous
birkas hamitzvah has been interrupted.10
We may suggest that this possible
understanding of bedikas chametz as
focused on the home finds its roots in the
Torah’s description of the Pesach experi-
ence. The original Pesach was exclusively
about the home. We were commanded to
accentuate the unique status of a Jewish
home with the dam korban pesach demar-
cating the boundary between the home
and the world, and we were required to
maintain exclusive focus on the home
similar grounds.
6 In a scenario where one possesses no known
chametz, or sets aside chametz but plans to eat it
all for breakfast on Erev Pesach, the Taz would
seemingly not allow the beracha to be said. The
language of the Rema himself is intriguing –
“dedaas kol adam im haberacha leva’er im
nimtza.” This may indicate that he holds like nei-
ther explanation offered by his commentators, but
rather that although the subject of the beracha is
indeed the biur chametz, it is permissible to make
a beracha upon attempting to fulfill a mitzvah even
if that attempt may turn out to be unnecessary.
However, this is not consistent with our general
assumptions about hilchos berachos, and there-
fore it may be more reasonable to assume that the
Rema held like one of the explanations given by
the Mishnah Berurah, and this phrase is merely
explaining why the words “al biur chametz” are
justified, and not why the beracha itself is justified.
7 Although generally the omission of a birkas
hamitzvah indicates a doubtful obligation, in the
cases we will analyze, the Rishonim are dealing
with obligations which are clearly spelled out in
Shas, and their formulations imply that we are
omitting the beracha not out of doubt, but
because we are dealing with a qualitatively inferior
obligation.
8 This possibility is assumed by the Noda
Beyehudah (Tinyana Orach Chaim 60).
9 The Ritva (Pesachim 6a) holds that a beracha is
recited when the bedikah is done within thirty
days before Pesach, but not if done earlier. This
stance could not fit the Mishnah Berurah’s expla-
throughout— “ish lo yetzei mepesach beiso
ad boker.” The halachos of pesach doros
continue this theme. The korban pesach The Phoenix Rises
represents the family unit of the home
Rabbi Yonah Gross
(“seh leveis avos”), and we eat it while
focusing on the home (“lo totzi min habayis
min habasar chutzah”). Pesach represents
the very core of our identity as Jews, and
this identity is rooted in the unique values
and atmosphere of the Jewish home. Every
year, we commence the observance of Rabbi Yonah Gross and Family
Pesach by doing a bedikah of the home, by
removing all that which chametz repre-
sents, and creating a status of a true
Jewish home, certified free of base values y name is Yonah Gross ‘06R and together with my agogues, five kosher restaurants, three kosher grocery stores and
and corrupting influences. We then bring
the korban pesach into our house, which
transforms our home into a mikdash me’at,
and we celebrate the glorious kedusha of a
Jewish home and the Jewish people. May
M wife Chava and our son Yehoshua, have recently
moved to Arizona to assume the position of Rabbi
of the Young Israel of Phoenix. These are some ini-
tial thoughts as I begin this new stage in my life, the life of my
family, and that of our congregation.
two Judaica stores. My synagogue is located in an area within the
eruv and in proximity to a mikvah.
Notwithstanding Phoenix’s growth, it was still intimidating
for a boy from Queens and a girl from Teaneck to move out west;
west of Passaic that is. We initially felt as if we were leaving our
we be zocheh to see this beauty manifest in I’m what they call a Yeshiva University ‘lifer.’ A native of support system. Despite their good wishes and blessings, our
our homes and communities, and to offer Hillcrest Queens, I began my career on Amsterdam Avenue as a friends, family, teachers, and mentors, were like a magnet from
the korban pesach, the korban of the Jewish freshman in YUHS in 1994. I then completed Yeshiva University which it was difficult to extract ourselves. We feared being cut
home, in the rebuilt Yerushalayim. ■ High School, Yeshiva College, and just this past summer, RIETS. off from the Yeshiva and all the aid and support that I have got-
My tenure in the Heights was only interrupted by two sojourns ten over the years.
in Israel where I studied at Yeshiva Shaarei Mevaseret Zion. For I can say that the Yeshiva has greatly allayed those fears. Prior
nation, as even within thirty days of Pesach there
remains plenty of time to eat chametz, but could
the past two years I have been interning for Rabbi Jonathan to my departure, I set up private meetings with many Yeshiva and
easily be explained by a slight modification of the Rosenblatt ‘82R at the Riverdale Jewish Center. RIETS administrators to discuss how we would continue to work
Shulchan Aruch Harav’s logic. Within thirty days,
My interest in the Rabbanus traces back to my college years together in my new locale. I was privileged to meet privately with
since the de’oraysa obligation of learning hilchos
Pesach applies, the mitzvah derabanan of bedikas
when I began taking advantage of outreach and programming President Joel, Rabbi Lamm, Rabbi Brander, Rabbi Penner and
chametz is also in force. Before this time, howev- opportunities offered through CJF/MSDCS. During my time Rabbi Rockoff, all of whom encouraged me to stay connected,
er, the mitzvos hachag do not yet apply, and
spent in communities such as Stamford, Jacksonville, Oakland, and we all committed to partnering to help shape the Phoenix
bedikah is obligatory only as a strategy for avoiding
the pitfall of having chametz in one’s house when and Denver, I saw firsthand the impact that I could have on our community.
Pesach arrives. fellow Jews even though we were only spending time together in It almost goes without saying that I feel continued support
10 small increments. Since then I have thought about how much from my Rebbeim, from whom I’ve learned so much while I stud-
This approach may be relevant in understanding
the sugya in Pesachim daf 9-10. See the Ravad more could be accomplished with a greater time investment. ied full time within the walls of the Beis-Medrash. They have
there (Rif daf 5a). The tension between the
Furthermore I was excited and challenged by the wide variety each encouraged me not to be intimidated and to call with any
chametz and the home as the focus of bedikas
chametz may be a factor in many sugyot in the of opportunities that the Rabbanus provided such as education, questions that I may have. In addition to the continued mentor-
first perek of Maseches Pesachim. counseling, answering halachic queries, programming, and ing that I hope to receive from Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt, I have
It should be noted that an entirely different learning. also been paired through the YU mentoring program— a compo-
approach to understanding the effect of bedikas From the moment I decided to turn my dream into a reality, nent of the Legacy Heritage Fund Rabbinic Enrichment
chametz emerges from the Yerushalmi in the
beginning of Maseches Pesachim. Rabbi Mana
Rabbi Schwarzberg, Rabbi Krimsky and Keren Simon have been Initiative (LHREI) with Rabbi Mordechai Torcziner ‘97R, Rav of
explains that bedikah is done on the night of the instrumental throughout. Rabbi Krimsky even flew out to Congregation Sons of Israel in Allentown, PA. I already attended
fourteenth of Nisan based on the pasuk Phoenix prior to my arrival here to pave the path on our behalf. my first LHREI Yarchei Kallah and a LHREI Regional Rabbinic
“ushemartem es hayom hazeh”, which he
interprets as “aseh sheyehu hayom vehalayla Just as no one wants to be a doctor’s first patient, shuls often look Seminar in LA. Chava has flown back to New York to take part
meshumarin”. According to this Yerushalmi, the askance at being a Rabbi’s first congregation, but the leadership in a conference designed for Rebbitzins (and to celebrate the bris
purpose of bedikas chametz is none of the possi- of the Young Israel of Phoenix really believed in me. of our newly born nephew).
bilities we have mentioned (to destroy chametz, to
merely perform a maaseh bedikah, or to effect the It would be a grave injustice to call Phoenix a small town. The I am still uneasy about my new life here, but with Yeshiva’s
status of a searched home) but rather a kiyum sixth largest city in the United States, Phoenix is also the fastest support behind me and on the speed dial of my cell phone, I am
med’oraysa of shemirah, active vigilance, which
growing city in the country and is located in the fastest growing confident that I have the tools to succeed.” ■
characterizes the entire day. This Yerushalmi may
also be relevant for understanding the opinion of state. In the greater Phoenix area there are eleven orthodox syn-
the Ravad (Rif daf 1a) who requires bedikah to
commence just before nightfall. ■
RIETS Rabbinic Alumni
RIETS ALUMNI IN ISRAEL
‘COME HOME TO YU’
RIETS Rabbinic Alumni hosted its Israeli musmakhim to a
special reunion evening entitled, “Come Home to Yeshiva in
Israel.” Close to 60 people gathered in the auditorium of the
Yeshiva University in Israel campus for a complimentary catered
dinner and reflections on Yeshiva’s decades-long commitment to
community service. Aside from the social component, the gath-
ered heard some fascinating and insightful presentations repre-
senting the past, present and future of Yeshiva’s ongoing commit-
ment to community.
Rav Dovid Miller ‘71R presented a shiur entitled, V’chol Mi
Sheoskin B’tzibur Be’emunah, brilliantly weaving chidushei Torah,
vignettes about the life of purpose of his late father Rabbi Israel
Miller ‘41R zt’l, and offering inspiration for the calling of so many
klei kodesh in attendance. Rav Miller provided three interpreta-
tions for the ambiguous word ‘b’emunah.’ Each one contained a new
meaning for the term based upon the Mesilat Yesharim and includ-
ed a story about his late father. (See page 15 for one such story).
Victor Geller, author of “Orthodoxy Awakens: The Belkin Era
and Yeshiva University” presented a fascinating talk about
Yeshiva’s commitment to communal service. He called the years
1954 to 1959 the Golden Years of Yeshiva University. During
these years, about which he penned his tome, Rabbi Dr. Samuel
Belkin established Stern College for Women, the Albert Einstein
College of Medicine, the Jewish Studies Program (pre-cursor to
the James Striar School and Mechina) and the publicity around
the celebrated Life Magazine edition dedicated to examining
10
Judaism. He concluded by raising concerns regarding the grow-
ing ‘shteibilization’, arguing that it does not promote spiritual
responsibility and areivut in the community.
Rabbi Ronald Schwarzberg ‘83R, Director of Jewish Career
Development and Placement followed Mr. Geller’s presentation
by describing the growing resources he and his office have been
given. While recognizing Rabbi Dr. Lamm’s challenge to establish
solvency and build the university internally, Rabbi Schwarzberg
acknowledged President Richard Joel’s vision, which created the
Center for the Jewish Future. He thanked Rabbi Lamm for set-
ting the stage which allowed Yeshiva to focus its reputation and
impact in the communities. “Without the toil of Rabbi Lamm,
President Joel could not have augmented my department, to put
community back where it needed to be and to allow Rabbi
Krimsky and I to travel to Israel to be at this event and meet with
our senior semikhah students in this building. Our office does not
wait for calls from communities; we can now be proactive. When
we go on the road, we do not only meet with the shul; we become
familiar with all the institutions in the community.”
RIETS Alumni also sponsored a special talk with President
Richard Joel in West Hempstead Long Island, home to over 30
RIETS alumni, on December 22, 2006. The exclusive meeting
with the musmakhim took place after a community-wide oneg.
The President, who also serves as President of RIETS, values
talking to the rabbonim and engaged them in conversations about
the direction he would like to take YU and RIETS and other
issues pertaining to avodat hakodesh. RIETS Alumni helped pub-
licize and organize the very successful Yom Iyun which took place
on February 14, 2006 entitled, “Talking about Intimacy: The
Rabbi’s Role,” sponsored by Tzelem, the Center for the Jewish
Future and the Rabbinical Council of America. Over 100 rabbis
attended despite inclement weather to hear shiurim and lectures
by Rabbi Dr. David Ribner ‘72R, Rabbi Yaakov Neuberger ‘79R
and Rabbi Mordechai Willig ‘71R. RIETS Alumni also took a
leadership role in promoting Rabbi Dr. Lamm’s Shiur Klali this
year upon the yahrtzeit of Rav Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor zt’l,
dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Dr. Samuel Belkin zt’l. After
the Rosh Hayeshiva’s Shiur Klali, RIETS Alumni and members
of the RCA were invited for a complimentary lunch where
the assembled heard a shiur by Rabbi Willig addressing, “Recent
Changes to Daylight Savings Time and their Halachic
Implications.”
All of the shiurim and lectures mentioned above can be heard
on www.YUTorah.org. Please contact the Rabbinic Alumni office
for further information. ■
Musmakhim in the Limelight
ZAMRU
L’ELOKIM ZAMEIRU
The Mishna (P’sachim 10:7) records,
“Mazgu lo kos shlishi, m’varech al m’zono;
revi’i, gomer alav et ha’hallel v’omer alav
birkat hashir…” Two opinions emerge in
defining birkat hashir. Rabbi Yehudah
defines it as Yehalelucha Hashem Elokeinu
while Rabbi Yochanan interprets it as
nishmat kol chai. All agree, however, that
an integral component of Pesach is
singing the praises of the Ribbono shel
Olam. On Pesach, families join together
around a festive table and sing familiar
nigunnin to the timeless poetry of the
hagaddah.
In this feature, CHAVRUSA inter-
viewed three RIETS alumni who have
made an everlasting impact on Jewish
music. Although Jewish music can be
traced to the shirat hayam, the melodies of
the leviim, or the stirring lyrics of David
Hamelech’s tehillim, Jewish music today
has experienced an explosion of creativity,
ruchniyut and singing due to certain pio-
neers over forty years ago. Those trailblaz-
ers all saw their compositions as means
for heightening the listener’s yirat shamay-
im; many of the composers were
musmakhim and saw music as their
instrument of harbatzat Torah, and bring-
ing fellow Jews closer to their Creator.
Today with the popularity of mp3
players, we have seen an explosion of dig-
ital music. Millions of CDs are being pro-
duced, many of which are digital facsimi-
les of vinyl records from decades ago. The
Ipods of today’s youth contain the music
of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, Or Chodosh,
the Rabbis’ Sons, the Neginah Orchestra,
Shma Koleinu, Kol Salonika, Pirchei
Agudath Israel and other groups from yes-
teryear. With a new Jewish music CD
being released weekly and people’s obses-
sion with digital recordings, the music of
the golden age of Jewish music is experi-
encing a renaissance.
COMPOSING THE RUACH OF TORAH
RABBI SEYMOUR ROCKOFF
Rabbi Seymour Rockoff was born into
a rabbinic family. His father was a Rav
and Shochet in Shenandoah, PA. He and
his family moved to New York where he
attended Torah Vodaath in Williamsburg
for high school. The whispered word
around the yeshiva implied that the stu-
dents should not transfer to Yeshiva
College and RIETS. Rabbi Rockoff dis-
tinctly recalls that when Rabbi Moshe
Shatzkes (1881 - 1958)— the Lomza
Rav— passed away, Torah Vodaath sent
several busloads of students uptown to his
funeral at Yeshiva. The rabbis at Torah
Vodaath were colleagues and friends with
Rav Shatzkes and wanted to offer this
gadol a proper kavod acharon. “I entered
the Nathan Lamport Auditorium, which
had a cathedral look to it. It seemingly
confirmed what I had heard about YU and
RIETS.” However, when he graduated
high school, he lived in Inwood, just north
of Washington Heights. Despite what he
had heard about Yeshiva, he reasoned that
if his yeshiva sent him there, it could not
have been too bad. He summarily enrolled
in Yeshiva College where he majored in
music. Although there were some courses
in music composition and theory, most of
the major revolved around the liturgy and
nusach. His teachers— Carl Adler, Macy
Nulman and Noach Schall— taught him
much, although he also learned much
from his father who was a very good ba’al
tefillah. He obtained his first High
Holiday cantorial position at the Young
Israel of Bedford Bay when he was only
17 years old.
Upon graduating college, he spent a
year at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh in 1963.
The ruach of KBY, under the direction of
Rav Chaim Goldwicht zt’l, inspired him to
start writing nigunim. He returned to the
United States, enrolled in RIETS and
became the Chazan at Congregation
Ahavas Torah, located at Fort Washington
Avenue and 159th Street.
After receiving semikhah, he joined
the US military chaplaincy and was based
in Munich for three years. “Unfortunately,
there was no minyan for maariv on motzei
Shabbat. While I davened b’yechidut, I
composed tunes to the various pesukim in
Vayiten L’cha. When I returned to the
United States, Yisroel Lamm and Isaac
Hagar of Neginah Orchestra approached
me and we recorded some of my tunes,
shabechi and ufduyei HASHEM y’shuvun,
on Neginah’s second recording.”
Professionally, Rabbi Rockoff served
as a Rav in Long Island City and then a
Chazzan at Shaarei Torah in Pittsburgh,
PA. He functioned as cantor in Long
Branch, NJ and a Rav in Liberty, NY
before moving to Israel to serve as direc-
tor of the Yeshurun Synagogue in
Jerusalem, where he also would daven for
the amud. In 1986, a colleague of his from
the chaplaincy, Rabbi Chaim Shertz ‘69R,
invited him to become the chazzan of his
shul, Kesher Israel, in Harrisburg, PA. He
has been their chazzan for over twenty
years.
Rabbi Rockoff has continued to com-
pose nigunim, with over 50 of his tunes
recorded by artists such as Mordechai
Ben David, Miami Boys Choir, Ruach
Revival, NCSY and Suki and Ding. He
11
also recorded two solo albums: Der
Moilad Vett Zein and L’maan Tzion Lo
Echesheh. L’maan Tzion was subsequently
recorded by the Miami Boys Choir and
his tune Am Yisrael Chai was immortal-
ized by both the Zim brothers and Ruach
Revival.
Rabbi Rockoff ’s sense of humor and
natural ability to entertain provided a dif-
ferent and creative outlet for him. When
attending the annual conventions of the
Cantorial Council of America, he would
share with his colleagues some of his
spoofs, taking traditional American tunes
and changing the lyrics to make them
more Jewish. Marty Davidson, who served
in cantorial posts in Baltimore and
Jerusalem, approached him with an idea
of producing an album with humorous
songs. Rabbi Rockoff appeared on the
first five of Davidson’s eight volumes of
Rechnitzer Rejects, the albums containing
these songs. Rabbi Rockoff wrote and
recorded such tunes as ‘Boro Park’ (sung
to ‘New York, New York’), ‘Cold Chopped
Liver’ (sung to ‘Ol Man River’), ‘Searching
Through the Night’ (sung to ‘Strangers in
the Night’) and ‘Learning How to Layn’
(sung to ‘Singing in the Rain’).
Rabbi Rockoff takes his cantorial posi-
tion seriously. Although he is very careful
to follow proper nusach and to avoid repe-
tition, he has found that many of the new-
comers to davening seek more emotion
than propriety. Yet he claims that some-
times certain tunes find their way into
davening in odd ways. He remembers first
12
hearing the now ubiquitous ‘Magen Avot’
sung in most shuls in America Friday
nights, at Kibbutz Yavneh in Israel.
Founded by German Jews, the kibbutz
favored a rare tune to these words by com-
poser Lewis Lewandowski. American stu-
dents such as himself brought this tune
back from Kerem B’Yavneh and now this
tune has become the standard.
“Ultimately,” claims Rabbi Rockoff, “It
is a great thing when music that makes
people who are uncomfortable with a text,
more comfortable— or even enhancing
the text. Music is a great vehicle to make
people who feel distance from a Torah
way of davening come closer.” Rabbi
Rockoff defines Jewish music as, “whatev-
er Jews accept as Jewish music. We can’t
define it; it’s what Jews are singing.”
Today, secular music profoundly impacts
on the arrangements of the current Jewish
music. He pointed out that we must
remember that our traditional tune to
Maoz Tzur finds its source in a Verdi
opera.
When asked how one composes a
Jewish tune, Rabbi Rockoff suggested
that one begins with a pasuk. He then
makes sure to properly annunciate the
verse— strictly adhering to mil’el and
mil’ra accentuations, and then learns
some of the commentaries to that verse.
Then one should compose a tune that
sings the meaning of the words. “The
main goal,” maintains Rabbi Rockoff, “is
to bring people back to the practices of
Yiddishkeit through music.”
RABBI SEYMOUR E. ROCKOFF ‘68R received his
rabbinical and cantorial training at Yeshiva
University, where he received a M.A. in Music.
After serving as a chaplain with the U.S. Army,
Cantor Rockoff served as a Cantor for the famous
Yeshurun Synagogue in Jerusalem. He has a spe-
cial interest in modern Jewish music and has
delighted audiences around the world with his
recordings. Cantor Rockoff’s style of blending tra-
ditional and modern Jewish melodies has made
services at Kesher Israel a beautiful and joyous
experience.
RABBIS’ SONS: RABBINIC FATHERS
RABBI ITZY WEINBERGER
Who cannot belt out Dveykus’ cele-
brated rendition of “Hinei Kel Yishuati?”
The version has highlighted thousands of
NCSY havdallah programs for forty years
and continues to be closely identified
with the post-Shabbat ritual. In the mid-
dle of the song, one hears a powerful can-
torial bridge, featuring a solo baritone
voice, familiar to anyone lettered in
Chassidic music. “Ush’avtem mayim b’sas-
son mimaynei hayeshuah…” That recog-
nizable, resilient and resonant voice
belongs to Rabbi Itzy Weinberger.
A major part of the history of
Chassidic music in America began in the
dormitories of the Rabbi Jacob Joseph
Yeshiva where young Itzy Weinberger, son
of Passaic’s Rabbi Shlomo Weinberger,
met fellow classmate Michael Zheutlin.
The two possessed a musical ‘kindred
spirit’ with Zheutlin’s high tenor compli-
menting Weinberger’s baritone. They sang
the nigunim of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach
and the Chassidic classics. During
Morasha’s second summer of existence,
Rabbi Weinberger met Rabbi Label
Sharfman ‘79R, son of Flatbush’s Rabbi
Solomon Sharfman, whose gentle sweet
alto voice also loved to sing the classics.
The three enrolled at Yeshiva College and
practiced their trademark harmonies on
the seventh floor of ‘Morg.’ In November
1966 the trio won a college-wide talent
show in the Nathan Lamport Auditorium,
singing the tunes of Rabbi Shlomo
Carlebach and contemporary folk songs.
Two weeks after the competition, the trio
received a reel-to-reel recording of a
young yeshiva bachur’s original composi-
tions. The young man who sat in the audi-
ence during the talent show was none
other than Baruch Chait. “Take these
songs and apply to them the same koach
that you demonstrated at the talent show”
was Chait’s message to the trio. “We
thought he was out of his mind! No one
cut records in those days,” reflected Rabbi
Weinberger. “We dispatched a tape of our
arrangements back to Chait. He traveled
up to YU from Yeshivat Chofetz Chaim in
Queens to review the songs and the rest is
history.” Our group did not have a name;
Rabbi Chait suggested, “The Rabbis’
Sons,” since all, except for Zheutlin, were
the children of rabbonim. They applied
‘rubo k’kulo’ and the name stuck.
In March of 1967, they hired some
musicians and recorded and mastered
their first album, “Hallelu.” A few people
heard the album before it was released
and news spread of their new sound.
While they were all in Camp Morasha
that summer, they were shocked to
receive an invitation to perform at the
“Salute to Israel— Rheingold Music
Festival” held on Central Park on July 2,
1967, the giant New York rally celebrating
Israel’s victory in the Six Day War.
Although their album had not yet been
released, they were invited to sing at such
a historic and important gathering. That
was the beginning of the Rabbis’ Sons.
Once the album was released, the
group performed all over the country,
while still focusing on their studies at YU.
Often they would return late Saturday
night to New York, so as not to miss
Sunday morning shiur. Rabbi Weinberger
recalls a conversation with Rabbi Norman
Lamm ‘51R while both were in Morasha
one summer. “Rabbi Lamm asked me to
record the traditional tune to ‘Ydid Nefesh’
and other classics so that people would
become familiar with these nigunim sung
at heimishe Shabbos tables. He encour-
aged me to continue with my important
musical calling,” reflected Rabbi
Weinberg. YU’s public relations machine
helped the group as well, as they were fea-
tured on the cover of the New York Times
Sunday Art section and were interviewed
on a local television show, which featured
footage of the group learning in the YU
Beit Midrash.
Most of the RIETS rebbeim
embraced our music. “I will never forget,”
recalls Rabbi Weinberger, “when the Rosh
Yeshiva of Yeshivat Shaalvim told me that
the tune to our version of ‘mi ha’ish
hechafetz chaim’ had to have been written
with ruach hakodesh. We seized upon the
opportunity to expose the world to Jewish
music as an instrument of chizuk and
hisorerus. Perhaps most satisfying to me
was the knowledge that Jews living behind
the Iron curtain sang our songs!” Other
Roshei Yeshiva were not sure how to
respond to the new musical phenomenon.
“Some rebbeim looked askance because
they simply could not understand where
we were going with our music,” comment-
ed Rabbi Weinberger. “Remember, we had
no roadmap to follow; we were the pio-
neers of Jewish music at that time. Some
of our rebbeim were concerned that we
should not behave like the secular musi-
cians and should reflect well on our com-
munity, considering musicians were not
always the best role models in those days.
Some rebbeim worried that our exposure
to college campuses around the country
not cause us to ‘go off the derech’ which
was so common at that time.”
The years 1966 through 1970 were
the heyday of the Rabbis’ Sons. They
recorded four albums during that time,
although they titled the fourth ‘The
Rabbis Sing,’ since the majority of the
group had received semikhah by that time.
Eventually Rabbi Chait and Rabbi
Sharfman moved to Israel and both
founded prominent Torah institutions.
The Rabbis’ Sons reunited in November
1991 for a sold-out concert at Carnegie
Hall to benefit Shorashim, an organization
working with immigrants from the former
Soviet Union. Rabbis Sharfman and Chait
flew in a week before the concert, and the
four spent the entire week practicing
since the quartet had not sung together in
over 20 years. In 1996, the Rabbis’ Sons
released their fifth album, “Kivinu Kol
Hayom.” In 2005 only two of the original
four - Rabbis Weinberger and Chait - per-
formed at the HASC concert in Madison
Square Garden. Rabbi Sharfman rarely
performs publicly and Michael Zheutlin
tragically passed away several years earli-
er, a week after marrying off his last child.
The three remaining members plan on
recording their sixth “Rabbis’ Sons” album
this summer, featuring original music
composed by Rabbi Baruch Chait. While
this 2007 release will not produce vinyl
records but CDs, their sound and contri-
butions to Jewish music will live forever.
Rabbi Weinberger commented that he
recently heard Yaakov Shwekey’s stunning
rendition of ‘in a vinkeleh,’ a song he
recorded on Dveykus II. “Yaakov
Shwekey’s latest album featured a song
from our era arranged by Yisrael Lamm,
who played trumpet for the Rabbis’ Sons.
The more things change, the more they
remain the same.” The thousands of
Rabbis’ Sons fans certainly hope so.
RABBI ITZY WEINBERGER ‘75R, a former child
prodigy, traces his lineage to the Dolliner
Chassidic dynasty. Aside from his recordings as a
founding member of The Rabbis’ sons, Rabbi
Weinberger has performed as guest artist on
many albums, including D’veykus. He sang on an
album entitled ‘Bein Hazmanim’ in 1970 featur-
ing the music of Rabbi Chait and RIETS Rosh
Yeshiva Rabbi Ozer Glickman. He subsequently
recorded with a group named ‘Alumim.’
13
A RABBONUS ON THE BANDSTAND job, Alan paid me what I considered to be has been a strong force promoting and

RABBI ELI KAHN
“The first time I picked up a guitar
was in the MTA dormitory during high
school, where I learned the basic chords,”
recalls Rabbi Eli Kahn. “My father was a
pulpit rabbi who began his career as a
chazzan. He felt strongly that at the time
of bar mitvah, davening for the amud was
a more valuable skill than leining. At my
brother’s bar mitzvah, he davened and I
layned,” recalled Rabbi Kahn. After enter-
a significant sum of money. I was shocked
that I could actually earn a living by
singing; from that time, I tried to sing at
as many smachot as I could.” Several
years later, Alan Freishtat formed the
Neshoma Orchestra, and Rabbi Kahn
became an original member. “I actually
thought of naming the band, ‘Nagila,’ pro-
moting the motto, ‘Have a Nagila
Wedding;’ wiser minds prevailed with the
name Neshoma.”
Many of the original members of
Neshoma attended YU. They began at
engagement parties in Morg Lounge and
performed at the SOY chagigot. “We
developed relationships with the students
and the Roshei Yeshiva. We knew exactly
what music should be played when Reb
Dovid (Lifshitz zt’l) entered the Bais
Midrash or the tunes that Rav Meir
Goldwicht preferred. This knowledge
spilled over at the weddings of the stu-
dents who wanted their Rebbeim’s
favorite nigunim to be played when they
danced with them.”
leading a Carlebach style davening Friday
nights. “Davening l’cha dodi with 400 peo-
ple singing together is an uplifting and
amazing thing. But we have to be careful
that people do not think that singing dav-
ening to Carlebach niggunim gives license
to use secular tunes to the davening as
well” warned Rabbi Kahn.
“If I didn’t have music, I don’t know
how I would live. It’s hard to be motivated
to do the same thing over and over. When
I associate a song to the lyrics of davening,
it enhances my kavana and helps my dav-
ening soar. I’m very grateful that I have
this ability to connect the davening to
music.” ■
RABBI ELI KAHN ‘83R has been a bandleader
with Neshoma Orchestras since its inception. His
recording credits include the popular Neshoma
Orchestra children’s album series “Let’s Sing...,”
“Neshoma @Your Simcha,” “Kol Haneshoma,”
and many other albums. Rabbi Kahn lives in
West Hempstead where he serves as Gabbai,
teaches Bar mitzvah lessons and teaches music
at HANC.
Chomer L’Drush
continued from page 5
“
PEOPLE ASKED WHAT MY FATHER’S MOTIVATION WAS REGARDING SOVIET JEWRY. Did we have
any relatives in the USSR? I answered that, “We have no one who was left in the Soviet
Union. My parents on both sides were already in America.” How did my father get involved? As
with everything in life, hashgacha pratit assumed a primary role.
In 1965, my father was the president of the RCA. At that time the Soviets invited a rabbinic
delegation from the RCA to their country, to show that the rumors of their mistreatment of the
Jews were untrue. A delegation of rabbis went, including Rabbi Poupko of Pittsburgh, who spoke
Russian from his youth, and served as the translator. The delegation was taken to various places
of Jewish interest. On Shabbat— which was Shabbat m’varchim— the delegation was housed in
Moscow and was invited to the Great Synagogue. Rabbi Levin zt’l was the Rabbi at that time,
Excerpted from and invited my father to speak. The KGB permitted my father to speak about anything he want-
Rabbi Dovid Miller’s ed, so long as he did not mention Israel or the Jewish religion (chuckle). What can one say under
shiur to RIETS those circumstances?
Rabbinic Alumni in My father ascended the pulpit and proclaimed that since it was Shabbat m’varchim, he sim-
Israel on February 5, ply wanted to repeat part of the liturgy. He opened the siddur and recited the following to the
2007. packed audience: mi she’asa nisim la’avoteinu v’ga’al otam me’avdut l’cherut hu yigal otanu b’karov
vi’kabetz nidacheinu me’arba kanfot haaretz, chaveirim kol yisrael v’nomar amen.
The KGB officers in the audience were furious but there was nothing they could do; he merely read a prayer. Of course
there was not a dry eye in the house. Right after the talk, when the Sefer Torah was being returned to the Aron Kodesh, my
father followed the Sefer Torah around the shul. One by one the Jews whispered to him, fargest uns nisht— do not forget us!
This is why he became involved with Soviet Jewry; because it was the right thing to do, because there was a sense of arvut.
His motivation for involving himself with the Claims Conference was the same. We did not have any family who perished in
the Holocaust. It was the calling of tzorchei tzibur b’emunah.
”

ing Yeshiva College, Rabbi Kahn took

some lessons at the Cantorial Training
Institute (CTI) with Cantors Nulman,
Beer and Schall. CTI eventually became
the Belz School for Jewish Music.
Rabbi Kahn broke into the Jewish
music business during his junior year at
Yeshiva College, studying at Beit Midrash
l’Torah (BMT) in Israel. Michlala, whose
building was next door to that of BMT,
became a hotel over Pesach. “Alan
Freishtat, who had already broken into
the Jewish music business with Neginah
and Ruach, was a student with me at
BMT that year. He was hired to provide
entertainment for the hotel guests at
Michlala, and called me to sing with his
band. I caught the bug from that moment.
Upon my return to YU, Alan called me
when Harold Fruchter, Ruach’s lead
singer, got sick right before the Queens
College Chanukah Chagigah. After the
achieve complete freedom through agreeing to be servants again,
this time to Hashem. Since this commandment symbolizes the
Although he worked for the YU sacrifice of the Jewish people, it is incumbent upon every Jew to
Admissions office and served as the Rabbi sacrifice in order to fulfill this mitzvah. Even a poor person, who
of the Castle Hill Jewish Center, music need not beg to fulfill his/her obligation in regard to the Korban
has been Rabbi Kahn’s primary parnassah. Pesach, consumption of matza, purchasing of a lulav, mezuza, or
In a certain sense, however, Rabbi Kahn’s tefillin, must ask for communal funds to fulfill his/her obligation
rabbonus is his music. He jokingly regarding the drinking of the fours cups of wine at the seder.
remembers a class that Rabbi Haskel
Lookstein ‘58R taught in homiletics There is one other situationi in which halakha dictates that there
where he instructed the students not to is no financial limit in one’s responsibility to fulfill a positive com-
sing the sheva brachos under the chupah mandment. This situation is the commandment of kindling the
when they were called up as a rabbi. He Chanukah lights. The same reason found in regard to daled kosot,
noted, however, that the exception to the applies to this commandment. The Chanukah lights represent
latter rule was himself and “Eli Kahn.” the redemption which occurred through the sacrifice of the
Rabbi Kahn teaches music at the Hebrew Hasmoneans and their followers, as is stated in the particular
Academy of Nassau County (HANC), tefillot for Chanukah. Perhaps this is an aspect of the Pir-sumei
where in addition to teaching the tunes, Nisah mentioned regarding Chanukah in the Talmud (Shabbat
he tries to impart the power of the lyrics 23b).
and their morals as well. In the Young
Israel of West Hempstead, Rabbi Kahn …These lights we kindle to proclaim the marvelous victories
… and the battles which You performed for our forefathers in
those days accomplished through your holy priests …
(haneirot halalu)
…You [Hashem] enabled the strong to be delivered into the
hands of the weak (Hasmoneans), many into the hand of the
few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the
hands of the righteous, and tyrants into the hand of devotees
to Torah…And afterwards your children [continued their
efforts] came to the sanctuary of Your house, cleared Your holy
place, purified Your Temple …. (al ha’nisim)
As we prepare for Pesach, let us all pray that next year we will
drink the fifth cup of redemption, v’heiveite. We live in times in
which we see the geulah, with all of its challenges, unfolding
before us. However, like the first four cups of redemption, it is up
to us to seize the moment. ■
END NOTES
i There is actually one other commandment: the mitzvah of the half shekel.
Each Jewish man needed to donate a half shekel no matter what his financial
state was. This was due to the practical fact that without such a requirement
an appropriate census of the Jewish men would not have been accomplished.

14 15
continued from page 1

Talmud. But it was his mother, Pesha
(Feinstein) Soloveitchik, who provided
Yosef Dov with his religious passion, as
well as an appreciation for the knowledge
of the secular world. The film followed
the Rav to Berlin, Brookline, Washington
Heights, Boston’s Maimonides Day
School which he and His Rebbetzin
founded, Yeshiva University, the RCA,
Mizrachi and delivering the first Talmud
class at Stern College.
The film attempted to describe the
intellectually challenging experience of
the Rav’s shiur. The intellectual expedi-
tion allowed the chasm in the generations
between the Tanaim and Amoraim,
Rambam, Baalei hatosafot, Rav Hayim,
the Rav and his students to be bridged
during the rigorous moments of shiur.
Rabbi Hershel Schachter was barely able
to contain himself when describing his
rebbe’s shiur, said, “When the Rav gave
shiur it was like angels were descending
from heaven. It came together like a sym-
phony orchestra.”
The film included interviews with
Katz Kollel; and Rabbi Mayer Twersky
’85R, Leib Merkin Distinguished
Professorial Chair in Talmud and Jewish
Philosophy at RIETS, held by his grandfa-
ther, The Rav, before him.
All of the panelists described the Rav’s
loneliness as spiritual and theological.
Rabbi Twersky noted that the Rav,
“Throughout his life, enjoyed fulfilling
and meaningful relationships with family,
friends and students. The Rav’s loneliness
was not psychological or social; it was the
Rav’s description of the faith experience, a
philosophical category of ‘meh chayeinu’”
Rabbi Genack added that the Brisker
stress on the ‘what’ and not the ‘why’ and
God’s complete omniscience added to his
theological loneliness. Rabbi Schachter
observed that the majority of the images
of the Rav in the movie featured him smil-
ing. “He was known to crack jokes in class
and during public lectures. He was a very
friendly and leibedig person.”
Rabbi Brander asked Rabbi Schachter
to describe the Rav’s approach to psak
halacha in light of the fact that so many
Genack compared the Rav to the Ramban
in this regard. On the one hand, he was
creative and original; while on the other
hand, he was deeply conservative, viewing
his role as defending the ancient tradi-
tions. “The Rav taught us that every single
volume the Ramban wrote was to preserve
the ancient traditions. He wrote his com-
mentary on Chumash to counter the Ibn
Ezra go back to the quote and check this
out; Sefer Hamitzvos was penned to
defend the B’hag and the Milchamos func-
tioned to preserve the tradition of the Rif.”
In responding to a question regarding
women’s role in Torah education and
Jewish life, Rabbi Twersky noted that the
Rav decried the assimilation of women in
Eastern Europe— and that of the United
States— and saw intensive chinuch as an
antidote. “It was the same prescription as
when the Chofetz Chaim and the Imrei
Emes lent their support to the Bais Yaakov
movement, although the Rav’s prescrip-
tion was a stronger one. The Rav’s
prescription bore no relationship to any
feminist agenda; it was simply a question
Rabbi Twersky responded that Rav Chaim
Volozhiner wrote in his commentary to
Pirkei Avot that each link in the chain of
the masorah was characterized by a
unique sense of humility. Moshe received
the Torah from God because he was the
most humble. “When I grew up, I just
knew that my grandfather traveled to New
York for a few days a week and most
grandfathers did not. There was nothing
about his conduct that made you think
that he was different. There were no trap-
pings of greatness, or royalty around him.
He was very warm, caring and involved. At
the end of the day, the Rav was a giant in
Torah, who could have been a towering
presence in the generations of the Rama,
the Shach or Rebbe Akiva Eiger. People
know that this was a man who knew all
chochma in the world. By the force of his
teachings, he was a testament to the eter-
nity of Torah; that the latter should be
studied in any time and any place. That
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR RIETS ALUMNI
should be his legacy.”
Rabbi Genack cited the fact that in
the 1950s, many sociologists wrote off
Orthodox Judaism. Part of the reason
Orthodoxy thrived was because of the Rav
and the positions he assumed, regarding
the synagogue and Jewish education. “The
Rav wasn’t just a theologian and philoso-
pher; he was the greatest theologian and
philosopher. He wasn’t just a great
Talmid Chacham; he was the greatest
Talmid Chacham; he wasn’t just an elo-
quent speaker, he was the most eloquent
speaker.”
Rabbi Schachter said that primarily, he
saw his Rebbe as ”a big Talmid Chacham.
The Rav was proud of the YU alumni who
were professionals and also Talmidei
Chachamim, “who knew how to ‘talk in
learning, who know k’tzos and Nesivos.”
Rabbi Zevulun Charlop ’54R, Max and
Marion Grill Dean of RIETS, closed the
evening with poignant and emotional
remarks (see page 3).
“The goal of the night, according to
Rabbi Brander, “was to be able the share
the personality and greatness of the Rav
with many of our students that did not
know the Rav and to remind many of us
who did about his greatness and need for
his vision to continue to calibrate our
souls and the gestalt of the Jewish
community. The conversation which I
hope all who were not there, will listen to,
(please see www.YUTorah.org.) was a true
celebration of the Rav and will serve as a
medium through which some of his closet
students shared their most profound
perspectives.” ■

many RIETS Rabbinic alumni and
YU/RIETS faculty including: Rabbi Yosef
Adler ’76R; Rabbi Saul Berman ’62R;
Rabbi Abba Bronspiegel ’61R; Rabbi
Shalom Carmy ’84R; Rabbi Marc Gopin
’73R; Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm ’51R;
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Lichtenstein ’59R; Rabbi
Dr. Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff; Rabbi Dr.
Jacob J. Schacter; Rabbi Hershel
Schachter ’67R; Rabbi Fabian
Schonfeld ’52R; Rabbi Abraham
Shonfeld ’44R; Rabbi Dr. Chaim
Waxman ’66R and Rabbi Dr. Maurice
Wohlgelernter ’44R.
After the viewing of the movie, four of
the Rav’s students were involved in a con-
versation. Rabbi Kenneth Brander ‘86R
moderated a panel discussion with three
of the Rav’s disciples, all of whom serve as
Roshei Yeshiva in RIETS: Rabbi
Menachem Genack ‘73R, CEO of OU
Kosher, Rav of Shomrei Emunah
Congregation in Englewood, NJ; Rabbi
Hershel Schachter, Nathan and Vivian
Fink Distinguished Professor of Talmud
and Rosh Kollel of the Marcos and Adina
people report different responses to the
same questions. Rabbi Schachter con-
firmed that the Rav answered individuals
based upon their unique circumstances.
“The Rav told us in shiur that ‘eid echad
ne’eman b’isurin’ only applies to the facts
of the case, not the psak that is given.
Therefore, you can not rely on any psak of
mine that you hear from others.” The Rav
was very clear about his p’sakim and
explained them in yeshiva, claimed Rabbi
Schachter.
Rabbi Brander noted that the Rav’s
essay Halachic Man was written about
Rav Hayim the man of Brisk. However the
language used could have only been writ-
ten by a man from the University of
Berlin. Rabbi Twersky responded that
“Everything the Rav studied and experi-
enced co-existed harmoniously within
him… He felt no apologetic need to rec-
oncile that which was perceived to be
inconsistent or incompatible. There was
no tension because the Rav did not have
any dual loyalty, but chochmah had to be
filtered through the lens of Torah.” Rabbi
of transmitting the masorah,” argued Rav
Twersky. The Rav felt that a stronger pre-
scription was needed since women’s edu-
cation had evolved into a highly sophisti-
cated one.
The Rav had close mutual relation-
ships with the other g’dolim in America.
Rabbi Shneur Kotler asked the Rav’s
advice as to which writings of his late
father he should publish. Rabbi Genack
recalled that when the Rav traveled to
Lakewood upon the passing of Rabbi
Shneur Kotler, he comforted Rabbi
Malkiel Kotler by saying, “I was your
grandfather’s friend, I was your father’s
friend, now I am your friend.” Yet he was
also independent of other g’dolim,
whether regarding university education or
women’s chinuch, but it never fractured
the relationships he had with them. Rabbi
Schachter told the audience how Rav
Yaakov Kaminetzky joyously told people
throughout his life how the Rav approved
an approach he had to a certain Rambam.
Rabbi Brander asked Rabbi Twersky
what the Rav was like as a grandfather.
▲
There are several new The Resource and Research Center provides individual assistance in
researching issues of Jewish law and thought. Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman,
and personalized Director of Rabbinic Research, will respond to inquiries concerning the
above fields to assist you in preparing shiurim or researching halachic
free services issues of interest and importance to you. This service is part of our Legacy
that we now offer Heritage Fund Rabbinic Enrichment Initiative, generously sponsored by
the Legacy Heritage Fund Limited. Rabbi Feldman can be reached at:
to Rabbinic Alumni. RabbinicResource@yu.edu.
Do you have a shayla you would like addressed to one of the RIETS
Roshei Yeshiva? If you e-mail RabbinicConsult@yu.edu, your shayla will be
delivered in a timely fashion to be answered by one of our Roshei Yeshiva.
A response will be provided within one week. A Shayla can be kept anony-
mous and will never be discussed with anyone but the Roshei Yeshiva to
whom the question is posed.
More and more people are raving about www.YUTORAH.org, the Marcos
and Adina Katz YU Torah Online. Search through thousands of written,
audio, and video shiurim from the RIETS Roshei Yeshiva and faculty of the
past 100 years.

16 17
From the Editor Life Cycle
Dear Chaver, BOOKS
Rabbi Eugene Kwalwasser ‘69R
has authored a book on aveilus
We are proud to present to you this third edition of CHAVRUSA this year. Thanks to the support and encouragement of Rabbi
titled Beyond the Tears: Helping
Kenneth Brander and Alan Brava of the CJF, we have upgraded our look, moving to a higher quality paper and a full color magazine. Jewish Kids Cope with Death.
For more details go to:
www.rabbis.org/pdfs/Kwalwasser_bo
Between Pesach and next Elul, when, im Yirzeh HASHEM, we will publish our next edition, we will be covering several stories for
ok_bulk_order_form.doc and
you. On Sunday March 18th our own Rabbi Hyman ‘56R and Ann Arbesfeld will dedicate The Abraham Arbesfeld Kollel Yom
www.rabbis.org/pdfs/Kwalwasser_bo
Rishon Program and the Millie Arbesfeld Midreshet Yom Rishon Program, projects of the Center for the Jewish Future –
ok_flyer.doc.
Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh ‘97R, who contributed to this edition with an erudite and relevant
Rabbi Avraham Peretz [Cary]
shiur on bedikas chametz, will be officially invested as the occupant of the Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner Chair in Talmud and
Friedman ’96R has written
Jewish Law at YU’s Jerusalem campus. A special Shabbat will be held at the United Synagogues in Houston Texas, hometown of “Wisdom from the Batcave: How to
Live a Super, Heroic Life” (Compass
the Mitzner family, to celebrate this new chair, April 13-15, 2007. Finally, we hope to bring you highlights of the RIETS dinner, tak-
Books). Go to www.batwisdom.com
ing place Sunday, June 10, 2007 at New York’s Grand Hyatt. for more information.
Please let Rabbinic Alumni know how we can be of service. Please forward information on any of your life cycle events to us by con-
MAZAL TOV
tacting Keren Simon, our Administrator. She can be reached at ksimon@yu.edu or 212.960.5400 ext. 6360. You can also mail infor-
mation to Rabbinic Alumni 500 West 185 St. Suite 413. New York, NY 10033. If you have any issues to discuss regarding Rabbinic Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie ‘90R upon
his appointment as Director of
Alumni, please feel free to contact me or the President and officers of Rabbinic Alumni.
Yeshiva University’s Jacob E. Safra
Institute of Sephardic Studies.
Chag Kasher v’sameyach
Rabbi Hanan ‘84R and Barbara
Balk on the birth of a granddaugh-
Rabbi Elly Krimsky ter, Maytal Batya, to their children
Aryeh and Aviva Needle.
ekrimsky@yu.edu | 212.960.5292
Rabbi Yosef (‘61R, Mashgiach
Ruchani) and Dr. Rivka Blau on
To the Editor the marriage of their son, Rabbi
Yaakov Blau ‘96R to Sara
Silverstein.
Rabbi Reuven ‘03R and Nechama
I am in receipt of the recent issue of Chavrusa (Volume 41, was being built, the shul could rent space in a total storefront. I Brand on the birth of a son, Ilan.
Number 2, December 2006). Yasher Koach on an informative also shared another option they may consider, that they sell the
Rabbi Heshie ‘74R and Rookie
publication. However, I’d like to correct some of the “facts” entire building and buy or rent a new facility. Billet on the birth of a grandson.
detailed in the article on Page 9, about the Young Israel of Rabbi Tanchum ‘01R and Yaffa
Sunnyside, NY. NCYI worked with the shul for months to bring potential buyers Cohen on the birth of a son, Aharon
Yeshaya. Also to grandparents,
to the table, assisted with legal documentation, etc. NCYI
Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel ‘67R
Stephen Weiner, President of Young Israel of Sunnyside, had encouraged the shul to use the funds to hire a rabbi, coordinate
and Shoshana Schachter.
requested of the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) to par- a small kollel, do outreach etc. Thank G-d, they listened to our
RIETS Student Daniel and Anat
ticipate in a membership meeting of the shul. The shul was advice and today, due to the proceeds of the sale of the building,
Coleman on the birth of a son,
struggling. They had no rabbi. They barely made a minyan on the Young Israel of Sunnyside is once again an active organiza- Akiva.
Shabbos, and had no financial resources to do any basic mainte- tion.
RIETS Student David and
nance. They were concerned with their inability to pay the heat- Hadassah Feinberg on the birth of
ing bills during the winter. NCYI did not profit from this sale, whatsoever. On the contrary, a son, Ephraim Moshe.
we exerted countless hours of numerous staff members to assist Rabbi Jonathan ‘91R and Shifra
I personally attended the meeting, where the President request-
the Young Israel of Sunnyside. That is what we do, help shuls. Feldman on the birth of a baby girl,
Noa Shoshana.
ed my help. Having done my research, touring the community
and assessing the needs of the shul, I suggested that they sell the
Sincerely Yours, Rabbi Arie ‘03R and Faigy Folger
on birth of their daughter Aviva
building to a developer and contract a deal that the developer
Zissel.
build for them a shul, social hall, etc… on the main floor of the Rabbi Pesach Lerner
new development with a separate entrance, its own heating and Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Menachem
Executive Vice President, NCYI
‘73R Genack and his wife Sarah
air-conditioning units, etc. While the new multi-floor apartment on the birth of a grandson to their
children Rabbi Kenneth ‘99R and
Shira Schiowitz.
18
Rabbi Sheldon ’71R and Zelda
Goldsmith on the birth of the
grandson Yitzchak Eizik born to
Chaim Tzvi and Shani Goldsmith in
Yerushalayim, and on the Bat mitz-
vah of their granddaughter Esther
Beila, daughter of Bracha and
Jonathan Stefansky in Ramat Beit
Shemesh.
Rabbi Shmuel ‘01R and Shari
Hain on the birth of a son, Netanel
Azaryah. To Grandparents Rabbi
Kenneth '78R and Nancy Hain.
RIETS Student Joseph and Abby
Hirsch on the birth of a son, Dov.
Rabbi Fred ‘42R and Yetta
Hollander on the marriage in
Jerusalem of their granddaughter
Tal Medezinsky to Netanel Avitan.
Rabbi Emanuel ‘50R and Norma
Holzer on the wedding of their
grandson Avromie Holzer to Malka
Bayla Kviat.
RIETS Student Jesse and Tara
Horn on the birth of a daughter,
Eliana Esther.
Rabbi Jonathan ‘02R and Chaya
Krimsky on the birth of a son,
Aryeh Leib.
Rabbi Ira Kronenberg ‘71R, who
was appointed as the new
Chairman of the Military Chaplains
Committee of the RCA, succeeding
Rabbi Jacob Greenberg ‘57R.
Rabbi Elihu ‘56R and Chaya
Marcus upon the birth of their
granddaughter Shachar Breitbard.
Rabbi Binyamin ‘04R and Chaya
Mayefsky on the birth of a son,
Avraham Eliezer
Rabbi Sheldon ‘04R and Dina
Morris on the birth of a son.
Rabbi Etan ‘93R and Shifra Orlian
on the birth of a son, Ephraim
Yehuda.
Rabbi Gary ‘68R and Ann Pollack
on the celebration of the Bar
Mitzvah of their eldest grandson,
Eliezer.
Rabbi Menachem ‘47R and Sara
Raab on the wedding of their grand-
daughter Shira Nina daughter of
Larry and Tikva Yudkowitz to
Benjamin the son of Amy and
Steven Kagedan.
Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Hershel
Reichman, on the engagement of
his daughter Chana to Tani Prero.
Rabbi Daniel Rockoff ‘03R on his Chaim. Also to grandparents, Rabbi
marriage to Ayala Zoltan. Benjamin ‘69R and Shevi Yudin.
Rabbi Yitzchak ‘62R and Judith Rabbi Dr. Erich ’63R and Naomi
Rosenbaum on the birth of a grand- Zauderer on the marriage of their
son, Aharon Dov. granddaughter, Elana, to Gabi
Pinchasov.
RIETS Student Daniel and Shira
Rosenfeld on the birth of a son,
Zerachya Aryeh.
OUR CONDOLENCES
Rabbi Chaim ‘68R and Esther
Sacknovitz of Jerusalem on the
Rabbi Chaim Bronstein, RIETS
Administrator, ‘72R on the passing
birth of two grandsons, Eitan and
of his father Rabbi Leonard
Adir Gilad. Mazal tov also to Adir’s
Bronstein.
parents, Rabbi Akiva ‘98R and
Rachel Sacknovitz.
Mrs. Gloria Groff on the passing
of Rabbi Abner Groff ‘63R.
Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel '67R
and Shoshana Schachter on the Mrs. Devora Brickman on the
birth of a grandson, Shmuel passing of Rabbi Seymour
BenTzion, to their children Yisroel Brickman ‘55R.
and Shoshana Schachter.
The Raich family on the passing
Rabbi Yehuda ‘03R and Lisa of Rabbi Abraham Raich ‘85R in
Septimus on the birth of a son.
Pueblo, CO. Rabbi Raich was 84
and came to RIETS when he was in
Rabbi Chaim ‘56R and Sheila
his 50s.
Shapiro on the marriage of their
grandson Aryeh to Shani Weil Rabbi Dr. Yisrael Levitz ‘63R on
the passing of his mother, Mrs.
Rabbi Robert ‘05R and Aviva Shur
Ethel Levitz Loebenberg.
on the birth of a son, Yitzchak Shai.
Sherri Applbaum on the passing of
Rabbi Yitzchak ‘56R and Fay
her husband, Rabbi Martin Louis
Sladowsky on the arrival of their
great granddaughter, Tova Gittel
Stern, born in Yerushalayim.
Applbaum ‘51R.
Rabbi Meyer Kramer ‘41R and his
son Rabbi Dr. Doniel Kramer ‘73R
Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Zvi ‘91R and
on the loss of wife and mother,
Efrat Sobolofsky on the birth of a
Rose Kramer*.
daughter
(*Inadvertently, the wrong last name
Rabbi Murray Sragow ‘95R upon was mentioned in this listing last
his appointment as Associate CHAVRUSA and we apologize for
Director of Undergraduate the mistake.)
Admissions at Yeshiva University.
Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel
Rabbi Chaim ‘05R and Avital Schachter ‘67R on the passing of
Strauchler on the birth of a daugh- his father Rabbi Melech Schachter
ter, Atara Bayla. ‘37R
Rabbi Brian Thau ’90R on the
bat mitzvah of his daughter Rachel
Leah Hadassah.
Rabbi Moshe ‘51R and Sara Weiss
on the birth of a great granddaugh-
ter to their grandchildren Elisheva
and Eli, and upon the birth of a
great grandson to their grandchil-
dren Ratzon and Beracha.
Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Mordechai
‘71R and Faygie Willig on the
birth of two grandsons.
Rabbi Howard ‘77R and Annette
Wolk on birth of their grandson,
Yaakov Eliezer Olshan
Rabbi Andi ‘02R and Rivka Yudin
on the birth of a son, Yitzchak
19