Over four years have elapsed since Rabbi Moshe Weinberger was brought back to YU/RIETS to spread Chasidus, sufficent time for students to have entered and graduated YU with him there for their whole tenure. As such, sufficient time has passed to take a hard look at what has occurred there, and on the neo-Chasidic front in general, in the last few years.
Fortunately, we are ב"ה aided in this vital work by reflections (last four paragraphs) shared by veteran RIETS Rosh Yeshiva and YU Chasidic pioneer R. Hershel Reichman, recently published in Kol Hamevaser, The Jewish Thought Magazine of the Yeshiva University Student Body.
Let us focus on a few important, fundamental points.
1) Neo-Chasidus at YU is a revolution, a revolutionary development. That cannot be denied. While some people may have wanted to (and still try to) pretend that bringing in R. Moshe Weinberger with special custom-designed provisions catering to him (special, limited, tailored hours, the new Chasidic title of mashpia, after starting first as mashgiach, etc.) and rolling out a red carpet for him, was just adding another faculty member, and nothing out of the ordinary, that is patently false. Such efforts to obscure the magnitude and significance of the move are diversionary and misleading.
2) The Rav (R. Yoshe Ber Soloveitchik) is old, neo-Chasidus at YU is new and hip. For many years, Modern Orthodoxy and RIETS/YU was dominated by the Rav, R. Yosef Dov Solovitchik z"l, and his Torah. Now, the pendulum has swung in a different direction. While the Rav and his legacy is still a giant presence in the YU/RIETS world, especially among older talmidim and staff, among some younger ones there is a significant shift, led by Rabbi Weinberger and others, away from Brisk, to locales like Medzhibozh, Uman, and Lubavitch.
3) R. Reichman, a devout Chasid himself, expresses disappointment at a decline in high level, intellectual, rigorous talmud Torah concomitant with the rise of neo-Chasidus.
Rabbi Reichman says that many talmidim leave the yeshiva knowing little of the Rav's Torah.
And that is a key in a discussion like this. We need to look at the younger students, the future. What are the trends among the younger students?
The bringing in of R. Weinberger was done under Richard Joel, the first YU President lacking semicha, and not simultaneously Rosh Yeshiva of RIETS. It was also done after the departure of longtime RIETS dean R. Zevulun Charlop. It is not coincidental that such a radical break with RIETS history and tradition took place took place under such a new regime.
With R. Weinberger on an extended trip to Eretz Yisrael (perhaps he is contemplating aliyah?), now seems like a good time for a cheshbon hanefesh, to sit down and assess the results of R. Weinberger's appointment and the YU/RIETS Chasidic revolution, and think about adjustments that may be in order after this extended period of revolutionary experimentation.
Let us hope that any corrections that need to be made are seriously considered, rather than ignored, or kicked down the road.
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Learning Longevity From Litvak Luminaries
Maran Rav Aharon Leib Steinman z"l just passed away, reportedly at the age of 103. Five plus years prior, Maran Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv z"l passed away at a reported age of 102. Approximately a decade prior to that Maran Rav Elazar Menachem Man Schach z"l passed away at a reported 102 (if not greater age) as well.
A group of gedolim, manhigei hador, born in Lita, who lived most of their years in Eretz Yisrael.
Oustanding gedolim with outstanding longevity.
הלא דבר הוא - worthy of note.
What can we glean from their extreme years?
Al pi derech hateva (looking at it from a natural perspective), they lived very healthy (spartan we might even say - pardon the expression :) lifestyles - not smoking, eating little (cf the teaching of Rambam that most sicknesses come from overeating, IIRC), eschewing luxuries, living very modestly. Spiritually, they lived rich, meaningful lives, with a wealth of Torah and mitzvos. Of course, they benefited, especially at the end of their lives, from excellent personalized medical care, as well.
Of course, when considering such things, we should examine Torah sources regarding arichas yamim. A fundamental one is the posuk in Mishlei which tells us that יראת ה' תוסיף ימים ושנות רשעים תקצרנה, yiras Hashem adds days to a person. See the beautiful pshat of the holy Vilna Gaon there.
They are exceptional cases, and longevity is not limited to those with their exact background. Rav Shmuel Wosner, a fellow Bnei-Brak gadol, from a Vienna reportedly lived to 101, as did Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg z"l of Yerushalayim, who differed from the above by virtue of living in America for many years (although he was born in and lived in Europe as well). The Chofetz Chaim, a gadol of an earlier era, when modern medicine and health science was far less advanced, lived well into his 90's. There are non-celebrities of extreme age living quietly in nursing homes, with family, and elsewhere. There are cases of people of other faiths living extremely long as well. However, some, many, or most of them, seem to be relatively sheltered, and not too active. Whereas the gedolim above continued, B"H, to be active in their leadership roles (with vital assistance of course) to their last days, more or less.
In general, there are more people today living longer, b"H. I recall reading or hearing some time ago that more people are over one hundred years of age now than ever before in human history.
Takeaway - Those interested in longevity might contemplate living a lifestyle akin to their's. One needn't run daily for miles.
A freilichen and lichtigen Chanukah.
A group of gedolim, manhigei hador, born in Lita, who lived most of their years in Eretz Yisrael.
Oustanding gedolim with outstanding longevity.
הלא דבר הוא - worthy of note.
What can we glean from their extreme years?
Al pi derech hateva (looking at it from a natural perspective), they lived very healthy (spartan we might even say - pardon the expression :) lifestyles - not smoking, eating little (cf the teaching of Rambam that most sicknesses come from overeating, IIRC), eschewing luxuries, living very modestly. Spiritually, they lived rich, meaningful lives, with a wealth of Torah and mitzvos. Of course, they benefited, especially at the end of their lives, from excellent personalized medical care, as well.
Of course, when considering such things, we should examine Torah sources regarding arichas yamim. A fundamental one is the posuk in Mishlei which tells us that יראת ה' תוסיף ימים ושנות רשעים תקצרנה, yiras Hashem adds days to a person. See the beautiful pshat of the holy Vilna Gaon there.
They are exceptional cases, and longevity is not limited to those with their exact background. Rav Shmuel Wosner, a fellow Bnei-Brak gadol, from a Vienna reportedly lived to 101, as did Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg z"l of Yerushalayim, who differed from the above by virtue of living in America for many years (although he was born in and lived in Europe as well). The Chofetz Chaim, a gadol of an earlier era, when modern medicine and health science was far less advanced, lived well into his 90's. There are non-celebrities of extreme age living quietly in nursing homes, with family, and elsewhere. There are cases of people of other faiths living extremely long as well. However, some, many, or most of them, seem to be relatively sheltered, and not too active. Whereas the gedolim above continued, B"H, to be active in their leadership roles (with vital assistance of course) to their last days, more or less.
In general, there are more people today living longer, b"H. I recall reading or hearing some time ago that more people are over one hundred years of age now than ever before in human history.
Takeaway - Those interested in longevity might contemplate living a lifestyle akin to their's. One needn't run daily for miles.
A freilichen and lichtigen Chanukah.
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