THE BATTLE FOR "SHALOM" - part 3

In regard to his father’s Savlonus....

The Rebbitzin once noticed that the Rosh Yeshiva was holding the phone and listening, his face a bit red. She sensed something wrong and quickly picked up another phone to listen. Then she ran over to the Rosh Yeshiva and begged him-”please put down the phone!” It seems some M’chutzaf was ziddling the Rosh Yeshiva; berating him angrily and the Rosh Yeshiva just listened. The Rosh Yeshiva did not put down the phone right away; instead, he waited until the man finished, said a polite good by and then hung up. “Ich ken nisht oishalten fun zein savlonus”, complained the Rebbitzin, “I can’t bear to see how the Rosh Yeshiva allows himself to be so mistreated without reacting at all” (something which she complained about more than once). (Reb Shaul Kagan [shlita](zt'l)).

Reb Yaakov Weissberg shlita tells of a trip with the Rosh Yeshiva to Cleveland to raise money for the new Bais Medrash building:

First he went ahead to see if the trip seemed worthwhile. When he returned, the Rosh Yeshiva questioned him strongly about whether his going would in any way harm the fundraising efforts of Telze in Cleveland and whether there would be any resentment whatsoever on the part of Telze to his coming. Rabbi Weissberg responded that there is no problem at all in that regard; on the contrary the Telzer Roshei Yeshiva are expectantly awaiting his arrival. Nevertheless, the prospects of succeeding financially seem poor.

The Rosh Yeshiva was hard pressed for funds and decided to make the trip anyway.

Rav Gifter shlita arranged a meeting with a wealthy Litvisher businessman. He was not at all religious nevertheless he had given large sums of money to Telze in the past and it was hoped that he would do the same for Beth Medrash Govoha.

Well, this was not to be. They arrived at the man’s office and were made to wait quite a while. When they were finally called in and the Rosh Yeshiva explained the purpose of their visit and what they want to accomplish for American Jewry, the man literally launched into an angry tirade. He couldn’t be stopped: “What are you accomplishing for the Jewish people?” “Who needs Benk Kvetchers!” In short he cried the question, or more accurately the complaint - (branded apikorsus in the Gmoro) of “Mai Ahanu Lon Rabbonon” “What do lomdei Torah accomplish for us?"”

The man was furious and didn’t stop his insulting tirade for a good five-ten minutes; all the while, the Rosh Yeshiva sat there calmly. Then the man went on to praise the “work”of Schecter’s Conservative Seminary. Rabbi Weissberg answered him calmly but pointedly, with the Rosh Yeshiva all the while signalling Rabbi Weissberg to remain calm and talk respectfully.

[Interestingly enough, as brought elsewhere, on a different occasion, where a potential donor said to the Rosh Yeshiva that we “Conservatives” are building Yiddishkeit in America, the Rosh Yeshiva responded with full force and fury that on the contrary-you are destroying Yiddishkeit! Obviously the Rosh Yeshiva saw differences between both situations and thus paskened (ruled) differently for each one. It should be noted that everything the Rosh Yeshiva did or did not do was a psak din based on Halocha or Daas Torah proofs that he was capable of bringing from literally anywhere in the vast body of Torah literature - as is apparent in all his writings. For some examples and explanation of the “Daas Torah - Halocha” concept, see for instance Mishnas Rav Aharon maamorim Vol. 3, Simchas Torah talk entitled Aish Dos Lomo.]

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