By Daniel Keren
Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser
Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, internationally renowned Maggid Shiur and Rav of Congregation Bais Yitzchok was one of the featured speakers earlier this month at the July 4th Hakhel Yarchei Kallah Event in Flatbush at the Agudath Israel of Madison (Rabbi Yisroel Reisman’s Shul.) The topic of his lecture was “Halachic Perspectives for Our Times. He began with addressing the concept of helping someone you don’t like.”
After October 7th [when Hamas attacked both civilians and military forces in a devastating surprise attack,] Rabbi Goldwasser noted that we found a greater sense of Ahavas Yisroel (love and concern) for fellow Jews. This resulted in Jews throughout the Holy Land and in the Diaspora around the world donating large amounts of money for various causes to help survivors, the families of those whose lives were forever disrupted on October 7th and the brave soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces.
The Bais Yisroel and the Baal HaTanya
Prior to that recent tragedy in Jewish history, we tended to weigh out who we want to help out. The Bais Yisroel [the fifth rebbe of Ger, Rabbi Yisroel Alter, 1895-1977) says that we learn in the Torah that we are obligated to help the donkey of our enemy especially. The Baal HaTanya (Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, 1745-1812) teaches that one should try and do a favor for someone who has harmed you.
The Klausenberger Rebbe (Rabbi Yekusiel Yehuda Halberstam, 1905-1994) came to Eretz Yisroel and he went to an important meeting. He was warned to avoid a particular individual who was frequently saying numerous things to harm Torah interests. However, when he came to the meeting, the Klausenberger Rebbe made a special point of going to that individual and hug him in a demonstration of Ahavas Yisroel.
Rabbi Goldwasser noted that the Maharal (Rabbi Yehudah Loew ben Bezalel, 1526-1609) taught that one should display Ahavas Yisroel to another Jew whether that Yid is a tzaddik (righteous person) or a rasha (wicked individual). You never know the results of such a demonstration of friendship. It might even make the rasha change his ways and come closer to Hashem’s Torah.
Respect for the Opinion of Other Torah Leaders
All too often one tries to insult other Torah leaders. One should never have the attitude that only his rebbe or Torah teacher is the true servant of Hashem. Other Torah leaders should also be respected as agents of Daas Torah, with equally valid opinions of Torah understanding.
Rav Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986) learned from the Gemora Tractace Yuma that our hatred of other Yidden is the primary cause of our current long galus (exile). This is especially true of those who never had a chance to learn Torah. It is, Rabbi Goldwasser said, our obligation to not condemn those Jewish souls, but to try and reach out to them [and explain to them the beauty and truth of the Torah.]
Rav Chaim Kanievsky, 1928-2022, says that he was taught by his uncle, the Chazon Ish, (Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz, 1878-1953) that one should always daven (pray) the nusach (a community’s specific style of prayer) of the shul that he is praying in, even if that nusach is not his. Even if one is serving as the shaliach tzibbur one should daven the silent Shemonah Esrai in the nusach of the shul.
The Tashbaz says that a wife is kigufa, attached to her husband and therefore she should switch to his nusach and also with regards to other minhagim (religious customs). Yet others say that if the husband is willing to be moichel, she can keep some of her families minhagim.
The Opinion of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
A wife had agreed to switch her nusach to that of her husband’s style of davening. But after a year she wanted to revert back to her original nusach. She asked Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, 1910-1995) if she could do so and was told that she could do so if her husband agreed. However, even then she must still officially nullify her vow before three Jews.
Rabbi Goldwasser addressed the question of whether one is obligated to help someone if that would require mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice). Recently in the aftermath of October 7th we have seen countless acts of mesiras nefesh by our fellow Jews in Eretz Yisroel.
The Opinion of the Maharif
We find that the Maharif because of persecution in his homeland in France had to flee to Italy. Jews in Regensburg, Germany were being persecuted. They requested help from their fellow Jews in Nuremberg. But many in Nuremberg thought that the problem in Regensburg wasn’t going to affect them. The Maharif disagreed and declared that the people in Nuremberg can never be sure that such dangers can’t also come to them. Every Jew is obligated to try and help any Jew they come into contact with.
Rabbi Goldwasser pointed out that we as Jews are by ourselves. We can’t depend on others (non-Jews) to help us. We have only ourselves and must do our utmost to help other Jews who are in danger whether physically or financially. The mitzvah of chesed (kindness) to another Jew makes an eternal connection with Hashem.
Reprinted from this week’s edition of The Jewish Connection.
