The following is the story of a Dvar Torah that was said in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, some 68 years ago this Shabbos:
Rav Simcha Schepps was a disciple of the Brisker Rav, a student at the Mirer Yeshiva, and a student in the Yeshiva of Baronovich. He eventually became a Rosh Yeshiva in Yeshivas Torah Vodaath in New York. During the war he made it to Japan with the Mirer Yeshiva and in 1941 was able to come to the United States. Like many who came at that time, his main focus was to try to get other Jews out, particularly those Yeshiva students who were still stranded in Shanghai.
As it happened on Parshas Ki Seitzei 1941 Rav Schepps was in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He asked the gabboim of the two shuls there for permission to make a financial appeal on Shabbos on behalf of the Yeshiva bochrim stranded in Shanghai. The gabboim refused and explained that Succos time they always conducted an appeal for the Federation and they were afraid that an appeal now for the Yeshiva bochrim would negatively impact that appeal.
As it turned out, there was a Bar Mitzvah in one of the two shuls that Shabbos with a big Kiddush. Rav Schepps asked permission from the father of the Bar Mitzvah bochur to speak at the Kiddush and was given permission to do so.
At the Kiddush, Rav Schepps asked the following question: The Torah states that we are not allowed to marry an Ammonite or a Moavite because they did not greet us with bread and water when we were on the road after leaving Egypt. However, when countries are at war, we understand that there will be an embargo. We all understand, he said, that there is currently no trade between the United States and Japan because we are at war. What then, is the Torah’s complaint against the Ammonites and Moavites for not providing the Jews with food and drink – there was an embargo! No commerce was taking place. The government did not allow any trade to go on between countries at war!
The answer is that during war one does not trade between countries, but refugees – stateless people who do not belong to any country – are different! Governments are not at war with refugees, they are at war with countries! Therefore, the Torah is upset at the Ammonites and Moavites for ignoring the needs of the stateless refugees! That should have had nothing to do with politics or the protocols of states. It is downright wickedness and cruelty for which there is no room in the Jewish nation.
At this point Rav Schepps said, “My friends, there are refugees in Japan without country, without family, without food, without anything! If you do not give them money, the Torah will record about the people of McKeesport that they are like Ammonites and Moavites who refused to contribute to stateless people. Do you want that to happen?”
At which point the response was “G-d forbid!” An appeal was made and they raised money which allowed them to bring over 3 extra young men from Japan.
Most boys do not remember what the Rav said at their Bar Mitzvah, but I’m sure that this Bar Mitzvah boy remembered what Rav Schepps said at his Bar Mitzvah for his entire life!
