R’ Yosef Rosen, known as the Rugatchover Gaon, was born into a chassidish family of Chabad Chassidim. His unusual capabilities were noticed at the age of 13, when he was sent to study in Slutzk along with R’ Chaim Soloveitchik (five years his senior), under the Beis Halevi. He subsequently studied under the Maharil Diskin in Shklov.
The story is told of the Rugatchover Gaon (1858–1936), who didn’t allow pictures to be taken of him. He was once asked for permission for a picture to be taken of him, as the argument was made that the picture could inspire future generations. He agreed since the photograph could serve a higher purpose by being a source of inspiration and a means of connecting future generations to their heritage and the profound scholarship of their predecessors.
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Compensated Loss
Yissachar and Zevulun made a pact where Yissachar would study Torah all day while Zevulun would conduct business and split his profits equally with Yissachar. Reciprocally, half of the merits of Yissachar’s Torah study would be transferred to Zevulun.
Now, let us make a fascinating point regarding Yissachars and Zevuluns. A Yissachar receives reward according to his learning. However, Zevulun receives reward even if Yissachar doesn’t learn.
With this we can understand a new explanation in שלום רב לאהבי תורתך ואין למו מכשול, there is abundant peace to the lovers of Your Torah and there is no stumbling block for them.
It can now be understood that the אהבי תורתך, those who love Torah refer to the Zevulun’s who support it. So they have no “stumbling block” as they will receive reward regardless if the Yissachar wastes time. However, the לומדי תורתך, the Torah learners sometimes do have a “stumbling block.” That is, if they waste time that they are supposed to be learning.
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Tefillin During the Holocaust
Even though the Jews during the Holocaust were exempt from tefillin due to the danger, many people still wanted to put them on.
A special effort was made to enable as many Jews as possible to perform this mitzva. This was astonishing given the circumstances in Auschwitz.
In his sefer Alei Meroros, R' Yehoshua Moshe Aronson writes: “Immediately after we wash — while it is still dark out, we are pressed for time before work, the police are rushing around with all sorts of orders, and people are being beaten for absolutely nothing — here and there people stand in long lines, pushing themselves not for bread or coffee but to perform the mitzva of putting on tefillin. One person stands there and makes sure that no one tarries to say some tefilla and one person stands guard to save us from the Gestapo. One just says the first pasuk of Shema and then takes them off and passes them to someone else.”
Years later in one of his speeches, R' Aronson added, “When we put on tefillin, the piece of bread that was meant for an entire day was being distributed in the camp. As a result we fulfilled the pasuk והשלחתי רעב בארץ לא רעב ללחם ולא צמא למים כי אם לשמע את דברי ה', I will send a hunger into the land; not a hunger for bread nor a thirst for water but to hear the words of Hashem.”
Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years and received semichah from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of eight books including the recently released “Unbelievable Insights about Moshiach and the Final Redemption.” His writings, many of which have been translated into Yiddish, Hebrew, German and French, inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. His shiurim can be found on various websites including Kol Halashon’s. Rabbi Alt lives with his wife and family in Kiryat Yearim (where the Aron was for 20 years [Shmuel 1, 7:1,2]) where he studies, lectures, writes and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.
Dvinsk for almost 50 years, where his non-chassidish counterpart was R’ Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, author of the Ohr Someach and the Meshech Chochma. Among those who received semicha (rabbinic ordination) from him was the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, R’ Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Throughout his life, despite not being an official Lubavitcher Chassid, he maintained close connections to Lubavitcher Chassidim and their Rebbes, the Rashab and the Rayatz. After the Rashab's death, he supported the decision to appoint the Rayatz, at age 40, as the new Rebbe. The Rugatchover was a noted scholar of gemara and published a number of his works on gemara and the Rambam. His main work, a commentary on the Rambam, was published during his lifetime, as were five volumes of halachic responsa. The remainder of his surviving writings appeared in the United States and Israel many years after his death, and all are titled Tzafnas Paneach. His manuscripts were smuggled out of Latvia in the form of microphotographs sent via mail to the Safern family in the Bronx at the outbreak of World War Two. This smuggling was done by his successor, Yisrael Alter Safern-Fuchs (1911–1942), who remained in Latvia to complete this task, and his daughter, Rachel Citron, who had come to Dvinsk from Eretz Yisrael to help preserve her father's manuscripts. Both later perished in the Holocaust.
See the Chassam Sofer Al Hatorah, Parshas Emor, p. 56 and the Minchas Yitzchak, 6:100. With this we can grasp a deeper meaning in שמח זבולון בצאתך ויששכר באהליך, rejoice O Zevulun in your excursions and Yissachar in your tents (Devarim 33:18). We can explain it that Zevulun is always happy (שמח זבולון) since he receives reward regardless. However, ויששכר באהליך, Yissachar only receives reward when he is actually learning.
Tehillim 119:165.
Otzar Hayedios, Volume 2.
I am privileged to have had a grandfather, R' Moshe Nosson Alt, who donned tefillin during the Holocaust in the Buchenwald concentration camp where he was for five years and eight months.
237.
Alei Meroros 280.
Amos 8:11.
