By Rabbi Paysach J. Krohn
Rav Yisroel Zev Gustman zt”l was a brilliant Torah giant of the previous generation, so much so that he was appointed by Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski zt”l—the gadol hador in Vilna in the early 1900s—as a dayan (judge) in his early twenties.
But unfortunately, Rav Gustman suffered terrible times in Vilna. He did indeed survive the Holocaust with his wife and daughter, but he was not without his sorrows.
Established the Yeshiva Netzach Yisroel
After Rav Gustman came to America and then later to Israel and established in both countries the yeshiva Netzach Yisrael, the following took place. Every day he would give a shiur (lecture) specifically to students, though each Thursday he gave a shiur which was open to the public. The audience was comprised of an eclectic bunch, including mathematicians, scientists, professors and judges. One of the attendees was a well-known figure, Professor Robert Aumann, a Nobel Prize winner in Economics in 2005. He was very fond of Rav Gustman, and Rav Gustman was equally fond of him as well.
Tragically, in June 1982, Israel was involved in a war with Lebanon. Professor Aumann had a son, Shlomo, who was a lecturer in a yeshiva in Jerusalem. Shlomo himself had a young child, and his wife was expecting their second. During that war, Shlomo was called up to serve in the army and lost his life. He never had the opportunity to see the birth of his second child—a son who was born soon thereafter.
Led His Entire Yeshiva to Attend the Funeral of Shlomo
Of course, it was heartbreaking. Rav Gustman, hearing this news, had his entire yeshiva attend the funeral of Shlomo, who was buried in a cemetery reserved for Israeli soldiers. After the funeral, Rav Gustman headed to the area where other Jewish soldiers were buried and broke down himself in tears. “Every one of them is holy,” he remarked.
Professor Aumann then returned to his home to begin sitting shiva. But within mere hours, Rav Gustman showed up. Noticing this, Professor Aumann asked why Rav Gustman hadn’t yet returned to his students at the yeshiva. He had already made the trip to attend the funeral; wouldn’t it make more sense for him to return to pay a shiva call a different day?
“No,” replied Rav Gustman. “I want to be here. I want to sit next to you.” Rav Gustman then retold a story that had transpired years before.
“When the Germans entered Vilna, they caught me one day holding my son. He was my little boy, named Meir. But, with complete disregard, the Germans grabbed him out of my hands and shot him and killed him right before my eyes.
“We were so hungry and so starving that I needed to take my son’s shoes and barter them for food. But to tell you the truth, I could never eat that food because I knew I had exchanged my child’s shoes for it.
“I must tell you I never had the opportunity to sit shiva for Meir. So, I would like to sit shiva now, here, with you.
“He Died Only Because He was a Jew”
“My son is in the highest places in Heaven right now. He died only because he was a Jew, and he is a kadosh, just as are all other Jews whose lives were snuffed out because they were Jewish.
“But your son died defending Jewish people, and in that sense, he is like a shliach tzibuur (leader of the congregation), and he is on a different level. Your son represented the Jewish nation and protected and defended them with his very life. My son was never able to do that, but your son did. And that makes your son very, very special.”
Professor Aumann looked up at Rav Gustman with tears in his eyes. “Rebbe, I never thought that I could be comforted for the loss of my child. But you comforted me.”
Every single Jewish soldier is a shliach tzibbur because he or she is protecting and defending the Jewish nation. May Hashem, measure for measure, protect them all.
Reprinted from the Parashat Vayetzei edition of the Torahanytime Newsletter compiled and edited by Elan Perchik.
