Harav Yaakov (Jacob) Joseph, ztz”l, was known as the Rav Hakollel, the Chief Rabbi, of the city of New York, and his fame spread far and wide. Even before he was chosen to serve as the Rav of New York, he was known as a giant in Torah and yiras Shamayim. Already as a bochur, when he learned in Volzohin Yeshivah, the Netziv referred to him as a ‘charif ’ and from then, he was known as Reb Yankele Charif.
As one of the eminent talmidim of the father of the mussar movement, Harav Yisrael of Salant, Rav Yaakov Joseph invested a lot of energy in imbuing the importance of learning mussar. His riveting drashos attracted large crowds, and they were filled with deep mussar thoughts as he had learned from his rebbi.
Rav Yaakov Joseph served as Rav in prominent kehillos in Europe, until he was appointed to serve as the Rav and maggid in Vilna, the largest Torah center of Lithuanian Jewry.
About five years later, there was a turnabout in Rav Yaakov’s life. The parnassim of the fifteen central communities in New York united and sought a Rav who could lead their communities at a time when spiritual decline was spreading. They wanted to bring a notable Torah figure from Europe who would draw the Jews of New York to him and would establish religion on its feet in their city, much in the fashion of other communities throughout the world.
Upon the recommendation of the gedolim of that generation, the Jews of New York reached out to Rav Yaakov Joseph, who, despite his young age, had already become famed as a gaon and a gifted speaker – which was a vital trait for the complex position of leading the new Jewish world in America.
Rav Yaakov Joseph agreed to leave his position in Vilna, and forego his lofty status, to take upon himself this prominent but weighty position. He thought that by doing so he would be able to influence the Jewish community in Greater New York, and to prevent the spiritual decline that was gnawing away at its hundreds of thousands of Jews.
Rav Yaakov Joseph’s acceptance thrilled the Jews of New York. Upon his arrival at the port, he was welcomed royally, as masses came out to greet him and escort him from the port to the beautiful home that had been prepared for him.
At first, he was treated with utmost respect. His drashos draw large crowds, and were even published in the media at that time, to great acclaim. But when he wanted to make necessary changes in religious issues, and to supervise the shechitah and kashrus, which were being managed in a very lax manner and needed extensive reforms, he began to absorb a lot of criticism.
At first, the ones who came out against him were those called “rabbis” but in reality were derisive people who until then had felt like the patrons of all Jewish issues in New York. Now they were afraid for their parnassah and their honor. Later, many laymen joined them, as they wanted to continue their lives as they had been, without the burden of Torah and halachah.
The fire of discord was kindled and spread to huge proportions, until Rav Yaakov Joseph clearly saw that he was not able to effect anything. He closeted himself at home, humiliated, and his physical health declined from day to day. During those bitter times, Rav Yaakov Joseph once burst into weeping and said to those close to him: “Know, that the Bais Halevi of Brisk, aside for being a tremendous gaon in Torah and a tzaddik in all his ways, was also very wise and was able to foresee things. Woe to me that I did not heed the words of this gaon and tzaddik, when he advised me not to go to America and not to take upon myself this position as Rabbi of New York.”
However, it was hard for the people of New York to give up the Rav’s wonderful drashos. They kept urging him to return to giving his speeches, but his health precluded him from doing so.
Then came Shabbos Shuvah. The gabbaim of the central shul of New York came to him and asked the Rav to please delivered a drashah to the community.
To their surprise, the Rav acceded, and the news spread rapidly that this coming Shabbos, the Rav, the gifted orator, would be speaking in the shul. Thousands of people streamed to the shul that Shabbos. Many of them had not seen the Rav for a long time, and were shocked at his appearance. The Rav was carried on a chair up to the stage.
They expected to hear a fiery drashah, but were very surprised when he began to speak in a feeble voice: “The Rambam in Hilchos Teshuvah says...” And then he tried again: “The Rambam in Hilchos Teshuvah says...” He said this a few times and then fell silent.
Rav Yaakov was horrified to discover that he could not remember the Rambam, and he remained sitting on his chair, and then suddenly, as if infused with strength, he burst out in a heart-wrenching wail:
“Rabbosai, I have forgotten what the Rambam says! Even though I was famed as a baki and charif in all parts of Torah, I have forgotten the words of the Rambam that everyone knows.
“Look! Look at how a person ends up! I am a living example for you – take this mussar and do teshuvah while you still can – it is not yet too late! Repent before you get to days when – despite wanting to remember and wanting to do teshuvah – you will not be able to!”
Rav Joseph finished his short words and burst into bitter tears, which swept up with it the masses that had come to hear him. It was said that Rav Yaakov Joseph effected more in that one short Shabbos Shuvah drashah than in his entire tenure as Chief Rabbi of New York.
That same year, on 23 Tammuz 5662, Rav Yaakov Joseph passed away. Tens of thousands of Jews from New York gathered to pay their final respects. He served as the first and last Chief Rabbi of New York, and his memory remained in the hearts of the city’s Jews – and they even established a yeshivah in his name, Rabbi Jacob Josef, RJJ, which exists to this day in New Jersey.
Tenuas Hamussar, Vol. II, Ch. 30
The Shortest Drashah Was the Most Effective
