When the Alter was Niftar, the Novardokers got together and promised to give their lives for fighting for the truth. The Novardoker Bachurim used to go to the small cities to recruit new Bachurim. R’ Yitzchok Shenker Zatzal told how Novardokers came to his city and promised the parents that Novardok was loaded with eggs and butter, with food on end. Just what these starving people wanted!
Seventeen parents sent their boys. They arrived to the Ezras Nashim of a dark and old Bais Medrash. This was the “great Yeshiva”! And zero food, not even bread! They had to pick up the leftovers of the people living there. When one parent found out that Novardok had less food than at home, he brought back his sons, along with thirteen others. Only two stayed, and they were the only ones who remained frum Jews!
Thanks to these “lying” Novardokers and their “nasty” tactics, the famous Steipler Gaon came to Novardok. Look how the history of the Gadol HaDor is based on their lies! There is a similar story told about the Hanahala of Slabodka, who saved R’ Ahron Kotler Zatzal from going off the Derech, by intercepting the letters that his sister sent him. Once on Erev Pesach, the Alter came home to find his wife full of worry. They were very poor, and she didn’t know how they would obtain their needs for Yom Tov.
The Alter said that he doesn’t understand her concern, since in eight days it will be over anyway! If he ever missed a train, he would say: Look how early we are for the next train! Nothing stopped Novardokers. When they crossed the border from Russia to Poland (when the communists took over Russia, they banned learning Torah) they had to swim across lakes, and travel in cold, darkness, and super danger.
The Steipler had a job in the Novardok branch in Pinsk. There was an energetic Novardoker in Eretz Yisroel whose name was R’ Matisyahu Shtigal Zatzal. He was the one who got the Chazon Ish to settle in Bnei Brak. He sent letters to Pinsk, to invite the Steipler to his new Novardok Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. But the Pinsker Novardokers didn’t want to lose their beloved Rosh Yeshiva, so they intercepted many letters... until R’ Matisyahu figured out what was happening, and he sent a special Shali'ach to get the Steipler. Novardokers weren't pushovers!
R’ Shmuel Weintraub had been thrown in jail and suffered tremendously. He was Zoche to survive the war, and he came to Eretz Yisroel. Despite serious health issues, he continued to go all out in building Torah in Eretz Yisroel. You see from his letters how he worried about the irreligious Jews, as if it was his own personal problem. In Novardok, they taught Achrayus for Klal Yisroel.
He was as tough as ever, and he wasn’t afraid to give Mussar to Gedolim when he felt necessary. It sounded like he totally forgot the tremendous Tzaros he had gone through. Nor did his health issues deter him at all. He lived for the Klal. The Alter Zatzal had said that when working for the Klal, you have to be ready to “chew nails”.
R’ Yitzchok Shenker
R’ Matisyahu Shtigal
