In 1924, at the laying of the cornerstone of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, R’ Meir Shapiro said, “Our great Rebbes of Chachmei Lublin—the Maharshal, R’ Shalom Shachna, Maharsha, Maharam Lublin...You Gedolei Hador spread Torah here in Lublin before me. It is your light and power that gave me inspiration to establish a Yeshiva that will continue the light of the Torah that you transplanted in Lublin. I invite you to come and be part of our cornerstone laying. I am sure that in your merit and in the merit of your Torah we will be successful.” Then he commented ראשונה קידשה לשעתה וקידשה לעתיד לבואקדושה :
The Kedusha from the great Achronim whose Torah we learn to this day, that Kedusha remains.
Rashi says יציאת צדיק מן המקום עושה רושם, the departure of a Tzadik from a place makes an impression. R’ Menachem Mendel of Kassov remarks that even after the Tzadik leaves, an impression of Kedusha remains, which is recognizable that in that place, a Tzadik was there.
R’ Tzvi Hirsch Chayus known as the Maharatz Chayus (1805-1855) once had the great Tzadik, R’ Zelig Shrintzker, as a guest. After the Friday night davening, R’ Zelig was walking to the house of the Maharatz Chayus when at a certain corner he suddenly rested. He then commented, “It smells like Gan Eden here.” Bemused, the Maharatz Chayus called the elders of the city to find out what occurred at this corner. He was told that it was at this corner where R’ Avraham Gombiner wrote his famous commentary called Magen Avraham (on the Orach Chaim section of Shulchan Aruch).
The reverse is also true. R’ Baruch Mezbitzer was once in a house and wanted to say some words of Torah but was unable to. He then commented that there must have been a Rasha who once lived there. In this way he explained דרוש נוי ואולמי: seek out (דרוש ) who was in this dwelling (נוי) and then you will know why you are an אלם, mute (ואולמי), meaning that you are unable to say words of Torah.
Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of six books including the recently released Dazzling Money Insights. His writings, some 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. He lives with his wife and family in Kiryat Yearim (where the Aron was for 20 years [Shmuel 1, 7:1,2]) where he studies, writes and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.
