The Igros Moshe
13 Adar 5746
Rav Moshe Feinstein was born in 5666 in the town of Uzda, Russia, to his father, Rav Dovid, who served as Rav of the town. Because he was born on 7 Adar, the day of the birth and passing of Moshe Rabbeinu, he was named Moshe.
As a youth he learned under his father, and when he turned twelve, and his father began to serve as Rav of Starobin, he traveled to learn in Slutzk. In the yeshivah in Slutzk, he learned under Harav Pesach Pruskin, and from the Rosh Yeshivah, Harav Isser Zalman Meltzer. Already then he was known as an illuy who was proficient in Shas and Poskim, and as a tremendous masmid who dedicated all his efforts to Torah. When he was just twenty years old, he returned to Uzda, where he had been born, and was appointed to serve as the Rav there. Later, he moved to serve as Rav in Luban.
In 5697, when the persecution of Russia’s Jews intensified, Rav Moshe emigrated to New York. As soon as he arrived, he began to deliver shiurim in Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim on the East Side of Manhattan, where he taught many talmidim. But he became most renowned for the koach hapsak with which he was gifted. He wrote thousands of responsa on all parts of Torah, which he printed in a series of seforim known as Igros Moshe. His shiurim and chiddushim on all subjects in Torah were printed in his series entitled Dibros Moshe.
Despite being ailing and weak in his final years, he made every effort until his final day to maintain his daily schedule. On the night of 13 Adar II 5746, Ta’anis Esther, he passed away at the age of 91. Tens of thousands of people accompanied him in huge levayos in New York and Yerushalayim, and he was buried in the Chelkas Harabbanim on Har Hamenuchos in Yerushalyim.
Amen to an Unreasonable Brachah
In his final years, Rav Moshe Feinstein attended the bris milah of a great grandson. When one of the speakers gave him a brachah that he should merit to live a long life and attend the wedding of the baby, he answered amen with all his heart. With tears in his eyes, Rav Moshe explained: “Although I am sick and old, and by nature this brachah has no chance of being fulfilled, I answer amen with all my heart. Because we have found (Bereishis 18:15) that Sarah was questioned why she laughed in her heart upon hearing the promise of the angel that she would have a child. The Ramban (ibid) explains that even though Sarah thought that it was a person [giving the news], she was held to task because she should have answered amen to his brachah. So I will not refrain from answering amen fervently, because Mashiach may come any minute.”
Then he added: “From the words of the Ramban we can learn a practical halachah: for example, if a very poor person knocks at the door, and after receiving a donation, he blesses the owner of the house with an unreasonable brachah, if the latter doesn’t answer amen, there may be a kepeidah on him, because there is nothing Hashem cannot do.”
(Kuntress Man Malchei Rabbanan [printed at the beginning of Shu”t Igros Moshe, Vol. XIII] p. 34)
‘Tzaddik Shomer Emunim’
One of Rav Moshe’s talmidim related: One Shabbos, I urged my young son to look upon my rebbi and learn how to daven, and I said to him, “I’ll give you a good prize if you find the Rav missing even one amen during davening.” The child listened to me, and throughout all of davening and Krias HaTorah, he closely followed the Rav. At the end, he came back and said to me, “Abba, next time give me an easier job...” (Darchei Moshe Ki Savo)
Amen After Birchas Kohanim
The Yerushalmi (Brachos 5 4) states: “If a city is entirely made up of Kohanim who are nosei kapayim... who should answer amen after them? The women and children.” The words of the Yerushalmi are ruled as halachah in the Rambam (Tefillah 15 9) and in Shulchan Aruch Harav (128 25). The Igros Moshe proves from this that answering amen after Birchas Kohanim is an obligation from the Torah and can delay the brachah, as we find that answering amen at the brachos and curses of Har Grizim and Har Eival was conditional. Therefore, he wrote that if there isn’t someone to answer amen to Birchas Kohanim, they do not duchan. The Igros Moshe added that someone who is in shul during Birchas Kohanim but does not answer amen to it, even though he was able to “is not included in the brachah,” and therefore, in a manner when all those in the shul do not answer amen, this delays the brachah, because it was said without anyone answering amen after it (Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. II, 31).
One of the talmidim of Rav Moshe who once stood next to him during Birchas Kohanim testified that he was moved when he heard Rav Moshe’s amen, said with great awe and with deep emotion in his voice (Darchei Moshe, Naso)
