December, 2015
…The editor of the paper wished to do an essay on rabbanus. In order to facilitate this mission, he set out to interview four great geonim of the time and ask them, each, what the role of the Rav is…
It is said that when Rav Chaim Volozion would send off a yungerman to a position of rabbanus he would first call him into his office.
Likely assuming that great mysteries of the trade would be shared -treasured advice and collective wisdoms – we could only imagine the mixture of dread and anticipation these young men must have felt as they slowly made their way to meet with their holy rebbe.
However, they were likely surprised when Rav Chaim would open his drawer and hand the young musmach a luach.
A luach?
He would explain that the role of a rav is many things. However, a rav must also keep in mind what balla battim may assume his role to be. While talmidei chachamim may understand that it is not shocking to be well-versed in the laws of choshen mishpat yet at the same time be unsure as to when the minhag of av harachamaim is said Shabbos morning, some in the audience may be shocked at this breech in knowledge.
A rav must have the calendar on the tip of his tongue, explained Rav Chaim; the schedule for davening must be something that the rav never hesitates about, because it is something-rightfully-balla battim take very seriously.
This past week in my shul a number of families had sons who received semicha from Yeshiva University, and over the course of the following Shabbos these families sponsored a kiddush, and, the newly-minted musmachim gave over a number of divrei torah and shiurim.
To introduce the simcha felt among these families, I thought to say over the above story and hand each one a luach.
I am now thankful for the fact that the sefarim store was out of luach; in hindsight it would have been a somewhat anti-climactic message.
But then I remembered a story, a story that I had heard from one of the leaders of their yeshiva, Rav Ahron Soleveitchik.
I called my father to confirm the events, as I was but a child at the time.
Rabbi Soleveitchik’s son-in-law, Rav Refoel Marcus, was a rav in Toronto until his untimely passing, and his father in law would visit from time to time. On occasion my father (and I) would go meet or hear him.
It was at one of these visits that he shared the following story with us.
At the turn of the century there was a non-religious newspaper, I believe named ‘Hatzoar’.
While not religious, no doubt that each of the Hebrew writers grew up in religious homes, and some even spent time learning in yeshivos.
The editor of the paper wished to do an essay on rabbanus. In order to facilitate this mission, he set out to interview four great geonim of the time and ask them, each, what the role of the Rav is.
The first was Rav Refoel Shapiro, son in law of the Netziv, rosh yeshiva of Volozion and father in law of Rav Chaim Soleveitchk.
“What is the job of the Rav” the reporter asked the holy gaon.
As we would hope a rosh yeshiva would respond, Rav Shapiro said that the main goal of a rav is to make sure that the level of Torah and its learning was of the highest caliber.
The reporter then went to Kovno to visit with Rav Yizchak Blazer. Also known as Rav Itzelle M’Petterburger (‘from St. Petersberg’ where he served as rav when he was but 25 years old), he was not just a gaon but also one of the prime disciples of Rav Yisroel Salanter.
His response: A rav must give mussar to his congregants so that they should continually grow.
The reporter then set out to Nevarduk to meet with illustrious posek Rav Epstein, who would go on to author the Aruch Hashulchan.
It should surprise no one that when this important posek was asked by this reporter what the main job of rav was that he responded emphatically: ‘To pasken shailos’.
Now it was time for this reporter to make one last stop. He boarded a train to Brisk to meet with Rav Chaim Soleveitchik.
The reporter must have been beyond curious as to what answer Rav Chaim would give to his question.
After all, it seemed that any of the previous answers would each be suited for his style.
After posing the question, Rav Chaim paused. Always the wisest in any room, Rav Chaim first turned to the reporter and asked, probably half-jokingly: “First tell me what the others responded”.
Rav Chaim carefully listened to the sage advice of those geonim v’tzadikim who were interviewed before him.
He nodded his head in agreement to each. “Yes, yes, to make sure everyone is holding in learning. Avadeh! Ki Heim Chayeinu! Torah must be a high virtue. But the job of a Rav? After all, this is everyone’s responsibilityas well.
“To give mussar? Of course, of course. But, after all, we all have a mitzvah of hochayach tochiyach, not just the Rav, so this can not be the one job unique to to the rav.
“To pasken shailos? No one can deny that this is from the most important jobs a rav has. But this too is not the ikar role of the rav.”
At this point we can imagine the reporter waiting with baited breath to hear what indeed was the main job of a rav in the eyes of Rav Chaim.
Rav Chaim leaned in and said, all that you have heard from the prior geonim is emes l’amito, however if you would like to know the main job of a Rav is, it is this: make sure the almana has food, the yosom has clothing and warmth. Do not go to bed until the poor have been fed and the lonely are made to feel less alone!
And this was the message I gave over to the new musmachim.
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