On the evening after motzei Yom Kippur, two events of
significance were marked at the Chofetz Chaim community in
Johannesburg. The gathering was initially called to celebrate
a siyum Shas of a relative newcomer to gemora
study, but it turned out to be a farewell to the
community's rabbi, Rav A. Yeshaya Pfeuffer.
The Hashgochoh protis of the coincidence of these two
events is amazing as the siyum was a high point of Rav
Pfeuffer's 22 years in South Africa, and a symbol of his
achievements. He has relentlessly pursued the goal of
bringing Yidden with little learning into the world of Torah.
He always encouraged them to learn mishnayos and when
they had studied a number of sedorim, he would start
them in gemora. The significance of this siyum
of one such talmid cannot be overlooked, taking
place on the eve of the departure of the Pfeuffer family.
The mesayeim, Mr. Philip Abelson, started his
drosho by reciting the Alef-Beis by heart,
saying that although he managed to work his way through all
the many pages of gemora, he still found it a struggle
to memorize the order of the letters.
Ten years back he had no knowledge of what a mishna or
a gemora was, yet at the Simchas Torah auction that
year he outbid others in the number of mishnayos he
would commit himself to learn. He carried out his commitment
and over the next few years completed Shas Mishnayos a
number of times. He then embarked some four years ago on the
big voyage into the gemora. With the help of Rav
Pfeuffer, and the ArtScroll and Soncino editions, he was able
to complete the Shas at this celebration.
Adding to the occasion was the siyum by a number of
other community members, who had reached the midpoint of the
Shas Mishnayos or completed one of the Sedorim.
Representing them were Rabbi Gidon Waks, Mr. Israel
Goldberg and Mr. Eugene Sklar.
The gathering was addressed by the av beis din HaRav
Kurtstag, who saw the great achievement of Mr. Abelson and
the other talmidim as an indictment of many who are of
stronger background and yet fail to put such effort into
their Torah studies. He expressed his sadness on behalf of
the Beis Din and the Johannesburg community on seeing a
person like Rav Pfeuffer leaving Johannesburg, and expressed
his good wishes to the family for their future.
HaRav Saltzer of the Adath Yeshurun Community told of his
shock at hearing of the imminent departure of the Pfeuffer
family. He described Rav Pfeuffer as a personal friend and a
friend of the whole community. His sincerity in ahavas
Hatorah affected not only his talmidim and
congregation but even the other rabbonim of the city.
Rav Pfeuffer addressed the gathering and described how
loyalty is a fundamental principle in the Torah. One should
stick to his community, sit in the same place and even when
traveling, stay with the same hosts as on previous occasions.
Such loyalty is most important with regard to parents, and
only for this reason had they decided they must return to
Eretz Yisroel at such short notice. He was emphatic that it
was not in any way caused by a thought that one should leave
South Africa.
He then told how people often do not say thank you's, as they
fear to leave out someone. Even so he asked that he be
forgiven if he missed someone but that he felt the great
importance of specifically thanking people. He then proceeded
through a list of many community members and associates, and
for each mentioned specific aspects of appreciation.
He officially handed over the leadership of the community to
Rabbi Avigdor Blumenau, who many years back was a schoolboy
in his class and who over the years developed into a
talmud chochom, who can ably lead the community.
Rabbi Blumenau spoke and told of his early experience with
Rav Pfeuffer. He recounted how on one occasion Rav Pfeuffer
told him he had no strength to talk to him in English and
promptly switched to Hebrew. Although not understanding too
much, young Avigdor felt that he was transported into the
Torah World of Eretz Yisroel. This he sees as a symbol of Rav
Pfeuffer who, although having spent so many years in South
Africa, made all who associated with him feel that they were
connected to the yeshivas and gedolim of Eretz
Yisroel.
Postscript: Rav Pfeuffer is a great believer in the
important role of the Yated Ne'eman in South Africa.
He encouraged his community to subscribe, at times even
wanting to pay the costs, so that members would be able to
receive a regular copy. He has said that there are students
of his whose lives have been changed from reading the
Yated every week.
