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Looking at Elul in The Kovno Beis Mussar
There was a Beis Mussar in Kovno, founded by HaRav Yisroel Salanter. One member of his family, R' Dovid Lipkin, called by many 'the Porush' or 'ascetic,' used to spend many hours there. Many Jews used to come to this place on the Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh Elul and after the prayers, R' Dovid would gather some of these mispallelim, myself included, and say:
"Are you aware of how HaRav Yisroel used to call the devotions and prayers of the month of Elul?
"I read an article on Elul," are the opening words of the Mashgiach, HaRav Binyomin Finkel, "which was written by a distinguished Jew. I was very upset by his words. He relates to the famous words of HaRav Yisroel Salanter: 'In the past, when I knew that anyone. upon hearing the announcement of the coming of Elul, each according to his particular level, was seized with fear and trembling.' That trembling, he maintains, was only a thing of the past, when times were so difficult and full of suffering. Today, this does not apply. Rather, we must focus on proximity to Hashem."
"I fail to understand: during the period of HaRav Salanter, a feeling of closeness to Hashem was very palpable. Would that we, too, could experience something of the kind in this generation as well. Furthermore, are these times any less difficult? Have we not experienced a year full of suffering and tragedies, may Hashem forfend?
"The writer of the article yet argues that we do not see a relationship to the 'trembling' of Elul in Chazal. It was only HaRav Salanter who introduced this idea, he argues.
The American president is living in an imaginary bubble which he has created for himself, being totally detached from everything taking place around him. He sees only what he wishes to see and ignores what everyone else around him sees.
In his mind, he believes that he has vanquished Iran, totally demolished its army, destroyed all of its leaders, leaving for him only the declaration that the Hormoz Strait is American territory, and thus, to bring an end to the blockade on this energy passageway central to the entire world. Everyone around him is clapping their hands enthusiastically, while the media are criticizing and censuring him, but his does not exist, as far as he is concerned. Whoever even attempts to disagree with him needs to find himself another job. This is how this person lives, focused solely upon himself, his thoughts, his imaginations and fancies, far removed from reality.
Sixty days ago, he signed upon a memo of interest with Iran, when during the ensuing period the two sides were meant to formulate a final agreement regarding the end of the hostilities. Trump strutted about like a proud peacock, as if he had succeeded in bringing an end to the war. Here and there, he fired threats against Iran, while truly believing that the enemy had waved the white flag, surrendering to all of the American demands. He simply does not recognize reality and has no idea with whom he is dealing, while the Iranians treat the sixty day interim which they desperately needed like air to breathe to buy time for the coming melee.
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This essay was originally published thirty years ago.
Part 1
Reb Yeruchom Levovitz, the famed mashgiach of Yeshivas Mir in Europe whose ninetieth yahrtzeit was this year, was a deep and original thinker. One of his themes was that da'as should reign supreme over man. Another of his main themes was that it is essential that one feels obligated to do mitzvos and not just that he does them because he likes to do them.
In these two articles, in honor of Elul and in connection with the yahrtzeit, we will dwell upon some of Reb Yeruchom's insights into man's specific kochos hanefesh. Reb Yeruchom dedicated his life to perfecting himself as well as others and he certainly became an expert in this field. One ability that is specifically given to Klal Yisroel is the koach of tefillah which we will discuss first.
Necessity of Tefillah
Rashi says in Bereishis (2,5) that even though plant life was created on the third day, not a blade of grass appeared above ground until the sixth day. Creation of plant life on the third day meant that grass existed — but only inside the ground. It was only after man was created on the sixth day and he davened to Hashem for plants that plant life actually appeared. Thus, it was necessary for Adam to daven before plants could appear.
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Outstanding Articles From Our Archives
Opinion & Comment
The Four Amos of Halocho
by HaRav Aviezer Piltz
The following hesped for Shmuel Yoel Greenhaus zt'l, a yeshiva student recently killed in a car accident near Kiryat Sefer, was given at the end of the shiva. This presentation is based on the notes of one of the listeners. It is an inspiring his'orerus for Elul and the new zman.
In the first part, HaRav Piltz explained that in contemplating even the short life of such a ben aliya we have to realize that what he was doing, the life he lived in the four amos of halacha toiling in Torah and elevating himself -- that is the purpose of the world today. That life is what Hashem wants. Someone who lives like that should not say, "What will I do in the end?" but should realize that his life is the ultimate desire of Hashem today.
Part II: Toras Chessed -- Chessed of Torah
There is another point interwoven with this. The pillar of chessed is an additional pillar that we have, and it too receives its spiritual power from the pillar of Torah.
Chessed itself has several levels. One person does a chessed with some material detail for another person who needs that detail. Surely this attribute of chessed is valueless and limitless. A person attracts immense rachamim when he does a chessed for another person.
There is, however, a much deeper chessed. When a person does a chessed for another person's spiritual possessions, when a person helps another in Torah, when he helps him elevate himself, that is the utmost chessed. This is a Toras Chessed -- a chessed of Torah.
Perhaps this is something that might be forgotten when we hear about other chassodim.
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IN-DEPTH FEATURES
We Knew The Steipler Gaon, zt'l -- 23rd Av 5760, His Fifteenth Yahrtzeit
Compiled by Yated Ne'eman Staff
Part III
What Does The Steipler Say? -- Some Highlights of the Years of His Communal Leadership
What Does The Steipler Say? was the title of one of the articles eulogizing the Steipler that appeared in the Hebrew Yated (then in its first year of publication) following his petirah. The fact that the question instinctively kept being asked, even though it was no longer possible to consult him, was testimony to the impact of the years of his leadership of the Torah camp.
Fifteen years later, the question essentially still hovers in the air, although there have been vast changes both within our camp and without which necessitate the utmost care in drawing comparisons.
The Chazon Ish was the leader who coordinated the beginnings of the small, weak and struggling new yishuv. He directed its battle to maintain its integrity and its loyalty to Torah in the face of the constant threats of the Zionist establishment to engulf it. His brother-in-law, the Steipler, subsequently tended and guided the flock as it grew in numbers and strength. He warned off attempts to weaken it from within and endeavored to ensure that its voice would be heard in the public forum. He left the Torah community stronger and more self confident than he received it and its growth has boruch Hashem since continued unabated.
Today however, the Torah camp faces unprecedented challenges arising from its own continuing growth and diversification, the ongoing moral decline of the surrounding society and the escalation in the ferocity of the fight against us. Though he can no longer provide direct guidance, the question What would the Steipler say? is still all important. The following selection from the record of his public leadership clearly spells out a distinct message: "Let it be less but let it be pure!"
To Vote or Not to Vote
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