HaRav Moshe Speaking at the 7th Siyum HaShas
Obligation to Learn All of The Torah
Reb Moshe also spoke of the obligation to learn the entire Torah. At the Siyum HaShas in 5735 (1975) he said that if there is a lav not to forget Torah then there is a chiyuv to learn it. For if there is no chiyuv to learn it how could there be an issur to forget it?
With this he explained a difficult passage in the Rambam Mishnah Torah. Reb Moshe has also written of the obligation to learn the entire Torah in his sefer Igros Moshe Yore Deah II:110. In another letter concerning this subject, he wrote to yeshiva bochurim that they should learn 100 daf every half a year.
Daas Torah
Reb Moshe used to say with regard to da'as Torah that only one who has truly acquired familiarity with the entire Shas with the rishonim and also the Shulchan Oruch, can he have da'as Torah, since da'as Torah means that one has adopted the logic and understanding of the Torah. Every page in the Shas reveals new ideas and reasoning, so if he lacks even one page he is missing something from the true da'as Torah.
Also pure da'as Torah is found only by someone who has had no external influences. About himself he writes: Boruch Hashem I am not among them (mentioned above that there are men of great Torah wisdom who have still been influenced by dei'os chitzoniyos). Rather my entire hashkofo is purely from the Torah hakedosha, without the least mixture of external knowledge. All Torah laws are true whether stringent or lenient... (Even Haezer cheilek 2:11).
The same way Reb Moshe studied Torah, he would perform any mitzvah with all his might both physically and mentally. He considered every Torah obligation a direct task from Hakodosh Boruch Hu that has to be done with the utmost dedication and devotion.
Reb Moshe fulfilled what it is said of Moshe Rabbenu: Moshe avdi, Moshe My servant. As an eved ne'eman he served with every bit of his strength. As his holy neshomoh parted from the world he attested to this. His last words were ich hob mer nisht kein ko'ach — I don't have any more strength.
Ahavas Yisroel
Reb Moshe's love for every Jew knew no bounds. His home was open to everyone. He participated with everyone in their simcha. He grieved with them in their problems.
Jews from the four corners of the world flocked to him for advice and encouragement. As long as he was able, his door was open to all. For years his Shabbos table was graced with all kinds of guests. Many of them were not people who were sought after as Shabbos guests by most people, to put it delicately. They were however welcomed in the Feinstein home and with a full heart. They were our fellow Jews and they were loved like any other Jew.
Children had a special place in Reb Moshe's home. Reb Moshe with his dear rebbetzin were not only the zeidys and bubbys to their own grandchildren. They were also the zeidys and bubbys to all children. When a grandchild would come over to the house with a friend to review his studies with his zeidy, Reb Moshe would take the friend on his lap and review with him too. He made him feel just as an own grandchild. Then they would both receive a candy.
Reb Moshe was the rebbi of Klal Yisroel. The greatest talmidei chachomim and marbitzei Torah would come to discuss with him their difficulties of all sorts. When they came to Reb Moshe's home they were treated with the utmost respect.
Approximately a half a year before his passing, Reb Moshe received Rabbi Chaim Brand from the Itri Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. After talking for a few minutes Reb Moshe noticed Rebbetzin Brand standing behind the door. As weak as he was he got up to get her a chair. Please don't bother she said. "But why?" said Reb Moshe, "Your husband is a marbitz Torah!"
Rehabilitation of Klal Yisroel
Reb Moshe's greatest nachas was seeing Klal Yisroel rebuild itself from its ruins. Reb Moshe, amongst the other gedolei Yisroel, gave himself over totally to reestablish the nation. For years he stood at the forefront of the Agudath Yisroel, Chinuch Atzmai and other leading Torah organizations.
Every yeshiva and every Bais Yaakov found support from Reb Moshe. He would do whatever he could to help establish them and be mechazek them. Reb Moshe would grace every gathering of Torah Jews with his presence. There he would speak words of mussar and inspiration so as to elevate the spirits and aspirations of those gathered.
Reb Moshe put the responsibility for the future of Klal Yisroel on the bnei Torah. The following is a quote (Igros Moshe Yoreh De'ah, III 82): "All bnei Torah from the yeshivos hakedoshos must realize the great destruction of Torah that occurred in the world. This places a great obligation upon all the learners of Torah in the yeshivos to aim to be gedolei Torah vehora'ah and yirei Shomayim in place of those who perished, for this is a must for the entire Klal Yisroel.
Learn Just Torah
Reb Moshe put a lot of effort into battling the idea that secular education insures financial security as opposed to Torah education alone. He spent hours with parents to persuade them not to send their children to college and university, but rather to send them only to study in yeshiva. He considered secular education bitul Torah, aside from the great dangers of sitting in an atmosphere alien to Torah, surrounded by atheists and non-Jews.
In his sefer Drash Moshe, he writes on the first perek in Tehillim as follows. Dovid Hamelech states: "Praised is the one that does not go in the ways of the advice of reshoim." He asks what is implied by the added "advice of"? It would seem as though the advice is not the wickedness itself but that it will lead to it.
Reb Moshe explains that there are many people who believe in Hashem and His Torah. They also keep the mitzvos. Yet they worry, even when their children are still young, how they will make a living. As a result, they send their children to non-Torah schools amongst kofrim, and also to learn inyonei kefirah — all for the sake of parnossoh. The children are also disturbed in their Torah study. The end result of this eitzo of the reshoim is that the children become one of them. As for parnossoh, Reb Moshe concluded: "Praised is the one who trusts in Hashem who feeds and supports all. Although he engages himself in Torah study his bread will not be lacking."
Reb Moshe refers to this in the teshuva mentioned above. There he says that he has said this many times. As far as secular education in general, Reb Moshe allowed it in institutions as a horo'as sho'oh where the children would otherwise not be sent to yeshiva.
Fighting the "Reformers" of Judaism
Reb Moshe was vehemently against the reformers of Judaism. He denounced the Conservatives and the Reform, since they are not subjugated to the Torah.
Once a rav came with a question. He had recently taken a position as an Orthodox rav in Vancouver, Canada. There had been a long standing agreement that in every wedding where one side is Orthodox and the other is Conservative, then both rabbis officiate at the ceremony. Such a wedding was coming up, and he wanted to know what to do.
Reb Moshe ruled that it is absolutely not allowed for him to participate, and the marriage will even be invalid by the participation of the Conservative rabbi. He then wished the rav success in carrying out the halocho. The rav went back to his community, and, after some negotiations, he managed to implement Reb Moshe's psak.
As the day of the wedding approached, the rav received a phone call. It was none other than Reb Moshe himself. "How are you managing with the wedding?" he asked. "Perhaps I can help by speaking to some people?"
We will conclude with a phenomenal story of hashgocho protis through which we will see "ratzon yirei'ov ya'ase" — how Hakodosh Boruch Hu fulfills the will of those who fear Him.
Throughout his life, Reb Moshe sought to make harmony in Klal Yisroel. When there were personal conflicts and controversies between different groups Reb Moshe would take every opportunity to bring the sides together, at all costs. Often his mere contact with the matter would be enough, since his ahavas Yisroel was so powerful that it was often able to win over anyone.
The Levaya at Eitz Chaim Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel
Reb Moshe had not left any instructions about where he wanted to be buried, whether in Eretz Yisroel or in America. Despite some uncertainty in the matter, the family decided to bring him to Eretz Yisroel.
As the arrangements in Eretz Yisroel were being made, there was a big controversy. The aron was scheduled to arrive early in the evening of Purim in Yerushalayim. Some of the gedolim in Eretz Yisroel felt that the levaya should be made that evening, since they expected an unusual crowd, and were concerned over the interruption of the celebrations of Purim. Others felt that for the godol hador it was fitting to have the levaya in broad daylight, and they also worried that the large turnout would be dangerous in the night.
In the meantime, back on the plane, there was growing concern. Because of a navigational problem, the plane had to turn back. Perhaps this was a sign from Shomayim that Reb Moshe was to be buried in America, they thought. They decided that unless they make the people get off the plane, they would continue their journey to Eretz Yisroel. As it turned out, they were not asked to get off the plane, and a short time later they were on their way to Eretz Yisroel. However, by then they were to arrive too late to have the levaya in the evening. There was no place for a machlokes.
The levaya also showed that, although Reb Moshe lived in America and had not visited Eretz Yisroel for some twenty years, nonetheless, Klal Yisroel recognized the godol hador. Some 250 thousand Yidden from all walks of life, whoever had some shayachus to Torah, all gathered to mourn and pay their respects.
It was indeed, at the time, the largest levaya in the history of Klal Yisroel since the levaya of Reb Yochonon ben Zakai. Back in America the Torah community had also gathered for one of the largest levayos in the history of Jews in America.
Reb Moshe's lofty neshomo departed in the evening of Taanis Esther in 5746 (1986). However, he lives on forever in the Torah world. In all batei midroshim one may hear his Torah learned through his classic seforim: the Igros Moshe and the Dibros Moshe. His two yeshivos also remain his legacy. The yeshiva Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim in New York City, headed his son Reb Dovid, and the Yeshiva of Staten Island headed by his son Reb Reuven.
Yehi Zichro Boruch
End of Part 2
