THE STORY BEHIND RAV YITZCHOK SOLOVEITCHIK’S TRIP TO LAKEWOOD FOR THE ADIREI HATORAH

 

 

 

My rebbe, Rav Yitzchok HaLevi Soloveitchik, recently graced the town of Lakewood and the entire olam ha- Torah with his presence at the Adirei HaTorah event. What follows is not about his gadlus in Torah, which is well-known. It’s about the mesiras nefesh of Rav Yitzchok’s family in allowing this trip to happen and a glimpse into what it took.

The week prior, Rav Yitzchok’s family celebrated several simchos in Yerushalayim: the bar mitzvahs of two grandchildren and the wedding of another. One bar mitzvah had been scheduled months in advance for the same night as the Adirei HaTorah event. However, once Rav Yitzchok made the decision to travel to Lakewood, the Rosh Yeshivah’s son Rav Avrohom, his daughter-in-law, and the bar mitzvah bachur happily rescheduled the seudah for an earlier night to accommodate his absence— a different date, a different hall, a complete upheaval with just a few weeks to go.

Rav Yitzchok’s granddaughter, his son Rav Yankel’s daughter, got married the preceding Thursday. A Soloveitchik family sheva brachos was scheduled for Tuesday night, to be hosted in large part by Rav Yitzchok and his rebbetzin. However, the Rosh Yeshivah decided he must attend the Adirei HaTorah event and therefore had to miss it. The kallah graciously gave up the opportunity of having her grandfather at the sheva brachos.

The rebbetzin would normally have accompanied the Rosh Yeshivah on such a trip in order to take care of the Rosh Yeshivah’s needs. Likewise, she would have cherished greeting and giving shalom to the hundreds of people who came to see Rav Yitzchok in the short two days he was here. She was mevater all of that, remaining in Eretz Yisrael for the sake of her granddaughter the kallah.

Then there are his sons Rav Ziskind and Rav Dovid, who accompanied him on this trip. While here, they were busy arranging meetings and setting up appointments while simultaneously taking care of their father with the greatest reverence one can imagine. They were constantly either on the phone or speaking to people, trying to accommodate everyone who wanted to see, speak in learning to, or get a brachah from him.

What is not apparent is that they are both tremendous talmidei chachamim who would very much prefer to remain in the koslei beis midrash, but they were completely mevatel themselves to their father’s needs.

Rav Ziskind, a well-known figure in the Torah world, learns full-time in his father’s kollel. He is as well-versed in sharing a Zohar as he is in any gemara or in a Rashi on the parshah. During Rav Yitzchok’s shiur klali, Rav Ziskind is constantly interjecting to help clarify what the Rosh Yeshivah is saying. Yet he somehow finds the time to get to know everyone, befriend the masses, and lift people’s spirits. He has a rare gift.

 

 

 

 

Rav Dovid has his own yeshivah in Sharei Simcha under the guidance of his father. It is a full-fledged yeshivah for slightly older bachurim, which he recently had to expand due to its popularity. He learns with them, helps them find shidduchim, and oversees the entire yeshivah.

They are both gedolim in Torah but don’t show it. They are constantly talking to Rav Yitzchok in learning about various sugyos in any area of Torah while on trips with him. On a moment’s notice, they maneuver seamlessly from a phone call with a supporter to listen to or ask a question of their father, who always wants to speak in learning. It is amazing to behold.

It was a tremendous zechus and treat for the olam haTorah here in Lakewood to have Rav Yitzchok come from Yerushalayim to give us chizuk. His chavivus for lomdei Torah, his own mesiras nefesh for Torah, and his family’s complete hisbatlus and devotion to his ratzon are values we can all appreciate.