{"id":1582,"date":"2021-08-02T10:15:22","date_gmt":"2021-08-02T14:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/?p=1582"},"modified":"2021-08-02T10:15:23","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T14:15:23","slug":"hagaon-rav-yitzchok-feigelstock-ztl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/hagaon-rav-yitzchok-feigelstock-ztl\/","title":{"rendered":"Hagaon Rav Yitzchok Feigelstock Zt”l"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Quiet Giant Who Inspired Thousands with Love and Exactitude<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harav Mordechai Respler, Rosh Yeshivas Mesivta of Long Beach, reflects on the legacy of his Rebbi, Hagaon Rav Yitzchok Feigelstock zt\u201dl<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Y. Strauss<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Side by side, rebbi <\/em>and talmid<\/em> paced the front of the beis midrash<\/em>, pausing every now and then. The bachur<\/em>, Mordechai Respler, was discussing with his rosh<\/em> yeshivah<\/em>, Rav Yitzchok Feigelstock, a difficulty in the words of Rav Shlomo Heiman, which the latter had said over in shiur<\/em>. Part of the siman<\/em> in the sefer <\/em>was missing and they were attempting to fill in the blanks. After a few tense moments, the Rosh Yeshivah turned to his beloved talmid<\/em> and said solemnly, \u201cSuch a question needs to be addressed by a talmid<\/em> of Rav Shlomo. I will be meeting Rav Elya Svei at a chasunah<\/em> tonight, and I will ask him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, some 40 years later, this short interaction enables that same bachur<\/em>, now a rosh<\/em> yeshivah <\/em>himself, to define the legacy of the towering Torah giant and master mechanech<\/em> that Klal Yisrael lost this past week. Rav Respler sees this incident as a window into the lengths a rebbi<\/em> must be prepared to go for his talmid<\/em>, and a glimpse into the seriousness that the Rosh Yeshivah attached to the words of gedolei<\/em> Torah<\/em> of the previous dor<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNever mind that the Rosh Yeshivah, in his brilliance and yegiah,<\/em> could\u2019ve easily given a quick resolution to explain the rest of Rav Shlomo\u2019s words; he had learned the sugya<\/em> countless times, and undoubtedly contemplated the issue himself,\u201d Rav Respler shares with me the day after the levayah<\/em> of his legendary rebbi<\/em>. \u201cHe was showing me that when one is learning Torah, nothing is to be taken lightly.\u201d    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was indeed something that the Rosh Yeshivah strove to instill in his talmidim<\/em>. Reticent by nature, Rav Yitzchok never spoke of himself. But his actions spoke louder than anything else. The talmidim<\/em> saw the tremendous yegiah<\/em> that he invested into each shiur<\/em>. They saw how one is to take apart a sugya<\/em>; each word of Rashi analyzed, each nuance of the Rishonim dissected, and then, only then, can one build a yesod<\/em> that pulls the sugya<\/em> together with a clear explanation that emanated from those sacred words. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Rosh Yeshivah used to say that saying a \u2018vort\u2019<\/em> without basing it on a proper iyun<\/em> in the words of the Rishonim is pointless,\u201d Rav Respler says. \u201cIn general, his whole mannerism was steeped in ehrentskeit<\/em>. Nothing was done just to be yotzei<\/em>. When he spoke, we felt that each word was measured.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once, while suffering from severe illness, he began learning mishnayos<\/em> with his son-in-law, Rav Moshe Gold. At one point he was trying to understand the machlokes<\/em> of the Tana\u2019im, but due to his weak state, he was unable to do so. \u201cWe have to stop here,\u201d he said painfully. When asked why they couldn\u2019t continue learning on a more basic level, Rav Yitzchok replied forcefully, \u201cTorah sheba\u2019al peh lernt men nisht pashut<\/em>!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rav Respler recalls the Erev Rosh Hashanah shmuess<\/em> that the Rosh Yeshivah would give in yeshivah. \u201cThe shmuess<\/em> took precisely an hour and a half. It was the exact same shmuess<\/em> every year: he would tell us what Rosh Hashanah was about and what our avodah<\/em> should look like\u2014nothing more, nothing less.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rav Respler once went to visit Rav Yitzchok during the summer bein<\/em> hazmanim<\/em>. He was sitting at the table, engrossed in thought. When prompted, Rav Yitzchok explained that he was preparing the Erev Rosh Hashanah shmuess<\/em>, which was more than a month away. The same exact shmuess<\/em> that he had been giving for decades<\/em>! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe looked at me, understood my unasked question, and said, \u2018Vus<\/em> meinst<\/em> du<\/em>, I\u2019ll give a shmuess<\/em> just like that?\u2019 He wanted to live it, to internalize it all over again, before he could give it over to the bachurim<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe ehrentskeit<\/em> applied to every aspect of his avodas<\/em> Hashem<\/em>. Coming late to a shiur<\/em> or to a tefillah<\/em> was out of the question. He was always in his seat a few moments before davening<\/em> began. In yeshivah, davening<\/em> starts exactly on time. The only time I can remember him coming late to shiur<\/em> was when he was speaking to Maran Rav Shach, and he simply could not put down the phone.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rav Chaim Yehoshua Hoberman, Rosh Yeshivas Long Beach, mentioned in his hesped<\/em> in Bais Medrash Govoha that somehow, Rav Yitzchok balanced the exactitude in time with serenity; he never needed to rush to come on time\u2014it was all calibrated with precision beforehand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only for the sake of the talmidim<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rav Yitzchok\u2019s approach to the talmidim<\/em> was complete and total devotion; primarily to their shteiging<\/em> in Torah and mussar<\/em>, but also to their physical and emotional needs. The serious demeanor and high expectations he had of them belied the endless amount of love that he felt for them. Although the talmidim<\/em> didn\u2019t see it openly, they felt the love deeply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was this unspoken love that enabled this quiet man with a broken English to relate to the American bachur <\/em>of the 70s and 80s. It enabled him to lift them up and turn them into true bnei<\/em> Torah<\/em>. Even when giving rebuke, he knew the exact measure each talmid<\/em> could use to grow. For those whom he knew could handle it, the Rosh Yeshivah would reprimand sharply, demanding change. For others the Rosh Yeshivah took a softer approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One talmid<\/em> recalled how he was presented with a lucrative business opportunity that would have placed him in a questionable tznius<\/em> position. \u201cThe Rosh Yeshivah didn\u2019t tell me no. He simply reminded me of how I used to sit and learn the words of the Rashba while in yeshivah. \u2018Does it pas<\/em> for someone like you?\u2019 he asked me softly. I left with a clear answer, feeling a lot richer than the money I could have made on that business venture.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he heard about the hatzlachah<\/em> of a talmid<\/em>, the Rosh Yeshivah would take immense fatherly pleasure. One unique practice that Rav Yitzchok had was mentally reviewing each talmid<\/em> in his shiur<\/em>, every single day<\/em>, to see what his needs were and to ensure those needs were being met. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concealed in the demanding chinuch<\/em> he imparted in the earlier years as rosh yeshivah<\/em>, that love came pouring out after the Rosh Yeshivah suffered a debilitating stroke in 2003. No longer able to guide and communicate in his regular manner, Rav Yitzchok took on a new mehalech<\/em>. He would embrace each talmid<\/em> warmly, allowing the rivers of love that lay beneath to bubble to the surface with force. Upon meeting a talmid<\/em> who came to visit, the ailing Rosh Yeshivah\u2019s face would light up with excitement and he would immediately inquire about the visitor\u2019s life and family.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike other yeshivos<\/em>, the machzor<\/em> of masechtos<\/em> in Long Beach was only a three-year cycle. This was because the Rosh Yeshivah felt that these few masechtos<\/em> were the ones through which he could best give over the exact tools a bachur<\/em> needed to become a lamdan<\/em> and shteig<\/em>. \u201cThis, despite having chiddushei<\/em> Torah<\/em> on so many more masechtos<\/em>,\u201d Rav Respler says. \u201cIn the later years, notebooks were found with his brilliant chiddushim<\/em> on most of Shas. We never heard from him about his ge\u2019onus<\/em>, it was all hidden. But giving shiur <\/em>was an achrayus<\/em> that he took extremely seriously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe first few years he didn\u2019t go to family simchos<\/em> at all; he was too consumed with preparing the shiurim<\/em>. Let\u2019s not forget that prior to opening the yeshivah, he learned in Lakewood for twenty-two years. He didn\u2019t need time to come up with the chiddushim<\/em>; he was using every waking moment to figure out precisely how to give over to the bachurim<\/em> in the way that would give them the most they can get.\u201d   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rav Aharon\u2019s Confidant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The esteem in which Rav Aharon Kotler held Rav Yitzchok Feigelstock was beyond comprehension. \u201cEhr iz a peleh yoetz<\/em> (he is a wondrous advisor)!\u201d Rav Aharon would say about the young Rav Yitzchok. The gadol hador<\/em> had such trust in his talmid<\/em> that he would ask his opinion on anything from the content of a drashah<\/em> to urgent klal<\/em> decisions. Rav Aharon once received a letter from the Brisker Rav, but delayed reading it until Rav Yitzchok was there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was once visiting Rav Feigelstock when he was recovering from surgery, and I succeeded in getting him to talk about his relationship with Rav Aharon. (Rav Yitzchok didn\u2019t just schmooze without any purpose; every word he uttered was for a goal.) In his weakened state, he looked at me deeply and said, \u2018Ich veis nisht vus er hut gezen in mir (I don\u2019t know what Rav Aharon saw in me)…\u2019<\/em>  It was amazing\u2014Rav Yitzchok was a bachur<\/em>, and the gadol<\/em> hador<\/em> would ask him for help in decision-making!\u201d Rav Respler concludes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, the Rosh Yeshivah suffered tremendously. He no longer gave shiurim<\/em> and the number of shmuessin<\/em> he gave was severely limited, but he never stopped teaching. Physically weak and in pain, unable to maintain his life\u2019s goal of establishing talmidim<\/em>, Rav Yitzchok transcended above his own situation, instead focusing on that of the others around him. He was no longer teaching lessons in Gemara, but the life lessons of how to deal with adversity, pain and suffering are just as important as everything else he ever sought to impart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Quiet Giant Who Inspired Thousands with Love and Exactitude Harav Mordechai Respler, Rosh Yeshivas Mesivta of Long Beach, reflects on the legacy of his Rebbi, Hagaon Rav Yitzchok Feigelstock zt\u201dl Y. Strauss Side by side, rebbi and talmid paced the front of the beis midrash, pausing every now and then. The bachur, Mordechai Respler, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1583,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[19],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1582"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1582"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1582\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}