{"id":2076,"date":"2022-05-26T13:23:13","date_gmt":"2022-05-26T17:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/?p=2076"},"modified":"2022-05-26T13:23:13","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T17:23:13","slug":"rav-leibel-gruber-ztl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/rav-leibel-gruber-ztl\/","title":{"rendered":"Rav Leibel Gruber Zt\u201dl"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Rav Who Kept Nothing for Himself<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

It was just about 10 years ago. The Mattersdorfer Rav zt\u201dl had come for a prolonged stay in Lakewood due to the tragic passing of his beloved son. He chose to daven in the Zichron Yoel shul, led by Rav Leibel Gruber.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As soon as Rav Gruber, a brilliant talmid chacham and by then an established rav, who had built and then led the shul for close to two decades, realized who the shul\u2019s guest was, he approached the elder rav and told him unequivocally that as long as he was in Lakewood, Zichron Yoel was his.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so it was. The Mattersdorfer Rav sat on the rav\u2019s seat, as per Rav Gruber insistence, while he himself moved to the next row. Davening was led according to the Mattersdorfer Rav\u2019s pace, and he received shishi each Shabbos. Rav Gruber even had the Rav speak at shalosh seudos and insisted that the songs that were sung be in accordance with the Mattersdorfer minhag!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This went on for six months. The Mattersdorfer Rav was the rav of Zichron Yoel; Rav Gruber kept nothing for himself.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t just the Mattersdorfer Rav.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any visiting rav<\/em> or talmid<\/em> chacham<\/em>, even if he was many years Rav Gruber\u2019s junior, was given the honor of speaking at shalosh seudos<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was nothing that Rav Gruber needed for himself, even if it was accepted practice. A yungerman<\/em> in shul was going through a health crisis; he received the aliyah<\/em> of Aseres Hadibros<\/em> on Shabbos Parshas Yisro<\/em>\u2014a prestigious aliyah<\/em> usually reserved for the rav<\/em>\u2014since it ends with the words \u201cAni Hashem rofecha<\/em>\u2014I am Hashem your healer.\u201d For Rav Gruber, it was natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t want kavod<\/em>, accolades, attention, anything. \u201cIt\u2019s not that he was an anav<\/em>,\u201d Rav Mordechai Dov Geldzhaler of Monsey, a former mispallel<\/em> at Zichron Yoel, explains. \u201cHe just didn\u2019t have any needs. He didn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that mattered was that \u201cyener<\/em>,\u201d <\/em>the other person, should get what he deserved or desired. That need or desire was more often than not unexpressed, but Rav Gruber heard it anyway. He had an uncanny ability to understand what each person needed to hear, what comment would shine some more sunlight on his day. This was true for every man, bachur<\/em>, and child in shul or elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A yungerman<\/em> in his 20s started giving a daf yomi<\/em> shiur<\/em> in shul. Rav Gruber would attend on occasion so he could listen and be able to compliment him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were many bachurim<\/em> from the neighborhood whose fathers davened <\/em>elsewhere, who would stop in Shabbos morning for davening<\/em>. Although they were not part of the kehillah<\/em>, but they felt loved and respected, and more than anything, they felt comfortable. So many of them attest that they loved to come to shul just to encounter Rav Gruber, to feel his hartz<\/em>, his energy, his simchas hachaim<\/em>. The Rav would approach them after davening<\/em> and inquire about their week, about their struggles and their successes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He extended this care to everyone and anyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To a family of young yesomim<\/em> in the area, Rav Gruber became a father figure who remembered them long after the tragedy was out of the spotlight and everyone else had forgotten their plight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had a unique custom of calling numerous almanos<\/em> each Erev Shabbos to share a word of chizuk<\/em>. Often on Erev Yom Kippur during the seudas hamafsekes<\/em>, moments before day\u2019s end, he would remind himself of yet another person he could call to warmly wish a<\/em> gut yahr<\/em>, and he would immediately pick up the phone to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shul<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some 25 years ago, Rav Gruber founded the shul, a place for serious chassidishe yungeleit<\/em> to daven <\/em>and grow together.The davening <\/em>was conducted with intense emotion and bren<\/em>, and speaking during the tefillos <\/em>was verboten\u2014the members of the kehillah<\/em> accepted upon themselves to uphold this standard several few years ago, at the Rav\u2019s urging, and many of them saw yeshuos<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the mispallelim<\/em> were the same age as the Rav, and they found in him a friend, a listening ear, and a talmid chacham<\/em> to guide their lives. They felt at ease there because Rav Gruber never commanded or demanded respect. He was just one of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was so uncomplicated, so easy, so approachable. \u201cMy only shittah<\/em> is not to be a ba\u2019al shittah<\/em>,\u201d he once quipped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There wasn\u2019t a time when he wasn\u2019t available for people in the entire community. His phone was always on, and he was often found dealing with crises, answering she\u2019eilos<\/em>, and assuaging fears even at three o\u2019clock in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shabbos Shuvah drashah<\/em> was a yearly highlight which attracted numerous former mispallelim <\/em>who would walk from far and near to attend. True to the Rav\u2019s persona, the drashah <\/em>was given in a way that everyone\u2014from the young bachur<\/em> to the elderly talmid chacham<\/em>\u2014could understand and appreciate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the same talent that he used in the classroom as a maggid shiur<\/em> in Mesivta Meor HaTorah (Rav Avrohom Shemano\u2019s yeshivah). He was engaging and exciting, getting the whole class involved, even the bachur<\/em> whose cheshkas haTorah<\/em> was not up to par. Many former talmidim <\/em>credit Rav Gruber with changing their lives forever. He would not only teach them; he would reach their neshamos<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides being a moreh<\/em> hora\u2019ah<\/em> and superb maggid<\/em> shiur<\/em>, the Rav was also a magnificent ba\u2019al tefillah<\/em> whose sweet, powerful, and stirring voice inspired all in attendance with his hartz<\/em>, bren<\/em>, and regesh<\/em>. The Rav never did things half-heartedly, but davening<\/em> was one area where his genuine and complete dveikus<\/em> to Hashem was readily apparent. The tefillos <\/em>on Yamim Nora\u2019im, Akdamus<\/em>, and even sefiras ha\u2019omer<\/em> left an indelible impression on those who were fortunate to hear them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there was nothing like Simchas Torah in his shul. Rav Gruber made certain that every bachur<\/em> and every child in shul was fully involved, that they too felt the joy of the day, and that they felt wanted and important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And they all wanted to stay in shul. The entire time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then came the sixth hakafah<\/em>. The Rav would lovingly grasp the Sefer Torah<\/em> in his arms and dance around the bimah<\/em>. Everyone else would circle around, singing, rejoicing. There was just one person who would join the Rav in the innermost circle: the autistic boy in the neighborhood who knew to look forward every year to the moments when he and the Rav would go round and round, the Rav\u2019s joy at being mesame\u2019ach<\/em> another Yid fusing with the boy\u2019s own joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was always on the giving end. There were times when the gabba\u2019im<\/em> in shul saw a need to fundraise in order to ensure the proper functioning of the shul. But Rav Gruber would not hear of it. He should ask someone for help, for something that was related to him? Impossible! He had no problem raising funds for countless families for Yom Tov, for chasunahs<\/em>, for tuition\u2026but for \u201chimself\u201d was something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final period<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few years ago, the kehillah <\/em>was shocked to hear that their beloved rav<\/em> was ill. But if anyone thought that they would now have the opportunity to finally do something for the man who did so much for them, they were mistaken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rav Gruber would not allow anyone to drive him to receive treatments. He could drive himself, he insisted. And when he would return, he would head directly to yeshivah to give shiur<\/em>, as if it was the most normal thing. He was weak and nauseous, but he did not give up the opportunity to teach his teiyere<\/em> talmidim<\/em>. He often had to stop on the way up the steps just to catch his breath, but he persevered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These last few years revealed a new side of Rav Gruber. \u201cMy father was always so easygoing about everything. We felt like nothing really mattered,\u201d R\u2019 Chaim Yitzchok Gruber says. \u201cBut suddenly, we realized that our father, whose usual motto was, \u2018S\u2019iz git<\/em>\u2014It\u2019s fine,\u2019 had an ironclad conviction and relentless willpower.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a Friday night a few months ago, Rav Gruber was lying in the hospital recovering from an intense surgery, semi-conscious. A son who was there saw him open his eyes and asked if he wanted something to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKiddush,\u201d the Rav murmured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll make Kiddush,\u201d the son replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Rav Gruber was not ready yet. He insisted that they first say Shalom<\/em> Aleichem<\/em>, and he concentrated intently on each word. Only when he finished did he allow his son to recite Kiddush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three weeks ago, Rav Gruber told his eldest son, \u201cI don\u2019t have the mental capacity to learn. So I\u2019ve been thinking a lot recently.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He continued by requesting a few things from those who knew him. One of them was that people should learn l\u2019iluy nishmaso<\/em> since he felt that his love for other Yidden had somewhat curtailed the time he\u2019d had for the other thing he loved most: learning Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rav Gruber passed away on the 36th day of the omer<\/em>, the sefirah <\/em>of chessed she\u2019b\u2019yesod<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thousands of people mourned the loss of this larger-than-life man. He was their father, their rav<\/em>, their friend. And he showed them that one can be derhoiben<\/em> and holy and still look for opportunities to heap kindness upon a fellow Yid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Rav Who Kept Nothing for Himself Y. Strauss It was just about 10 years ago. The Mattersdorfer Rav zt\u201dl had come for a prolonged stay in Lakewood due to the tragic passing of his beloved son. He chose to daven in the Zichron Yoel shul, led by Rav Leibel Gruber. As soon as Rav […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2077,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","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":"","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":[20],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2076"}],"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=2076"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2076\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2078,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2076\/revisions\/2078"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}