The Passing of Two Giants

Rav Dovid Feinstein, ZTL

Two great rabbinic leaders passed away over the weekend: Rav Dovid Feinstein and Lord, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks*.

Rav Dovid Feinstein, ZTL, was the Rosh HaYeshiva of Mesivta Tifferes Yerushalayim, the Yeshiva on the Lower East Side of New York that his father, Rav Moshe Feinstein founded.

Rav Dovid was a member of the Agudah Moetzes and considered a major Posek in the Charedi world. Although I had never met him I had attended a few weddings in Chicago where where he officiated. I recall the profound respect and love he generated from the each of the Chasanim and the freinds that attended. It is said that he was a man of great modesty, despite his stature in the Torah.world. None of this surprises me. Because it describes his father Rav Moshe, too. 

Although he possessed encyclopedic knowledge of the written and oral Torah, Rav Moshe exemplified the quality of humility - which is lacking in so many others considered rabbinic leaders these days. I can personally testify to that humility when I met him as a young high school student in Telshe. Having spent Shabbos Chanukah at home in Toledo, my father and I walked over to the home of  Rabbi Nehemiah Katz where Rav Moshe - his brother in law was staying. 

Although I never met Rav Dovid personally, based on what I've seen and heard - the apple did not fall far from the tree. I would be remiss if I did not mention his Petirah. Yehi Zichro Baruch.

Lord, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, ZTL

If Modern Orthodoxy has rabbinic leaders, former Chief Rabbi of the UK, Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, ZTL  certainly was among the best of them. His ability to  transmit the ethics of the Torah to the world of our time had few peers. He understood that our mission in life is not only to serve God in our personal lives but to spread Jewish thought throughout the entire world. 

Rabbi Sacks was able to generate much respect for the wisdom of the Torah via his friendship with British Royalty and British political leadership. Wisdom he imparted to them as freely as he did to the Jewish community that he served - and eventually to the entire Jewish world. His eloquence was as legendary as his wisdom was broad.  

Much like Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch, he was a seeker of truth where ever he found it. As our sages urged us to do. Whether it was through the wisdom of rabbinic thinkers throughout history, contemporary rabbinic thinkers, or non Jewish thinkers. 

I recall him speaking at a Friday night dinner about 10 years ago in a Chicago Shul as a scholar in residence. He told us that he sought career advice from the Lubavitcher Rebbe who influenced him to pursue the eventual path he took spreading the word of Torah across the globe. 

As I once noted - remarking about his appointment to the House of Lords, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams – a man who I believe is not particularly known for his closeness to the Jewish people said the following: 

"There are few intellectuals in this country with a firmer grasp of the moral and social challenges facing our nation or a greater capacity to articulate how we should be meeting them," he said. "The House of Lords will be greatly strengthened by his appointment." 

Rabbi Sacks was not afraid to speak truth to ‘Jewish Power’ – challenging the conventional wisdom of the right. He criticized the Charedi world who pushed all of their young to study Torah full time regardless of where their talents lie. 

I believe he felt that this approach neglected the wisdom  of Shlomo HaMelech of  ‘ Chanoch L’Naar Al Pi Darko’ – which basically means that we should educate our young according to their talents and abilities. That would benefit each individual personally as well as the entire community by creating a nation of high achievers in a variety of disciplines - each contributing in their own unique way far better than just being another cog in the wheel of full time Torah study.  For this he was criticized by the right. But as a seeker of truth I’m sure that crticism meant little to him. 

As I have said of Rabbi Sacks many times, he was a refreshing island of independent thinking in the middle of what is becoming a desert of intellectual thought. He was a man who did not ‘talk down’ to people and yet an intellectual giant. 

The Jewish world is a little poorer now by his absence. We can no longer benefit form his constant flow of Torah insights. But he has left the world a treasure trove of published material from which we can continue to learn for many years. Yehi Zichro Baruch.

*For a fuller eulogy of Lord Rabbi Sacks - see the latest submission by Paul Shaviv (posted above).