A Happy Day - A Sad Day

HaGaon, Rav Gedalia Dov Schwartz ZTL (VIN)

Today I experienced one of those rare situations of competing emotions. 

I was very sorry to hear of the loss of a giant among  giants of Torah and Midos. HaGoan Rav Gedalia Dov Schwartz passed away late yesterday. The funeral took place this morning at the same time that my granddaughter, Yael, got married in Israel. Which was a great moment of joy for me. My wife and I saw the entire event via a livestream. 

It is difficult to express the mixed emotions I had upon hearing the news of Rav Schwartz’s Petirah  (death) while in joyous anticipation of the wedding I  would be ‘attending’ the next morning.  

The wedding took place at 6:15 AM CST. My wife and I basically rolled out of bed and tuned in to the virtual broadcast. Yael is my oldest grandchild and I am ecstatic at this momentous event in her life. It was a joy to behold. Even though it was held under COVID conditions, with few people, lots of mask, and lots of social distancing, it did not disappoint. Could not stop smiling the whole time.  An island of joy at a very unhappy time in the world. 

But now my thoughts turn to Rabbi Schwartz. I did not know him personally. But in the few conversations I had with him, the warmth that exuded from him made me feel like I was a close Talmid of his. His Anivus (humility) was legendary. 

He was also a man who cared not a whit about religious politics.  He was an Ish Emes - a man of truth who stood up for it every single time. It did not matter what other great rabbis said. Or didn’t say. If he believed in something he stood up for it loudly and as clearly. ‘Justice, Justice you shall pursue!’ No man ever fulfilled those words of the Torah better than he did. He fulfilled his roll as the Av Beis Din of both the CRC and RCA at the highest of levels. I don’t think anyone would disagree. 

Rav Avrohom Chaim Levine ZTL, the late Rosh HaYeshiva of Telshe-Chicago and himself quite the Anav, once publicly referred to Rav Schwartz as the Zaken Ha’Ir - the rabbinic elder of the city. 

I recall 2 events that distinguished him from other rabbinic leaders in America. 

The first at a banquet for KBY, a Hesder Yeshiva in Israel. Hesder Yeshivos are not looked at with favor in the Charedi world – to say the least. Rabbi Schwartz spoke about the founder and Rosh HaYeshiva, R’ Chaim Goldvicht (who was student of the Chazan Ish). When Rav Goldvicht took the position (with the approval of the Chazzan Ish) he was looked down upon by much of the right as a sort of traitor to their Hashkafos.

As Rabbi Schwartz told the story, Rav Goldvicht was invited to give a Torah lecture in the Shul in Brooklyn where he (Rav Schwartz) was the Rav at the time. A lot of right wing rabbis came to hear his lecture and were skeptical of his Torah knowledge – ready to challenge him and put him in his place. Which they tried to do. I will never forget Rav Schwartz’s words about how Rav Goldvicht responded to those challenges: ‘He mowed them all down!’ 

The second distinguishing event was when he spoke at an event dealing with sexual abuse. He stood up for victims of sexual abuse and spoke vigorously about reporting all suspicions of abuse to the police. There was no equivocating. There was no mention about going to rabbis first. He was all about the victim. Needless to say the conventional wisdom of the right was to first go to the rabbis and let them decide whether to go to the police or not. 

As I said. He was an Ish Emes who didn’t care about religious politics or what his rabbinic peers would say about his views. He spoke the truth. And was one of the kindest and gentlest men I have ever known. 

I will miss him. Barcuh Dayan HaEmes.