“RABBI’S MUSINGS (&
AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh
Parshas Chayei Sarah
24 Cheshvan 5779/November
2, 2018
Mevorchim Chodesh Kislev
Last year on
December 25, 2017, Heichal HaTorah hosted a grandfather-grandson morning of
Torah learning. It was beautiful and touching to see grandfathers sitting next
to their grandsons learning together.
On that morning, I
was about to begin my shiur by saying how touched I was by the event, and that
I would give anything to have the opportunity to spend a morning learning with
either of my grandfathers. Just before I began, Rabbi Mitch Bomrind,
grandfather of my student, Elazar Milstein, said to me, “You know I learned
with your Zaydei! He was a very special person!” I was very moved by that
statement, and it threw me off for a few moments.
My Zaydei, Rabbi
Yaakov Meir Kohn zt’l, was indeed a great talmid chochom and a beloved
personality. He remains one of my greatest influences and inspirations, almost
three decades after his passing.
The following week,
Rabbi Bomrind texted me that he had a great story about my Zaydei to share. I
called him, and he related the following:
“In the early 80s, I
was at a dinner for Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim. Your grandfather was the
emcee and he was sitting next to the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, in
what may have been the last dinner the aging Rosh Yeshiva was healthy enough to
attend.
“The executive
director, Rabbi Eidelman, approached the Rosh Yeshiva and mentioned that they
had a dilemma- the honoree was a wealthy fellow named Daniel Potkerow. He owned
a hosiery store on Orchard Street and was very successful. Although he donated
money to the Yeshiva, there were two other donors who had pledged twice the
amount of money to the Yeshiva. It would look funny for the Yeshiva if there
were two people who gave double the amount that the honoree gave.
“Your grandfather
immediately turned to the Rosh Yeshiva and asked for permission to rectify the
situation. The Rosh Yeshiva told Rabbi Eidelman to leave it to Rabbi Kohn.
“Your grandfather
walked to the podium and related the story at the end of Yevamos (121a): “Rabbi
Gamliel said- I was once traveling on a boat and from a distance saw a boat
that shattered and sank. I was grieved over the apparent death of the Torah
scholar who was on board. Who was it? Rabbi Akiva. But when I disembarked on
dry land, he (Rabbi Akiva) came, and sat, and deliberated before me about
halacha. I said to him “my son, who brought you up from the water?” He replied
to me: דף של ספינה נזדמן
לי וכל גל וגל שבא עלי נענעתי לו ראשי - A plank from the boat came to me, and when each and every
wave came before me, I bent my head before it. (Thus, the waves didn’t wash him
off the board, and he was able to ride the waves until he reached shore).
Your grandfather
continued, “The word דף
(which Rabbi Akiva held onto) is an acronym for דניאל פאטקרוו. Whenever the Yeshiva has been a
dire situation, whenever the waves and challenges have threatened to wash the
Yeshiva out, that דף
has come to its rescue. The Yeshiva has been able to count on and hold onto its
דף and that is how it has been able
to endure.”
“Mr. Potkerow was so
moved and enamored by your grandfather’s witty presentation, that he
immediately tripled his original pledge, which of course solved the problem.”
Rabbi Bomrind then
added-
I had the privilege
to learn with him on numerous occasions when I was a Rav on the East Side. He
had Shas on the back of his hand. But what was more, I learned from him how to
deal with people!
This Sunday, 27 Cheshvan, is my Zaydei’s yahrtzeit
R’ Yaakov Meir ben R’ Yosef Yitzchok. May
his neshama have an Aliyah!
Good Shabbos & Shabbat Shalom,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum