The keen insight and quiet force of Rav Gershon Edelstein

Photos: Itzik Belinitzki, Flash 90

The plastic partition that rests between Ponevezher Rosh Yeshivah Rav Gershon Edelstein and his visitors is symbolic in the sense that he can see them perfectly even as he exists in a sublime world, somewhat removed from the commotion.

Minchah has just come to an end, and the small microphone he uses to communicate with visitors is powered on.

Rabbi Noach Paley is first in line, and through his organization, Lev El Haneshamah, he is on the frontlines of the contemporary chinuch scene. He comes bearing the questions, worries, concerns, and anxieties of so many parents, and the Rosh Yeshivah receives him and all he carries with a gentle smile.

This is who Rav Gershon Edelstein is and what he does. He is mechanech Jewish children.

Those familiar with the Rosh Yeshivah’s approach to giving guidance know to come with no prior expectations. Recently, when asked for a letter in support of a prominent organization led by one of his close talmidim, Rav Gershon refused. This was surprising, since it’s a legitimate, effective organization. The request was then made for a letter of brachah, but Rav Gershon stood firm. Not even a letter of brachah.

After the disappointed delegation filed out, the talmid, who’s close to Rav Gershon, reentered the room. He knew that Rav Gershon’s every decision is calculated and he asked the question. “Why, Rebbi? This refusal, too, is Torah, and I must learn it.”

Rav Gershon explained himself. A competing organization had recently asked for a letter of support, and for various reasons, he felt unable to accommodate them.

Rav Gershon, who is nasi of the second organization, and well-acquainted with its vital work, continued, “I thought about how they would feel if they saw that I signed a letter for you, and decided that it wasn’t worth it.”

The bigger picture. Rav Gershon fields the questions and concerns of generations with astounding clarity and insight, honed in the very same room where he’s given shiur to 17-year-olds for seven decade

It’s been a tumultuous few years for the Torah community in Eretz Yisrael, and Heaven has sent them shepherds to guide them accordingly.

Rav Gershon brings his unique style of leadership, one crafted over decades as a leading maggid shiur. He takes in the entirety of the picture, and evaluates every single detail. If there are documents to sign or review, he will read each one several times, asking pointed questions.

This practice has made him uniquely suited to answer chinuch questions, for his insight into chinuch comes from asking and answering, from the real-world experiences of the masses who have been coming to Rechov Raavad for guidance.

At chinuch seminars, the Rosh Yeshivah astonishes maggidei shiur a third of his age with his insight into today’s bochurim, an insight honed in the very same room where he has been saying shiur to bochurim for over 70 years, bli ayin hara.

He is unique in that role as well. Roshei yeshivah who say a daily shiur into their nineties are few, and if they do it, it is generally a shiur klali or private shiur for select talmidim.

But Rav Gershon says shiur to boys who are 17 years old, as if he weren’t the gadol hador, dealing with questions of life and death from across the world on a regular basis.

It’s what he signed up for at the very beginning, when he came to yeshivah.

And it’s only been this yeshivah for him, for there has never been another.