For Rabbi Eliezer Kuperman a"h, it all added up

TO many, the iconic BMG office on Sixth Street is a place where the necessary administrative work to keep the yeshivah running happens — tuition, government grants, paperwork, phone calls. But to generations of talmidim, especially those during the late 20th century, that office was also where they encountered the gentle presence and listening ear of the legendary Rabbi Eliezer Kuperman a"h. While his work may have been less glamorous than other positions within the yeshivah, he was an equal partner in carrying Rav Aharon Kotler’s mission forward.

Rabbi Kuperman, who passed away this week, was not a rosh chaburah. But if there was a spirit behind the facade of the aging mansion that serves as the yeshivah’s administrative office, Rabbi Kuperman was one of its keepers — with a quiet diligence, deep loyalty, and a fierce love for Torah and the yeshivah’s talmidim.

He wasn’t a typical bochur when he first came to Lakewood. Having grown up in Boro Park and worked as an accountant to support his family, Rabbi Kuperman arrived in 1959 with maturity, a professional background, and an insatiable cheshek to learn. Rav Aharon was initially hesitant to take a working bochur.

“You know, it’s easier to work than to learn,” the rosh yeshivah warned — but ultimately agreed to farher him. The farher never happened: A chance encounter between Rav Aharon and Rav Avraham Yaffen, who knew the young prospect and wholly endorsed him as a suitable candidate for the fledgling yeshivah, sealed his place in the relatively nascent Beis Medrash Govoha.

Once he was in, Rabbi Kuperman immersed himself fully in yeshivah life, and Rav Aharon in turn embraced his young charge — assigning him chavrusas, personally monitoring his progress, and even instructing his roommate to learn Navi with him nightly.

It was the beginning of a bond that would last a lifetime. Rav Aharon took an active role in Rabbi Kuperman’s shidduch process, his parnassah decisions, even the scheduling of his wedding. When Rav Aharon learned that the proposed date might cause bittul Torah, he gently guided the chassan to factor in the yeshivah’s rhythm and pick an alternate date. That kind of guidance defined Rabbi Kuperman’s life: measured, thoughtful, rooted in values greater than convenience.

As the years passed, Rabbi Kuperman became part of the infrastructure that allowed the yeshivah to grow exponentially. In his creaky, wood-paneled office, he managed the files, but he also managed futures. His understanding of both the accounting side and the Torah side made him an invaluable asset — and more importantly, a living bridge between Rav Aharon’s generation and the Lakewood of today. He had a treasure trove of memories and stories about his great rebbi that he shared willingly and unpretentiously to the Lakewood history aficionados who would stop to chat with him in the hallways inside the administrative building.

He was humble, warm, and had an unwavering dedication to the yeshivah he loved. And like the quiet hum of a well-run office — the kind that is noticed only when it’s gone — his presence leaves a silence that’s deeply felt.

Yehi zichro baruch. 

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1070)