Rav Dovid Feinstein was a nation’s address for clarity, courage, and compassion

Photos: Mattis Goldberg and AEGedolimphotos.com

Really, he’s the one who told us how to write this article.

Years ago, in conversation with this magazine, Rav Dovid Feinstein reflected on his father’s legacy.

“The world,” he remarked, “will gain nothing by knowing how many times my father finished Shas, or that he was fluent in all of Torah shebe’al peh, like Rabi Akiva Eiger or the Chasam Sofer. When people speak of my father, they speak of his compassion, how he had time for children, for brokenhearted individuals. The bigger a person is, the more chesed he must do, and that’s how we know who the true talmidei chachamim are.”

And then he allowed himself a brief moment of personal rumination.

“People say that Rav Chaim Kanievsky finishes Bavli and Yerushalmi every year. I can’t compete with him — it’s out of my league. But if you tell me that even though time is so valuable for Rav Chaim, he still gives of himself to others… now that’s something I can do as well.”

Three years ago, I was sitting in the apartment on FDR Drive with the Rosh Yeshivah and Rebbetzin, interviewing them for the book on ArtScroll/Mesorah founder Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz.

I had heard about a difficult time in the history of the publishing company, when the coffers were empty. Both Rabbi Zlotowitz and ybdlcht”a Rabbi Nosson Scherman had personally mortgaged their homes to keep the company afloat, but the money had run out.

Rav Dovid took his life’s savings and loaned it to his talmid, Rabbi Zlotowitz, allowing ArtScroll/Mesorah to survive the challenging period and eventually thrive.

I wanted to include that story in the book, but Rav Dovid wasn’t sure there was a toeles, any great gain, in it.

I negotiated, saying that it’s a story about the lengths a rebbi can go to give chizuk to a talmid — the ultimate vote of confidence.

We went back and forth. His rebbetzin was softly shaking her head, as if marveling at her husband’s generosity and kindness.

Rav Dovid finally agreed. He told me that I could share the story, but with no drama, and without writing how much money was involved.

With no drama.

That was the mantra of this man, of this family, of this yeshivah, and everything it has spawned.