Director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, Rabbi Dr. Mark Goldfeder, testified before the House of Representatives about anti-Semitism on college campuses

IN his role as Director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, well-known attorney, Rabbi Dr. Mark Goldfeder, testified before the House of Representatives about anti-Semitism on college campuses. He had with him a compilation of documents which he used as references as he gave his testimony. But also present was a book which he didn't open at all — a handsome volume with the words “Kedushas Levi” scrawled across its cover. The Kedushas Levi was authored by Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, known as the “Great Defender” of Klal Yisrael, for his practice of pointing out favorable aspects of Klal Yisrael to thwart any potential prosecution by the Satan.

This particular volume of Kedushas Levi was published by Artscroll/Mesorah, and translated and elucidated by Rabbi Moishe Silk, a chassid who served as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for International Markets under President Donald Trump. Now, as Rabbi Dr. Goldfeder came to Congress to defend His people, he was aided by the Berditchever, whose cause had become pertinent once again.

Practical Application

The sefer Ratz K’tzvi — Ish Milchamah is one of a multi-volume set of Ratz K’tzvi seforim, written by Rav Tzvi Ryzman shlita. The sefer is dedicated to elucidating the various halachos pertaining to war.

Recently, Rabbi Dovid Fuchs, a chaplain in the Netzach Yehudah batallion, showed the sefer to a group of soldiers in the unit. The topic he began to discuss with them was the idea of “milchemes mitzvah,” a war that has the status of a mitzvah. Suddenly, a siren went off, and the group of soldiers rushed to a bunker, where they huddled together, waiting for the danger to pass. Then they heard, "Mamshichim et hashiur shel haRav — we're continuing the Rav's shiur.”

And from the inside of a cement fortification, rockets flying overhead, the group leaned in to learn the halachos of a milchemes mitzvah.

Because there's no greater fortification than that.

The Legacy Lives On

The hat and glimah — the traditional cloak worn by the Rishon L'tziyon, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi — worn by Rav Ovadia Yosef ztz”l was placed in the seforim-lined study of his son, Rav David Yosef, after his recent election to the post of Sephardic Chief Rabbi. Rav David Yosef is set to succeed his brother, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, on the 3rd of Cheshvan, which is the day his revered father Rav Ovadia passed on, leaving behind a legacy of learning and leadership his sons carry on.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1032)