A rare lens into the weight that a gadol ascribes to the decisions he makes

Living Higher

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch the Slabodka Rosh Yeshivah and one of the generation’s preeminent gedolim, has been dedicating voluminous amounts of time and energy this past year raising funds to keep the Olam HaTorah in Eretz Yisrael afloat after the Israeli government cut funding for yeshivos. On a recent trip to America, he attended a fundraiser in the Flatbush home of Reb Menachem Braunstein, a supporter of the yeshivah. At the event, Reb Menachem and Reb Shmuel Grunberger, a devoted Slabodka talmid, presented the Rosh Yeshivah with a new initiative that they wanted to kickstart.

In broad outlines, the plan entailed encouraging Torah Jews from around the world to donate one dollar a day to avreichim in kollelim across Eretz Yisrael. The funds would be a financial lifeline for hundreds of avreichim and give tremendous relief to the roshei kollel, while also allowing even lower-level donors to significantly impact the Torah landscape. But the Slabodka Rosh Yeshivah didn’t just offer his warm support. Instead, he asked for a pen and paper, diligently detailing the calculations.

How many people could they reasonably expect to sign up, he wanted to know. How many avreichim could be supported? How would the funds be distributed? Would this take away from other donations? How would overhead be kept to a minimum to ensure maximum impact of each dollar? Like an investor reviewing a potential deal, the Rosh Yeshiva probed and asked, going through the minutiae of the proposal. Reb Avromi Schonfeld then suggested the two partner with Reb Chaim Posen who initiated a similar concept called “TorahGiving” back in 2021, a move that the Rosh Yeshivah encouraged.

The scene afforded the participants a rare lens into the weight that a gadol ascribes to the decisions he makes for a concept as dear to his heart as support for Torah learning.

HAPPENING IN…Lakewood

Last week, a few dedicated individuals in the Lakewood, New Jersey area decided they had to do something about the increase in unemployment due to the economic situation. They banded together and hastily organized a job fair at the Westwood Business Center, Lakewood’s newest business hub. There was no sponsoring organization, no steering committee, no slick marketing campaign, promo videos, or punchy taglines, just earnest individuals who wanted to engage in what the Rambam calls the highest level of tzedakah — helping Yidden earn a livelihood. Business owners were asked to come, askanim with a working knowledge of the frum employment market were invited, and a simple ad was hastily prepared and shared on some chats.

Within minutes of the doors opening, more than 500 people jammed the Westwood’s lobby, about a third of them looking for work and the remainder eager to help their fellow Yidden find an opportunity. The atmosphere pulsed with excitement and by the evening’s end, several placements had been procured and hundreds of leads were generated.

“V’shaveha b’tzedakah,” says the pasuk in Yeshayahu, “and the Return will be through tzedakah.” As hundreds demonstrated the highest form of tzedakah, so too, may Hashem bestow upon us the ultimate blessing, V’shaveha b’tzedakah.

Light Unto Our Nation

Yaakov Yosef, an 11-year-old boy from Monsey, was nine when he was diagnosed with leukemia. For two very challenging years, Yaakov Yosef battled courageously. He dutifully took his many medications and endured grueling treatments, with his family offering strength and encouragement.

Yaakov Yosef’s mother saved every one of the empty medicine containers. One day, he approached her. “Mommy,” he asked, “when all this is over, can we make a trophy out of these containers?” Yaakov Yosef’s mother nodded. Of course — no one deserved a trophy more than he did.

As Chanukah of this year approached and Yaakov Yosef neared the end of his treatment, his family realized that the final pill would be taken on… Zos Chanukah! This fact was noted by the pharmacy as well, who sent Chanukah doughnuts with a purple and yellow theme to match the pills’ coating.

And so rather than build a trophy, the family built a menorah.

The light at the end of the tunnel.

And our tefillah is that this light should spread far and wide, illuminating fellow Jewish lives and banishing all darkness.

May He who performed miracles for our fathers perform miracles now.

Bayamim haheim, bazman hazeh.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1044)