Reply To: Derech Emuna settlement

y1836 Thanks very much.

I thought of them, and of R’ Aryeh Levin

Avira

I am seriously not suitable to discuss people – on both sides of the fence – who are light years greater than me. Obviously if something was said that it clearly neged the toira then it is wrong. The point I was making was that Rav Kook was respected tremendously during his lifetime, and at least in terms of encouraging mitzvos hatluyos ba’aretz played a massive role that it felt until today.

I genuinely don’t know about Rav Hutner. I’m from the UK and have merited to live for many years in e”y bs”d. My quotes are based on things I heard from elderly people in Yerushalayim including the Auerbach family

Concerning Maran R’ Shlomo Zalman, a grandchild told me:

a) he was mechabed Rav Kook with sandaka’us for his first son – during the lifetime of his father and shver, both of whom were gedolim in their own rights. [When the eitz party started, the joke was that both HaGaon R’ Shmuel and HaGaon R’ Dov Tzvi Karelenstein, [ben HaGaon R’ Yerucham Fishel] had the same sandak, but as you write, I digress.]

b) he stayed in his shiur a second year, although his father R’ Chayim Leib was reluctant about the idea.

c) he had a picture on his wall, I think the only not family picture.

d) he was aware of the reluctance of those that surrounded him with Rav kook – in fact the sefer me’oirei Eish was not republished, since he insisted on Rav kook’s hascama being printed, while the family felt very strongly that it shouldn’t be printed.

e) by R’ shlomo’s Zalman’s petira and shiva some wanted to take the picture down, but in the end they left it in place.

Concerning מרן הגרי”ש אלישיב

a) the comment was readily repeated during the “ליבה” story. I assume if you check any Israeli news website from that period you will find it. it was about fifteen years ago. The gadol in question was Maran R’ Aharon Leib.

b) Although R’ Elyashiv learnt by himself he considered R’ Hirsh Pesach – his wife’s uncle – a primary force and influence on his life, and i understood [again from one the Auerbach’s] that this included RESPECT [not acceptance] for HaRav Kook.

HaGaon Rav Elchanan was an exception in his generation – he was literally the only visiting rosh yehsiva not to speak in RIETS. His views, and those of R’ Aharon Kotler are very very well known, and were expressed clearly at the k’nessia gedola, however they are not the majority. My only point was that people have misconstrued the mainstream view and even people who do not necessarily consider themselves adherents of R’ Elchanan’s extensive views seem to think that Rav Kook is a pariah.

Older people have mentioned about Rav Hutner with Rav Kook, and a much younger protege R’ Sholom Schwadron. Again, an older person told me that today the world thinks of Pachad Yitzchok, and the sefer machshava, they perhaps heard of the tisch and the spodik, but they have forgotten the colorful character, the “cheftza” and the charifus that made Rav Hutner stand out when the Chevron yeshiva came to Yerushalaim. [it may have changed, I am not debating that possibilty]

Ziknei Yerushalayim also told me that the Brisker rov was reluctant to talk about Rav Kook or Rav Herzog. He discouraged people from directing big questions to them and was disappointed when someone suggested that he be machriya the question about the dateline. All in all The Brisker Rav had a pachad of establishing the Rabbanut as the senior beis din, with his wisdom and foresight he realized that it would not necessarily always be led by talmdei chachomim.

R’ Elyakim Schlesinger is rosh yeshivas Haromo in London, not lucerne. Rav koppelman zatza”l was Rosh yeshiva in Lucern and was a talmid of R’ shimon shkop and was מעמיד תלמיידם לאלפים

Rav Schlesinger’s yeshiva is very very small. primarily family and a few followers. He is a talmid of the Brisker Rov and the Gramad, but in beis brisk his version of events is not considered completely accurate. He is known as a tremendous tremendous kana’i, and is a nephew of the legendary R; Amram Blau – son in law of his brother R’ Moshe who was poisoned by the Zionists.

There is a brilliant book that is written by someone more mainstream, In their shadow By Rabbi Lorinz, he received beautiful haskamos from many gedolim and really really had an insider’s view.
He clearly lays out the anti Zionist stance, and the feeling of despair Toira Jewry felt, but steers clear of criticizing Rav Kook or Herzog.

I have lived in ge’ula and spent hours in conversation with people who gave me the impression as being close to the main players, and this is my impression.

Finally R’ Chayim Brim related the following.
R’ Chayim Greinaman was a son in law in yerushalayim and for a short time lived in the kerem neighborhood, where his first child was born. He was mechabed the hailige Chazon Ish with sandaka’us, It was one the only occasions that the Chazon Ish came to yerushalyim.
The Cישzon Ish came to visit the Brisker Rov – it seems this was of the very few occasions that they met. they discussed things for a while.

After they left, the Chazon Ish commented the brisker rov has good eyesight, he can see ramifications thirty years ahead.
The Brisker rov said the Chazon Ish has koichois, I wouldn’t consider uprooting the trees he sets out to uproot.

[The Gramad – then a bochur of 30+ – was present and remained very quiet. The Chazon Ish later commented די בריסקר רב האט א זון וואס איז א מלאך, נישט קיין מענטש.]

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