HaRav Shmuel Auerbach: We Must Follow the Path of Gedolei Hadoros Not New Things

“The world is full of external things that interfere with Torah study, and when we sit at the blatt of gemora we cleave to HaKadosh Boruch Hu, the Giver of the Torah, and therefore the yetzer hora tries to interfere. But we have an obligation to fight and not bow to it chas vesholom. We have an obligation to follow the path of the luminaries of the generations, not new things that we did not receive at Sinai through the tradition passed down to us throughout the generations. We must not get excited over new trends and not fear anything chas vesholom,” said HaRav Shmuel Auerbach shlita at a gathering in memory of HaRav Shach zt”l.

At the event, which was held at Yeshivas Grodna in Ashdod to mark the yahrtzeit of Maran HaRav Shach, the author of Avi Ezri, HaRav Auerbach cited a remark he heard towards the end as Maran was making an account of what he would have to show for himself when he came before Beis Din Shel Maaloh. In his extraordinary humility he said he had forgotten much of what he had learned, but he said the knowledge that he engaged faithfully in tzorchei rabbim reassured him.

“We must realize that when Rabbeinu Maran ztvk”l said he engaged in those affairs faithfully,' what he meant was a tremendous thing: he testified about himself that he put his whole heart into all he did, with no deviation or self- interest or leanings chas vesholom. When shared this with ylct"a Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv shlita, he was deeply impressed, saying he had never heard of such [dedication], and the fact that he truly actedfaithfully’ is the greatest of all attributes.

“And indeed, all [of the questions] that Rabbeinu Hagodol zy”o answered, both public and private matters, were based on far-sighted vision. And in every matter the considerations he weighed reflected thought regarding what could emerge in the final analysis, even far off in the future.”