Dear Editor,
It’s surprising to me to see everyone patting themselves on the back for the so-called “great job” we did raising over $100 million for the yeshivas in Eretz Yisroel during this week’s visit of the gedolim. But let’s face the uncomfortable truth: this is all so twisted.
At a parlor meeting this week, someone apologizes to the gedolim for making them shlep all the way here to raise funds.
This is what has been gnawing at me all along.
Why did they have to shlep in the first place? Are we so incapable of donating generously without subjecting our revered 90-year-old gedolim to 16-hour days of grueling fundraising? And then we apologize with a straight face?
Are we not ashamed of what we’ve done to our gedolim?
This situation brings to mind the situation of Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l, the late Mir rosh yeshiva, whose talmidim cried about how much they loved him and considered him their father after he passed away. But look at what he had to do in his last years, traveling all over to raise a few dollars. Is that how you treat your father and rosh yeshiva? You make him, in excruciating pain and suffering from Parkinson’s, travel to the USA just to collect a thousand dollars from your cozy study?
Now, we have the nerve to ask mechilah from the gedolim for making them come here.
But, of course, they had to come to us first so we could ask for their forgiveness. Is this for real?
Can people stop pretending that they feel bad for them after making them travel around to pick up pledges?
Someone said publicly that when he needs $107 million for a deal, he can raise it in an hour. So why did we have to subject six holy men in their 80s and 90s to an exhausting week-long global trek? Are we not humiliated by this?
We made Rav Dov Landau, who is very old, and Rav Yaakov Hillel, who has battled illness, travel to Canada just to pick up a check.
Rav Moshe Hillel, Rav Don, the Rachmastrivke Rebbe, Rav Salim. These are no youngsters. What did we just just do to them?
Is this what we call respecting our gedolim?
Asking for a Friend
{Matzav.com}
Don’t recall any stories about apologizing to Rav Elchonan Wasserman when he shlepped to America to raise funds. There wasn’t any bizyonos then and none now.
When Reb Elchonon traveled there wasn’t all this immediate 10 second knowledge of what’s going on around the world. Today we knew the situation in Eretz Yisroel long before anyone thought of scheduling a trip to America.
2 wrongs dont make a right.
you made a satement and did not counter the OP’s point
the entire premise of this article is incorrect.
The article supposes that people couldnt be bothered until they caused grief to the Gedolim.
That premise is a complete misunderstanding of the nature of inspiration, convictions, and assessment of perceived impact.
That is why the Gedolim felt it necessary to travel in, and yes, very much so in the footsteps of the ones who bore the mesorah previously.
R’ Boruch ber, R’ Elchonon R’ Shimon and many of the prewar gedolim came to America to raise funds. They didn’t come by private jet either.
It was a different world. Ridiculous comparsion.
100%!!!
I hear your point, but I must ask, what is it that you’re asking? If I understand correctly, you’re asking everyone to donate immediately. Asking people to give money that the may or may not have, in an accusatory tone – demands the question: How much did you contribute???
The reality is that so many causes in our communities need money ad so many potential donors can barely make ends meet themselves. The asifah of Gedolim inspired people – inspiring them to give what they wouldn’t have otherwise.
Gedolim from Europe would travel often to the United States during the early 1900s to save their yeshivas financial. This was especially true in the years following the great depression, when money was tight worldwide. Do you think that Jews in America had an easy time donating after they have lost so much during the stock market crash. People like Reb Elchonon, Reb Baruch Ber, and R’ Lazer Yehuda coming to their local shul served as a huge inspiration to give.
Well said and 100% correct!
They came in to make a statement
And whoever wrote this letter I hope you contributed to the 107 million otherwise u shouldn’t be talking
Shut up
Best reply
Reb Elchonon Zt”l Hy”d, Reb Baruch Ber Zt”l among many other gadoli hadar came to America. Here in America Reb Aaron Zt”l, Reb Ruderman Zt”l and other roshei hayeshiva had to travel all over. For whatever which reason, although your point is well taken, this is the reality how hachzokos hatorah I done.
In 1924 the dvar avrohom and rav kook shleped to USA to raise money for the yeshivos. The kli chemdah also made a trip in 1921 on behalf of agudas yisroel. This is nothing new to klal yisroel.
First of all, people are still people and the Gedolim’s mesiras nefesh makes the roshem for people to take this seriously and open their accounts. Second, Rav Malkiel Kotler said in his Hesped on Rav Noson Tzvi, that the reason he needed to travel the globe to fundraise for the Mir, was that people should have a chance to see rav Noson Tzvi and his mesiras nefesh for Torah. Klal Yisroel needed his hisorerus! The klal benefited from the gedolim who came. As they benfited from all of Rav Noson Tzvi’s travels.
In 1924 the dvar avrohom and rav kook shleped to USA to raise money for the yeshivos. The kli chemdah also made a trip in 1921 on behalf of agudas yisroel. This is nothing new to klal yisroel.
First of all, people are still people and the Gedolim’s mesiras nefesh makes the roshem for people to take this seriously and open their accounts. Second, Rav Malkiel Kotler said in his Hesped on Rav Noson Tzvi, that the reason he needed to travel the globe to fundraise for the Mir, was that people should have a chance to see rav Noson Tzvi and his mesiras nefesh for Torah. Klal Yisroel needed his hisorerus! The klal benefited from the gedolim who came. As they benfited from all of Rav Noson Tzvi’s travels.
Gedolei Roshei Yeshiva have been travelling around the world for millennia collecting for their Yeshivos. And travelling in the olden days wasn’t sitting on a private jet and being driven around in a limo. It was horse-drawn wagon, or a month-long trip on a wooden ship. I’m not saying that this trip wasn’t arduous for them, it certainly was. But we need some perspective here.
Travelling to collect funds is nothing new. Why are you asking the question now?
When Ziknei HaDor make a trip like this, it lends incredible Chashivus to their cause, and they likely raised more money than if they hadn’t made the trip. Such is human nature.
Get used to it.
Dumb question. All previous Gedolim in earlier Generations did this, it shows Chashivus Hatorah and is a zchus for them as well.
No one made them do it. They could have raised the funds without the trip.
The Gedolim decided to do this.
It gave us tremendous zechuyos to be mechabed them. And we so it was, 15,000 gathered on the hottest day in their shabbos finery singing and cheering and then it poured rain. Everyone went home soaked. Every single bit of mesiras nefesh aquires schar.
They also said it was for the purpose of giving us chizuk.
Notice, NY just ruled that it will proceed to control yeshivos. Shmad in the USA.
Whatever you think we did for them, it was for ourselves.
This shlep troubled me too, but they understand what they are doing and knew they could have raised the funds without coming. As an FYI, they already left about a day later. The funds already raised.
It’s good of you to be troubled by it but there is more going on.
I commend your straight thinking. In a perfect world you are 100% correct. Let’s look back how this is not a new Parsha. Pre war Europe the biggest roshei Yeshiva had to come to America, England and other places leaving their Yeshivas for a half a year to a year at a time. Rav Shimon rav Boruch ber and rav elchonon come to mind. The biggest roshei Yeshiva we had, till today their Torah is learned here and in Eretz Yisroel. Granted a lot of todays biggest gevirim learned in Yeshiva and therefore should have a bigger respect for gedolai Torah. Look around the local scene, money for a Yeshiva is hard to come, a name on a building, sure. But we need dinners and stadiums and pre dinner events to get a few dollars for a Yeshiva. The struggle is real. If Torah is choshuv, then this letter writer should be bothered by the matzah way before this week.
Just to end off rav Yaakov kanenetzky was asked by a person that donated $100 to the red cross and was thanked, then gave a poor man $1000 and was given attitude, how dare you give so little. Rav Yaakov explained, the goy would have given $1 and you gave 100 so he was blown away. The poor man knows his situation and thinks you are wealthy enough to give much more so he is upset. And says r Yaakov, the poor man is correct because “the yetzer Hora of money comes with each dollar, the poor man doesn’t have that yetzer horah so he can think straight how much should be given”. The harder it is to collect money for Torah says rav gifter the more pure the Torah is and the yetzer horah is getting in the way. If it’s too easy means the yetzer harah isn’t scared of the success of that Torah. Boruch Hashem the fact the gedolim had to make this trip shows how choshuv the Torah is.
100% correct.
When Rav Shach asked R’ Moshe Reichman (in the 90’s) he was short $100 million, he gave it with a short phone call.
Also, the worst part is to apologize…
You wanna make yourself feel good, you were invited to the elite party, good, don’t apologize as if you care. Yo live for this junk.
Actually the story with R’ Moshe Reichmann a”h was with 2 million – not 100 million (may sound nicer but still not true).
Before you write this righteous letter why don’t you tell us…
how much money you sent there before they made this trip?
how many people you approached to raise funds?
how many letters you wrote about the respect of gedolim until now?
how many families did you reassure that they will be taken care of?
how many people you stopped from signing up for the IDF?
If you give over the phone the same as when a Rosh Yeshiva comes to your door?
so we can understand that you really believe it should not be necessary.
Or is it that maybe you are jealous of these great Baalei Tzdakah and this is your way to shame them while you who have never been in such a position feel better about your not being able to be a part of this great kiddush Hashem that just happened.
Focus on the fact the cry of the gedolim was heeded and that this achdus and zechus should be a reason for us to see the mercy of Hashem.
For your info I drove Reb. Nosson Tzvi many times and asked him this question myself. He felt it was the right thing to come to these people and be able to show hakoras hatov in person. It was very hard! However, you shouldn’t speak for him about his Talmidim that he loved and treasured.
You cannot compare today’s to earlier gedolim’s trips of yesteryear when there hardly planes, phones, etc. Today , it’s all done over portable phones and/or computers in literally seconds. Transactions are done likewise.
My Partner, who is 66 years old, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year. We noticed that he was experiencing hallucinations, slow movement, disturbed sleep, and twitchy hands and legs when at rest. He had to stop taking pramipexole (Sifrol), carbidopa/levodopa, and 2 mg of biperiden because of side effects. Our family doctor recommended a PD-5 treatment from natural herbs centre , which my husband has been undergoing for several months now. Exercise has been very beneficial. He has shown great improvement with the treatment thus far. He is more active now, does more, and feels less apathetic. He has more energy and can do more activities in a day than he did before. As far as tremors I observe a progress, he improved drastically. I thought I would share my husband’s story in case it could be helpful, but ultimately you have to figure out what works best for you. Salutations and well wishes
Dear Historian’s
It’s worth noting that in the past we didn’t have methods of communication or ways to contribute as we do today. The letter writer is making a valid point. Would you suggest that we all rid ourselves of vehicles and travel by horse?!
I was told by a very reliable source that donors (can’t verify for all donors) were greatly inspired not only to give financially but ruchnius wise, to be in the presence of Torah greatness. That is not a small thing. And maybe that is one of the reasons gedolim of the past have also come. Sometimes Eretz Yisroel seems like – ‘over there’ and we are ‘here’. Wrong! We are together (spiritually speaking) and it brings this realization to life to us living ‘here’
I am not justifying or minimizing the difficulty that our gedolim undertook to make the trip – but please – recognize the greatness of spiritual inspiration. It can last a lifetime. I can personally attest to that.
..and letters could take weeks to arrive. There are no comparisons to communications of decades ago.
We are still human, and we give more when we are inspired.
You are right its a bizoyon Torah and I’m fact the donors should’ve gone to EY
Not everyone is R Moshe Reichman.
And no one forced them to come.
So Please !
Another Day, Another Way to Feel Bad About Ourselves!
Stop criticizing & looking at our imperfections, start noticing the beauty of Am Yisroel & praising them.
All this criticism does is create sadness & despair. During Aseres Yemei Teshuva you’re welcome to spend some time criticizing yourself & finding ways to improve YOURSELF.
Today is a time to celebrate our ahavas Hatorah!
Zeh Hayom Osoh Hashem Nogilah Venismicha Bo!
“Someone said publicly that when he needs $107 million for a deal, he can raise it in an hour. So why did we have to subject six holy men in their 80s and 90s to an exhausting week-long global trek? Are we not humiliated by this?”
This part doesn’t make sense. When he says he can raise that for a deal, he’s raising that for an investment which they expect will be paying back that money many times over. Yes, of course, giving tzedaka is spiritually far more lucrative, but that’s not the point.
First, I don’t recall reading anywhere that a bunch of rich guys told the gedolim that only if they come then they would give them money. I don’t know who planned this trip, but I don’t think the gevirim are to blame.
Second, to be able to bask in the presence of a combined hundreds of years of ameilus baTorah is an amazing thing, and an opportunity that would not typically be available even if the gevirim were to fly to E”Y, and many probably could not do that due to business or other obligations. I think that the gedolim gave a tremendous gift of Torah to those able to attend.
The community just shelled out 107 million in a bad economy, and now ontop of that your putting them on a guilt trip as well?
Nobody forced them to come.
Please…..!!
this opinion makes no sense to me.
stop making dinners stop being mechabed nadvonim
we are all human and when we are asked to fight the yetzer horah and donate large amounts of money or any other difficult thing it can only work if you get recognition. That is the way of the world
It is extermely rare to find someone on a Madreigah that can give over a million dollars just from a phone call
Not everyone is Moshe Reichman (and he got recognition as well)
why does matzav feel that can give mussar to the המון עם let the rabbanim do their job and news sites do theirs. stick to disrtibuting news not mussar.
You’re a fake phony fraud. You didn’t give a single penny to them. You never give tzidaka. You’re a miser. You’re just jealous of others. So don’t give us some sanctimonious lecture, from your place in line at the free soup kitchen.
Nobody asked them to come. They decided that money was needed to be raised for the oilam hatorah in Eretz Yisroel. The only other option would have been for them to ask other people to raise the money. How would anyone know to give money if someone didn’t ask, someone needs to raise the money. Apparently daas torah was that it is their achrayos and they didn’t want to give it over to anyone else, so they made the trip.
The same with R Nosson Tzvi, noone shlepped him around, it was his achrayos to pay the yungerleit and keep the yeshiva running so he went out raising funds.
If we are so concerned about the honor of our Gedolim;
why are there no protests when stand-up comedians make disgusting jokes about Rabbis?
Ay the gevirim have to get their due kavod to depart with such large sums?
i agree. but for that the gedolin couldve stayed al hatorah v’al haavodah and a tremendous kabalas panim couldve been made in central yerushlayim (not in central lakewood) for all the gevirim (and not the zekeinim)
to thank them berabim for their tremedous zechus
this maybe can make the letters to the editor in a paper, it shud not be featured though on your site
because it is not in a constructive matter, and is more like a rant