Rabbi Ari Kahn
Hashaked 5/3 Givat Zev
Jerusalem Hills 90917
|
p.o.b. 443
|
18
Elul 5756
September
2nd 1996
Professor
Alan Dershowitz
Harvard
University
Boston,
Mass.
Dear
Alan,
I
hope that this note finds you well. Thank G-d everything is well here, things
returned to normal .....
Prior
to your request for the letter of Rav Elchanan Wasserman, (which we discussed) I began to search for
it myself. My gut reaction was similar
to yours, “How can a man leave America to knowingly be killed in Europe?” I had
heard some of the legends surrounding Rav Elchanan's demise over the years, and
I had never taken the time to try to distinguish fact from fiction. As a result
of our discussion I decided to research the issue, therefore I thank you for
being the impetus for this learning and clarification.
The
legends spoke of a man leaving the comforts of America in order to be with his
students in Europe, much in the way of a captain going
down with his ship[1]. When confronted by the
enemy he never stopped teaching Torah, and like Rabbi Akiva of old, he died
after giving a class about martyrdom. Eyewitnesses described him as looking
like an “angel of G-d”. Reportedly some of the Nazis were afraid of the Rabbi
who “glowed”, but in the end he was taken out and shot.
I
can not evaluate where the facts end, and embellishment begins. However, I have
succeeded in reconstructing some the pertinent facts.
As
for the letter, I had assumed the letter was in His collected writings called in
Hebrew “Kovetz Mamarim”. Indeed , I found one letter, written to the “Young
Israel” movement dated 1939 [2]. The letter, however does not explain anything
on a personal level, rather he responds to their willingness to help[3]. He responds almost
exclusively on a theological level, with an analogy of a medical patient who
complains of symptoms; the doctor should treat the symptoms, but more
importantly should find the cause. So, too, the Jews in Europe are suffering
greatly, but what is the spiritual cause? And what is the spiritual prescription?
He proceeds to analyze the spiritual issues which he thinks should be brought
to the attention of the masses. Interesting, but not what I was looking for.
In
the course of searching for the letter, I was, as I said,
able to reconstruct some important facts:
1. Most
importantly, Rav Elchanan left America before the war began, and no one knew at
the time what was in store for European Jewry. I was told by a friend, who was a
student of Rav Elchanan`s son Rav Simcha, that he once discussed this with Rav
Simcha who said “my father had no idea
of what would be; had he known, he never would have returned[4] to Europe.
2. The
people that discussed with him, the possibility of his staying in the U.S.
reported great ambivalence[5]. He was torn, obviously
aware that returning meant some type of danger, but he felt he was needed in
Europe.
Here are some of the quotes attributed to
Rav Elchanan: When told that his other 2 sons may be able to escape he replied
“What about my other 400 sons (the number of students in his yeshiva)? [6]
When asked pointedly how in terms of Jewish law he
was permitted to return he said “I am a soldier who must return to the front”[7]
3. Once
back in Europe and the nefarious plans of the Nazis became clear he instructed
people that anything that can be done to avoid danger must be done.[8]
4. Rav
Elchanan himself tried on numerous occasions to escape, mainly to Israel[9], once the real horrors of
the Holocaust became clear.[10]
The letter however was not mentioned in the biography or any other
secondary source. To make a long story short, I finally found a photocopy of
the letter, the main section reads:
Friday Parshas Naso Talma[11]
I received your letter but I could do nothing about it, so I did not
respond. I am unable to bring the students to the Yeshiva of Dr. Revel or Beis
Medrish Litorah in Chicago, for they are both places of spiritual danger, for
they are run in a spirit of “free thinking” [prevalent in these places]. What would
one gain to escape physical danger in order to then confront spiritual danger?
But I sent your letter to Rabbi Shlomo Heiman the head of the Yeshiva Mesifta
Torah VaDaas in Brooklyn. My advice is that you contact him and have him write
a letter to------ the address is------------------
Elchanan Bunim Wasserman
Some
important background
1. The
consideration of physical danger and spiritual danger, can be found in the
writings of many sages, most notably the famed Chafetz Chaim, Rav
Elchanan`s mentor , had said such things
about America, especially before and during World War one.
2. Even
during the early part of the War Rav Elchanan was concerned about people with
young impressionable children who were contemplating going to America.[12]
3. Having
been to America and personally seen the relative spiritual wasteland that it
was, Rav Elchanan was further (initially) convinced that the old policy of the
Chafetz Chaim should remain in force.[13]
4. I
sense some ambivalence in the letter; was he against coming to America, or was the
problem Y.U. (“Dr. Revels Yeshiva”)? Was he perhaps simply trying to get
an invitation from a more acceptable yeshiva?
In
conclusion, I think the facts stand on their own, but of course you and all
students of history will draw their own conclusions. My study brought me in
touch with a great Jew who lived and died for his people, and was dedicated to
his students in a manner which is unfathomable to the modern mind.
We
are bidden in Pirki Avot not to judge our friend until we find ourselves in his
place. Perhaps by judging people we tempt Fate, as it were, to put us in that
place. Let us hope and pray that no Jew - no person - is ever put in that type
of situation again.
If
I can be of assistance in any way please do not hesitate to contact me.
May
the coming year be a year of health and prosperity to all of G-d`s children.
May you and your family enjoy health and happiness, and may you be inscribed in
the book of the righteous.
Ari
[1] One can find this phrase in Rav Elchanan`s,
justification for returning to eastern Europe from London in the spring of 1939 Or Elchanan (A biography written about the man and his
teachings)page 213, although the source also cites a more mystical
consideration.
[2] I later saw the letter referred to as the
last published letter
[3] This is my assumption - their letter was
not published
[4] As it was, he did instruct his son to stay
in the U.S. Legend: Rav Simcha reportedly said that it was then that he
realized that he would never have children, (see below).
[5] Or Elchanan page 213, the source was
his son Rav Simcha
[6] “Or Elchanan” page 212.
[7] Or Elchanan page213
[8] Or Elchanan page 239,270
[9] A
Facsimile of the letter is in Or Elchanan on page 273, notice the
handwriting matches the letter which I found.
[10] Or Elchanan page 271, it is recounted that
once he was waiting online for a visa to Israel, one of his students was in
front of the line and tried to entice Rav Elchanan to trade places on line, Rav
Elchanan refused. See page 276 for other attempts at escape.
[11] Apparently the name of the city he was in,
no year is given.
[12] Or Elchanan 246, 247
