Kletzk, 1929

The first time that I met the Rosh Yeshiva zichrono lívracha was in Taf-Resh-Pay-Tes, 1929. I was very young, not even nine years old. My cousin zichrono lívracha was a talmid of Slutzk and knew the Rosh Yeshiva zichrono lívracha through Slutzk. They made a chanukas habayis. We lived at that time in Baranovich, and they made a chanukas habayis for the yeshiva in Kletzk in Taf-Resh-Pay-Tes, or maybe the beginning of Taf-Resh-Tzaddik[1].

My father went to be by the chanukas habayis and he took me with him. I remember the Rosh Yeshiva zichrono lívracha was a middle-aged man then, most probably in his middle or upper thirties. He was the ruach hachaim of the yeshiva.

It was a tremendous gathering of hundreds of rosh yeshivas, and Rabbonim from the whole shtetlach around Kletzk. It was a tremendous chanukas habayis. I would say it took almost a weekís time because it was the first building that was built for a yeshiva after the First World War. And this was my first meeting with the Rosh Yeshiva.

 

Learning in Kletk

Afterwards, I lived alone in Baranovitch and learned by Reb Elchonon Wasserman, zecher tzaddik lívracha. Then it was time for me to choose another yeshiva to go to after Baranovitch. I preferred to go to Kletzk because first of all, I was born in Kletz, and because my father was very close to the Rosh Yeshiva, zecher tzaddik lívracha. This was in 1937. I went to Kletzk and I learned there until the milchama, until 1939 until the whole yeshiva and also myself fled to Vilna.

The Rosh Yeshiva was kulo Rosh Yeshiva. He was a rosh yeshiva that lived with talmidim. He was interested in talmidim. He used to say shiurim twice a week, and the olam used to talk to him in learning. He lived on top of the yeshiva. It was kind of like the ezras nashim. It was his dirah there. The bochurim in the yeshiva used to go up to him and heíd stam reid in learning or they discussed with him whatever he said in the shiurim.

The uniqueness was that he was the Rosh Yeshiva. When the Rosh Yeshiva used to say a shiur it was like a fire gebrent.

 

Kletzk in War Time

When the war broke out, right after Sukkos, we found out that Vilna was going to be turned over to Lithuania. The Rosh Yeshiva was already there in Vilna, he went[MH1]  there first, and we got from him daily yedias ìyesî or ìno.î Then when he decided that the yeshiva should go to Vilna, all the bochurim appreciated it, whoever it was at that time in Kletzk.

You have to remember that at this time, it was a time of milchama and a lot of the bochurim from yeshiva had been on the German side and couldnít come to Vilna. A lot of the bochurim were on the Russian side and could go to Vilna, but some of them didnít want to leave their mishpachas or their parents didnít want to part with them. But the big olam, I would say most probably between eighty and a hundred bochurim, went from the yeshiva to Vilna. And then from Vilna, when they told us we cannot be in Vilna, we went to Yaneveh, and from Yaneveh, the yeshiva was divided into little towns, Shalok ??.

At that time, the Rosh Yeshiva zichrono lívracha managed to get a visa to go to America. He tried from America to do anything he could to get us visas and so on. Unfortunately, he could not do anything because it was a time of milchama and it was almost impossible. Whoever could get a visa by himself, got it. I canít remember if anyone got visas through the Rosh Yeshiva or not.

But then, unfortunately, milchama broke out and a little over thirty bochurim from the yeshiva were sent to Siberia. When he found out that the bochurim were in Siberia, he started getting the Vaad Hatzola to help us out as much as it could. He tried to get us some packages. We couldnít get them directly from America. They were sent through Iran. And the Vaad Hatzola was very helpful really to keep us alive at that time.

After the war, we came back to Poland, and from Poland to Czechoslovakia, from Czechoslovakia to France, and there we got our visas and we came back to Lakewood. When we came back to Lakewood, the Rosh Yeshiva was very helpful and happy to see us and encouraged us to sit down again to learn.

 

Lakewood at Peace 

And so, I learned here in Lakewood for two and a half years. The olam[MH2]  at that time was very small, but it was very close to the Rosh Yeshiva. The Rosh Yeshiva was interested in the matzav of each and every one, trying to help each and every one. He was tremendously busy with Klal Yisroel arbeit, but he would spend every Thursday to Sunday or Monday in yeshiva and he would zug shiurim, schmoozen, and what have you in order to build the basis of Lakewood. And that is what Lakewood is today. Itís all on this strong foundation that the Rosh Yeshiva zichrono lívracha made at that time.

Itís well known that the Rosh Yeshiva was the gaon hador, the tzaddik hador. The Rebbetzin always used to say, îPeople know the Rosh Yeshiva as a gaon, but I believe he is more tzaddik than gaon.î

Tzidkus he didnít show off, but es iz gebrent in em[2] the Ahavas HaTorah, Yiras Shomayim ÓÈË „È ‚‡ˆÚ¯ Ó‰Â˙. „Ú¯ ÓÚˢ ‰‡Ë ‚Ú‡¯·ÚË ÓÈ˙„Ó‡ ˆ·ÈÈ ‡ÂÔ ˆÂ‡ˆÈ‚ ˘Ú‰ ‡‰ ˇ‚ ΄‡È „È ÓÏÁÓÂ˙ ÂÂ‡Ò Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‚Ú‰‡Ë ˆÂ ˇÔ, ÓÈË „È ‡È‚„ ‰¯·ÈÌ, ÓÈË ‡„Ú¯Ú, ÂÂ‡Ò ‰‡·ÚÔ ‚Ú‚ÏÈÈ·Ë ‡Ò ˜ÚÔ ˜ÈÈÔ Ó‡Ï ÊÈÈÔ ‡ È˘È·‰ ‡ÈÔ ‡Ó¯È˜‰. ‡ÂÔ Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‡Ïı ‚Ú‰‡Ï‡ÚÔ, ÓÏÁÓ‰ ‚Ú‰‡ÏËÚÔ ÓÈË ÊÈÈ. Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‚ÚËÈÈÚË ‡Ê ˙¯‰, ‡È˘ ˙¯‰, ˙‰‡ ¯·ÈÌ ‡¯ ÊÈ ÂÂ‡Ò ‰‡·ÚÔ ˆÂ Ë‡Ô ÓÈË ˙¯‰, ‡ÂÔ ˘ËÈÈË ˙¯‰ „‡Ò ‡ÈÊ „È ˘Ó‰ ÙÂÔ ÎÏÏ È˘¯‡Ï! ‡ÂÔ ˙¯‰ ˜ÚÔ È˘Ë ÊÈÈÔ ˜ÈÈÔ ÎÏÏ È˘¯‡Ï! ‡ÂÔ ‡„¯·‰, Ú·ÚÍ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡Ê‡ Á¯·Ô, „‡¯Û Óȯ ˆÂ¯È˜·ÂÈÚÔ ˙¯‰ ‡ÂÔ ÂÂ‡Ò ÓÚ¯ ·ÂÈÚÔ ˙¯‰, ‡ÊÂÈ „‡¯Û Óȯ ·ÂÈÚÔ ÎÏÏ È˘¯‡Ï! „‡¯ ÏÈÈ‚Ë ÓÈÈÔ ‡ÏÚ ˘ÓÂÚÈÒ, ‡ÂÔ „Ú¯ ÙÈÈÚ¯„È‚Ú ¯ÈÈ„ Î'Ò„¯ ‡Í ‡‡Ë, ‡Í ‡ ‡Ë, ‡Í ‡ ‡Ë. ·'Ù¯Ë ‰‡Ë Óȯ ‚Ú„‡¯ÙË ÚÌ ¯ÈÈ„ÚÔ È˘Ë ‡¯ ˆÂ ‡ÂÊ, „È ‡ÓÂÏÈ‚Ú ·È ˙¯‰ ÂÂ‡Ò Óȯ ‰‡·ÚÔ ‚Ú˜ÚË ÙÂÔ Ù¯ÈÚ¯, ‡·Ú¯ „Ú¯ ÚȘ¯ Ù‡¯ „È ÈÂ‚Ú¯„È‚Ú ‡Ó¯È˜‰ ·Á¯ÈÌ ÂÂ‡Ò ‚ÚÊÚÚÔ ‚Ú˜ÂÓÚÔ ÙÂÔ Ù‡¯˘È„ÈÚ ‰ÈÈÓÚ¯, Ù‡¯˘È„ÈÚ ˘Ë‡Ë, Ù‡¯˘È„ÈÚ ‡È·È¯ÓÚËÒ, ‡ÂÔ Óȯ ‰‡Ë ‚ÚÊÚÔ Ë‡˜Ú „È ÙȯÂ˙ ÂÂ‡Ò Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‡Â‚Ú·ÂÈË, Ú¯ ‰‡Ë „ÂÍ ‡Â‚Ú·ÂÈË ˙¯‰!!  [3]

 

The Rosh Yeshivaís Bracha

‡ÈÍ ‰‡· ‚ÚÏÚ¯ÚË ‡ÈÔ ÏÈȘ„ Ù‡¯ ˆ·È ‡ÂÔ ‡ ‰‡Ï· ȇ¯. ‡Í „ÚÌ ‰‡· ‡ÈÍ ·‡˜ÂÓÚÔ ‡ ˘ËÚÏÚ ‡Ïı ‡ ˘ÂÁË ‡ÈÔ „·¯. ‡ÂÔ „‡¯ËÚÔ ‰‡·ÚÔ ÊÈÈ ‡Â‚ÚÏÈÈ·Ë ÚËÏÈί ·ÚÏÈ ·˙ÈÌ. ‡ÈÈÚ¯ ÙÂÔ ÊÈ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ, Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‚Ú‰‡Ë ‡ ˘Ï‡ÎˉÂÈÊ, ÊÈÈÚ¯ ÂÓÚÔ ‡ÈÊ ·¯ÂÍ ˘ÈÈ·Úı. „Ú¯ ·¯ÂÍ ˘ÈÈ·Úı ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡ ÙÈÈÚ ‡È„, ‡ Ù˘ÂËÚ¯ ‡È„ ‡·Ú¯ ÊÈÚ¯ ‡ ÙÈÈÚ¯, ‡ ‚¯ÂÈÒÚ ·ÚÏ ˆ„˜‰. ‡ÂÔ Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‚ÚÙ‡¯ÚÔ ‡ ÓÂÏ ‡Ô ‡Â˜ÈÈ˘ÈÔ ˆÂ ÂÈ È¯˜, ‡ÂÔ ‡ÈÍ ‰‡· ÚÌ ‡ÈÈ‚Ú¯ÚË Ê‡Ï Ú¯ ˜ÂÓÚÔ ‡ÈÔ ÏÈȘ„. Ú¯ ÂÂÚË ÊÈÈÔ ‡ÈÔ ÂÈ È¯˜ Ù‡¯ Ú¯ Ù‡¯Ë ‡ÈÔ ÏÈȘ„, ÊÚÔ „Ú¯ Úȯ ‰˙¯‰, ˯ÚÙÚÔ ÓÈË „È ¯‡˘ È˘È·‰[4]. 

Dos is geven, ken zein[5], in the middle fifties. I donít remember exactly.

Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‚Ú˜ÂÓÚÔ „ÓÂÏı, ‰‡Ë ·‡˜‡Ë „Ú ¯‡˘ È˘È·‰. ÂÂÚÔ Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‚Ú˜ÂÓÚÔ ˆÂ¯È˜, ‡ÈÊ Ú¯ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ÊÈÚ¯ ‡ÒÂÊȇÒËȘ ‡·‡ÂÈË ‡ÈË ‡ÂÔ Ú¯ ‡ÈÊ ‡¯ÂÈÙ‚ÈÈÔ ‡ÏÚ ÓÂÏ. „Ú ¯‡˘ È˘È·‰ ‰‡Ë ‡ÏÚ ÓÂÏ ‚Ú„‡¯ÙÚÔ ‰‡·ÚÔ ‚ÚÏË ‡ÂÔ ‡ÈÍ ‰‡· ‡ÏÚ ÓÂÏ ‚Ú‰ÚÏÙË ÚÌ ˘‡ÙÚÔ ‚ÚÏË. Ú¯ ÙÏÈÈ‚Ë Óȯ ‡ÏÚ ÓÂÏ ‡¯ÂÈÙ‚ÈÈÔ ˘‡ÙÚÔ ‡ ·ÈÒÏ ‚ÚÏË Ù‡¯ „Ú È˘È·‰. ‡ÂÔ ·È‡È‚ ‡Ê Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‚Ú‰‡Ë ‡Ò‡Í ˜Â˜˘ÈÒ, ·È˘ÈÒ ˜Â˜˘ÈÒ, ÙÏÈÈ˜Ë Ú¯ ‡ÏÚ ÓÂÏ ‚Ú˘‡ÙÚÔ, ‡Ë ÏÈÒË ‡¯ÂÈÒ‚Ú·ÚÔ ÊÚ˜Ò, ÊÈ·ÚÔ ‰Â„¯„ „ÂϯÒ.  ‡ÈÔ „Ú¯ÚÔ È‡¯ÚÔ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡ ‰ÂÔ ¯·, ÊÚ˜Ò ‰Â„¯„ „Âϯ[6].

Ú¯ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡ ‰ÂÈÎÚ¯Ú ‡È„ ‡ÂÔ Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‚Ú‰‡Ë ‡Ô ‡ÈÈ‚ÈÚ¯ ˘Á¯. ‡ÂÔ Ú¯ ‡ÈÊ ‚Ú˜ÂÓÚÔ ˆÂ ÚÌ ‡ÈÔ ˘ÂÏ ‡ÈÔ ÓÈËÚÔ ÊÂÓÚ¯. ‡ÂÔ Ú¯ ‰‡Ë ‚Ú‰‡Ë ‡ ˘ÂÂÚ¯ ‡ÂÔ ˘ ˘ÂÂÈ‚Ú¯. ‡ÂÔ Ú¯ ‡ÈÊ ‚Ú˜ÂÓÚÔ ˆÂ ÊÈÈ ‡ÈÔ ‚'ÂÔ ‡Â„Ú¯ ‚'ÂÏÈÈ. ‡ÂÔ „Ú¯ ˘ÂÂÚ¯ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡È‚‡ˆÚÔ Ù‡¯ÂÓÚÔ, Ó¯‡ ˘Á¯'„È‚, Ù‡¯Ë¯‡‚ÈÔ. Ù¯Ú‚Ë ‡ÈÍ ÚÌ "‚'˜ ÂÂ‡Ò ‡ÈÊ ÓÈË „ȯ?" ‰‡Ë Ú¯ ‚Úʇ˜Ë "ÓÈÈÔ ÂÈÈ·".[7]

 

¯· ·¯ÂÍ ˘ÈÈ·Úı ‡ÈÊ ‚Ú˜ÂÓÚÔ ‡ÈÔ ˘ÂÏ Ù¯ ÓÚ¯·, ʇ‚ ‡ÈÍ ˆÂ ÚÌ, ¯' ·¯ÂÍ, ‡Ê ‡ÈÍ ‰Ú¯ ‡Ê ÊÈÈÔ ˘ÂÂÈ‚Ú¯[8]

is very sick, so letís call Lakewood and see what we can do.

He says, ìOkay. Go ahead.î

In shul, there was a telephone. The difference from Denver to New York is ˆÂÂÈ ˘ËÂ„Ú¯. ‡Ò ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ „‡ÎË Óȯ „‡¯Ë ‡ÎË ‡ÊÈ‚Ú¯, „‡¯ ˆÚÔ ‡ÊÈÈ‚Ú¯. Óگȷ ‰‡Ë ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ÈÈÔ ‡ÊÈÈ‚Ú¯ ‡ÈÔ ÓÈËÚÔ ÊÂÓÚ¯.[9]

I tried to get of the Rosh Yeshiva, but itís impossible to get a hold of the Rosh Yeshiva.

‰‡Ë Ú¯ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ÎÒ„¯ ÚÒ˜ ÓÈË ˆ¯ÎÈ ˆÈ·Â¯, ÓÈË ËÏÙÂÒ ‡ÂÔ ‡Í ‡ ‡Ë. ‡ÈÍ ‰‡· ‚Ú‡¯Ë, ‡ÂÔ ÚÒ ‡ÈÊ ˘ÂÈÔ ˆÚÔ ‡ÊÈÈ‚Ú¯, ‡ÂÔ ÚÒ ‡ÈÊ ˘ÂÈÔ ˆÂÂÚÏÚ· ‡ÊÈÈ‚Ú¯, „‡¯Û ‡ÈÍ ˘ÂÈÔ ‚ÈÈÔ. Ó¯‚ÈÔ ‡ÈÔ „Ú Ù¯È Ë¯‡ÎË Óȯ ·¯ÂÍ ˘ÈÈ·Úı, ʇ‚Ë Ú¯, "Â,‰‡Ë ‡È¯ ÚÌ ‚Ú˜‡ÏË?" ʇ‚ ‡È¯ "‡ÈÍ ‰‡· ˘ÂÈÔ ‚Ú˜‡ÏË, ‡·Ú¯ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡ÂÈÛ „È ËÏÙÂÔ ‡ÏÚ ÓÂÏ ·ÈÊÈ."[10]

"‡Ù˘¯ ‚ÈÈ ¯ÂÛ ÚÌ ÈÚˆË." ÚÒ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡ÎÚÔ „‡ÂÂÚÚÔ, ‡ÈÔ ÂÈ È¯˜ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ˆÚÔ ‡ÊÈÈ‚Ú¯, ·ÈÈ ‡ÂÊ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡ÎË. ‡ÂÔ ÂÂÚÌ ‰‡· ‡ÈÍ ‚Ú˯ÂÙË? ‡ÈÍ ‰‡· ‚Ú˯ÂÙË „È ¯‡˘ È˘È·‰, ÊίÂ Ϸ¯Î‰! ʇ‚ ‡ÈÍ ÚÌ, ˙‰ÈÏÈÌ ·Ú‚Ë, ·¯ÂÍ ˘ÈÈ·Úı, Ú¯ ‰ÚÏÙË ‡ÂÈÛ „È È˘È·‰ ‡Ê‡ Ò‡Í. "‡Â‡„Ú, ‡Â‡„Ú, ‡ÈÍ ‚Ú„Ú˜Ë ÚÌ. Ú¯ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ·ÈÈ ‡ÂÊ, ‡Â‡„Ú¯ Óȯ „‡¯ÙË Ê‡‚ÚÔ ˙‰ÈÏÈÌ. ‡Â·Ú¯ È˘Ë ÈÚˆË, ÚÒ ‡ÈÊ ˆÚÔ ‡ÊÈÈ‚Ú¯, ÚÒ ‡ÈÊ ÓÈËÚÔ Ò„¯. ÂÂÚÏÚÔ Óȯ ʇ‚ÚÔ ˙‰ÈÏÈÌ ‡ÎË ÓÁ‰."[11]

ÓÁ‰ „‡ÂÂÚË Óȯ ‡ÈÔ È˘È·‰ ‡ ÙÚ¯ËÏ ˆÂ ˆÂÂÈ. ‡ÂÔ ‡Â‚ÚÙÈ¯Ë ‡ ˆÂÂÈ ‡ÊÈÈ‚Ú¯ ‰‡·ÚÔ ÊÈÈ ‚Úʇ˜Ë ˙‰ÈÏÈÌ.   „·¯ ËÈÈÌ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ˆÂÂÚÏ ‡ ÊÈÈ‚Ú¯. ‡ÈÍ ˜ÂÌ ˘ÙÚËÚ¯ ˆÂ ÓÁ‰, ˯ÚÛ ‡ÈÍ „ÚÌ ‚'˜. Ù¯Ú‚ ‡ÈÍ

ìHow is this Mrs.?î[12] 

ìI donít know, zugt er[13], I donít know what happened. But around noon time, the whole situation changed.î Zugt er, the doctorim[14] donít know what happened!î

 ÊÈÈÔ Ù¯ÂÈ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÏÚ·Ë ÊÚ˜Ò ÊÈ·ÚÔ È‡¯ ÊÙÈÈËÚ¯, ÊÈ ‡ÈÊ ‚Ú‡¯ÚÔ ‚ÚÊÂË, ‡ÂÔ ‚ÚÏÚ·Ë ‡Í ‡ ÊÚ˜Ò ÊÈ·ÚÔ È‡¯[15].

Dos is geven I feel, de bracha fun der Rosh Yeshiva[16].

Ú¯ ‡ÈÊ ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡È˯ÒÈ¯Ë ‡ÈÔ ‡ÏÚ ·È ˙¯‰, ‡È˯ÒÈ¯Ë ‡ÈÔ ÂÂÈ ÓÚÔ ËÂË ‡ÂÔ ÂÂ‡Ò ÓÚÔ ËÂË. ‡ÈÍ ‰‡· ÚÌ ‡Ù‚Ú¯ÂÙÚÔ ÚËÏÈÎÚ¯ Ó‡Ï ‡ÈÔ „È ˆÈÈË ÂÂ‡Ò ‡ÈÍ ‰‡· ‚ÚÂÂÚÔ ‡ÈÔ „·¯. ‡ÂÔ Ú¯ Óȯ ‚ÚÙ¯Ú˜Ë ÂÂ‡Ò Ó‡ÎË ‡È¯, ˆÂ ‡È¯ ÏÚ¯ÚË, „Ú ÚȘ¯! „Ú ÚȘ¯ ‡ÈÊ ‡¯ „ÂÍ ˆÂ ÏÚ¯ÚÔ! ‡Â‡„Ú, ‡Â‡„Ú, Óȯ ‰‡·ÚÔ ‚Ú‰‡Ë ‡ ÙÈÈÚ¯ ‚¯ÂÙ ‡ÂÛ ·È ˙¯‰, ÊÈÈ Ë¯ÚÙÚÔ ÊÈÍ ‡ÂÈÛ ˘·˙, ‡Ï‚ÓÈÈÚ¯ ˘ÈÚ¯, ‡ÂÔ ÈÚ„Ú¯ ‡ÈÈÚ¯ ‰‡Ë ‚Ú‰‡Ë Á·¯Â˙‡. ÊÈÈ ‰‡·ÚÔ ÊÈÍ ‡ÈÈ‚گ„ÚÔ ÊÈÈÚ¯ ÙÈÈÔ, ‡ÂÔ ÈÚ„Ú¯ ÓÂÏ ‰‡Ë Ú¯ ‚Ú‚Ú·ÚÔ "‡Â‡„Ú, ‡Â‡„Ú ¯' ÁÂÌ, Óȯ ÓÂÊ, Óȯ ÓÂÊ!"[17]

 

Support of Rabbi Boruch Kaplan

The last time I saw the Rosh Yeshiva was in the middle fifties. At that time, I came to New York. Of course, I made it my business to come to Lakewood and see the Rosh Yeshiva, zichrono lívracha. The Rosh Yeshiva was then at a meeting with a couple of yungerleit. Rabbi Garber was[MH3]  there. He wanted to open up a Bais Yaakov High School in Boro Park, and Rav Kaplan was against it. He was afraid it would be competition for him, and not only competition, but he wanted to keep up a certain high standard of Yidden. He was afraid.  So the Rosh Yeshiva had a meeting of yungerleit to see what could be done.

I remember the Rosh Yeshiva said that if we were seeing  an umblicht from Torah, we have to thank Reb Boruch Kaplan, zichrono lívracha because he encouraged the girls to marry yeshivaleit and algeimeiner to give the kavod haTorah.

And that was what the whole meeting about. And then a private meeting between some of the parents and that was about it.

He was storming about it that you must keep Reb Boruch Kaplan and the derech Bais Yaakov and so on. And there should not be any competition or whatever it is to shter Reb Boruch Kaplanís plans to uphalt the existing standards of the Bais Yaakov school.

de gantze mehus, der mentsch hut gearbeit  mustama tzei un tzvunteg shaah ah tog kídei de Milchamas vos er hur gehat, tzu tun mit der igud Rabbonim, mit andere, vus huben gegleibt es ken amol zein a yeshiva in America un er hut altz gehalten, milchama gehalten mit zei Er hut getainet as Torah, ish torah, ?? un shtait Torah dos iz de neshomo fun Klal Yisrael, un Torah ken nit zein kein Klal Yisrael un  ada rabba, nebach iz geven aza churban darf mir tzurikboyen Torah un vos mer mir boyen Torah azoi darf mir boyen Klal Yisrael. Dur leigt men aleh shmuyes, un der feirdiger reit kíseider nuch a nant, nuch a nant, nuch a nant. Bífrat hut mir gedarft er het reiden nisht nur tzu uns de amologer Bnei Torah,vus mir huben gekent fun freier, uber de ikar far de yungerdige Americane bachurim vos gezenen gekumen farshidene heimer, farshidiner shtet, farshdine environments, un mir hut gezen takkeh de peiros vos er hut ungeboit, er hut doch ungeboit Torah.

Ich hub Gelerent in Lakewood far tzvei un a halb yohr. Nuch dem hub ich backumen a shteller alz a shoichet in Denver un dorten hubben zei ungelebt etlecher balebatim. Aine fun zei iz geven, er hut gehat a a shlact hoiz, zeiner numen is Boruch Shaibitz. Der Boruch Shaibitz is geven a feine Yid a pashuter yid, uber zeíer a feiner, a groise baíal tzedaka. Un er hut geforen amol an occasion tzu New York un ich hub em eingert zul er kumen in Lakewood. Er vet zein in New York far er fort in Lakewood, zen der ir HaTorah, trefen mit de Rosh Yeshiva.

Er hut gekumen damoltz, hut er zich bakant mit der Rosh Yeshiva. Un ven er hut gekumen tzurik iz er geven zeíer enthusiastic about it, er iz aroifgain ale a mol, de Rosh Yeshiva hut ale mol gedarfen hubben gelt ich hub em alemal gehelft em shaffen shafen gelt, er fleigt mir aleh mol aroifgein shaffen a bissel gelt far the yeshiva. And being az her hut gehat asach connections, business connections, fleigt er alemal geshaffen, at least aroisgeben zex, ziben hundred dollars. In deren yuren iz geven a hon rav, zex hundred dollar.

Er hut gehat a eigener shachur. Er iz geven a hoichere yid. Un er iz gekumen ein mol tzu em in mitten zummer. Un er hut gehat a shver un a shvigger. Un er hut zei gekumt bazuchen in June uder July. Un der shver iz geven engantzen farnumen, mora shchoiradig, fartrugen. Fregt ich em, Jack, vos iz mit dir ? Hut er gezukt mein veib.

Reb Baruch Shaibitz is gekumen in Shul fun Maariv hut er getzelt to Baruch as zein shvigger is very sick, so letís call Lakewood and see what we can do.

He says, ìOkay. Go ahead.î

In shul, there was a telephone. The difference from Denver to New York is tzvei shtunder. Es is geven dacht mir durt acht azeiger, dur tzen azeiger, Maariv hut geven nein azeiger, in mitten zummer.

I tried to get of the Rosh Yeshiva, but itís impossible to get a hold of the Rosh Yeshiva.

Hut er geven kíseder asuk mit tzarchei tzibbur, mit telephones un nuch a nant. Ich ub gevart un gevart un es is shoin tzen azeiger un es is shoin tzvelve azeiger darf ich shoin gein. Morgin in de free tracht mir Bourch Shaibetz, zugt er nu hut ir em gecallt? Zug er ich hub shoin gekalt, uber iz geven oif de telephone, busy.

Efsher gei ruf em yetzt. Es is geven nuchen davenin, in New York iz geven tzen, bei unz is geven acht. Un vem hub ich getroft? Ich hub getroft de Rosh Yeshiva, zichrono levracha. Zug ich em, Tehillim bengt,  Baruch Shaibitz er helft oif de Yeshiva aza sach.  Avade, avade, Ich dengt em, er iz geven by unz, avader mir darft zugen Tehillim uber nisht yetz es is shoin tzen azeiger es iz mitten seder, vellen mir zugen Tehllim nucht Mincha.

Mincha davened mer in Yeshiva a fartel tzu tzvi. Un ungefirt a tzvei azeiger huben mir gezukt Tehillim. Denver time is geven tzelve a zeiger. Ich kum shpeter tzu Mincha tref ich dem Jack, freg ich ìHow is this Mrs.?î

Zein freu is geleben zex ziben yur shpeter, zi is gevuren gezunt, un gelebt nuch a zex ziben yur shpeiter.

Er is geven interseirt in aleh bnei torah, intereseirt in vi men tut un vos men tut, ich hub em upgerufun etlicher mol in de tzeit ven ich hub geven in Denver, un er hut mir gefregt vos macht ir, tzu ir lerenent ñ di ikar? De ikar iz nur duch tzu lernen, avade, avade, mir hubben gehat a feiner group of bnei torah zei trefen zich oif Shabbos, algemeiner Shiur, un yeder einer hut gehat chavrusa, zei huben zich eingeruden zeier fein, un yeder mol hut er gegeben, avada, avade, Rí Nochum mir muz mir muz.