The Rabbi and The Rebbetzin (2 page)

Rabbi
Rosenberg opened the meeting with a brief summary of the problem confronting
the yeshiva. “Time is very limited,” he explained, “because Rabbi Weiss has to
call Levine later this afternoon. I wish to proceed in logical order and focus
on the following points. First, is there any way of solving the problem without
involving the students of the yeshiva. Second, if we must send a student, whom
do we select and how do we prepare him for the assignment.”

The
words were barely uttered when Rabbi Kurland objected. “I hope the dean will
permit me to say that he has jumped far beyond the logical starting point in
this case. Before we worry about who can be sent, we should decide whether it
is right to send anyone at all. I think that we should not involve ourselves in
this matter. Let’s inform Mr. Levine that we are strictly a Torah institution,
and we do not maintain a community service agency.”

The
dean was taken aback by the Mashgiach’s words, but he had the poise not to
overrule the man immediately. “You are correct, Rabbi Kurland, from a logical
point of view. Since you raised the question, I am willing to devote some time
to answer it. Why don’t you to present your position briefly, and then I will
ask Rabbi Weiss, who feels otherwise, to explain his opinion.”

The
Mashgiach rose to his feet. He was a short, stocky man with a square, black
beard, streaked here and there with touches of gray. He was not a very imposing
figure, but he commanded respect when he spoke.

“Colleagues,
I know of the importance of Abe Levine to this yeshiva. We do teach, ‘If there
is no bread, there is no Torah,’ and Mr. Levine provides a goodly amount of our
bread. Nevertheless, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ With bread, there must
be principle, and what we are being asked to do here is not in keeping with our
principles or religious standards. We teach our students how to worship,
particularly on the High Holidays. We make sure that they do not start their
vacation until after Yom Kippur so that in the holiest moments of the year they
stand before their Father in Heaven in the presence of Torah scholars and in a
sacred atmosphere.

“We
all know what takes place in Modern Orthodox congregations. There is no proper
separation of the men from the women. Sabbath violators are called to the Torah
or allowed to recite the priestly benedictions. The cantor repeats words, and
the women sing aloud. The members converse about sports and business in middle
of the prayers. I could go on and on, but you all get the picture. It is
morally wrong for us to send one of our students to worship at such a
congregation. People will be reminding us for years that for the sake of
material gain we did not practice what we preach.

“Perhaps
you feel that our student will influence the behavior of the congregation in a
positive way and that he will be doing a great mitzvah. Perhaps you will cite
the passages in the Talmud which suggest that a rabbi or sage may commit a
small transgression in order to prevent other Jews from major sinning. Let me
remind you that this teaching is valid only when there are no alternatives. A
man as wise and powerful as Abe Levine will certainly find a way to solve his
problems even if we choose not to sacrifice the spiritual welfare of one of our
students on his behalf.

“Finally,
let us look at the money angle. This very same faculty group rejected bingo as
a fund-raising method and vetoed the plans of our Ladies’ Auxiliary to hold a
theater party. We did so because we were convinced that the long-range damage
to the image of the yeshiva would far outweigh any short-term gains. Let me
remind you that the continued prosperity of our yeshiva depends more on Divine
favor than on the largesse of one Abe Levine. Let us fear the Lord in this case,
rather than a man of flesh and blood.”

Beads
of sweat were rolling down Rabbi Kurland’s forehead as he finished his
presentation. Although the synagogue was air-conditioned, the units were old
and poorly maintained. They were no match for the muggy September weather in
the old section of Pittsburgh. Rabbi Rosenberg thanked the Mashgiach for his
passionate words and then called on Rabbi Weiss for the rebuttal. Weiss was
relaxed and casual, and his manner reflected long experience in dealing with all
kinds of people.

“Far
be it from me to argue theology with our learned Mashgiach. Nor do I care to be
the defender of the modern synagogues. Nevertheless, I do wish to say that I
was taught in a yeshiva that what is in our hearts is the most important factor
in whether our prayers will be answered. From the most dire straits and deepest
depths, the man who is sincere will come closer to the Lord. Where he is
standing is not that critical.

“I,
too, feel that principle is more important than money. At the behest of our
Rosh Yeshiva, I told Mr. Levine in this very study hall that our yeshiva trains
the future rabbis and teachers of the Jewish people. Truth is an attribute of
the Almighty, and one of our great moral principles. The Torah enjoins us to
abide by the words we utter and to fulfill obligations we undertake orally.

“I
am proud of the fact that our fund-raising never embarrassed the yeshiva in any
way and we will let that policy guide us in future years as well. To equate
leading a congregation praying to the Almighty with bingo and theater parties
is an outrage. To suggest that the public will condemn the yeshiva for helping
a community in need is a gross distortion. If anything, it will be praised as a
sanctification of the Divine Name.

“I
object to the cavalier attitude that the Mashgiach takes to the funds we raise
with blood and tears. When you total all the money that the Dunberg families
contribute together with Mr. Levine’s donations, you are talking of 20% of the
yeshiva’s income. I understand the need to remain in Divine favor, but I also
was taught in my yeshiva that it is forbidden to depend on miracles. We have no
assurance that, if we turn aside Mr. Levine’s support, the Almighty will
replace our deficit.

 “I
also believe that a well-trained yeshiva student will not be corrupted by
rendering services to a congregation in an emergency. I can assure the
Mashgiach that in the future I will never again represent the yeshiva as a
school which prepares students for the pulpit rabbinate. I have learned my
lesson. And for the good of the yeshiva, I sincerely request the Mashgiach to
waive his objection to our helping Mr. Levine.”

The
dean was expecting some sort of response from the Mashgiach, but none was
forthcoming. The latter had no intent of withdrawing his objections, but he
felt no special need to reiterate his position. “Thank you, Rabbi Weiss, for
your statement. Before I advise you all of my decision, I would like to hear
what Rabbi Bernstein might wish to add to what was already said.” Rabbi
Bernstein, in contrast to the Mashgiach, was tall and lanky. His overall
appearance emphasized his youthfulness, despite a rather full beard. He chose
to rise when making his statement.

“I
must say that I agree with the Mashgiach’s dim view of the larger Orthodox
congregations. Our students certainly do not belong in such places. On the
other hand, I do not believe that an occasional student visit, such as to a
family Simcha, will discredit the yeshiva. After all, our boys are not visiting
bars or theaters when they attend services there. I would, however, make one
suggestion. If it is the policy of the yeshiva to allow a student to conduct
the services, it must be made clear that he is not doing so under yeshiva
auspices. The yeshiva should not sponsor the student’s presence or in any way
act as his agent. It should be made clear to Abe Levine that the student is
acting on his own.

“This
is very important to us for two reasons. Firstly, we don’t want to be
responsible for the boy’s performance. If he offends anyone with his remarks or
sermons, we can disassociate ourselves from his words. Even more important is
my concern that we not be dragged into the rabbinic placement business. If we
establish such a precedent, students will feel that we are responsible for
their employment when they finish their studies. We have neither the
inclination nor the ability to find jobs for graduates. Hardly any secular college
will guarantee students a position when they leave.”

“That
was well put, Rabbi Bernstein,” the dean replied. We have no time for further
discussion so I will announce my decision. I am willing to accept Rabbi
Bernstein’s condition, but, otherwise, it is my opinion that we must render our
assistance in this case. I am aware that this is not the unanimous decision of
the faculty, but, despite differences of opinion, I know that we will all
continue to work together for the good of the yeshiva.

“I
would now like to move along to the next step. That concerns the possibility
that a member of the faculty might take on this assignment and spare us the
necessity of troubling the students. As far as I am personally concerned, it
should be obvious that I cannot volunteer for this work. One problem is the
language and the other is the nature of my position. It might be acceptable for
a student to speak English poorly, but it is utterly inappropriate for the head
of a seminary. Furthermore, there is no way that I may leave the yeshiva for
the holidays. This is not a matter of personal vanity and I do not consider it
below my dignity to lead my brethren in prayer. It is the dignity of the
position that I hold which is my main concern. Students stay at the yeshiva for
the holidays to be in the presence of the Rosh Yeshiva. They expect me to lead
them in the
Ne’ilah
Service at close of Yom Kippur and I have always
done so. Since that eliminates me, I will ask the Mashgiach if he is available.”

The
answer was sharp and to the point. “I thank the Lord that the Rosh Yeshiva does
not have the power to draft me into his Salvation Army. Anyway, where there is
a draft, there must always be an allowance for conscientious objectors. Since
my bar mitzvah I have never worshipped among lay people, and it is not my
intention to start now.”

The
dean did not attempt to argue. He knew that Rabbi Kurland had left his previous
position over ideological matters and he did not want the yeshiva to lose the rabbi’s
services. Turning to the executive director, the dean asked, “What about you,
Rabbi Weiss?”

The
rabbi looked directly at Rabbi Kurland and replied, “I would be happy and
honored to serve the Jews of Dunberg. I am not Jonah the prophet who wished to
escape going to Nineveh. If I decline, it is only because I have already
committed myself to religious service elsewhere. I have agreed to serve as the holiday
cantor of Rabbi Eisenberg’s congregation, Shaarei Tefilah
,
in Pittsburgh.”
The news came as a surprise to Rabbi Rosenberg. “Mazel Tov,” he said warmly. “I
had no idea that you were a Chazzan in addition to your many other skills.”

“I
used to be a Chazzan when I was younger. Of course, I would rather rest on the
holidays, but with a large family and a small salary I do not have much of a
choice.”

“Well,”
Rabbi Rosenberg said, as he turned to Rabbi Bernstein. “What will your excuse
be?”

“Compared
to the lame excuses I’ve heard so far, mine is far and away the best. My wife
is just about due to deliver our third child. I cannot leave her for two days.
Nor can I take her with me. Can you imagine how humiliating it would be if my
son had to list Dunberg, PA, as his place of birth? Seriously, even if I weren’t
about to become a father once again, I would have problems. I am ashamed to
admit it, but my singing is even worse than the dean’s English. Since I am the
last of the faculty to be considered, I guess we will have to resort to the
students.”

 “I
guess so,” Rabbi Rosenberg echoed. “Before we throw out some names, let me
review some of the criteria for the choice. A cantor should be married, but we
will have to forego that. In this regard,
Shachris
is not as much a
problem as
Ne’ilah
, but even if it were, we simply have no married
students. Our choice must be limited to the students who are in the advanced
class and are over the age of 21. Notwithstanding any disclaimers, the boy’s
work will reflect upon the yeshiva. We cannot take a chance and send anyone
other than our most learned and mature students. Finally, we are looking for
someone who can communicate well and sing adequately. Are there any objections
to these standards?”

 The
executive director raised his hand. “The standards are correct, but I must
advise the faculty of another condition which may not be the cause of much
rejoicing.”

“What
might that be?” the dean asked.

“Difficult
though it may be to find a student, one candidate will not be enough. We have
to nominate two and present Mr. Levine with a choice.”

Rabbi
Kurland was outraged. “What’s going on here? Does Levine think he is buying an
Esrog where it is a mitzvah to choose the best from among many? At this time of
the year, he should consider himself fortunate to get even one person. What’s
more, he should be happy with whomever we send.”

“It
was not Levine’s idea to require the choice of an alternate candidate. It’s my
idea. Leave the public relations to me. In the end, we will still be
endangering only one student. The unselected candidate will not be corrupted by
a brief interview held somewhere in the Dunberg area, especially if he is in
the pre-smicha division.”