The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

The Short Vort

Good Morning!

Today is Friday the 22nd of Menachem Av 5782 and August 19,  2022

HaGaon Rav Eliyahu Dushnitzer zt’l

Today on the 22^nd of Av in the year 5709  (August 17, 1949), HaGaon Rav Eliyahu Dushnitzer zt’l left this world.

Rav Eliyahu was born in 1877 and learned in Telz, Sladodka, and Radin.

He became very close to the Chotez Chaim and is considered one of the greatest Talmidim of the Chofetz Chaim.

He eventually became one of the Mashgichim in the yeshiva of Lomza.

In 1926, Rav Yechiel Micheal Gordon, Rosh Yeshiva of Lomza, upon seeing the writing on the wall of the eventual demise of Eastern European Jewry, had the foresight to open a branch of the Lomza Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel.

He appointed Rav Eliyahu Dushnitzer as a Rebbe and Mashgiach of the Yeshiva.

There are many anecdotal recollections of students, most notably Rav Chaim Kanievsky and Rav Shlomo Schwadron, of the inspirational and great deeds of Rav Dushnitzer.

I would like to relate just a few of many.

Rav Dushnitzer was meticulous in money matters.

Once has asked a tailor to mend his Shabbos Kappota.

The tailor returned the garment on Erev Shabbos, and Rav Dushnitzer paid him in full.

Upon dressing for Shabbos, Rav Dushnitzer noticed that he had only asked the tailor to mend a tear.

However, when putting it on, he noticed the tailor had also replaced a button.

Fearing that he was not paid completely for the tailor's work, he refused to wear the garment on Shabbos until he could pay the tailor for the extra button.

Once Rav Dushnitzer – upon leaving the house of a kiddush- asked to speak to the newborn's mother.

When she appeared, Rav Dushnitzer gave her a beautiful heartfelt brocha and then asked Mechilla if he or anyone else spilled on the tablecloth during the kiddush.

Perhaps most powerful to me is the following story.

There was a young man in Kollel whose father was a Baal Teshuva from the 1940s in Petach Tikvah.

Many boys back then were leaving yeshivos, and not too many Baalei Teshuva were to be found.

A friend of the Kollel fellow asked him, "How did your father become a Baal Teshuva in 1947 in Petach Tikvah? Didn't everyone leave yeshiva to fight in the Haganah or Eztel then?"

The son of the Baal Teshuva answered, "My father was totally irreligious. He was raised without any Torah education. One Erev Yom Kippur, he was walking in Petach Tikvah, and back then, there were public restrooms. My father entered the public bathroom and was shocked to see an older man with a long white beard walking from stall to stall, ripping up toilet paper.

My father could not understand what was happening and thought the man might be emotionally challenged and needed assistance. He asked the man, "What are you doing?" The older man responded, "Tonight is Yom Kippur, and I teach in the yeshiva across the street. Many guests come from far to daven with the yeshiva on Yom Kippur. There is a prohibition on ripping on Yom Kippur. Due to the expected large number of people who will frequent the restroom on the day, I am ensuring there is enough pre-cut toilet paper to accommodate everyone. You too, of course, are welcome to join us in the yeshiva."

My father was not planning to observe Yom Kippur at all. However, he knew it was a very spiritual day where everyone spent the day in Tefillah.

He figured this elderly rabbi must have had other more lofty things on his mind on Erev Yom Kippur than the public restroom.

As my father observed Rav Dushnitzer thinking of others and their most basic needs, his heart was "ripped open."

 He decided to take the rabbi up on his offer, and my father eventually joined the yeshiva and became connected heart and soul to Rav Dushnitzer.

I asked my father what was so special about that event, and he said, "I realized that Torah sensitizes a man to care about the most primitive human needs of others.

If so, I must cling to this man and find out more about Torah."

Too often, we forget just how great the most mundane and simple chassadim can be. 

This was Rav Eliyahu HaKohen Dushnitzer and today is his 73^rd yahrtzeit.