The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

I still hear his voice loud and strong as he led the yeshiva in singing Maoz Zur on Chanuka.

Today, Erev Shabbos, which is Zayin Adar Aleph, marks the 29^th Yahrtzeit of HaRav Chaim Yaakov Goldvicht ZT" L, the Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavne.

As his Yahrtzeit approached, I lovingly recalled my former Rosh Yeshiva.

Rav Goldvicht, a Talmid of Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, The Brisker Rov, and the Chazon Ish, was chosen to lead Yeshivas Kerem B'Yavne from its inception in 1954.

Under his leadership, the yeshiva grew from a handful of Talmidim into one with hundreds of Bochurim and a large Kollel.

I had the privilege of learning Torah from him in the late 1970s.

When I think back forty-five years ago, one incident in particular remains etched in my mind.

Like many Roshei Yeshiva, Rav Goldvicht would make an annual trip to the States to raise much-needed funds for the yeshiva.

However, unlike others, Rav Goldvicht would gather all the Talmidim in the Beis Medrash and request from every Talmid to give him a Brocha that he should be successful on his mission to raise funds on behalf of the yeshiva.

He stressed that as he was our personal agent (Shaliach), each of us was required to give him a Brocha for success.

In a rare occurrence of personal disclosure, he mentioned that when he was appointed in 1954 to be the head of the new yeshiva, he would be absolved of any fundraising responsibilities.

The yeshiva board hired him and assured him he would have no financial responsibilities.

Yet, as time went on and the yeshiva grew, those promises proved wishful thinking as he was forced to accept the fundraising needs of his beloved Beis Medrash.

There was a sense of sadness and perhaps even dismay in his voice.

He was clearly apprehensive about the upcoming trip.

I can recall being bewildered at the Rosh Yeshiva's apprehension.

Why does Rav Goldvicht feel so uneasy about his trip?

Why does he need our Brocha to raise funds?

As a well-respected Rosh Yeshiva, what could be so difficult about raising funds?

Don't people want to help the yeshiva?

Looking back, I realize that his Yerushalmi background and lack of fluency in English certainly contributed to his angst regarding the upcoming trip across the Atlantic.

However, I realize now there was more to it than just the lack of knowing the language and cultural barriers.

I know now that a large part of his lack of enthusiasm for the cross-Atlantic trip stemmed from something I could never have known back then; however, I now understand way too well.

I am referring to the difficulties and discomfort involved in fundraising.

Although it took over forty years, the words spoken from his heart four decades ago have finally entered my heart.

And I understood all too well the reasons for his apprehension before his fundraising expedition.

As our Shul embarked on a major fundraising Causematch drive, I suddenly understood most profoundly the hesitancy and the clear discomfort Rav Goldvicht felt as he prepared to travel and attempt to appeal to people's hearts to support his yeshiva.

As I sat in my office, calling people and explaining the difficult financial situation the Shul was in, I thought back to Rav Goldvicht and his words almost half a century before.

Suddenly, the desperate tone of his voice resonated with me.

The naivete of my youth was replaced with the real-time challenges of adulthood.

I understood the difficulties this Yerushalmi-born Gaon faced as he was forced to be in a land whose language he did not speak and whose customs were quite different than those of Chatzer Struass of Jerusalem of old, where he was born.

Yet, more than anything, I understood the difficulty and often the discomfort accompanying the sometimes overwhelming task of petitioning people to part with their hard-earned payments.

Each time I called someone and attempted to convey the needs of the Shul, I could hear Rav Goldvicht as he sat before us requesting our Brocha. I could feel his uneasiness as he was about to set off on the most non-pleasant aspect of his position as Rosh Yeshiva.

As I pushed myself to fully engage in the challenging fundraising undertaking, I retroactively understood the feelings and words of Rav Goldvicht uttered four decades prior.

I also finally understood the true meaning of the words of Chazal, "A person does not fully understand his Rebbe until forty years has transpired."

As I faced the prospect of engaging with people and attempting to solicit their contribution to my Shul, I realized that much of his uneasiness with fundraising was an outgrowth of his sensitivity towards others, namely, the donors.

His hesitancy in embarking on the fundraising trip was not limited to his communication challenges; it was perhaps even more based on his care and love for each and every Jew.

On the one hand, he knew he was involved in a holy mission of raising funds for an institution dedicated to Torah and Davening, a most worthy cause.

On the other hand, he understood the prospective donors' limitations and financial challenges.

And as much as he wanted to allow them to help in the great Mitzvah of supporting Torah, he also was sensitive to not pressuring them to give more than they could afford.

No one enjoys (at least no one I know) fundraising.

It's not a task most people volunteer for.

In fact, quite the opposite, most institutions and Shuls rely on a few dedicated individuals willing to leave their comfort zone and solicit funds for their yeshiva or Shul.

A fundraiser must be witty and patient.

They must be motivated and believe in the cause for which they are raising funds.

They must also be sensitive to the individuals they are soliciting.

You are not there to "shake down" the person.

However, you want to be passionate in explaining why you believe your cause is worthy for this person to contribute their hard-earned money.

You are sometimes hard-pressed for time as there are many calls to make.

Yet, you can never be impatient or rush the potential donor.

It's much easier to be asked to give than to be the petitioner asking others to give.

As I sat in my office raising funds for my own beloved Shul/Beis Medrash, I thought back to Rav Goldvicht and the difficulties he faced traveling in a country whose language and culture were so foreign to him.

And I thought about the difficulties I now understood he faced in garnering financial support without becoming heavy-handed or insensitive.

I attempted to emulate his ways.

I attempted to be passionate about my Shul, yet simultaneously, I never wanted to pressure anyone to give more than they could afford.

I think today about Rav Goldvicht on his Yahrtzeit, and I realize that he gave me a derech- a path- in Torah and also a derech in Middos.

Please think about him on his Yahrtzeit, and the next time your Rov or Rosh Yeshiva gives you a call and asks for a donation.

Think about what they are going through and perhaps be a little more sensitive.