Baruch Atah Hashem 4

Unfortunately, yesterday I attended the l’vayah of a Gadol, HaRav Yechiel Yitzchak Perr zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah of the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway. Through the various hespeidim, there emerged a picture of a brilliant “m’chadeish” of Torah, who gave up what could have been a lifetime of producing brilliant s’farim of original and creative Torah thoughts in order to produce thousands of talmidim instead. Among these talmidim are those who are teaching Torah to their own talmidim, those who are learning full time, those who are producing s’farim and giving shiurim that have significantly impacted the lives of others, and honest, devoted baalei batim committed to being m’kadeish Sheim Shamayim in all they do. One example of a talmid is HaRav Moshe Don Kestenbaum, who has his own yeshivah producing his own talmidim, has authored s’farim that so many, including me, have benefited greatly from, and who also has close to 4,000 shiurim on TorahAnytime. This is ONE talmid of HaRav Perr.

What also came across at the l’vayah, and continues to come across as I listen to more talmidim, is how their midos were shaped and inspired by HaRav Perr. Most prominent was emes.  Emes included standing up for what one believes is true and correct, and getting to know one’s true self.  Bitachon was another midah that stood out. The talmidim learned by personal observation and interactions, as well as from HaRav Perr’s brilliant and inspiring musar vaadim.

Last, but certainly not least, is his beautiful family. They are outstanding and dedicated spreaders of Torah to both young men and women. Many of their students retain a close relationship far beyond their yeshivah/school years and turn to them for guidance throughout their lives, as did HaRav Perr’s talmidim. The family truly bestows chesed and compassion far and wide.

Certainly, the Rebbetzin, may she be well l’arichas yamim v’shanim tovim u’m’sukim, is a full partner in producing such outstanding children and talmidim, in addition to her own personal outstanding achievements.

You may be wondering what this has to do with Weekly Tefilah Focus and these segments. Nine years ago, just before we began the Weekly Tefilah Focus program, I went to speak with HaRav Perr. He gave me much inspiration and strength to move forward. I am indebted to him for that.

Secondly, as I was fulfilling the mitzvah of accompanying the aron with the overflow large crowd who attended the l’vayah, I came to a new understanding of something I have been struggling to understand for a long time. Since it relates to the Name of Hashem, which is one of the three words we have been focusing on, I would like to share these thoughts with you.

It is customary to recite Perek 91 of T’hilim while accompanying and following the aron. This was even more fitting for HaRav Perr, who was known for his greatness in bitachon, following the mesorah of the Rebbetzin’s family. She is a direct descendant of the Alter of Novardok, who was known as the “Baal Bitachon.” Perek 91 is known to be a perek discussing bitachon.

כִּי בִי חָשַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵהוּ, אֲשַׂגְּבֵהוּ כִּי יָדַע שְׁמִי

For he has yearned for Me, and I will deliver him; I will elevate him because he knows My Name. (pasuk 14)

What does “יָדַע שְׁמִי—yada Sh’mi” mean? We find similar language in other p’sukim and parts of our daily tefilah. What does it mean to “know,” and what does it mean to “know Hashem’s Name”?

HaRav Perr, in one of his musar vaadim, related an experience he had when he visited someone in Canada who had escaped from Auschwitz. HaRav Perr had asked him a question that included the word “know.” The man asked Rabbi Perr, “What does it mean to know.” 

The man then related that, after he escaped, he felt he had to help save Jews any way he could. A meeting was arranged by HaRav Michoel Ber Weissmandl with a priest who was a papal representative, to relate the horrors he had witnessed in the hopes that Jews would be saved. He began relating the unspeakable atrocities he had witnessed, but the only response he was receiving from the priest was a cold “oh, so terrible.” He understood that he was not getting through. He then told the priest, “I saw men dressed exactly as you are, and they were pushed alive into blazing furnaces and burned alive. Upon hearing this, the priest fainted. He was revived but fainted again. It is estimated that 200,000 Jews were saved as a result of a papal announcement a few months later.

The priest did not “know” until the situation became personal and it entered deeply into his heart. 

“Daas” has many meanings. It means connection, love, tangible knowledge that one lives (not merely intellectual knowledge), and more.

What does it mean to “know Hashem’s Name”? The pasuk in Perek 91 has “knowing My Name” as a higher level than “For in Me he desires (to be close to Hashem). As I was walking, following the aron, I began reflecting on this pasuk when I reached it in Perek 91. It was a long walk, so I had time. I began to realize that HaRav Perr “knew Hashem’s Name” and I could gain a better understanding of “knowing Hashem’s Name” by reflecting on what had just been shared at the l’vayah and on his life.

HaRav Perr excelled in his emunah and bitachon. Hashem’s Name (HAVAYAH), which is one of the three words we have been focusing on, means “Adon HaKol,” Master of all. It also means that He is timeless (of course this is only the minute understanding we have. The full understanding is beyond our grasp). The Name “Adon” was first spread by Avraham Avinu when he experienced the above-nature miracle of Sarah giving birth to Yitzchak without having a womb at such an old age. Hashem controls every detail of our lives and can overturn nature when He desires, so anything is possible. Hashem’s Name reflects his midos of compassion and chesed, and all He does is for our benefit. This is one understanding of “knowing Hashem’s Name.” When bitachon is so ingrained within us that we live every aspect of our lives with that bitachon, that is “knowing Hashem’s Name.”

It was related at the l’vayah how all HaRav Perr did was to increase the revelation of k’vod Shamayim. It seems he asked himself only one question: How will Hashem’s Honor best be publicized and spread? That is what drove him in his learning, teaching, spreading of Torah, emes, chesed, and compassion. He loved Hashem with all his being and loved Hashem’s children. HaRav Perr “knew Hashem’s Name” in the sense that he loved Hashem so much that he wanted everyone else to love Hashem, as well. That is one of the definitions of loving Hashem and another understanding of “knowing Hashem’s Name.”

How could a man who had so much responsibility for so many and who was so busy, call a talmid DAILY when he was sick for weeks. How could he find the time to call another talmid a few times a week for years when his wife was ill. The Name HAVAYAH represents the midos of Compassion and Chesed. Emulating Hashem’s midos of powerful compassion and chesed, and emes, is also a way of “knowing Hashem’s Name.” HaRav Perr “knew” because he lived it. It was deep inside of him.

It is written that the Torah is all Sheimos (Names) of Hashem. It is beyond the scope of my knowledge to explain what this means, other than that learning Torah is getting to “know Hashem’s Name.” Certainly, HaRav Perr, who learned Torah at such a high level, and taught and spread Torah, knew Hashem’s Name through his learning, as well.

“Knowing” also means “d’veikus.” D’veikus means all we have written about and more. It means thinking constantly about Hashem. It means thinking about His Honor. It means coming close to Hashem through Torah, mitzvos, and emulating Hashem’s midos. It means faithful love of Hashem with a complete heart.

As I was walking, I realized that through contemplating what I had just heard about the life of HaRav Perr, Hashem had, in His infinite kindness, opened up to me a glimpse of what “knowing Hashem’s Name” means.

(Certainly, my understanding is minute, compared to the understanding of talmidei chachamim, and even their understanding is only a minute sliver of understanding of “Hashem’s Name.”)