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Rabbi Yehuda (Leonard) Blank MS, BCC
Vice President of Professional Development and External Affairs
Rabbinical Alliance of America/Igud HaRabbonim
917-446-2126 rablenblank@gmail.com
**Thursday January 4 , 2024, Teves, 5783**
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This Issue of Moments of Inspiration is being dedicated for the Neshamah
Yosef Aryeh Leib ben Eliezer Yaakov, Yosef Peretz,
President of the Bialystoker Shul
יוסף אריה ליב בן אליעזר יעקב זצ”ל
He was nifter this past Friday December 29, 2023 ז’ טבת תשפ”ד
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Kindness, goodness, achdus, Kiddush H, Shalom Al Yisrael, Am Yisrael Chai,
Chaveirim Kol Yisrael, Torah, Avoda and Gemilus Chasadim.
To be a humble, modest tzaddik like Yosef Peretz.
To respect and to be respected.
Rabbinical Liaisons for Hospitals and Hospice.
Hospital and Hospice Chaplains.
Vayichi: Gam zu letova.
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This past Sunday was the levayeh of a dear chaver and remarkable tzaddik Yosef Peretz zt”l. I joined the hundreds who attended the levayeh, standing room only at the Bialystoker Shul and later at the kevruah with tears in my eyes. I will share some of his attributes mentioned at the levaya. It was his recommendation that my articles, Moments of Inspiration, be included in the weekly Bialystoker newsletter. Though he was President, he never gave the impression of being a baal gaiva. He was a very humble and modest person. When he accepted the position some years ago, he did so not as an honor but as an opportunity to serve Klal Yisrael. He chose to combine his administrative responsibilities with being a gabbai as well. He would make sure all the kibbudim given to the mispalillim were appropriate. He made sure all the lights were lit for Shabbosim and Yom Tovim and he helped clean the tables after kiddushim. He made sure all responsibilities for the Yom Tovim were taken care of. When he would daven for the amud, his tefilos were said with much kavanah . The melodies he sang were sweet and beautiful. When he was told that another shul in the neighborhood needed a man to make a minyan, he went immediately. It wasn’t below his dignity even though he was President of the Bialystoker shul. He was a humble man who was always ready to do a mitzva. When a community sukkah had to be built, he would be one of the first to help put the sukkah up. Yosef was very well liked and respected throughout the Lower East Side community. He was a wonderful, loving and caring husband. They also had a lot of care and concern for others. Together they were a team inspiring others. Yosef was a wonderful role model for his two sons, both benei Torah and erlich and kindhearted as their father. His love for the Ribono shel Olam, for the Torah and for his fellow Jews was truly special. He also was mekadeish lesheim Shamayim in any way possible. To Yosef, the meaning of Am Yisrael Chai, Shalom al Yisrael, Chaveirim Kol Yisrael and achdus amongst and between Jews were not just words or cliches but the way to be a wonderful Jew. Loving his fellow Jew, no what his/her Jewish background might be. He also was known for the respect he gave to all people and the respect they gave to him. He was truly a role model for all of us.
From Rav Pam on Chumash by Rabbi Sholom Smith Artscroll Series Mesorah Publications Ltd. Parshas Vayigash Pages 60-61 This was in response to Shlomo HaMelech trying to avoid the death of two of his ministers from the Angel of Death. “Ein chachmah vee in tenuvah vee in eitza leneged H” H’s plan will always be realized. People may try to thwart His plan, but they will be unsuccessful. Not only that, but they themselves will become the means of fulfilling H’s plan. Shlomo HaMelech also tells us, Many are the thoughts in the heart of man, but only the counsel of H will prevail (Mishlei 19:21).
This concept has many practical applications, one of which is illustrated in the following common scenario: An elderly parent becomes seriously ill and the children consult with specialists to determine the best course of treatment. The doctors present different options, each with its own benefits and risks, and the family must make the final decision. After careful consultation and deliberation, they decide on one method of treatment. Sadly, the treatment is a failure, and the parent dies. The children are racked with feelings of guilt: “We should have gone with the other method…” or” We should have used that doctor or hospital,” and so on. Additionally, there may be recriminations between the siblings themselves. “It was your idea that we use this treatment (doctor, hospital, etc.)!”
While such a response is understandable, it is, nonetheless, incorrect. As hard as it is for the family members to accept, they must realize that they cannot overturn the plan of H. It was best that they could, and there is no reason to feel guilty.
On this topic, Rav Pam would quote his mother, Rebbetzin Rachel Leah Pam, a”h, who would say, “A person doesn’t die from this sickness or that sickness. H dies from U’Nesaneh Tokef, where we say, who will live and who will die.”
It is highly recommended for a family to have a spokesperson to discuss the patient’s wishes with the family and medical team. It is also recommended to have a rabbi who is knowledgeable in the medical arena who can speak on behalf of the family with the patient’s doctor or medical team. He can then offer his recommendations or at least have a discussion with the family and help them with their decision making. Healthcare chaplains are also an excellent resource and can offer excellent advice. It definitely is important to be mispallel to the Ribono shel Olam to help make the right decision and to have emunah and trust/betachon that He will help you make the right decision, but never to regret nor to look back in a negative way.
From JewishVues.com December 27, 2023, Page 21 and also available on Torahweb.org. “Vayechi: Gam zu letova.” By Rav Hershel Schachter “Towards the end of the parsha, Yosef’s brothers plead with him to not take revenge or otherwise punish them for what they had done to him. Yosef responds that although their intentions were bad, since H intended it for a good purpose, namely, to keep everyone alive, he would not consider harming them at all.
Very often something which we consider an absolute tragedy occurs, and only years later, when looking back and placing all events into the proper perspective, do we realize that the tragedy was not at all a tragedy, butff rather enabled something wonderfully good and marvelous.
In Parhas Miketz (42:36) Yaakov Avinu is so distraught; his whole life is falling apart: Yosef is gone, Shimon is gone, and now they’re taking away his beloved Binyamin. The medrash comments on that passuk that H was sitting in heaven above and chuckling at Yaakov’s “Kreching”. Yosef is gone? He’s the prime minister of Egypt and is on top of the world! Shiman is gone? He’s roaming about freely touring Egypt! Yosef only imprisoned him as long as the brothers were there (See Rashi to Parshas Miketz 42:24). And now Binyamin too will be lost? Nothing at all happened to Binyamin, just like nothing happened to Yosef or to Shimon. Yaakov’s perception was that he had experienced tragedy upon tragedy, while in truth nothing had gone wrong at all.
The Talmud (Berachos 60b) tells us that when we experience a tragedy we must recite a special blessing, Baruch dayan haemes, and that beracha should be accompanied by acceptance of the tragedy with great simcha based on the belief that everything that H allows to happen is always for the good! When the Torah commands us (Devarim 25) to wipe out the nation of Amalek, the expression used is that they should be wiped out “mitachas hashomayim- from under the heavens”. The implication is that only from our perspective should Amalek be wiped out, as they are the physical embodiment of evil.
However, from H’s perspective, which takes into consideration the totality of all events, even Amalek embodies some good. This is what the rabbis in the Talmud had in mine when they pointed out (Gittin 57b) that descendants of Amalek and other evil individuals converted to Judaism and learned and taught Torah. Although we view Amalek as the ultimate symbol of evil, history has proven that even they had some redeeming value.
Whenever we experience any tragedy, we should always adopt the attitude of Rabbi Akiva (Berachos 60b) who would always assume that G would not have permitted the event to occur if it weren’t something good. Rabbi Akiva learned this approach from his rebbe- Nachum Ish Gam Zu, who would always comment upon experiencing tragedies, “this too is certainly something good!” (Taanis 21a).”
From Kol Dodi on the Torah by Rav David Feinstein. Artscroll Judaica Classics
Mesorah Publications Ltd. Parshas Vayichi. Pages 88-89. “So he blessed them that day saying, “By you shall Israel invoke blessing saying, “By you shall Israel invoke blessing, saying ‘May G make you like Ephraim and Manasseh’” (48:20)
Jacob blessed his two grandsons that they should serve as models for future generations. When someone wishes to bless his children, he should invoke the blessing of these two: May G make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.
This is a puzzling blessing, H does not give people achievements of righteousness as a gift. Spiritual greatness comes only after years of hard work, of dedication to H and His Torah. How can one ask H simply to make his son like these two? A more fitting blessing would seem to be, “May you grow up to be like Ephraim and Manasseh,” expressing the hope and prayer that the child will work hard on his own to become as great as they were.
The Sages taught that even the most righteous person needs help from Heaven in overflowing measure. The Evil Inclination is so strong that no one can stand up to it unless H assists him. For example, if someone who until now has kept a store open on the Sabbath decides to mend his ways, he cannot rely on H to repent for him, he himself must take the step of closing the store. If so, what help can he ask from H? He can ask H to make it easier for him to keep the store closed, perhaps by sending him more customers during the rest of the week so that his livelihood will not suffer too much and the temptation to slip back to his old ways will be minimized.
This principle teaches us the intent of the blessing which Jacob suggested for his descendants. We do not ask H to make our children into righteous people; that can be accomplished only by their own hard work. Instead, we ask H to help them in whatever ways He can, operating through the natural processes of the world.
For this blessing, it is more appropriate to invoke the names of Ephraim and Manasseh than of anyone else in that generation because, of all of Jacob’s grandchildren, they grew up in conditions least favorable for spiritual greatness. All of their cousins were born and raised in the land of Canaan, under Jacob’s powerful influence. Ephraim and Manasseh, however, grew up in the very immoral land of Egypt, and therefore had many more obstacles to overcome in their spiritual ascent. The fact that they grew up to be people of such stature shows that H must have given them more than the usual help to achieve their aspirations. Therefore, when we bless our children to be like them, we mean that their every effort to overcome all the obstacles they face in their spiritual development- and that H should give them as much help as they need, even as much as He gave Ephriam and Manasseh.”
Do we expect our Gedolim, tzaddikim, baal simchos, a sandik, rabbonim to perform miracles with the brachos we seek from them? H helps those who help themselves. The brachos given by the parent to their children Friday evenings (I mentioned both parents, because many mothers have a minhag to also give their children brachos and parents also give brachos to their daughters as well as their sons. Growing up with the many challenges they encountered and they remained strong in their beliefs in H and as devout as their parents. It is our prayers to receive the guidance from H Yisbarach and not to expect miracles to happen by themselves over night. However, we do believe everything and anything is possible for H can make it all possible. There is nothing H cannot do. But we must remember that it is up to H to fulfill whatever requests we have through our heartfelt prayers.
It is not unusual for a patient to seek the guidance and blessings of a chaplain who he/she feels has a direct contact with G and whose prayers are listened to more than their own. Many patients are holding on for dear life, hoping for a better future than they have presently. Many are truly frightened of the outcome of their treatments and have end of life concerns and fears. Chaplains try to offer hop. Chaplains will try to offer hope and pray with the patient, hoping for the best. We must never lose sight of what we are praying for. We must have as much realistic hope, as we possibly can have.
As rabbis, rebbetzins and chaplains we pray to be able to convey hope with kindness, care, compassion and empathy to those we minister to. We hope to con vey the essence of faith and betachon in H while we ourselves are mispallel to be zoche to be successful helping others to help themselves in their time of need. Only H knows what the future will bring. We can only pray for the best possible outcome in life.
The Bialystoker Shul will not be the same, the Lower East Side will not be the same, Klal Yisrael will not be the same without Yosef Peretz, but life does go on as will his legacy.
May Yosef Aryeh Leib ben Eliezer Yaakov zt”l be a Meilitz Yosher for his wife, mother, children, sister, entire family and Klal Yisrael. May his wife Tova continue to inspire us with her betachon in H. May she continue to have much nachas from her children and may we share in many simchos to come.
Sincerely, Rabbi Yehuda Blank