After the levaya of the Mir rosh yeshiva this week, HaGaon Rav Tzvi Weissfish, who was close to HaGaon HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel ZT”L related a story. He explained that about a decade ago, roshei yeshiva met with Maran Posek HaDor HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv to discuss acceptance of Sephardim and baalei tshuva in yeshivos.
As the discussion moved along HaGaon Rav Finkel ZT”L questioned in a puzzled tone what the difficulty was, the weekly BaKehilla reports. The late rosh yeshiva explained that when he personally interviewed prospective talmidim he never inquired as to their ethnicity of background.
When the meeting adjourned and the roshei yeshiva began leaving Rav Elyashiv commented “Did you hear what Rav Nosson Tzvi said! Because of his approach he merited the success he enjoys!”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
What is the chiddush?
Some may consider this comment taboo, but it is not hard to suppose that R’ Finkel’s being raised in the U.S. during the civil rights era and his exposure to the Western world’s emphasis on equal treatment and respect regardless of race or ethnicity had much to do with his view, probably somewhat unique among Israeli chareidi Roshei Yeshiva at the time.
2. I will BET it had nothing to do with your narishkeit and had more to do with his Daas Torah. If your shtussim were correct, the ezras noshim would have been filled with girls as opposed to bocherim sitting & learning!
@mark levin,
If that were true that it was his “da’as torah” that inspired him to admit sefardim and baalei tshuva. Then why were other yeshivos excluding them in the first place?
I’m guessing that his U.S. upbringing and not growing up in the ivory tower of the Torah world probably made him a little more sympathetic to everyone not in the upper tier of the “yeshiveshe world”
The Mir is a Torah institute and as much so, it is interested in the prospective bochers ability to learn. If he can fit into the misgaret of the Mir then he will be accepted, if not he should go elsewhere. That is what built the Mir into a giant Torah institution.
Speaking of how Reb Nosson Tzvi ZT’L interviewed bochurim, I will never forget my farher. He was lying in bed shaking from his Parkinson’s while listening to my shitckel torah. His mesiras nefesh for torah will forever be ingrained in my memory.
4. I am referring to his personal daas torah from his own learning, not necessarily whom he asked. The Mir in NY BH also has many sfardim.
I know you and may others are making a big deal about his “Arie Crown” high school years however you have to say he excelled in Torah etc., DESPITE that education.
Perhaps it was the Rosh Yeshiva’s ahavas Yisroel that he saw everyone as a JEW not a “hyphenated” Jew I.e. Sephardic-Jew. If a person has that much love for Hashem’s children, then Hashem grants him success.
7, I’m not sure why I “have to say” that Rav Finkel ztz’l was successful “despite” what he learned at Chicago Jewish Academy (now Ida Crowne Jewish Academy). The Rosh Yeshiva’s father would never have sent his son to a school that he thought would be a barrier to success in the Torah world.
#1. Unfortunately, this is a chidush.