By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times This week marked the tragic loss of a remarkable woman, Rebbitzen Gita Cohen A”H. Her’s was a life replete with sacrifice for Torah; a life that proved the Talmudic adage (Brachos 63b), “Torah is only truly established in one who sacrifices greatly for it.” Her husband, children, and sons-in-law are all Roshei Yeshiva – leaders and teachers of Torah. Rebbitzen Cohen was a jewel who lived in the Far Rockaway community for the last thirty years. Slowly and steadily, she and her husband, ybl”c Rav Shaya Cohen Shlita brought thousands and thousands of people to a life of Torah and Mitzvos. Who was this remarkable woman, and where did she come from? GROWING UP IN YERUSHALAYIM Rebbitzen Gita Cohen A”H was born in the holy city of Yerushalayim, three years before the War of Independence. She grew up in a two room apartment. One room housed Reb Aryeh Levin zt”l, the famed Tzaddik of Yerushalayim, and his Rebbitzen. The other room housed her parents and all of their children. There was no heat and no running water in the apartment. Americans cannot fathom these conditions. And yet, she grew up in a happy home, where Torah and Mitzvos were all that were important. She lived in close proximity to her uncle and aunt, the Elyashiv family. Her cousin, Rav Elyashiv’s daughter, was her childhood friend and playmate. Although poor from an economic standpoint, she was a princess in terms of the towering spirituality of her family forebears. She grew up soaking in the Torah of giants of Yiddishkeit. And soak up, she did. The Rebbitzen was a child prodigy, and at the age of one was fully fluent in Yiddish. The Brisker Rav was so impressed by her as a little girl that he remarked, “That young girl is destined for greatness.” Her grandfather lovingly referred to her as, “Giteleh HaChachamah.” Tragedy struck the family at a young age. In 1948, in the War of Independence, the apartment was shelled by Arab bombs. The room where she and Rav Elyashiv’s daughter was badly hit. The explosion caused the ceiling and walls to cave in. Rav Elyashiv’s daughter was tragically killed r”l, and the young Rebbitzen Gitel was knocked unconscious and badly burned, hidden by the rubble around her. Her mother was unaware that she was in the room and only through a miracle did she notice her foot sticking out from the rubble. Her husband later commented that she was given a gift of 68 extra years of life. THE ALTER Rebbitzen Cohen was the great-granddaughter of the Alter of Slabodka, of whom the Chazon Ish had said that all Torah in America and Israel exists on account of him. The Alter built Torah. After her marriage to Rabbi Shaya Cohen, she moved to America and together with her husband, built Torah as well. They founded Torah institutions that brought thousands and thousands of people to a life of Torah and Mitzvos. There are students studying from coast to coast on account of her and her husband’s prodigious efforts; in the Batei Midrashim of BMG in Lakewood, New Jersey to the Beis Midrash of Yeshiva Ner Aryeh in the San Fernando Valley of California. In her home, the Alter’s Torah

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for The Five Towns Jewish Times Chessed, and the love of it, forms the very blueprint of the world. Hashem is the essence of Chessed itself, and He created the world so that He can reward us for doing Mitzvos (Derech Hashem Chapter one). Thus, the Mitzvos involved in the performance of Chessed form a large part of the reason why Hashem created the world. Performing Chessed gives our life meaning. Since Chessed plays such a crucial role in life, it is important to understand what Chazal tell us about this most important subject. This article should be utilized to help inspire our daily Chessed, and to help us understand the significance of it. SOURCE What is the source for the Mitzvah of performing Chessed? The Gemorah (Bava Kamma 100a) identifies a posuk in Shmos (18:20) as the source, “And inform them of the path that they should walk..” The Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvos (Shoresh 2) cites this as a biblical requirement. There is another Pasuk which one fulfill when performing Chessed, “V’ahavta l’rayacha kamocha. – Love thy neighbor as yourself.” The Rambam in Hilchos Aveilus (14:1) cites this as a biblical fulfillment, although the Rabbis provided illustrations as to how to fulfill it.. FURTHER SOURCES AND THREE OBLIGATIONS OF CHESSED 1. WALKING IN HIS WAYS a. The major obligation of Chessed stems from walking in Hashem’s ways. The Gemorah (Sotah 14a) discusses the pasuk which says, “Acharei Hashem Elokecha taylechu – you shall walk after Hashem your G-d (Dvarim 13:5).” The Gemorah poses a question. It asks, “How is it possible to physically walk after the Divine Presence?” b. The Gemorah answers that it means to follow after the Chessed traits, kavyachol, of Hashem. Just as He provides for the unclothed, so too must you provide clothing to them. The Sefer Mitzvos Gedolos states that this verse is part of the related Pasuk of “v’halachta b’drachav – and you shall walk in his ways.” In other words, the verse of Acharei Hashem Elokecha Taylechu is referencing the verse of v’halachta b’drachav. It could very well be that the aforementioned verse in Shmos (18:20) is also referencing this. 2. UNDERSTANDING THAT CHESSED CONNECTS US TO HASHEM a. The Gemorah in Shabbos (133b) discusses another entirely different pasuk, “Zeh Kaili V’anveihu..” The Gemorah in Shabbos understands it to mean that we must attempt to liken ourselves to Him. Just as He is kind and merciful, so too must you be kind and merciful. Rav Yitzchok Isaac Sherr zatzal explains (Leket Sichos Mussar p.76) that the pasuk of “Zeh Kaili v’Anveihu” teaches us the obligation of feeling and understanding that the performance of Chessed brings us closer to Hashem. This is on account of the Gemorah’s understanding of the word “Anvehu” to mean “Ani v’hu – I and Him.” The meaning of this Pasuk is therefore, “This is my G-d, and I shall bind myself to Him. I know that I can accomplish this binding through the notion of performing acts of Chessed.” The consequences of this Pasuk are an obligation of thought, not practice. It is something that we must think – Chessed binds us to Hashem – Ani VeHu. One means of achieving this is the further obligation that the sages placed on people to say