By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Rav Yaakov Aryeh Neiman zt”l was a towering figure whose brilliant legacy continues to illuminate the Jewish world today. Born in Ostrolenka, Poland, he emerged as one of the most distinguished students at the prestigious Lomza Yeshiva, where he spent thirteen transformative years under the tutelage of the legendary Rabbi Yechiel Mordechai Gordon and Rabbi Moshe Rosenstein. Even in his youth, his extraordinary devotion to mussar (ethical development) and divine service set him apart, ultimately leading to his authorship of the masterful work “Darchei Mussar.”

During his time at Lomza, his passionate commitment to spiritual growth led him to establish a revolutionary “committee” dedicated to moral contemplation and elevation in divine service. This innovative approach attracted exceptional scholars like Rabbi Chaim Bernstein, who would later become a renowned head of Or HaTalmud Yeshiva.

His close relationship with the revered Chofetz Chaim was legendary – so deep was their connection that when Rav Neiman would visit Radin, the Chofetz Chaim himself would personally arrange his accommodations. This extraordinary bond between these two giants of spirit would later influence many of Rav Neiman’s teachings and approaches.

In 1923, at the behest of both the Chofetz Chaim and Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, Rav Neiman embarked on what would become his life’s mission – establishing the Or Israel Yeshiva in Lida. Named after Rabbi Israel of Salant’s seminal work, the yeshiva quickly became a beacon of Torah excellence under his inspired leadership.

When he immigrated to Eretz Yisrael in 1935, settling in Petach Tikva, Rav Neiman carried with him the dreams and aspirations of his European legacy. With incredible determination and vision, he re-established Or Israel Yeshiva in 1943, transforming it into one of the central pillars of Torah education in the newly developing land. His exceptional warmth and fatherly devotion to his students became legendary – his trademark opening words “My dear children” reflected the deep love and connection he shared with each student.

He would often express his emotional pain about the state of affairs of matters spiritual.  He once spoke and said, “…How great is the pain when we see that even Torah-observant parents do not understand their children’s souls, and instead of telling them words of Torah and holiness with genuine warmth… they send them to places to study secular subjects. And they do not understand that it is not enough for a Jewish soul to just be religious… Are there not high levels in matters of fear of Heaven… and if they do not reach these high levels in matters of fear of Heaven, it is not certain at all if they will remain Torah-observant.”

“The only place – only the yeshivas that stand on holy ground, whose entire purpose is to raise a generation of Torah scholars and those who fear Hashem, they have the power to fill a person’s soul so it will not remain empty and void. And if they go in a different way, they damage and sin against the child’s soul, and this is an irreparable loss, and this is the destruction of the Temple that we need to cry about day and night.”

His magnum opus “Darchei Mussar,” published in 1951, received glowing acclaim from Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer, who recognized its power to ignite the flames of heavenly fear and ethical refinement in its readers. The work was enriched by Rav Neiman’s personal observations of the Chofetz Chaim, providing an intimate glimpse into the conduct of one of Judaism’s greatest leaders.

His establishment of the advanced Or Israel Yeshiva in 1982, at an age when most would have retired, demonstrated his tireless dedication to building Torah. Even after his passing in 1983, his influence continues to reverberate – the street where his beloved yeshiva stands now bears his name, and his legacy lives on through the current leadership of Rabbi Mordechai Rabinowitz, who married his granddaughter.

Rav Neiman’s life story is not merely a biography – it is a testament to the power of unwavering dedication to Torah values and the profound impact one person can have on generations. His blend of intellectual brilliance, spiritual depth, and genuine love for every student created a unique educational approach that continues to shape Jewish leadership today.

In this week’s Sidrah, he writes as follows:

We need to understand why Isaac our forefather wanted to bless Esau rather than Jacob. While Esau deceived Isaac into thinking he was righteous because he honored him meticulously, how could Isaac prefer him over Jacob, who was known to be a wholesome man who dwelt in tents?

I heard in the name of the Sabba z”l quoting Rashi: Certainly Isaac our forefather knew the difference between Jacob and Esau. Precisely because he knew Jacob was a wholesome tent-dweller devoted to Torah study and would eventually sit on the Throne of Glory, Isaac wanted him to have no distractions from serving Hashem or involvement with worldly matters. He wanted to give all worldly blessings to Esau who was a man of the field. Meanwhile, he would strengthen Jacob and provide him whatever he needed to engage in Torah study, benefiting them both as it says “The Tree of Life for those who grasp it.” However, their mother Rebecca discerned that Esau’s good heart could not be relied upon to benefit Jacob, so she told Jacob to take the blessings himself.

In my opinion, the reason Isaac wanted to bless Esau and not Jacob was because Jacob didn’t need blessings – he had the Torah, as it is written “If you follow My laws…I will provide your rains in their time” and nothing will be lacking. If one keeps the Torah, they are already blessed by Hashem. If they don’t keep the Torah, the blessings become “bread of affliction.” Jacob didn’t want bread of affliction – he wanted to eat what he earned through his service. Like we tell a struggling worker – why struggle? Since you’re weak and not accomplishing anything, better to leave difficult work and I’ll arrange social welfare for basic sustenance. Surely no one wants to eat unearned bread and not what they labored for. Therefore Isaac didn’t want to bless Jacob, and Jacob himself didn’t want to receive blessings as he didn’t want bread of affliction. He was only compelled to do it to fulfill his mother’s will. But Esau, who had no Torah and wasn’t worthy of the World to Come through Torah observance – Isaac wanted to bless him to at least have sustenance in this world.

Rebecca feared that if Jacob didn’t keep the Torah, he would end up with bread of affliction regardless. But Isaac and Jacob’s view was that they wouldn’t fail to keep the Torah just to receive sustenance – rather they would accept difficulties to be compelled to repent, as they were worthy of keeping the Torah.

Through this approach we can understand why the righteous suffer while the wicked prosper – the righteous don’t want bread of affliction. Therefore if they lack in divine service, they themselves lovingly accept hardship to inspire repentance and cleanse their sins. But for the wicked, Hashem gives them bread of affliction out of great mercy, showing them that ultimately they will be exposed as denying Hashem, as they have no World to Come. At the very least, let them have sustenance in this world.

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