Portrait of a Rebbe

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

Today, the 3rd of Av, is the 43rd yartzeit of the son-in-law of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l – Rav Eliyahu Moshe Ben Rav Avraham Yizchak Shisgal zt”l.

Among those who recall their beloved Rebbe are Rav yeruchem Olshin Shlita, a Rosh Yeshiva in Lakewood’s Beis Midrash Gavoah, Rav Peretz Steinberg Shlita, Rav of the Young Israel of Queens Valley, and Rav Aharon Brafman Shlita, Menahel of Yeshiva of Far Rockaway.

This author is heading a project to print Rav Shisgal’s chiddushei Torah in a sefer to be released in a few months. It is being done with the blessings of the family and Rav Shisgal’s brother-in-law Rav Dovid Feinstein Shlita. Whoever has tapes or notes of shiurim or divrei Torah please contact the author at [email protected].

Rav Shisgal was one of the greatest American-raised gedolim was Rav Moshe Feinstein’s son-in-law. Tragically, he passed away at the young age of 52. Unfortunately, until now his writings and chiddushim have only appeared sporadically in various Torah publications.

Rav Eliyahu Moshe Shisgal was born in Slutzk in 1921. His sandek was Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, father-in-law of Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l. He arrived in the United States in 1925 at the age of 4. Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Shisgal, his father, had brought his entire family.

Rav Eliyahu Moshe studied in Yeshiva Torah VaDaas and learned under Rav Shlomo Heiman zt”l and Rav Reuvan Grozofsky zt”l.

At the young age of 18, in May of 1939, Rav Shisgal published a learned article in the Torah journal HaMesilah about doubts in Shechita. The lomdisha piece was so brilliant that it reflected his gadlus baTorah.

Rav Shisgal taught in Torah Vadaas at the instigation of his Rebbe, Rav Shlomo Heiman zt”l. He became a maggid shiur at the age of 22, while still single. He taught the older bochurim. He taught in Torah vaDaas for twenty years.

On Sunday, February 7th, 1943, Rav Shisgal married the daughter of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l. The mesader kiddushin was Rabbi Yaakov Kanterovitz from Trenton, NJ. Present also were Rav Aharon Kotler, Rav Lazer Silver, and Rav Yitzchok haLevi Rosenberg.

In the early sixties he was appointed as the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Be’er Shmuel for two years. Earlier, in 1951, he became the Rav of the local shul, an unpaid position he served in for eighteen years. In 1954 he began to teach in Tiferes Yerushalayim for eight years. He taught at the Staten Island campus. All in all he taught Torah for 30 years.

Rav Shisgal also served as a Rav of a local shul, Congregation Beth HaKnesses. It was established in 1893 and his father was the previous Rav. He served completely unsalaried.

The shul faced many struggles, including blatant anti-Semitism. In 1953 the city acquired the shul forcefully by condemning the building at 290 Madison and then planning to build a 17 million dollar project there called the La Guardia Houses for close to 1100 families. Eventually, the city gave the shul an opportunity to buy back the building for $124,000 in 1956.

In 1971, the shul finally paid off its mortgage. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l and lehavdil Mayor Lindsay were both present at a ceremony celebrating this occasion.

On March 20th to 21st, 1971, the shul was vandalized and set on fire r”l. It suffered some $50,000 in damages. Two days later the vandals returned to abuse other religious articles that had escaped the fire. Then a few weeks later anti-Semitic slogans were scrawled in black ink on the synagogue’s floors. In the final week of August most of the remaining siddurim were stolen too. The shul had some 60 mispallelim.

REMARKABLE REBBE

Rav Shisgal was a remarkable teacher. Rav Feinstein, his father-in-law, describes his relationship with his students as that of a friend.

Rav Moshe described his method of learning as to first study and understand each matter in great depth. His students picked up this method and became great Torah scholars. He also had tremendous humility.
Torah never stopped from his mouth. Rav Moshe said that what he learned and knew in his short time here of 52 years, other Talmidim could not know in 100 years.

RAV SHISGAL’S REBBEIM

Rav Shisgal was very attached to his Rebbe Rav Shlomo Heiman (1892-1945). At the funeral he saw that one of the talmidim was not crying. He said to him, the Rebbe is not here, why can’t you cry?
He was close to Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, Rav Henkin, Rav Aharon Kotler and, of course, Rav Moshe Feinstein.

When Rav Aharon arrived in America he began saying a shiur in Seder Zraim in Manhattan. Rav Shisgal attended. When Rav Aharon established his Yeshiva in Lakewood, Reb Shraga Feivel Mendelewitz sent his top bochurim to learn there and to help establish the Yeshiva. Rav Shisgal went and became very attached to Rav Aharon.

Rav Shisgal was very close to Rav Henkin as well and, on the occasion of his daughter’s wedding, he handed him a personal invitation. Rav henkin said that he knew that there will be many great Rabbi present and he did not wish to receive any blessings or honors. Rav Shisgal consulted with his father-in-law and when he arrived they gave Rav henkin the first two blessings anyway.

RAV MOSHE’S SON-IN-LAW

In July 29, 1957, Rav Moshe Feinstein penned a response to him regarding kanayim pogin bo. He addresses him as my son-in-law who is like a son.

Rav Moshe Feinstein wrote that he merited to have him as his very first son-in-law. He wrote that he derived great pleasure from him in Torah, wisdom, and fear of heaven.

At the shloshim, Rav Moshe Feinstein cried as he read the posuk in the parsha of the week in Ki Savo. The declaration that is made was, I have done all that you have commanded me..” Rav Moshe burst in tears and said, “Velcher Mentche – Who in this world can say, I have done all that You have commanded me?” HaRav Shisgal could say, I have done all that You have commanded me.”

After his passing, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky said, “No one truly knew him. His place was among those of a much earlier generation.”

He passed away in 1973 at the age of 52.

Once again, if anyone has any notes, recordings or recollections please contact the author at the email below.

[email protected]

Attention Readers: The seventh volume of Not Your Usual Halacha has just been released. The author’s books can be purchased at amazon.com