By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

Part IV

This Shabbos is the 53rd Yartzeit of Rav Aharon Kotler zatzal. The Five Towns Jewish Times has therefore embarked upon publishing this biographical sketch. Much of the information in this biographical has never been published before.

DURING THE NAZI PERIOD

Rav Aharon tried desperately to arrange for some safe country to fully transfer his Yeshiva. His father-in-law, Rav Isser Zalman, cabled him from Eretz Yisroel in Hebrew, “Lama atem yoshvim al har goesh kazeh? – Why are you yet sitting on top of a volcano such as this, he asked?”

The British, of course, had issued White Papers forbidding further Jewish emigration to Eretz Yisroel. To get to Eretz Yisroel would take years. Rav Aharon decided that the Yeshiva would be safer and better off if they went deeper into Lithuania. The Yeshiva could continue its learning undistracted as well.

In January of 1940, Rav Aharon wrote to Rav Meir Karelitz, the brother of the Chazon Ish, of his desire to temporarily establish the Yeshiva in Yanova, outside of Kovno. He mentioned that he had already obtained a license to that effect. He further wrote in a post script that he and his family received a certificate to go to Eretz Yisroel, but he refused to utilize it until he was able to ensure the safety of his students.

Rav Aharon successfully arranged the move. In February of 1940, the Bnei HaYeshiva loaded all of their belongings onto rented trucks, this time, and drove out of Vilna. Three hours later they arrived safely in Yanova.

In the meantime, Rav Aharon remained most of the time in Vilna to assist in the efforts of transporting all of the European yeshivas to safer territories. Nonetheless, he travelled the 2 and ½ hour trip twice each week to deliver his shiurim to the Bnei HaYeshiva. He would also bring with him Rav Eliezer Shach during these visits to lift up the atmosphere of the Yeshiva.
The Kletzk Yeshiva remained in Yanova through Purim and Pesach of 1940. They were supported by the Jews of Yanova and a modicum of a sense of normalcy had begun to take root.
On June 5th 1940, the Russians reneged on their “promise” of Lithuanian integrity. Soviet tanks entered into Lithuania. It was all very carefully planned as the Russians knew every street of every town in Lithuania.

Yanova now, was no longer entirely safe, with the threat of the communists. The Russians had completed the entire annexation of Lithuania by the end July of 1940.

DEATH OF RAV CHAIM OZER

Throughout this time, Rav Aharon had looked toward Rav Chaim Ozer for advice and consultation. He had remained with Rav Chaim Ozer in Vilna and was often found at Rav Chaim Ozer’s home at 17 Zavalna Street. The Vaad Hatzolah leadership in America had decided to attempt the ambitious plan of bringing all the European Yeshivos to the United States. The plan was too ambitious of course. They would be fighting too powerful forces in America that did not want them.

Rav Aharon wrote back to the Vaad Hatzolah’s president, Rav Chaim Ozer’s former student, Rav Eliezer Silver on July 7th. “We rejoiced to learn of the noble idea to transfer the sanctuaries of the Torah, the sacred yeshivos, to the United States. These holy intentions can be compared to the deeds of Rav Yochanan ben Zakkai at the time of the Temple’s destruction.”
Rav Chaim Ozer had passed away in early August of 1940, and now the Torah world and Rav Aharon were bereft of his wise leadership.

The Soviets were concerned that the Yeshiva students might influence others in their ways, and demanded that the Yeshiva split up into three different groups. The Yeshiva had actually grown grown during this time and now had 250 students. Rav Aharon complied with the request, and the Yeshiva split into three locations; Saluk, Doshad, Duksht. Saluk was a village near the city of Dvinsk in Latvia. Doshad was ten miles west of Saluk.

Rav Aharon made his central location in Saluk. He had already began organizing his shiurim, and the Yeshiva’s old battered Hebrew typewriter was brought to Salu. Reb Beryl Starobin was serving as the Rosh haYeshiva’s secretary and was entrusted with typing Rav Aharon’s notes on his shiurim. Many of these were to later be published by the Machon Mishnas Rav Aharon. Rav Aharon made it his business to visit his Talmidim in the other locales as well. Rav Yosef Leib Nenedick went to Doshad. The more advanced students went to Duksht.

Saluk was very isolated and consisted of one market place and four little streets. The Jews of the town welcomed the Yeshiva in their midst, and offered them their rather small Beis Midrash where the now smaller Yeshiva resumed its studies. Rav Aharon gave regular shiurim, but maintained contact with the other two locales as well, and even gave shiurim there.

In the meantime, efforts in the United States to save the Yeshivos were floundering slightly. The members of the Vaad Hatzolah in the United States were broken at the loss of Rav Chaim Ozer. What was needed was new energy. It was decided that Rav Aharon himself was to be brought to the United States to help in rescue efforts.

Initially, Rav Aharon did not wish to leave his students. However, on a Friday, November 8th 1940, three member’s of the NKVD, the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs, visited the Yeshiva and took away the Yeshiva’s typewriter and Rav Aharon’s papers. The main function of the NKVD was to protect the state security of the Soviet Union. They did so through massive political repression, and the use of sanctioned political murders and assassinations.

Rav Aharon was ordered to report to NKVD headquarters for interrogation. Rav Aharon showed no fear and absolutely refused to allow any of the Talmidim to accompany him. He emerged from the interrogation unscathed, and had not let on to his interrogators who he was and his relationship with the Talmidim.

KOVNO

In the meantime, in Kovno, Lithuania, a family had moved into a two family house on Ponyero 15. The bottom floor was the home of Rav Avrohom Grodzinsky. On the top floor Rav Aryeh Malkiel Friedman and his family moved in. Their daughter, Rischel, would soon become engaged to Rav Aharon’s son. Reb Shneur. The Friedmans were extraordinary Baalei Chessed. They welcomed into their home all Yeshiva students who were desperately trying to escape the Nazi beasts. Day and night Reb Aryeh Malkiel would send telegrams on behalf of others in an attempt to get visas and other documents for them.

Rav Elchonon Wasserman stayed and hid with the Friedmans in Kovno during the time of the Nazis. The Friedman home became a Bais Vaad l’Chachomim where Gedolei Torah gathered to discuss life and death issues. Reb Elchonon did have an escape plan to go to Switzerland, but an accident where Reb Elchonon’s son had crushed his foot delayed the escape. By the time they were able to travel, unfortunately, the Nazis had closed all opportunity to escape. Reb Elchonon and nine others hid from the Nazis in the Friedman home. While most of those who were hiding in the friedman home would remain on the upper floor Reb Elchonon would be learning on the first floor – adjacent to the stairwell.

SHIDDUCH

Shortly before Rav Elchonon was murdered, he suggested a shidduch to Reb Aryeh Malkiel. Reb Elchonon was close with Rav Aharon Kotler. At the age of 17, Rebbitzen Rischel got engaged to Reb Shneur Kotler, age 22, in early 1941.

But they were not to marry for a while. Reb Shneur was arrested by the Russian for evading the draft. Although he was released, he knew that he was no longer safe in Russia. His first attempt was to make himself physically unfit for the Russian army. This failed to fool the Russians. Finally, his father had worked out with Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer a manner in which to obtain the proper papers to enter Eretz Yisroel. Reb Shneur took a boat to “Palestine” together with Reb Laizer Yudel Z”L, Rav Laizer Shach Z”L, and a number of others. Reb Shneur learned in the Chevron Yeshiva and also learned under his grandfather, Reb Isser Zalman Meltzer. Reb Shneur was also able to learn and hear shiurim from the Brisker Rav.

BACK TO SALUK

It soon became clear to all that for the sake of the Talmidim and for Rav Aharon that he must try to get help for the Bnei HaYeshiva from America. The necessary paperwork was obtained for Rav Aharon to come to the United States. His Talmidim and the other Jews of Saluk escorted him toward the railway station in Vilna.

In January of 1941, Rav Aharon began his trip by way of Japan.

While in Japan, Rav Aharon and one of his talmidim, Reb Moshe Cohen were walking when the Emperor of Japan was passing through the street. The custom was for every person present to immediately bow. Rav Aharon did not bow because he was concerned that the emperor had viewed himself as a deity and that bowing would constitute abizraihu of Avodah Zarah. The polie proceeded to beat up Rav Aharon to the point where he had to be hospitalized. Reb Moshe Cohen visited Rav Aharon in the hospital. When he visited Rav Aharon berated him for not refusing to bow as well (heard from son).
On February 7th, 1941, Rav Aharon and his wife and daughter Sarah were issued visas. Rav Aharon was one of the last to be able to leave Europe as very shortly, the Soviets ceased to issue exit visas.
They booked passage aboard the M.S. Kamakura Maru, and arrived in Kamajura, Japan. The ship was only eleven years old, could carry 800 passengers, and generally cruised at a speed of 19 knots. Other passengers on the boat were Jews as well, trying to escape the inferno that was to destroy European Jewry. Japan, of course, was not yet at war with the United States, It would be eight months later that they would embark upon their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. One year after Rav Aharon was to arrive in America, the Imperial Japanese Navy confiscated the ship to use for troop transfer. Two years later, the ship was torpedoed by a US submarine.

The gangplank did not have a maakah, and the gangplank was som 5 stories high. By nature, Rav Aharon was scared of heights. Moshe Cohen was there and took the ksavim of the Rosh yeshiva away from him. Rav Aharon uickly ran up to get them from Moshe Cohen and thus got onto the boat. On the boat as well was, Gruna Katz who was an adopted daughter of Rav Aharon and his wife.
While in Japan, the question of the international dateline arose. Which day was to be considered Shabbos? He, Rav Reuvain Grozovsky, and Rav Mendel Zaks ruled that they should observe two days of Shabbos on all matters that were a biblical prohibition. The decision was made to observe three nights of Pesach sedarim as well .

On Thursday April 10th, 1941, the day before Erev Pesach, Rav Aharon, his wife, and his daughter Sara arrived in the United States by boat in San Francisco. On Monday, April 14th, the first day of Chol HaMoed, Rav Aharon took a train out east and arrived at Penn Station one week later on April 21, 1941.

TO BE CONTINUED

The author can be reached at [email protected]