Teaneck—Every time Daniel Gibber listens to Rav Moshe Weinberger speak, he is “moved” in a positive way to try to be a better Jew. “I found myself getting into numerous deep conversations about God and Yiddishkeit with a very close friend of mine with whom I and two of our sons have the privilege to learn. He suggested that I start listening to Rav Weinberger’s shiurim because he believed it was right up my alley.”
It is less than a year after he first heard a Weinberger shiur, but Gibber, a member of the Beis Medrash Committee at Congregation Bnai Yeshurun, is pleased to be part of a group bringing Rav Weinberger to Teaneck on February 22.
Rav Weinberger, who has been Mashpia (spiritual mentor) at Yeshiva University since 2013, is also founding mara d’asra of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere. He is a speaker sought after worldwide. From many accounts, he has changed the lives not only of many of his talmidim and congregants, but of people who are regular listeners of his vast array of shiurim and lectures. Over 3,500 of Rav Weinberger’s shiurim spanning over two decades have recently been added to www.yutorah.org.
Rav Weinberger, a Yeshiva University graduate who grew up Modern Orthodox, is considered a talmid chacham who has a unique way of blending “Chassidic” commentaries with traditional “Litvish” Torah commentaries, while inspiring others to live a Torah life imbued with warmth, passion, and fire. Rav Weinberger weaves in a wide array of sources such as Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and numerous other Chassidic sources along with Rav Soloveitchik, Rav Kook, the Ramchal, and others. He has been heralded as having started a trend toward neo-Chassidus, and is thought by many to be the unofficial leader of the a neo-Chassidic movement, but it has been said that Rav Weinberger is not interested in being labeled as such, especially since prior neo-Chassidic movements have been anchored in or embraced by non-Orthodox environments.
However, to illustrate the kind of impact Rav Weinberger has had, Gibber spoke of his first experience listening to a Weinberger shiur about emunah (faith), our relationship to God, and what it means to be a Jew. “I wanted to cry as I thought to myself ‘this is it.’ I had never before heard Yiddishkeit presented in such an inspiring, encouraging, and beautiful way,” he said.
Since that first experience, Gibber has heard Rav Weinberger speak in person numerous times, and, when pressed, indicated he has listened to over 150 of his recorded shiurim. “His powerful, meaningful, and inspirational way of motivating Jews to want to grow and get closer to Hashem is a ‘game-changer,’” Gibber said.
Said Gibber: “I welcome the opportunity to share with others that which has inspired me. At Bnai Yeshurun I have the privilege to serve as a member of the Bais Medrash Committee where we work towards strengthening the opportunities for serious Torah learning. The Beis Medrash Committee is sponsoring Rav Weinberger’s shiur, which will no doubt inspire anyone who attends in a very positive way.”
The topic of Rabbi Weinberger’s shiur is “Mishenichnas Adar: So What? Bringing Happiness and Emunah into our Lives.” The shiur will take place at 8 p.m. and both men and women are invited.
By Elizabeth Kratz
