The Teaneck community was honored to host Ha’Gaon Rav Asher Weiss shlit’a on the evening of December 19. To a standing-room-only audience at Congregation Bnai Yeshurun, Rav Weiss offered a “Communal Night of Torah and Chizuk.” The impressive turnout was testament to Rav Weiss’s reputation as one of the leading Torah personalities of our generation, impacting thousands around the world through his shiurim and halachic responsa as well as his leadership.
During COVID and currently during the dark days of Israel-Hamas war, Rav Weiss has responded to the most complex questions of our times. His insightful teshuvos have become a guiding light to rabbanim and communal leaders around the globe.
As the posek of Shaare Tzedek Medical Center, Rav Weiss is constantly called upon to deal with unique medical issues that arise from the front lines of battle. As head of the Beis Din Tzedek Darchei Torah, Rav Weiss is consulted by dayanim from around the world who seek his balanced message of strict adherence to Shulchan Aruch, detailed and accessible judgments, and clear and articulate piskei din which are used as case law and precedent. Through his Machon Minchas Asher, founded in 2000 by the Rav’s talmidim, dozens of seforim and publications have been disseminated and become staples of batei midrash and yeshivos around the world.
In his introductory remarks, Rav Ari Zahtz, associate rabbi of Bnai Yeshurun, portrayed Rav Weiss as a Talmid Chacham who brings shalom to the world by dealing with difficult shailas, questions, with sensitivity and authenticity. “Rav Weiss will offer us words of chizuk in our war in the context of Torah.”
In his dignified yet personal and highly sensitive presentation, Rav Weiss conveyed a three-part message to the audience. First and foremost is our need to believe that Hashem has His ways and often they are beyond our understanding. Every tragedy throughout Jewish history has been followed by great achievement. After Churban Bayis Sheini, the Torah She’beal Peh was composed. After the Holocaust, the State of Israel was created. Let us focus on the outcome of this war and hopefully its positive ramifications.
However, Rav Weiss urged, as the war rages, we must be fully engaged, whether we are on the battlefield or 6,000 miles away. We must feel the pain of our people. The chapters of the Torah we are currently reading describe Yosef’s reunification with his brothers. In these chapters, Yosef is modeling for us his plan for revitalizing his brothers with the compassion they lacked when they sold him into slavery. Yosef is working toward a tikkun for their actions so that they feel the pain that they caused their brother and will repent.
We, too, must feel the pain of our soldiers and Israeli citizens.When we stand together, we are victorious. According to the Midrash, the evil king Achav was victorious over his enemies more so than King David. During Achav’s reign, the nation was united, whereas during King David’s reign, the people were engaged in quarrels and evil gossip, resulting in their many defeats against their enemies.
Rav Weiss expressed his admiration for the hundreds of missions and private groups visiting Israel to show support through their personal presence. “When we are one unit, no enemy can prevail against us. We must add ahava and achdus to our Torah and tefilla.”
Finally, we must be cognizant that Hashem always accompanies us on the battlefield. When Yehoshua is confronted with the angel dressed in military garb, he is confused and asks: ”Are you for us or for our enemy?”
Yehoshua was confused by the military appearance of the malach. But when the apparition replies, “I am from the army of Hashem,” Yehoshua realizes that we win wars because Hashem accompanies us on the battlefield.
Rav Weiss believes that the 500,000 pairs of tzitzit that have so far been distributed to our brave chayalim, even beyond the 100,000 religious soldiers of Tzalash (Tzava Leshem Shamayim), and the hundreds of publications containing tefillah, Tehillim and Daf Yomi, as well as the special Machon Minchas Asher booklets featuring commentaries on the weekly Parshiot of Bereishit, are all a testament to the confidence of our courageous chayalim that Hashem is at their side on the battlefield. We can contribute to their effort by raising our quantity and intensity Torah and tefillah on behalf of Acheinu Am Yisrael.
Rav Weiss dedicated his words of chizuk to the memory of soldiers Eyal ben Shmaya, HY”D and to the refuah shleima of Netanel Yaakov ben Yehudis Sarah.
