Due to all that I have been writing recently about the Rav Itamar Shwartz's visit to the United States and the Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh seforim, I have been zoche to be contacted by several people who have been at various shiurim that Rav Shwartz has given. I want to share one story that personifies the unification that Rav Shwartz is revealing in the different darchei avodah.
Rav Shwartz spoke at the Belzer Kollel in Monsey, NY. (That shiur can be downloaded and listened to here.) His drasha was filled with the guidance and words of the Baal Shem Tov and the Talmidei Baal Shem Tov. From what I heard, the chevrah there were really lit on fire from his words and were inspired to deepen and internalize the message of Kirvas Hashem. I was told that two of the Chassidim were talking after the shiur and one of them asked the other one, "So what kind of Chossid is he?" And the other one answered, "An emesdikeh Chossid!"
The second story took place in a mostly Litvish yeshiva, Shor Yoshuv, in Far Rockaway, NY (which is also available for download/streaming audio here). There, Rav Shwartz gave over his message with teachings from the GR"A, the Talmidei haGR"A, the Mashgiach from Ponovicz, and the like. I heard that one of the top talmidim there was heard to have said, "Now that's a true Litvak!"
When these two stories were told over to Rav Shwartz and his translator/gabai, Ofer, he (Ofer) responded, "Now you understand who the Rav is."
May we be zocheh to see and understand the oneness and unification that underlies all flavors of Darchei Avodah!
-Dixie Yid
(Picture courtesy of IloveTorah.com)
7 comments:
Dixie Yid-
Those are really great stories. If we look behind the labels, Torah is Torah. Change the cover of a Nefesh HaChaim and one would think it's a Chassidish sefer. Some like to always have friction but we are all family with one Torah.
And someone told me that Rav Schwartz started talking to them about Rav Kook's Shemona Kevatzim!
One can speak differently to different people, but who is he himself? Erudite knowledge is one, but reality is another.
Izbitza,
From Rav Kook! Gevaldig!
-Dixie YId
Anonymous,
What is your question? What point are you making? What's the nafka mina "what" he is?
-Dixie Yid
Thanks for a great story.
I think that Rav Schwartz's writing is perfect for a generation raised in a hashkafic melting pot. Torah is Emes no matter what vessel it's in!
A sefer like Bilvavi really does erase the lines that we (sadly) have drawn arould Torah Judaism.
Neil Harris: As I said already, erasing lines is not necessary a good thing. We had shvotim, and other "lines". We had different drochim in avoydo. People who are all mebulbol - can of course say that there is no difference - everything is "parve" and etc. But as I said before, chasidim have a different view on this, that's why I think chasidim wouldn't agree to this approach, even though it utilizes Chasidus as well because it causes to diminish the essence of Chasidus.
For yidden with litvish background it plays good, because of one key issue - hiskashrus letzadikim, if you understand what I mean.
Post a Comment