[Avodah] Are We Trying to Grow?

[Prof. Levine]

At 09:41 AM 4/16/2021, Joseph Kaplan wrote:
>Similarly, as to what the ballei battim who left 
>supposedly missed, it is possible, perhaps even 
>likely, that what they found was more meaningful 
>to them. The rabbi they left undoubtedly has 
>certain skills and talents; why do you think the 
>rabbi they found does not have other and 
>different skills and talents that benefit them 
>in other ways that are more important to them 
>and that you're missing out on? We can’t have 
>it all, which, again, is why it’s so wonderful 
>that we have so many different type of shuls and 
>yeshivot and other Orthodox institutions to 
>serve the needs of our diverse Orthodox population.

I challenge you to name another rabbi who took a 
man who had to write the nekudos under the text 
when he started learning with him to a talmud 
chocham who learned through Shass many times.
While this fellow was exceptional,  many others 
made great strides in learning.

After mincha on Shabbos afternoon and seuda 
Shlishis that was eaten in the shul 
basement,  every man in the shul came upstairs, 
opened a sefer and began learning until it was 
time to daven Maariv.  There was no 
schmoozing!  Name another shul where this happens, please.

One may not like some of the things that this 
rabbi said and how he said them,  but one must 
give credit where credit is due.  He accomplished 
an extraordinary amount with baalei batim. i am 
not aware of any other rabbi who was this successful.  Are you?

YL