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Monday, December 7, 2020
Shloshim Hespedim of Harav Dovid Feinstein zt"l By the Mishpacha
Starting 8:00 pm
call in number for Hespedim by Mishpachas Feinstein call in# 627-731-5985
Rav Dovid was a classicist in his method of learning. He stuck generally to the main classical texts. Were someone to show him something in a more recent publication, he would venture elsewhere, but it was never, nor would it become his primary focus. For many years half of Shas would be divided between himself and R’ Sugar, an old, respected Chassidish Yid in the Kollel, and they would each complete their half annually in memory of his son who passed away. The next year they would switch halves. And yet paradoxically, R’ Dovid was his “own man”. It was a common enough occurrence in the halls of MTJ that someone would challenge his proffered psak with an explicit contradiction from an open Mishna Brura. The questioner would stand expecting some reaction. The most they would elicit from R’ Dovid would be his inimitable half-smile.R’ Dovid’s personality was clear, yet opaque. He grew up the first eight years of his life in Bolshevik, increasingly Stalinist, Russia and there was some sense and hint of this in his personality. And still he came across as almost quintessentially American. So much so, that he seemed more than many who were born and bred in America. In his early years, during bein hasedarim he was a rather skilled and consistent handball player. Side by side with that, a certain element of luftmensch was developing . While he generally was not into mysticism and hechere inyanim, for unusual occasions some of it would come forth. Case in point: an individual came over to him, sadly relating that his wife had three miscarriages. R’ Dovid’s quip to him: okay so now the Aibershter owes you three. Not much long thereafter, his wife gave birth to triplets! R’ Dovid was inscrutable. He didn’t feel a need to expound a worked out hashkafa, world view, or philosophy. People could read into him whatever they so wished. He was unfazed and fine with that.R’ Dovid was unflappable. On more than one occasion, national organizations of the orthodox world would desire to take a certain public position, however, they would be intimidated and feel the need to “protect their backs” whether appropriate or otherwise. They would go to R’ Dovid and request to use his name as their bulwark, give them their public backing, and be the shield for their oncoming flak. R’ Dovid would be on board and agreeable. This would be ironic to those on the inside, as they would be well aware that R’ Dovid didn’t subscribe or believe in that aforesaid position! R’ Dovid was petitioned by the Agudah to join the Moetzes. He didn’t accept on more than one occasion. He wasn’t interested. Finally, in his last half decade, he succumbed to their request.Furthermore, he didn’t feel the need to broadcast his psakim or views, some of which would fly much in the face of the klal consensus. For an example, he didn’t believe in genetic testing, he considered it a violation of “tamim tehiye”.That is though, if the other side of a shidduch desired it, while less than ideal, in such circumstances it would be permitted. Another example : he considered there is only one correct way of aveilus during the counting of the Omer, irrespective of what is cited in the Shulchan Aruch and other poskim. That is the second days of sefira,as the first are a mistake.
MTJ was known as an accepting and tolerant place where anyone could show up in any mode of dress . However, when the subject of hachana for tefilla arose, it was evident that R’ Dovid held frum males were supposed to dress refined for davening and recommended that the kollel should wear neckties.In his early years, R’ Dovid seemed overshadowed, perhaps, by his close colleagues, R’ Elya Moshe Shusgal, R’ Nissan Alpert, and still R’ Dovid was steadily there. He could be compared to the Village Clock Tower that is in the background, ostensibly barely noticed at first in all the action, but in crucial moments that is where everyone turns their focus.
Rav Dovid was a classicist in his method of learning. He stuck generally to the main classical texts. Were someone to show him something in a more recent publication, he would venture elsewhere, but it was never, nor would it become his primary focus. For many years half of Shas would be divided between himself and R’ Sugar, an old, respected Chassidish Yid in the Kollel, and they would each complete their half annually in memory of his son who passed away. The next year they would switch halves. And yet paradoxically, R’ Dovid was his “own man”. It was a common enough occurrence in the halls of MTJ that someone would challenge his proffered psak with an explicit contradiction from an open Mishna Brura. The questioner would stand expecting some reaction. The most they would elicit from R’ Dovid would be his inimitable half-smile.R’ Dovid’s personality was clear, yet opaque. He grew up the first eight years of his life in Bolshevik, increasingly Stalinist, Russia and there was some sense and hint of this in his personality. And still he came across as almost quintessentially American. So much so, that he seemed more than many who were born and bred in America. In his early years, during bein hasedarim he was a rather skilled and consistent handball player. Side by side with that, a certain element of luftmensch was developing . While he generally was not into mysticism and hechere inyanim, for unusual occasions some of it would come forth. Case in point: an individual came over to him, sadly relating that his wife had three miscarriages. R’ Dovid’s quip to him: okay so now the Aibershter owes you three. Not much long thereafter, his wife gave birth to triplets! R’ Dovid was inscrutable. He didn’t feel a need to expound a worked out hashkafa, world view, or philosophy. People could read into him whatever they so wished. He was unfazed and fine with that.R’ Dovid was unflappable. On more than one occasion, national organizations of the orthodox world would desire to take a certain public position, however, they would be intimidated and feel the need to “protect their backs” whether appropriate or otherwise. They would go to R’ Dovid and request to use his name as their bulwark, give them their public backing, and be the shield for their oncoming flak. R’ Dovid would be on board and agreeable. This would be ironic to those on the inside, as they would be well aware that R’ Dovid didn’t subscribe or believe in that aforesaid position! R’ Dovid was petitioned by the Agudah to join the Moetzes. He didn’t accept on more than one occasion. He wasn’t interested. Finally, in his last half decade, he succumbed to their request.Furthermore, he didn’t feel the need to broadcast his psakim or views, some of which would fly much in the face of the klal consensus. For an example, he didn’t believe in genetic testing, he considered it a violation of “tamim tehiye”.That is though, if the other side of a shidduch desired it, while less than ideal, in such circumstances it would be permitted.
ReplyDeleteAnother example : he considered there is only one correct way of aveilus during the counting of the Omer, irrespective of what is cited in the Shulchan Aruch and other poskim. That is the second days of sefira,as the first are a mistake.
MTJ was known as an accepting and tolerant place where anyone could show up in any mode of dress . However, when the subject of hachana for tefilla arose, it was evident that R’ Dovid held frum males were supposed to dress refined for davening and recommended that the kollel should wear neckties.In his early years, R’ Dovid seemed overshadowed, perhaps, by his close colleagues, R’ Elya Moshe Shusgal, R’ Nissan Alpert, and still R’ Dovid was steadily there. He could be compared to the Village Clock Tower that is in the background, ostensibly barely noticed at first in all the action, but in crucial moments that is where everyone turns their focus.