Rosh Yeshiva Relates Stories

This week, the Bochurim of the Yeshiva Gedola of Greater Miami, accompanied by their Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Leib Schapiro, visited Harav Moshe Wolfson, the Mashgiach Ruchni of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas.

Harav Wolfson happily accepted them, and shared with the Bochrim some Divrei Torah. Afterwards, with the help of his Meshamesh rabbi Ahron Krovitz, and the mashgiach’s son, Harav Avrohom Yitzchok, he shared with them some stories and interactions that he had with the Rebbe.

Years ago, Harav Wolfson was a familiar face in 770, and on numerous occasions he received dollars from the Rebbe.

Rabbi Wolfson told a story from 5748, when he was accustomed to traveling to Eretz Yisroel for the summer months. His place of residence was in the Old City of Yerushalaim, close to the Churvah of Ruzhiner Tzaddik’s shul. At that time, a member of the mashgiach’s family was not well. Rabbi Wolfson would go down to the churvah and recite Krias Shema sheal hamita there. As he reached the Passuk of “Lev Nishbar V’nidke elokim lo sivze,” he would cry and beseech to Hashem to send a Refuah sheleima to his family member.

Upon his return to the US, he went by the Rebbe to receive a bracha for this family member. The Rebbe responded, “Der Ribono shel oilam zul helfen durch der tefila fun Lev Nishbar vinidka elokim lo sivze”. Rabbi Wolfson said, “I was the only human who knew I would recite this posuk…”

Prior to another trip to Eretz Yisroel, he went to the Rebbe again. In the car he expressed to Rabi Ahron Krovitz, that he lacks time to study Torah for himself, that he is so preoccupied with giving Torah classes that there is just no time left. He decided that in Eretz Yisroel, he will learn Torah and not engage in any speaking. As he passed by the Rebbe, the Rebbe gave him a second dollar and said, “Benosaf tzu de Divrei tzedoka vos ir vet geben, vet ir dos geben bepoel.”

Before the Gulf war, the Mashgiach’s Talmidim put out the sefer Pas’shegen haksav. It was prior to Purim, and Rav Wolfson was going to receive a dollar from the Rebbe. As he entered the car, Rav Krovitz noticed that the mashgiach was holding the sefer. The mashgiach told him that, the last time he had gone by the Rebbe, the Rebbe had asked him how come recently none of his seforim were sent in to the Rebbe, so I am bringing this along to give to the Rebbe. Rav Krovitz told the mashgiach that his son Avrohom Yitzchok had asked him not to bring the sefer, for it was his chazaka to bring his father’s seforim to the Rebbe. Rav Wolfson made a condition, he will give the sefer to rav Krovitz, if the Rebbe will not mention the seforim, then he will wait for his son to send it to the Rebbe. But, if the Rebbe does ask then, he would pull it out and give it to the Rebbe. When he came to the Rebbe, the Rebbe asked the mashgiach if he had already prepared a Purim derasha. Immediately rav Krovitz took out the sefer and handed the sefer to the Rebbe. A moment later, guilt overcame rav Krovitz, as he felt he had betrayed a good friend. Just then the Rebbe turned to rav Wolfson and said, “Usually your son brings me the seforim, give this dollar to him,” and the Rebbe gave the mashgiach another dollar.

On Chof Vov Adar 5752, the last time the Rebbe gave out dollars, Rabbi Wolfson was a sandek at a bris for a Russian immigrant arranged by the FREE organization. Afterwards he went to the Rebbe for dollars. He told Rav Ahron Krovitz, that there was once someone who asked the Steipler Goan, after being sandek by a bris, how come you have not become rich? The Steipler Goan responded that there are two types of wealth; there is spiritual wealth and physical wealth. The fact that my seforim are read around the world is spiritual wealth that I received. Rav Wolfson said, if the Rebbe will give me a beracha for Ashirus, I will have in mind that the bracha should take affect in ruchnius. When he came in front of the Rebbe, the Rebbe said “reichkeit begashmius! Reichkeit beruchnuis hut ir shoin, ir darf nisht mein bracha.”

Rabbi Wolfson related that in the year 5707, during chol hamoed, the Rebbe held a farbrengen for bochrim. Of what he remembers of what the Rebbe said, that though in Lubavitch we do not learn gematrious, I will share a gematreya. Lulav=chaim, hadas=chaim with the kolel, with the kolel includes chaim with all yidden. Rabbi Wolfson commented to the Bochrim, “I had to hear that…” (It is well known that much of rav Wolfson’s Toiros are based on gematreya).