Rabbi Shnayer Leiman 

 https://leimanlibrary.com/   https://torahinmotion.org/speakers/dr-shnayer-leiman

Rabbi Nosson Adler

The Chasam Sofer

The Kotzker Rebbe

On Friday, December 13, 2024 of this week my son-in-law was not well and vomiting.  He went to the emergency room at Bethesda West in Boynton Beach.  In the ER, the doctor touched his stomach and asked him if he felt pain.  Danny projected vomit all over the doctor and the ER.  Danny was admitted to the hospital and my daughter, Shoshana, stayed with him over Shabbos.  Due to dehydration, Danny’s kidneys started shutting down.  He was given hydration and antibiotics.  He felt better, but is still weak.  They discharged him right after Shabbos.  The doctor told him not to drive or extend himself for a week  so he could recover.

I heard Rabbi Shnayer Leiman speak three times this Shabbos and Sunday at 10:00 AM.  He was scholar in residence at Anshe Chesed.   All of his speeches were excellent.  I would like to discuss his Shalos Suedas presentation.

Professor Leiman read part of a Tshuva (halachic essay) from the Chasom Sofer.  It was emotional.  However, the part he did not read was more impactful to me.

History:

Kotzker  lived from 1787 to 1859  – 72 years

Kozker’s first wife dies in 1836.  They have one child.

The Kotzker remarries in 1838, at the age of 51.

The Kotzker has twin daughters and two sons with his second wife.

The Chasam Sofer’s teacher  was Rabbi Nosson Adler who lived from  1741 to 1800 – 60 years

The Chasam Sofer lived from 1762 to 1839 – 77 years.

The Chasam’s Sofer first wife dies in 1812.

He remarries in 1813 and has 3 boys and 8 girls with his second wife.

The Chasam Sofer’s children become Torah giants and are still impactful today.

Wikipedia:

Nathan Adler devoted himself to the study of the Kabbalah, and adopted the liturgical system of Isaac Luria, assembling about himself a select community of kabbalistic adepts. He was one of the first Ashkenazim to adopt the Sephardi pronunciation of Hebrew, and gave hospitality to a Sephardi scholar for several months to ensure that he learnt that pronunciation accurately. He prayed according to the Sephardic ritual (despite being in Germany, ground zero for Ashkenziac tradition), pronounced the priestly blessing every day, and in other ways approached the school of the Hasidim, who had at that time provoked the strongest censures on the part of the Talmudists of the old school.  These were the years of the strongest opposition to Chasidium, with the GRA signing the second ban against Chassidium in 1782.  His followers claimed that he had performed miracles,^[3] and turned visionaries themselves, frightening many persons with predictions of misfortunes which would befall them. The rabbis and congregational leaders intervened in 1779 and prohibited, under penalty of excommunication, the assemblies in Nathan Adler’s house.^[1]

Professor Leiman said that Rabbi Nosson Adler was forced to flee from Frankfort in 1781.  As Rabbi Nosson Adler was leaving Frankfurt, the Chasam Sofer told his Rebbe that the Gemora says that a teacher who goes into exile, his students must go with him into exile.  Rabbi Nosson Adler told him that your family are all in Frankfort, you are not to come with me.  The Chasam Sofer persisted and ran after the carriage for many Parsa’s. A Parsa is about 2.5 miles.  When he caught up with his Rebbe, Rabbi Nosson Adler said, you will come to me, and I will be like a father.  Rabbi Nosson Adler ended up in Boskowitz 1782 and in 1785 returned to Frankfort.  The Chasam Sofer never returned to Frankfort and ended up being the Chief Rabbi of Pressburg, the capital of Slovakia.  Pressburg is now known as Bratsalivia.  

The Chasam Sofer was married to his first wife and they had no children.  She died in 1812 and in 1813, when he was 51, he married a second wife and they had 11 children.  Chasam Sofer died in 1839 at the age of 77.  

Read the below from the writings of the Chasam Sofer.  The beauty of the below is the writing of a Talmud of his Rebbe.  The Chasam Sofer watched every move, every grimace of his Rebbe and gave meaning to the moment.    

The Hebrew is on the last page.    

“And It was when I poured water on his hands when he first came to Boskowitz, he had a small son and one daughter about 12 years old.  He loved her, the daughter was like her mother, and it was impossible to adequately  speak her praise.    And due to our sins, she died.  (Rabbi Nosson Adler) did not cry.  He was מצדיק הדין – justified God’s judgement  with great joy (effectively saying God gave and God took).  It was wondrous that I did not see that much joy at this time as praying during Simchas Torah.  (Rabbi Nosson Adler had a custom  every Shabbos  of the year to be called up to the Torah twice, once for Cohen and also for Mafter.) On Shabbos Parsha Va’era, during the 7 days of morning he received his normal two Aliyos.  When Rabbi Nosson Adler read the Haftorah of the Parsha, one tear came from his eye and it landed in his hand.  He immediately returned back  to joy and he did not show any sign of sadness and never mentioned his daughter again.  He had no other children.”

A true Talmud watches every action of their teacher.  The Chasam Sofer noticed the tear,  This is true of the Kotzker’s Talmidim.

Professor Leiman added that the Haftorah of Vayera is the story of the Isha Hashunamis, the woman from the city of Shunam, who is the central figure in this haftarah. This Haftorah spoke to Rabbi  Nosson Adler and the loss of his precious daughter.

The story of the Isha Hashunamos:

The prophet Elisha sent his servant, Geichazi, to the Isha Hashumanis to ask her if he could repay her kindness in some way. Elisha was extremely thankful for the hospitality she showed him, always preparing a place for him to stay in her attic when he was in the area.

She asked Elisha for a child and he gave her a bracha, there in the village of Shunam. When Elishas gave her the blessing, she told him not to play with her.  Do not promise and not deliver.  

The Isha Hashunamis gave birth to a boy. Who did this young child become?  Chazal tell us he was the Navi Chabakuk. His name is derived from the word chobeik, to hug, since the pasuk (Melachim Beis, 16:4) describes how Elisha blessed his mother, saying she would be chobeikes ben, hugging a child, within a year’s time.

While working with his father in the fields, the young boy falls ill with a head ailment, perhaps a high fever. His father brings the sick boy to his mother and he later dies in her arms. She goes to find Elisha and shortly after he brings the dead son of the Isha Hashunamis back to life.

The Isha Hashunamis gave birth to a boy. Who did this young child become?  Chazal tell us he was the Navi Chabakuk. His name is derived from the word chobeik, to hug, since the pasuk (Melachim Beis, 16:4) describes how Elisha blessed his mother, saying she would be chobeikes ben, hugging a child, within a year’s time.

The next part was not read by the Professor, but is fascinating.

“And he did not use any (Kabbalistic) means (for his wife to get pregnant and replace his beloved daughter.)  I knew that his wife was older and  did not have the capacity to get pregnant.  He did not want to bother the heavens to change nature, because (if he were to change nature) it could possibly cause death to his wife.  Therefore I did not ask him at all to ask mercy for my first wife for this reason. (The Chasam Sofer’s first wife didn’t have any children.)   If you do not push nature – to change it, then nature will not push you. (meaning if you ask God for a blessing to change what is destined for you, there can be a pushback and something bad will happen to you).   God has many ways of bringing relief and saviour.  God is the healer of those that have broken hearts, and who is imprisoned by their agony.  He will provide closure for their wounds and will rebuild that which is in ruins and will cause their sorrow and agony to flee.”

This is comparable to the Kotzker.  The Kotzker was not one to storm the heavens for himself or his family for blessings. The Kotzker did not pray for his family to be healed or for blessings. 

 He said, if this is the decree from God he is willing to accept it.  God knows what he needs.  He did pray for others.

When the Kotzker Rebbe’s first wife died, he was stoic and did not cry.  When they lowered her body into the grave, he stood over her and two tears fell from his eyes only the body.  Then he told the Chevra Kadisha to pour dirt on the grave and close it.  He remarried at age 51.