“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh parshas Re’eh – Mevorchim Chodesh Elul
28 Menachem Av 5785/August 22, 2025
IN LIFE AND BEYOND
It’s ironic but, as an eighth grader, I did not want to attend Yeshiva Shaarei Torah. My older brother was there, and my parents felt it would be a good fit for me as well, but I didn’t agree.
Looking back 30 years later, I am ever grateful that my parents insisted on sending me to Yeshiva Shaarei Torah. Yeshiva became my second home for many wonderful years.
It’s an understatement to say that Rabbi Wein has been a major influence in my life. I find myself quoting him constantly. When I had questions about Torah outlook or life matters, I would ask Rabbi Wein. Now that opportunity is lost.
But if there was one thing Rabbi Wein emphasized it was that a person has to be a thinker. In his words: “We live at a time when deep thought is a rare commodity. To be a Jew you have to be sophisticated; you have to “get it”.” Rabbi Wein would often lament the fact that people “just don’t get it.” I don’t recall if Rabbi Wein actually quoted the mantra of Sy Syms that, “An educated consumer is our best customer” in this regard. But even if he didn’t, he would definitely approve of applying that dictum to life.
I am grateful to Hashem that my children had the opportunity to meet “Abba’s Rebbe” last spring when Rabbi Wein came to America to celebrate his 90th birthday with his family in America.
My son Shalom, who has been learning in Eretz Yisroel the last four years, had the good fortune to speak to Rabbi Wein in his home on a few occasions.
When Shalom asked Rabbi Wein about certain topics that are considered sensitive in the yeshiva world, Rabbi Wein conveyed to him that one must be able to think for himself. He ended their meeting by saying:
“So, your assignment is to read. Read as much as you can. Don’t be afraid of the facts; the Ribbono Shel Olam is there. There’s not one fact – scientific or social – that can be used to deny the existence of the Hashgachah of Hashem in the world. The religious world is afraid of the facts, so they create their own fantasy world, superstitions and all sorts of things.”
Rabbi Wein was soft spoken and not overly dynamic. But his message resonated because he spoke with tremendous clarity and always had a direct and practical message. He wasn’t interested in impressing anyone; he only wanted to teach the word of Hashem. His subtle humor and wealth of stories, along with his signature Chicago accent made him a highly sought after orator. He would often use sports analogies and life experiences to help develop his point. (For example, I remember one speech he delivered in the yeshiva where he said: “Moshiach is going to arrive, the shofar is going to be blowing, and we are going to say, “Can’t you wait a few more minutes? The Giants are about to win the Super Bowl….” Then he added with sardonic wit, “And my friends, the Giants are not going to win the Super Bowl this year…”)
I don’t recall ever seeing him look at notes during a speech. He would speak for 45-60 minutes without a page of notes in front of him. Even in his last years he remained as sharp as ever and would begin speaking exactly on time without a Sefer or any paper in front of him. He spoke for the allotted time and finished exactly on time.
Most people knew him as a historian. But those closer to him knew that he was a great talmid chochom. In a sense he never left the yeshiva of his youth and the lessons of his rebbeim were at the fore of his conscience.
He conveyed that the only absolute truth is the Torah and that we must be abundantly proud to be the Torah nation.
As Rosh Yeshiva, every Friday Rabbi Wein would deliver a 45-minute Parsha shiur to the 12th grade and those learning in the Beis Medrash, based on the teachings of Rav Tzadok HaKohain. Following that he would deliver a 10-minute thought on the Parsha to the entire student body.
He would quote a pasuk or an idea from the Parsha and, in the most simplistic manner, would expound upon how the pasuk is speaking directly to us. He didn’t share deep penetrating insights or exegetical analyses of the words of the pasuk. Rather, he shared practical, yet poignant messages based on the simple reading of the text.
When I heard about his passing after Shabbos, I began thinking about how he would speak about the opening words of Parshas Re’eh: “See that I have placed before you today blessing and curse.” He would probably mention how life is about the choices we make. Blessing may not seem like blessing and curses may not look bad. That’s what makes it so hard to choose correctly and that’s why the Torah urges us to see the truth.
I then looked up the d’var Torah Rabbi Wein posted for Parshas Re’eh on his website (Rabbiwein.com). Indeed, he began: “The Torah presents us with a seemingly simple and uncomplicated choice in this week’s reading – the choice between life and death. And the Torah deems it necessary to instruct us to choose life. It certainly seems at first glance to be a very superfluous instruction, for the instinct to preserve our lives for as long as possible is one of the basic drives of human beings. An equal part of our nature is that we are shortsighted and give in today foolishly against our own interests and our own life force itself.
This is a classic depiction of how he learned and taught the timeless messages of Torah. Simple, yet profound, poignant and contemporary.
Rabbi Wein would often say that the Torah and its stories do not change. But we change and our life circumstances change. Therefore, the way we relate to and understand those stories needs to change throughout our lives. (Needless to say, Rabbi Wein had a story that went with that point, but for the sake of brevity I will not share it here.)
A person needs to have his eyes and heart open to understand the messages of the Torah. A wise person gleans life messages from his own experiences and sees the Hand of Hashem in everything that transpires with him and around him. That is surely true regarding Jewish History. But it’s also true regarding the foibles of everyday living. (Rabbi Wein’s book “Buy Green Bananas” is a collection of such life lessons gleaned from daily occurrences.)
A few years ago, Rabbi Wein gave me permission to publish a collection of his lectures in book form. “Nostalgia for Eternity”, published by Feldheim, was the first collection of Rabbi Wein’s lectures published in English. (R’ Harel Cohen published Rabbi Wein’s lectures on the Parsha (Bamesillah Na’aleh) as well as on Elul-Tishrei (Chukei Chaim) in Hebrew.) Some of those lectures in Nostalgia for Eternity were delivered when I was a student in the yeshiva during the mid-90s, including one given the week after Prime Minister Rabin was assassinated.
As I worked on that book I heard Rabbi Wein’s voice in my mind. When I reread those lectures now, I hear his voice again.
Rabbi Wein was an incredibly unique individual. He left behind a legacy for the future with his recordings, podcasts, books, articles, and movies. He taught Torah utilizing every means available to him. He taught us to not just live life as it happens but to ponder, analyze, and contemplate. He taught us by personal example that one must always feel he has a mission to uphold Torah and spread Torah. One must love and be committed to Eretz Yisroel and Am Yisroel. He taught us to recognize the eternity of our people and the privilege we have to be part of that.
Perhaps most profoundly, he taught us to look into our rearview mirror so that we can march ahead with confidence towards our future.
Rebbe, we miss you so much!
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum