Today, the 17th of Sivan, marks the Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Moshe Wolfson (1925-2024).
Erev Shabbos, marks the first Yahrzeit of our revered Mashgiach, Moreinu Horav Moshe Wolfson zt”l. The Mashgiach was unique – he was with Yeshiva Torah Vodaas for 93 years! First as a young talmid, then a Rebbe and eventually the Mashgiach of the Bais Medrash.
The Mashgiach told his family that though he imbibed from the kedushah and avodah of many rebbes, the one who shaped him and who was his Rebbe muvhak was Rav Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz, pioneer of Torah in America, founder and Menahel of our Mesivta.
In 1947, as a bachur all of 22 years of age, the Mashgiach was chosen to teach a group of teenage boys who had come to the Yeshivah from different countries in South America. With a combination of love and wisdom, he was remarkably successful with these boys. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed to teach young talmidim in the Yeshiva Ketana, where the Mashgiach was very successful and very beloved.
Eventually, Rav Wolfson was appointed by Rav Nesanel Quinn as assistant menahel. Rav Wolfson occasionally delivered a shmuess to the bachurim, who loved the shmuessen and wanted more. The Rosh Yeshivah, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, took note. When the position of Mashgiach became available in the Beis Medrash, it was offered to Rav Wolfson.
He became Mashgiach and was outstanding in dealing with bachurim and in delivering uplifting shmuessen on emunah, tefillah, the yamim tovim and other important topics. With his clear daas Torah and strict adherence to emes, he guided scores of talmidim, many of whom remained attached to him until his passing.
In 1969, the Mashgiach was offered the position of Mara d’Asra of Camp Torah Vodaath and also served as head of the camp’s Masmidim program. He conducted a tish every Friday night on the front lawn, replete with zemiros, sippurei tzaddikim, and divrei Torah. At some point, the Mashgiach decided to change the Masmidim’s way of davening. The Mashgiach spoke about connecting to the Ribono shel Olam through slow, loud, heartfelt tefillos. The roots of Emunas Yisroel had been planted.
The Mashgiach once said that he felt he was sent down to this world to be machazek the avodah of tefillah. It began in Camp Torah Vodaath and was greatly expanded with the founding of Emunas Yisroel, as the Mashgiach taught generations to daven slowly, loudly, and most importantly, with true feeling and kavanah. What began with a small group of Torah Vodaath talmidim became a worldwide movement of sorts. Rav Shimson Pincus zt”l, who was the Mashgiach’s talmid in first grade, said that Emunas Yisroel’s davening influenced all of Boro Park. Today, with branches in Boro Park, Lakewood, Monsey, Yerushalayim, and Beitar, its influence has spread much further.
The Mashgiach also became renowned for his shmuessen, in which he demonstrated a unique capability of chiddush and incredible power of gematria. His shmuessen were first published in Lashon HaKodesh under the title Emunas Itecha, which today is among the most often-quoted chassidishe sefarim. Recordings of his shmuessen both in Yiddish and English are listened to by frum Jews of all shades and stripes. To date, ten sefarim in English, based on his shmuessen, have been published.
The Mashgiach’s desire was to serve the Ribono shel Olam, nothing else mattered. Despite his fame, the Mashgiach remained the same humble tzaddik. Every moment of his life was devoted to avodas Hashem and that included not only tefillah, but also limud haTorah, tzedakah and chesed. Every moment was lived with purpose, with a focus. And yet, along with his great madreigos of avodah, kedushah, and taharah, the Mashgiach was so accessible, so down to earth, so easy to speak with. His words, though measured, conveyed so much love for every Yid but especially for his talmidim.
Yehi Zichro Boruch 🕯️
