Thursday, November 25, 2010

Now You Know...



HaRav Tuvia Rotberg, HY"D, of Lunna

From Here

his life's story

Ever wonder why Tuvia of Tuvia's BookStore wears those big round glasses that belong back in the 30s? Well, you see he's keeping to the customs of his zeides, or one zeide, rather. At least I think it's his zeide... I didn't see his name mentioned anywhere in the article. So if we say that IS his zeide I have new found respect for the man. Such devotion to minhag avoseinu isn't seen anywhere else, not even among the most zealous of the Chassidim. Shoes, hat and coats, yes. But when do we ever see a person searching high and low and spending good money just to wear the same glasses as his zeide who died al kiddush hashem. Very seldom. And all this despite his less than great affection for the Chassidim, כידוע לכל. So on this, Erev Yud Tes Kislev, a day of rejoicing as well as reflection for Jews the world over, we salute Reb Tuvia and wish him a successful year in all his endeavors - whatever they may be. All he needs is a beard and he has the look down pat. But we won't hold our breaths just yet... If you have a better picture of Tuvia that you'd like to share, by all means, send it over.

Thanks.


Tuvia selling books and giving away Mishpachas at the Agudah Convention.


Reb Tuvia zt"l at Zaleski Forest


"af datche" at Zaleski Forest


With family in Lunna

28 comments:

  1. Hirshel
    Tuvia brother is the creator of the seforim Mishnas Reb Aron at Mechon Mishnas Reb Aron

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  2. I think the eyeglasses are the Monsey thing, since the fashionable Rebbe, Reb Mottele Visnitzer wears that style too, can we get you a pair too?

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  3. im sure hes very apreciative of being featured here. surely he will discount your next purchase of yeshurun.

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  4. R'Tuvyas nephew, also a Rotberg, is married to R'Itzel Reitports daughter.
    He is BMG grad

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  5. harav reitport is a fascinating story being a tremendous gaon but a chabasker as well and his sons are all heiser chabadskers while all his son in laws are misnagdishe talmidei chachomim living in lkwd.I guess we CAN all get along

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  6. r rav raitport's kuntrssim online? email list?

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  7. R'Reiports heart is in Lubavitcvh, his head in Ponovitch.

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  8. related to rotberg's of bais meir yeshiva in bnei brak.
    also r' reitport's eidim rotberg is the author of the artscroll book on halachos for hatzalah members on shabbos.

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  9. The Rosh Yeshiva of Beis Meir was R'Tuvyas uncle.His father R'Dovid, lived in BP.

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  10. "harav reitport is a fascinating story being a tremendous gaon but a chabasker as well "

    But not a true Lubavitcher. By
    way of example, in a conversation extolling the Gadlous of the Lubavitcher, he mentioned in passing that he (Rabbi Raitport) might actualy be a bigger Lomden than the Rebbe!! His point was that the yardstick of a Godel is not just Lomdes. But I cant imagian a true Lubavitcher saying that (Or takeing Litvish sons in law)

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  11. You must watch Tuvya in action at the convention, he insults the rich and famous as only he can and they lap it up.

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  12. Twisty,
    Is it something you heard from him personally or you heard it from someone else?

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  13. Tuvia is a real amuliger at heart!He is the last of some real misnagdim-meaning very proud of his heritage knowledgable of Chassidim and Chassidus and treats everyone the same.

    R' Itzel Raitport was VERY close to the Rebbe and always talks about how he was a gaon. He also spent time with Rav Laizer Silver, Rav Ahron Kotler, Rav. Soloveitchik ZTL. It is silly to say that he is not a Lubavitcher but he is one of the y'chidim that transcend politics and the Litvisher world accepts him and his Torah completely. There are very few people that have audiences flocking to him in Lakewood, BP and CH!!

    Its priceless to see a genuine Chabatsker mishpacha with children on shlichus and son in laws Talmidai Chachomim in Lakewood!

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  14. "R' Itzel Raitport was VERY close to the Rebbe and always talks about how he was a gaon. He also spent time with Rav Laizer Silver, Rav Ahron Kotler, Rav. Soloveitchik ZTL. It is silly to say that he is not a Lubavitcher but he is one of the y'chidim that transcend politics and the Litvisher world accepts him and his Torah completely."

    I didn’t deny that he is Lubavitcher. That would be silly. Just not a TRUE believer as currently defined in Chabad. What he said exactly was that the Rebbe in spite of being a Goan etc was possibly not as big a LAMDEN (not Boki!) as he (meaning R. Raitport). His point was that Lomdus was not the only measure of a Gadol and that some one who is a 10 in every area is a gadol, more that someone who is an 11 in one specific area. I did NOT hear it from R. Raitport personally, I did hear it from a very close family member who did hear it personally.

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  15. Twisty

    I think it's statements like that - whether true or not - that kept him from fulfilling his potential, IYKWIM....

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  16. Twistleton
    "Just not a TRUE believer as currently defined in Chabad"
    did you have a talk with Reb Itzele Rietport about the depths of his beliefs? I was sitting with him by many farbrengens and by his family simchas, Besides Meshichisim he does not have a different belief the any Lubobs. Stam Gehakt a Chienik,
    to have his haskoma on the Rebbes Lomdus he ludicrous, or you don"t know him well or you don"t know the Rebbe,he never said a Kelora vort in his life, eventough he knows a lot of rishonim and achronim, I don"t want to talk on a Talmid Chochem as him, the world is full with these kind of talmidie chachomim that are big Tumlers.

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  17. Ed u started a truly interesting thread about a very unique exciting and fun person. It resulted in showing a link to Chabad via marriage. However how do u let a negative comment about one of the biggest Gaonim of our time? Never said a klorer vort? Did u ever see his kuntraisim and seforim they are jewels!! He is a Gaon thus hard for laymen and amairatzim to understand but how do u allow someone to knock a person who learns day and night? Did he do anything wrong to you?

    He and his family are m'kadesh shaim shomayim.

    Just watch as he walks to Shul on Shabbos with his children and aidims together as they argue in learning. Yes Chabad and Lakewood doing together what Hashm wants most-learning together b'achdus!!

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  18. I wouldn't take an anonymous comment here too seriously

    Rabbi Raitport doesn't need to worry, his reputation is still stellar

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  19. "R' Itzel Raitport was VERY close to the Rebbe and always talks about how he was a gaon."

    no question about it. He does not claim to be a chassid of the Rebbe so much as having enormous respect for the rebbe and hakaras hatov for saving him and guiding him.

    "He also spent time with Rav Laizer Silver, Rav Ahron Kotler, Rav. Soloveitchik ZTL. It is silly to say that he is not a Lubavitcher but he is one of the y'chidim that transcend politics and the Litvisher world accepts him and his Torah completely."

    His Torah is kav v'naki. He is a tremendous TC and it's silly to argue that point.

    "There are very few people that have audiences flocking to him in Lakewood, BP and CH!!"

    Correct. And he is not one of the few. He has virtually no one "flocking" to him in BP. The few stragglers that Felders gathers is hardly a flock. It's a rachamanus because he deserves much better but let's not pretend he has what he deserves.

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  20. The reason laniyaas daati why Harav Reitport doesnt have what he deserves is because he is caught between two worlds not fully appriciated and respected in chabad because he is not fully one of them. and the same goes for the lakewood yeshivishe world.Althouge from what i know of him all he really needs in life is a gemara and a rambam

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  21. I couldnt agree with you more!!

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  22. What an all 'round well written post!!

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  23. Thank goodness some bloggers can write. Thank you for this blog...

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  24. This definitely makes great sense...

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  25. I dont disagree with this article...

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  26. Youre completely correct with this one...

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