The Brisker Rov wanted the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe to come live in Brisk in 5691/1931 (Full article, as promised)

....א חתונה אין בריסק

It looks like grandiose weddings are becoming the norm even in reclusive families like Brisk. Well, that's how it looks in the pictures, anyway. I don't know if it was grandiose in the sense that they had a choice of beef or chicken and a smorgasbord. But it's a nice hall in Talpiot with a lot of people in attendance. They did, it seems however, follow the תקנות of yesteryear not to have full כלי זמר,  only a drummer=פויקער. The wedding here took place last week in Yerushalayim. Velvel Soloveitchik ben Reb Dovid is married to Reb Berel Povarsky's daughter. His son now married the daughter of Reb Peretz Meyerson, son-in-law of Reb Refoel Soloveitchik, Reb Dovid's younger brother. Keeping it in the family, just like the Rebbes and leHavdil royalty. (At least until recently that's what royalty did.) So, I guess whoever didn't come for Reb Dovid came for Reb Berel.

My personal favorite: The מחותן: רבי נתנאל פרץ מאירזון חתן רבי רפאל סאלאווייטשיק. If I was a Brisker I'd likely look like him. Maybe I should become one.

What excited young Yoshe Ber בר"מ Soloveitchik on the seder night...

Hirshel. 

Here's a piece you may have missed if you don't read the OU publications. I assume the highlight of the night by regular chasidim is probably the piece of zohar that all the angels and the shechina are coming to the seder. It helps that it's at the beginning of the seder, when people are still excited. By others it's the matzoh. With some others it's the kneidlach or the brisket. כל חד לפום שיעורא דיליה. In Brisk - at least the Khaslavich/Boston branch thereof - it's the halachic concept of יקנה"ז. And already at such a young age! Gei farshtey what excites a Brisker. Read the drama of the kiddush with the tall athletic uncle.

Sorry about the food stains...

What's Shimmy Meller up to in his new book on Reb Meir Soloveitchik?

Chortkover/Husyatiner Chassidim are up in arms. In their מחאה they don't mention the quotes that appear in the book, saying that they're not be repeated, that's how bad they are. Something he says there about הרה"ק ר' ישראל מהוסיאטין זצ"ל.  UPDATE: Here is the quote. Typical Brisker לשון הרע באיצטלא של קדושה. No difference than two chassidim sitting over a cholent Thursday night in your local deli or gas station. As if to say that the Chofetz Chaim in שמירת הלשון doesn't apply to them because they're discussing רשעים. The joke of it all is that the son-in-law, whom he calls "רציני" and would go up to the shul to learn after going to the Mikvah on Erev Shabbos was his successor as Husyatiner Rebbe, Reb Yakov of Husyatin, a FIRST RATE MIZROCHIST who said Torah in Ivrit on Hey Iyar. But Reb Meir האט גוט גיקענט דער... because he saw him in the Mikvah... נישטא ווער זאל לאכען....















Not sure why Shimmy sees the need to publish such statements; Is the matzav there so bankrupt that they need to laugh at others just to keep the people in line? 

Then there's Agav piece. Once we're attacking the Rebbelach let's go all the way. After all, they were Mizrochnikes, and Loshon Horah is a Mitzvah when it comes to them. The צושטעל to the Brisker dayan and that story is classic. Apples and oranges is an understatement.

....נו, לסבא הי' מותר לפרש כך

בבריסק תמיד ידעו ש"משפחה שאני", נכון? כן

"בדרך כלל זה רק מחסרון ידיעה"

Hirshel: I just saw Rav Shteinman's Sefer on Brisk that Reb Chaim had the same view like the Chazon Ish. This has to be promoted and made public for all to see. Especially the Miller guy from the Sefer on that subject who is coming up with all kinds of chumrahs.

Nichum Aveilim interviews - denials soon to come

Hirshel: As you know Reb Dovid Soloveitchik is sitting shiva after the passing of his brother, Reb Meir. The obsession that the good old days were great, makes people talk nonsense. Pictured is Reb Dovid Soloveitchik talking at Nichum Avielim about his younger brother. The "Hapeles" people, led by Shaya Wein, son of, milk it as a bogus interview for them. As if that justifies their existence - that Reb Dovid speaks to them. In the picture you see also Tuvia Freund of the Hamodia, so obviously he didn't sit down and talk to HaPeles. They claim, and one can assume they're twisting his words, that daas torah can only be had from from newspapers. Wink, wink, that means them, of course. What a sham! how detrimental to his image! He's telling them that in old Yerushalayim life was great, even the Jews that were not on the same page with us - i.e. Brisk - were Yerai Shomaim and Talmidei Chachomim; today there is nothing. I guess the 1000's of poor talmidim that learn in Mir is nothing, the whole Mizrachi/Dati Leumi/Charda"l world has no yerei shomayim. As if he has statistics. By the end of this week there will be a denial published somewhere, or maybe just posters in Yerushalayim/Bnei Brak.

ניחום אבלים אצל הגרמ"ד

מים רבים לא יוכלו לכבות - אין מים אלא תורה

די גרויסע אהבת ישראל צו אידן האט ניט געקענט פארלאשען ווערען ביים בריסקער רב

האט איר אמאל געהערט פון רעב כאים סאלאווייטשיק, דער בריסקער ראוו?

דא קענט איר לייענען איבער אים

....פלוגתא דר' דוד ור' אברהם בהגרי"ז

בהמשך להמדובר לעיל about Reb Moshe's psak to be מצרף any Jew to any דבר שבקדושה; here's what the Brisker Rov is to have said about this: Not so clear to you? well, it's a pretty murky situation. That's the problem here. Each one has his story with the BR and each one has a nice lomdus to go with it! I guess it depends on who was asking, what was going on a the time, and בכלל - the general מצב רוח. You can only wait so long for a צענטער... I'm just glad we're not meant to pasken halochoh leMa'aseh from Meller's books. Were there any comments about Reb Moshe from the Brisker Rov, or did that start post the המ"ר?

הרב ר' יאשע בער סאלאווייטשיק ע"ה רעדט אין תשכ"ה פון מזרחי, בריסק, ליובאוויטש און זייערע באציאונגען צו מדינת ישראל - אידיש

 part of it we played a while back here.

'בריסקער "וויקיליעקס" חלק ד

  Notes לא נודע למי Brisk EY

Box.com link

The next Brisker באלאגאן

RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL: 

Someone had the great idea of combining all of the chidushim on Maseches Sukkah from the various Brisker family members. However, he did two major aveiros, from a Brisker perspective:

 1. He brought chidushim from the American branch.

 2. He brought chidushim from AJ's talmidim -- they are extremely makpid about unofficial shiur transcript. I'm holding my breath until the first pashkevil. סוכת הלויים

דער בריסקער פרינץ קומט שטיצען "דער רבי חנינא בן דוסא פונעם דור" און בעט פון אידן אים צוהעלפן

At the dinner for the Central Lubavitcher Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim in New York, 5702/1942: (l-r:) Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Rabbi Shmaryahu Gurary The Rebbe Rayatz, נ"ע, The Rebbe זי"ע. The following three pages are his speech transcribed as it was said - in Yiddish. The Rebbe Rayatz was - you might say - an even bigger "fan" of the "Rav" than even the Rebbe was, and he pushed hard for RYDS to succeed his father Reb Moshe ben הגר"ח in RIETS.

A report in the Chabad publication "תולדות חב"ד בארצות הברית" about the dinner and Rav Soloveitchik's speech. (See last paragraph)

when רבי חיים וואלאזשינער sent RebYitzchok Zev Solowejczyk הראשון to the Heiliger Rizhiner זצ"ל for help with a גזירה...

A very kind reader Upon reading about RAYS reading the תנאים at the Sadigerrer תנאים מאהל, took the time to send me links to the sefer זכרון יעקב by Reb Yaakov HaLevi Lipschutz which discuss a connection that Beis Brisk had to Rizhin, the fore bearer to Sadiger, back in the 19th century. Knowing Reb AvromYeshua and his knowledge of Brisker history I'm sure he knows this chapter of the family history as well, but I couldn't say if there was some kind of ongoing connection בין בריסק לסאדיגורא today as well. Although the fact that the Shapiras are somewhat affluent would help... A brief synopsis: The year 1826 was when the Czar Nikolai I decided to take Jews for military service. It seems from Rabbi Lipschutz that these rumors already started soon after the defeat of Napoleon over a decade before, but 1826 was when it was confirmed that the idea was being seriously considered in the halls of power in the Russian capital. What seems normal now - says RYL - was considered unjust in '26 and an effort was made to try and stop it. By "stop it" we mean that instead of paying with bodies the Jews would pay their share with a heavy tax, since long-term conscription into a Christian army was a death sentence to the Jewish future - which is why the Czar wanted to do it in the first place. But in the end the idea of a tax did not work and army service became mandatory, even for Jews.

As far as what hishtadlus was done; Being that Reb Yitzchok Zev was Reb Chaim Volozhiner's eynikel he was asked to travel to Rizhin to see Reb Yisroel, זצ"ל, who "had connections." He had gevirim who knew and had influence with the Russian ministers and could do something  about the decree. RYZS told Rabbi Lipschutz about his visit to the Rizhiner and how he would take "kvitlach" with pidyonos in his prave shtieb. But the tzaddik could do nothing for him. "I have done all that I can," were his words, "I can do no more. I have already sent two letters to the מומע לאה, what more can I do?"  Alas, the gates of heaven were closed and the decree would be carried out. Who? Mume Leah? Who was this, and how would she help? We've heard of the Mume Sarah, but who was the Mume Leah? Lipschutz tells us that the Mume Leah was the Jewish wife of the Russian Admiral of the Black Sea fleet of the Imperial Navy who lived in Nikolayev, Ukraine - [ birthplace of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע.] She was a very frume Yiddene, despite being married to a Russian admiral and was very active in Jewish causes, helping her brethren with parnosoh, as well as klal issues. She was a big chasidis'te of the Rizhiner, and would often send kvitlech to him. The greatest hishtadlus he could do was to send her two letters בכתב יד קדשו - you hear that David Assaf? - and since there was nothing she could do then the decree was sealed, אין להשיב.


 [ It seems like this was done several years before 1826, since Reb Chaim Volozhiner, RYZS's zeide, was the one who sent RYZS, and he passed away in 5581/1821, which would make the Rizhiner 25 years old at most!]




Brisk-Ruzhin From Y Lipschutz

תמונת הלילה - בריסק אין סאדיגורא

Reb AvromYeshua Soloveitchik of Yeshivas Brisk in Yerushalayim reading the tnoyim at the תנאים for the grandson of the Sadigura Rebbe, שליט"א, a son of his son-in-law R' Pinchas Shapira (son of the late MK Munye Shapira of Agudath Israel.) Do the Briskers do T'noyims before a wedding, meaning by the close of the shidduch, or do they wait till the Kabbolas ponim? It would be interesting to know if he went against Brisker protocol. I would assume that the bochur learns in Brisk. Now, I may be mistaken, but as far as I know there is a Sadigerrer Yeshiva in Israel that caters to older bochurim as well. I believe it's known as ישיבת רוז'ין בני ברק. Which makes you wonder why the Rebbe's grandson would not attend. I guess inferiority complexes are common even amongst the Rebbishe, not just among Chassidim.

Here we see Reb AvromYeshua seated left, while Reb Mendel Ernster, a son-in-law of the old Vizhnitzer Rebbe, and a  grandson of the Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz, and thus a descendant of the holy Ruzhiner, זצ"ל, has his hand kissed by the Sadigerrer Rebbe after doing the honors himself previously. The Tzemach Tzaddik of Vizhnitz, רבי מנחם מענדיל, was married to מרים, a daughter of the Ruzhiner.

Left you can see Harav Chaim Feinstein, son of Reb Michel, and grandson of the Brisker Rov. Maybe the Sadigerrer has some kind of shtarke shaychus to Brisk, to all its descendants and branches. Or maybe he learned there too? We can speculate. I wonder what the Briskers think about the Sadigerrer and the whole Rizhiner family.

"???וואו זענען זיי ווייטער אזוי פארקרומט געווארען"

דער שטיקל וועלכע האט ביי אונז געהויבן די אויגענברעמען איז דארט - אויף עמ' 2 צום סוף - ווי דער סאטמאר רב רעדט וועגן דעם דרך הלימוד און פרעגט "וואו זענען זיי ווייטער אזוי פארקרומט געווארען,?" מיינענדיג אז די היינטיגע ליטאים, ובתוכם כנראה זיין זון ר' חיים, זענען אוועק פון דעם אמת'ען דרך, דער דרך וואס די בית הלוי אליין איז נאך געגאנגען דעראין. דאס אז ר' חיים האט מחדש געווען א נייעם דרך דאס ווייסען אלע, אבער איך גלייב אז די בריסקער קינדער היינט וואלטען אייך געזאגט אז ס'איז באמת נישט קיין שינוי פונעם דרך אבותינו, און ס'איז מיוסד אויפ'ן אלטען, אויסגעטראטענעם דרך

זקניך ויאמרו לך

דער חסיד'ס געבעט

Received via e-mail

This Brisker guy goes to bake matzoh - he drives the whole place nuts. The water is too warm, the flour is too wet, the oven is too cool. Every chumra and then some is on this guy's list. Finally he gets a teygel of dough and it's moist, so he throws it out, followed by 23 more teyglach. After a while he gets the dough he wants, rolls it perfectly to shiur, and repeats this 15 times and produces 15 matzos, of which he decides 12 are not worthy. So he leaves with his 3 matzos and heads to the Griz's (Der Rov) house for final approval of his charred ash matzos. On the way he meets a chusid who has a box of freshly baked matzos. He says to the chusid: "nu, which chumros did you use in baking your matzos?" The chusid looks at the Brisker and admits that he had no chumros, but he says "this morning I said tehilim that Hashem should make sure I get only kosher matzos." The Brisker is so touched by the chusid's faith that he says "Gevalt, I want such holy matzos please switch with me." The chusid gladly obliges the Brisker and swaps with him. Later the Brisker tells the Brisker Rov the whole story to which the Rov replies: "the chusid davened well so he got your kosher Matzo, you on the other hand have chametz."

א כשר'ן פרייליכן פסח