When Rav Aharon Kotler Prepared for a White House Meeting

“Mr. Moshe Sherer, you are invited to the White House at 10 a.m. for a confidential meeting with President John Kennedy.” The letter was clear and the date was none other than Tisha B’Av.

Rabbi Moshe Sherer, president of Agudath Israel of America, was summoned along with several other Jewish leaders from across the country for a secret meeting with the President. As he had done with all major decisions, Rabbi Sherer immediately contacted his guide and mentor: the great Torah sage, Rabbi Aharon Kotler, Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood.

Rabbi Aharon was known for his brilliance in Torah and his total detachment from worldly affairs. He lived and breathed Torah. A Torah scholar once shared that he happened to fly on a plane with Rabbi Kotler. Before the flight, he offered the Rosh Yeshiva an orange, and this led to a deep halachic discussion about the Rambam’s views on tithes for fruit from Eretz Yisrael. The conversation lasted two hours, continuing even after takeoff, with Rabbi Aharon so absorbed that he didn’t notice the plane had already left the ground.

It was only when he looked out the window and saw clouds below that he suddenly grew anxious. “Oh! We’re already flying?” he asked. From that moment until they landed, he buried his face in a Tehillim (Book of Psalms) and said chapter after chapter with deep emotion. He hadn’t even realized they were in the air during takeoff.

Now, with the White House invitation in hand, Rabbi Sherer expected a brief blessing and perhaps some halachic guidance, given that the meeting was scheduled for Tisha B’Av. He asked Rabbi Aharon about the proper conduct for that day, and the Rosh Yeshiva advised him to consult Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, author of Igrot Moshe, for detailed rulings.

Then, to Rabbi Sherer’s surprise, Rabbi Aharon did something completely unexpected.

He launched into a detailed political analysis that lasted over an hour.

He spoke about Israel’s relationship with the United States, the risks and responsibilities at stake, and the kinds of arguments President Kennedy might raise. He instructed Rabbi Sherer exactly what to say, what to emphasize, and where to stand firm. The advice was clear, focused, and entirely relevant to the moment.

Rabbi Sherer was stunned. How could the Rosh Yeshiva, who never read the New York Times or followed world news, know so much and so precisely?

When he finally sat in the President’s office and was asked to speak, Rabbi Sherer repeated Rav Aharon’s words nearly word for word. President Kennedy listened carefully. He asked exactly the questions that Rav Aharon had predicted and Rabbi Sherer, prepared with answers, responded clearly and confidently.

Of all the Jewish leaders present that day, it was Rabbi Sherer’s remarks that drew the most attention. Kennedy engaged with them, asked follow-up questions, and in the end, accepted most of the recommendations without modification.

“I left the meeting completely moved and inspired,” Rabbi Sherer later said. “I saw with my own eyes that the Rosh Yeshiva, without newspapers or political briefings understood more than all the politicians and analysts. He didn’t just offer insight, he laid out a clear, accurate vision and even predicted the President’s responses in advance.”

But Rabbi Sherer also added something deeper.

“I believe there’s another reason for the wisdom of our Torah leaders. It’s not just their deep learning. It’s the deep love they carry for every Jew. They feel responsible for all of us. They don’t think in terms of personal gain or public image. They ask: ‘How can I help Am Yisrael? What does Hashem want from me right now?’”

“And that,” Rabbi Sherer said, “is something we don’t always see in politicians or activists. But it’s what we always see in our gedolei Yisrael, our true Torah leaders.”