A Glimpse Into Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman's Final Moments

Rabbi Yitzchak Grodzinski, head of the 'Torat Avraham' Kollel, and his sister Rebbetzin Rivka were the last to see Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman hy"d during his final hours before he was martyred during World War II.

"I only saw Rabbi Elchanan," Rabbi Yitzchak Grodzinski recalled to the students of 'Or Elchanan' Yeshiva. "I was just a young boy; what could I possibly grasp about such a Torah giant? His books, 'Kovetz He'arot' on Yevamot and 'Kovetz Shiurim' on other tractates, are foundational texts for all learners."

Rabbi Yitzchak shared his memories of Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman hy"d. "Rabbi Elchanan arrived in Slabodka to visit his son, R' Naftali, who had broken his leg and was receiving treatment at the Kovno hospital. He stayed in our home. That day was the pogrom, the terrible massacre by the Lithuanian murderers. They moved from house to house, but didn't enter ours. We hid and could hear the horrific screams from nearby homes. It was terrifying. We didn't know what was happening. With all the shouting, I thought maybe there were bombings again. Our home was quiet. Why didn't they enter our home? Because Hashem willed it that way. There's no other explanation."

On that fateful day when Rabbi Elchanan hy"d was taken to be murdered along with the yeshiva students, Rabbi Yitzchak was at his father, Rabbi Avraham Grodzinski hy"d's home. "Besides our family members, many yeshiva students were also staying at our house," Rabbi Yitzchak recounted. "My father, Rabbi Avraham Grodzinski hy"d, asked R' Elchanan to give a lecture on Kiddush Hashem. Initially, he refused, as such troubling times lacked clarity of thought required for study, but eventually, he agreed and delivered the lecture. My father, Rabbi Avraham, also delivered a motivational talk."

Rabbi Yitzchak describes Rabbi Elchanan's final hours. "He sat all day studying with a yeshiva student. The next day, the murderers unexpectedly entered our courtyard and interrupted his study. There was a debate between the two attackers whether to take Rabbi Elchanan, and in the end, they did, ordering him to stand in the yard. He did not hide or resist."

Together with Rabbi Elchanan, thirteen other yeshiva students were murdered. "Along with him, they took out to the courtyard thirteen other scholars and yeshiva students, scholars of great renown. They walked them to the Seventh Fort in Kovno."

When they reached Kovno, Rabbi Elchanan lay on the ground from exhaustion. "Rabbi Elchanan lay there on the ground from exhaustion and spoke. The words attributed to him as if he said them there, I cannot confirm; there's no one to testify that they heard them. I can attest that while waiting in our yard, he was silent all the time and did not speak."

"My Father Lived Another Three Years to Strengthen the Jews' Faith"

The Nazis did not take Rabbi Avraham Grodzinski hy"d. He survived until the end of the ghetto, strengthening the Torah scholars, and was then murdered. "Why did they spare us?" Rabbi Yitzchak asked and answered: "There is no explanation except one thing: all is from heaven, Hashem willed it so. He remained alive until the end of the ghetto. It's miraculous. Anyone who wasn't there cannot comprehend what the ghetto was and the miracles my father experienced to stay alive for three years in the ghetto, how he managed to survive all the terrible selections—each time, miracles and wonders beyond understanding. He had to live until the ghetto's last day because there was a purpose to strengthen the Torah scholars in the ghetto, and Hashem protected him. He was a light of faith and showed in all matters the hand of Hashem."

Rabbi Yitzchak continues discussing his father: "My father, Rabbi Avraham, strengthened the Jews, saying the Germans, may their name and memory be erased, don't decide who will go to selection or not—who will live and who will die, who at the end and who not—but everything is decreed by the Almighty." Rabbi Yitzchak likened the situation to the current intifada: "Such is the situation in the Land of Israel, with the Arabs... One must know that everything is decreed by the Almighty. The terrorists have no power to decide who will live and who will die."

How Can One Perform Kindness for the Entire World? Here's the Answer

Concluding his words, Rabbi Yitzchak turned to the students of "Or Elchanan" with words of encouragement: "We must strengthen our complete faith. The first principle is 'I believe with perfect faith that the Creator, blessed be His name, is the Creator and Guide of all creations, and He alone has made, does make, and will make all actions.' A person makes efforts in the world, plans what to do, but what actually comes to pass is determined by Hashem."

Rabbi Yitzchak added a significant insight from his father: How can a person perform kindness for the entire world? Through prayer for the entire Jewish people, with some conditions: "The place to strengthen faith is in prayer, provided that we don't pray hastily but pay attention to what we're praying for. Endless abundance can result from each word. Our holy father, zt"l, writes in 'Torat Avraham' that there's a way a person can do kindness with the entire world. How is this possible, as a person is limited in power and resources? However, through prayer, good can be bestowed upon everyone. When asking for 'Refa'einu' it's for everyone, 'Barech Aleinu' it's for everyone, everything is phrased in the plural. One must reflect on this. How much abundance and blessing can be achieved through prayer."

Rabbi Yitzchak Grodzinski concluded his talk by saying: "Fortunate are we and fortunate are you, how pleasant is our lot and how beautiful our heritage. May we all merit to continually strengthen ourselves in faith. 'And the righteous shall live by his faith.' It's not just about knowing there is a Creator of the world, but living with faith."