Remembering Rabbi Aryeh Finkel Through Three Moving Stories

This Friday marks five years since the passing of Rabbi Aryeh Finkel, of blessed memory (born 14 Av 5691 - died night of 6 Av 5776). He was the head of Yeshiva Mir in Modiin Illit, a prominent leader of Yeshiva Mir in Jerusalem, a member of the Council of Torah Sages of the Degel HaTorah, an esteemed figure in the yeshiva world, and a leader in the ultra-Orthodox-Lithuanian community.

Rabbi Mattityahu Godelovsky was fortunate to spend several years in the presence of the great Rabbi Aryeh Leib Finkel, of blessed memory, the head of Yeshiva Mir in Beit Shemesh. He even studied with him one-on-one every day for almost three years. Rabbi Godelovsky shares three extraordinary stories about Rabbi Finkel.

1. The Rabbi Took His Ninety Years and Reached Out

"Two years ago, we began to write a Torah scroll to be placed, with Hashem's help, at the 'Keren HaYeled' boys' home. As is customary, and to encourage potential donors to participate in the writing, we asked prominent rabbis to write a letter in the Torah scroll. When I approached the head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Finkel, of blessed memory, and asked him to write a letter in the Torah," shares Rabbi Godelovsky.

"The head of the yeshiva responded sorrowfully that due to vision problems, he can barely see and can't write. However, during the conversation, Rabbi Finkel joyously changed his tone and said, 'Oh R’ Mattis, you need the picture... Give me a dry quill, and I’ll 'write,' and you can take the photo.'"

Rabbi Godelovsky expresses his excitement: "Indeed, the famous head of the yeshiva took all his ninety years of life, sat in his chair, took the dry quill, and made as if to 'write.' Suddenly, he remembered he wasn't wearing his 'frack' and hat. He sweetly remarked, 'I can't be photographed like this. I need to dress properly.' So, once again, he spent several precious minutes dressing, took the dry quill once more, and as you can see, seriously acted as if he was writing the letter (which was never actually written!).

"From such a story, one can learn how much the rabbi needed to reach out to people, including young students, and understand what they long for. Even though the head of the yeshiva had lofty thoughts above those of his students, he knew exactly what they wanted," concludes Rabbi Godelovsky with the inspiring tale.

2. Two Hours Before Shabbat, the Rabbi Heads to... Ein Gedi!

Rabbi Godelovsky continues with another story told by one of Rabbi Finkel’s students during their return from their beloved rabbi's funeral.

"One Friday, I made a youthful mistake and decided to take a solo hike in the Judean Desert. As expected, I lost my way and got stuck in the desert paths until I dehydrated and passed out. About two hours before Shabbat, I awoke surrounded by rescue team members from 'Ein Gedi.' When they asked who I was, I couldn't remember anything and couldn't respond properly, except for the phone number of the head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Finkel...," the student recounts, explaining that in those days, phone lines were scarce, and his parents communicated with him through the rabbi's phone while he studied at his home in the evenings.

"The medics called Rabbi Finkel and shared that they were with a young man who had fainted. What happened next was unbelievable: Rabbi Finkel took wine, challot, and other essentials for a Shabbat meal and traveled by taxi to Ein Gedi to be with me for the entire Shabbat.

"Eventually, the medics decided to transport me by ambulance to Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus, and the head of the yeshiva went along for the ride. Just minutes before sunset, we reached the hospital, and only after a few hours, when I was transferred to a ward, did the rabbi agree to leave me. He walked on Shabbat night, in the middle of the night, from Mount Scopus to his home on Malachi Street," the student recalls his awe-inspiring tale.

3. The Miracle and Rabbi Aryeh's Faith

The following story was shared with Rabbi Godelovsky by the head of the yeshiva’s son, who heard it from his father speaking to his mother. "Rabbi Aryeh's grandfather, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, had a relative—a lonely and broken woman who lived her life alone. Occasionally, she would visit Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda, but she did not want to reveal where she lived...

"One day, a celebration was held at Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda's home, and the head of the yeshiva wanted to invite his relative. He called his beloved grandson, Rabbi Aryeh, and asked him to invite the lonely woman.

"'But Grandpa,' the grandson asked, 'where does she live?' 'Look for her,' replied the esteemed grandfather. 'Where?' asked the grandson. Instead of answering, the grandfather said, 'Take five lira, hire a taxi, and bring her.'

"Rabbi Aryeh, then about 35 years old and with absolute faith in his sages, and who had a boundless devotion to his grandfather, went to the street, hailed a taxi, and when the driver asked where to go, he answered, 'Drive until the meter reaches five lira...'" continues Rabbi Godelovsky telling the story.

"The taxi eventually stopped in a distant Jerusalem neighborhood. Rabbi Aryeh got out and started searching between the buildings and apartments, going up and down building after building and not giving up. Finally, when he knocked on a door, he found the sought-after woman! She was amazed at how he discovered her 'hiding place’ but was deeply touched by the Finkel family's effort to include her in the celebration..." Rabbi Godelovsky concludes with a commentary. "Perhaps this story highlights a 'miracle' by Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda, of blessed memory, but it's more about the faith and devotion shown by Rabbi Aryeh in his grandfather's wisdom, which led him to act as he did."

Rabbi Zamir Cohen - Authority of Chazal:

Courtesy of the 'Dirshu' site.