This week, unfortunately, we are all mourning the loss of Rabbi Zechariah [Shimon ben Yitzchak] Wallerstein HaKohen zt”l and Rabbi Moshe Neuman zt”l, remarkable men who gave chinuch to hundreds of women. They both initiated schools and other educational programming to ensure that every girl had the opportunity to learn and grow spiritually. It made no difference to them the background of the students, be it Sefardi, Ashkenazi, Litvish, or chasidic. Their genuine love and dedication to all members were what made them both very successful.
Rabbi Wallerstein and Rabbi Neuman both epitomized achdus Yisrael and the mitzvah of “V’ahavta L’rei’acha Kamocha (Love your friend as yourself).” They both displayed a level of thoughtful kindness that makes others feel seen and accepted. At the time the Torah was given, Rashi points out, there was sublime “achdus” meaning that every Jew was able to go beyond himself and be objective. The amount of achdus that we achieve is the measure of our objectivity at any given moment in time. It is subjectivity that leads to selfishness, and selfishness that leads to a sin’as chinam.
Between the holidays of Passover and Shavuos, we count the Omer each evening, signifying our preparation for the receiving of the Torah on Shavuos. On a spiritual level, S’firas HaOmer mirrors the journey of our ancestors from Egypt to Sinai. We left as oppressed people and we became liberated through the time we spent in the desert.
During this time period, we learn that it is not enough to be free; we must do the hard work of introspection and self-examination to truly know our freedom. It is a spiritual spring cleaning, inviting us into inner transformation.
In the z’chus of Rabbi Wallerstein zt”l and Rabbi Neuman zt”l, let us learn from their ways and come together in unity and love one another in spite of our differences. We are all brothers and sisters with one father. The mitzvah of “V’ahavta L’rei’acha Kamocha” also proscribes behavior that we would not want to be exhibited to us by others, for example, not causing pain to a fellow Jew or being careful to show proper respect to our friends. May our efforts in achdus give us the merit to light candles in the Bayit Sh’lishi, Amen!
May the Wallerstein and Neuman families be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Yerushalayim. May they each be a meilitz yosher for us all.
List of People Who Need a R’fuah Sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Shmuel Moshe ben Peninah
Yosef ben Leah
Aharon Mordechai ben Sharon
Eliyahu ben Miriam
Moshe ben Rachel
Michael Uram ben Raya Rachel
Nisan ben Yael
Nissim ben Devorah
Yehoshua ben Miriam
Mordechai ben Rachel Anba
Yehoshua ben Fruma
Yisrael Meir ben Etta Rachel
Masoud Meir ben Etta Rachel
Moshe ben Mazal
Yechezkel ben Esther Serel
Yitzchak Chaim ben Sarah
Shimon ben Mercedes
Eliyahu ben Margalit
Yosef ben Nosrat
Yosef Gidon Yaakov ben Peninah
Moshe Chaim ben Shulamis
Efraim ben Leah
Ezra Refael ben Taoos Miriam
Frieda Malkah bas Sarah
Tinokey bas Rivkah
Malkah bas Reich Shifrah
Rachel bas Yehudis Binah Baila
Tovah Yocheved bas Esther Bukas
Ruchama Perel Malkah Leah bas Chanah Serel
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Alizah bas Miriam
Chanah Elianah bas Naomi
Adele bas Adi
Orah bas Naomi
Chayah Brachah bas Miriam
Sally Ronit bas Taoos Miriam
This week, unfortunately, we are all mourning the loss of Rabbi Zechariah [Shimon ben Yitzchak] Wallerstein HaKohen zt”l and Rabbi Moshe Neuman zt”l, remarkable men who gave chinuch to hundreds of women. They both initiated schools and other educational programming to ensure that every girl had the opportunity to learn and grow spiritually. It made no difference to them the background of the students, be it Sefardi, Ashkenazi, Litvish, or chasidic. Their genuine love and dedication to all members were what made them both very successful.
