Because we need tzaddikim in our midst and when they pass away it is exceedingly difficult for the generation Hashem extends their life for our sake. But what then does it mean when they are finally taken from us – are we no longer worthy of the spiritual benefits?
The Torah world the entire Jewish world — and to extrapolate further the entire world at large — has suffered a devastating blow in the course of the past month. Three of Klal Yisrael’s great sages three marbitzei Torah who were each in the area of 100 years old departed from this world in the course of a two-week period.
Amazingly the threefold tragedy spanned three continents. Eretz Yisrael mourned the loss of Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz ztz”l the educator of generations of students. Europe was struck by the passing of Yitzchak Dovid Koppelman ztz”l one of the world’s most renowned disseminators of Torah while the United States suffered the loss of the renowned Rav Chaim Stein ztz”l. In some yeshivos in Eretz Yisrael students began to comment on the disturbing pasuk in Zechariah (11:5) “I shall destroy the three shepherds in one month.” What is the meaning of this occurrence?
This is not the first time such a phenomenon has occurred; in fact the deaths of three gedolei hador within a very short period has happened several times in the last generation. Immediately before Lithuania was conquered by the Nazis three gedolei Torah passed away in rapid succession: Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky the rav of Vilna and one of the leaders of the generation; Rav Shimon Shkop the renowned rosh yeshiva of Grodno and mentor of the late Rabbi Koppelman who was his last talmid; and Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz of Kamenitz zichronam l’vrachah. It is clear that the forces of darkness represented by Hitler were unable to vanquish Vilna Grodno or Kamenitz while these three distinguished personalities were still alive.
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