The Best Defense

It’s a week later as I write these lines yet the powerful impression of the huge levayah of the gaon hador Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ztz”l still hovers over us. This holy man who was brought to his eternal rest lived a life that taught us the mighty power of Torah. Those who dedicate their lives to Torah come to personify it and they have the merit of sanctifying Hashem’s Name in death as in life.

Before the eyes of the entire nation – most of whom are far from recognizing the worth of Torah this massive nighttime funeral the like of which has never been seen in Yerushalayim demonstrated our sense of bereavement of orphanhood. At a time when the whole concept of Torah study in under relentless and unrestrained attack in the public and political arenas this iconic scene of mourning showed the world that the honor of a gadol has nothing to do with budgets and benefits; rather all eyes saw what becomes of a person who fulfills the Torah’s command “And you shall ponder in it day and night ” a person who fulfills the the meaning of those words in the absolute sense.

Maran HaGaon Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ztz”l presented us with a living pulsing image of the results of fulfilling that command in utter simplicity. That immersion in Torah day and night every breathing minute produced a man who existed on an elevated plane a giant among giants of whom much more will yet be heard. And his greatness which is simply a reflection of the greatness of Torah will yet impact the entire world. In Rav Elyashiv’s life and in his death even the average Israeli began to grasp that Torah study is not just one more issue of the day to be discussed and tabled like any other topic.

I would prefer however to focus on one point in Rav Elyashiv’s life that has been concealed until now from all but the inner circle that was closest to him. This story which was revealed publicly during the shivah reveals that when we declare that the the Torah protects Am Yisrael we are not simply invoking platitudes.