The Light Still Shines

IF one has two grandfathers named “Meir,” he can name his son “Shneur” in memory of both, writes the Beis Shmuel in Hilchos Gittin. The name “Meir” (the root of which is “ohr”) means “bearer of light,” or “one who is bright or shines.” The name “Shneur” is “Shnei Ohr — Two Lights.”

For 19 years, Rav Shneur Kotler ztz”l served as rosh yeshivah of Lakewood’s Beis Medrash Govoha. There he learned, taught, guided, and encouraged, and succeeded in ushering in an era in which years of kollel learning became a prevalent norm. During his relatively short lifetime, Rav Shneur Kotler spread so much light.

But the spiritual glow he cast over the city of Lakewood, was just one of the lights that Rav Shneur Kotler ignited. Under his leadership, together with Rav Nosson Wachtfogel, he oversaw a movement to spread Torah across America and beyond, marshaling his troops for a mission to take the mesorah and energy of Lakewood, the steadfast commitment to limud haTorah, and share it with Yidden on the outside. Thus began the concept of community kollelim, the second “ohr” of Rav Shneur’s “two lights.”

Last week, on the third day of Tammuz, was Rav Shneur’s 40th yahrtzeit. It was on Shabbos, which Klal Yisrael welcomes with lighting at least two candles — bringing that much more ohr to the world. Rav Shneur was just 64 when he passed away, having run Lakewood’s BMG for the exact number of days as his father, Rav Aharon Kotler ztz”l, who passed away in 1962 — 19 years, seven months and one day. The Gemara in Avodah Zarah tells us that it takes 40 years to grasp the lessons of a rebbi. Rav Shneur’s lessons were many, his timeless impact spanning so many areas. One of them is the phenomenon of community kollelim now spread across the US and further afield, which has transformed the landscape of Jewish America.