C58 HAMODIA

18 ELUL 5772

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Community

Harav Chaim Dov Altusky, ztl

Yeshivas Torah Ore in Yerushalayim and the Englishspeaking community in Eretz Yisrael were shocked yesterday at the petirah of Harav Chaim Dov Altusky, ztl, at age 85. The petirah of Harav Altusky, a Rosh Yeshivah in Yeshiva Torah Ore of Mattersdorf, comes only five months after the passing of his revered father-in-law, Harav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, ztl. Harav Altusky was born in America in 5687/1927, two years after his parents, Harav Yehudah and Rebbetzin Chaya Ruchama Altusky, arrived in the country. They left Lithuania on the advice of Harav Chaim Brisker, due to concerns that Harav Yehudah, as a Polish citizen, would be called up by the Polish army. In Lithuania, Harav Yehudah was one of the outstanding talmidim of the Lomza Yeshiva, and on arrival in America was appointed Rav of the Mishkenos Yisrael congregation in the Bronx, and later of the Linas Hatzedek shul, and gave one of the first reliable hechsherim in America. Harav Yehudah published his drashos in his sefer Hegyonei Yehudi on Torah and Yamim Tovim. Reb Chaim Dov was named after his paternal grandfather, Harav Chaim Dov Altusky, ztl. He learned in Manhattans Yeshiva University High School for Boys, Lakewood, and Chofetz Chaim. When he came of age he married Fruma Rochel Scheinberg, a daughter of Harav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg. In 5720/1960 Harav Altusky was active in helping his fatherin-law establish Yeshiva Torah Ore in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, as well as Yeshivas Shaarei Chaim. Several years later, in 5725/1965, when the first apartments in Mattersdorf were ready, Harav Altusky and his family moved there together with Harav Scheinberg and his family, another five families, and 20 talmidim, where they re-established the yeshivah. The Rav was famed for his geonus, which can be seen from the deep chiddushim in his series of sefarim Chiddushei Basra on Bavli, Yerushalmi, Rambam, Midrashei Rabbah and Tanchuma, Midrashei Pliah, Mishnah Berurah, and the shiurim of Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik. His hasmadah was rare; he learned with deep concentration and at every possible moment. Even during his meals, the Rosh Yeshivah had a sefer open in front of him. He also delivered many shiurim on Chumash, Navi, Midrash and hashkafah, which were taped and very popular among listeners. In Yeshiva Torah Ore, Harav Altusky was in charge of the chutz laAretz bachurim. He was also involved in tzedakah; one of his tzedakos was Keren Ezras Shabbos, which he headed as president, a tzedakah that gives financial support to many of Eretz Yisraels needy families. A huge crowd attended the levayah that left from Yeshiva Torah Ore in the early afternoon. The Rosh Yeshivah leaves behind his Rebbetzin, five sons and four daughters, and thousands of talmidim. Yehi zichro baruch.

Rabbi Yeshayah Dovid Bayer, zl

BY AARON HOUSMAN, A TALMID

MONSEY Rabbi Yeshayah Dovid Bayer, who led Yeshiva Bais Dovid, Monseys premier yeshivah, as menahel for nearly 50 years, was niftar on Shabbos. He was 77. It is Motzoei Shabbos. I have just received the message; Rabbi Bayer was niftar. The years begin passing before my eyes in quick succession, like a film strip on rewind. I will not even attempt a full biography of this special man for indeed, it would fill volumes. However, this is the end of an era, a sad adjournment of the career of a master mechanech, a man who was committed to chinuch with all his heart and soul for almost half a century. If ever there was a one-of-akind menahel, it was Reb Shaya Duvid Bayer, zl. Simply being at the helm of Bais Dovid was an amazing feat, in and of itself. Bais Dovid was, and continues to be, a melting pot for children from all types of families who come to cheder with the common goal of becoming yirei Shamayim and ehrliche Yidden. To lead such a cheder with an equal amount of respect for each and every sect of Yidden, stressing the good points of each chug without alienating another, was something at which Rabbi Bayer excelled. In addition, Bais Dovid was established as a talmud Torah where children would be educated in the Torah and yiras Shamayim of old and learn how to resist the temptations of the gass throughout life. The curriculum and atmosphere were closely guarded by Reb Mottel Waldman and Reb Yeshaya Dovid, zichronam livrachah. It is to their credit that Bais Dovid withstood any and all downgrades in society and continues to maintain that high level of Yiddishe taam and chinuch al taharas hakodesh to this day. We all remember how, before Shavuos, Rabbi Bayer would come around to farher us on Akdamus. He would take the time to discuss with the classes the different minhagim that are observed in various shuls. He would proceed to act out the Gerrer march and then put his hand on his ear, imitating the Stoliners and their Akdamus. He imbued us with a love and understanding for our fellow classmates and taught us to coexist in harmony. Nothing made him prouder than a class whose students were fluent in Akdamus and its teitch. He would come around weekly to farher us in Chumash and Rashi, stressing its importance over and over. Indeed, he would tell us that many a Rosh Yeshivah had told him that the Bais Dovid boys exhibit a broader knowledge in Chumash and Rashi than any other talmidim. If one observed him, and

many of us did, one could see that he was a true role model. He had a long-standing chavrusashaft with, yblc, Rabbi Davidowitz (and before that with Reb Nuchem Hirsch, zl). They would learn together before Shacharis every day. After that, he would don his tallis and tefillin and walk over to the front table where the bar mitzvah bachurim davened. Occasionally, he would check our arms to make sure we had the shel yad in the right place. He would then start davening from Korbanos, encouraging the older boys to say it too. Who can forget the days when we said Selichos in yeshivah? His unforgettable cry of Shema Koleinu still rings in my ears to this day. He showed unending patience with the fresh baalei tefillah, lovingly slowing them down so that they wouldnt embarrass themselves by skipping words. Rabbi Bayer was an oldschool mechanech, or so we all thought. Yes, he could be heavyhanded at times, but those times were warranted. When it came to the kedushah and sanctity of the cheder, he would make no compromise. He was feared in the hallways and we jumped when he walked into a classroom, but that fear was one of reverence. It was the ultimate show of respect because we knew that he had his finger on the pulse of the entire yeshivah campus. Whether in the brook or in the woods, on the courts or in the lunchroom, he knew what was going on. Still, his influence went much deeper than that. Many talmidim gained from him on a personal level. If a child needed help in a certain area, if a new talmid joined the yeshivah in the middle of the year, or if he just happened to notice a fight in the hallway or realized that a child needed chizuk, he would call the student in privately and be mechazek him with genuine love and affection. This affection had an extremely strong effect because we were not used to that side of him. However, we came to understand that it was always there, and that is why he was the ultimate figurehead in Bais Dovid.

A talmid related that when he was in sixth or seventh grade, he still clung to a childhood habit that he could not relinquish. Someone told Rabbi Bayer about this and the child was summoned to the office. After the famous COME IN! Rabbi Bayer softly told him: We will work together on this. I will help you get rid of this habit, and fast. Sure enough, within two weeks, the habit was gone forever. His love for talmidim did not end when they graduated. I remember attending a simchah in Monsey where Rabbi Bayer was sitting with several 30year-old alumni, swapping stories. He remembered each and every one of them, and their antics too. He would greet former talmidim with his signature hug and kiss, inquiring about the talmids well-being and wishing him hatzlachah in the future. The cook for many years in Bais Dovid was Reb Avrohom Drach, zl. To us, he was just the cook, but some knew that he was a derhoibene Yid. He would wake up at four or five in the morning to prepare the meals for the boys, and then lie down on a bench in the lunchroom to rest. At his levayah at Bais Dovid, Rabbi Bayer cried bitterly while being maspid him. He begged and begged the niftar to be mochel any child who might not have treated him with the respect he truly deserved. Such are the memories I have of Rabbi Bayer. I can only imagine that upon reaching the Beis Din shel Maalah, Reb Mottel Waldman will be mekabel panim Rabbi Bayer, with Harav Yaakov Kamenetsky, Reb Hershel Mashinsky, Reb Shmuel Avrohom Myski, Reb Laibel Weinstock, Reb Yankel Horowitz and Mr. Ben D. Eisenberg, zichronam livrachah The key players of the Monsey community who, sadly, are no longer with us will escort him to his special place in Gan Eden, for Monsey has lost a pillar, a giant, a master mechanech and a beloved community askan. May he be a meilitz yosher for all of us, and may his family know no more tzaar.