Making of a Godol
Encyclopedia
Making of a Godol: A Study of Episodes in the Lives of Great Torah Personalities is a two-volume book written and published in 2002, with an improved edition published in 2005, by Rabbi Nathan Kamenetsky (1930-), son of Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky
, about the lives of his father and of various other Jewish
sages of the 19th and 20th centuries, who are revered by Orthodox
(especially Haredi
) Jews. The word Godol means "great [one]" in Hebrew
, and refers to exceptional Talmud
ic scholars who are often prominent Roshei Yeshiva
(heads of yeshiva
s).
The book, which resulted from about 15 years of extensive research, includes much historical background based on over 800 sources, and is very detailed in its stories and biographies
. Some readers find this tedious, while others find that the book offers many valuable insights into the lives of great men. Due to the banning of both editions (see next section), not more than 1,000 sets of each edition are in existence.
s in Israel
, first among them Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, appeared to issue an official letter banning the book, claiming that it was disrespectful to the rabbis whose lives it describes. For example, the book records that Rabbi Aharon Kotler
read Russian books in his youth. The book also claims that as a young man studying in yeshiva, Rabbi Kotler was a "sore loser" at chess and he would always demand from his opponent to be able to take back moves once he realized that they were a mistake. This is said to have prompted a grandson of Rabbi Kotler to urge Rabbi Eliashiv to ban the book. Rabbi Kamenetsky responded that he did not consider such information to be disparaging. (Indeed, he wrote that his father also had read Russian books). Rather, he was merely recounting a nisayon (personal test or trial) that these great men experienced in the process of becoming Gedolim (great sages) during the difficult period of Haskalah
.
The author stated, however, that Rabbi Eliashiv had agreed to defer publicizing the letter until he had the opportunity to speak with the author in person (Rabbi Kamenetsky was in the United States at the time for medical purposes). This agreement was thwarted when "zealots" publicized the letter prematurely without permission, an action that caused Rabbi Eliashiv to be "furious." Although the ban was still not official, it was very difficult to subdue the message of Rabbi Eliashiv's letter, countersigned by nine other sages, which now lined the walls of the religious neighborhoods of Jerusalem. Despite further negotiations, through which the author was almost able to prevent the ban from taking effect (or have it withdrawn), Rabbi Kamenetsky states that "zealots" falsely accused him of breaking his promise to temporarily stop selling books, which led to the ban becoming official.
The ban was highly controversial in the Orthodox Jewish
world. Rabbi Kamenetsky has noted that none of the 10 Israeli signatories of the ban personally read Making of a Godol and, indeed, all but one (Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg
) are unable to read English. Although he did not agree with the ban, and believed that the signatories of the ban were misled by "zealots," Rabbi Kamenetsky abided by it, primarily out of his reverence for Rabbi Eliashiv. However, Rabbi Kamenetsky lamented that, had Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
or Rabbi Elazar Shach
been living, he is certain that the ban would have never been issued, as these sages would have insisted on hearing his side of the story first.
Rabbi Kamenetsky stated that, in writing the book, he "naively believed that everyone would appreciate getting a true, human glimpse [of] our spiritual leaders," and that this honest portrayal "is what bothered the zealots." Rabbi Kamenetsky argued that he has more respect for Torah sages than do the "zealots," in that they believe that it is an embarrassment to reveal the truth about the Gedolim, whereas he believes that there is no need to hide anything, because knowing the truth about the Gedolim only increases one's respect for them (due to their vast accomplishments, despite facing life's trials and being human).
The author addressed the ban in his 2003 book Anatomy of a Ban, which is currently unavailable to the public. Shortly after releasing the second edition of Making of a Godol, Rabbi Kamenetsky discussed the ban of the first edition, and expressed hope that the second edition would not meet the same fate. Nevertheless, a new letter was issued in March 2006, with the rabbis who issued it, first among them Rabbi Eliashiv, declaring that the second edition was reviewed by Rabbis Dan Segal and Yosef Rosenblum, and that the original ban remained in force for the second edition.
The second ban was reportedly in violation of an agreement between Rabbi Kamenetsky and Rabbi Eliashiv, that the second edition would not be banned without Rabbi Kamenetsky first being given an opportunity to defend the work. Indeed, Rabbi Kamenetsky reports that, before the second ban was issued, he sent letters to most of the signatories of the first ban, informing them of this agreement with Rabbi Eliashiv.
Rabbi Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, a signatory to the first ban, did not participate in the second ban, having apologized to Rabbi Kamenetsky, and given his word that he would have nothing more to do with the matter.
, who was a senior Rosh Yeshiva
in America, and Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch
, a prominent Halachic
authority in Israel, read Making of a Godol and fully approved of it. He quoted Rabbi Epstein as stating in a letter to Rabbi Eliashiv that "in my opinion there is no justification whatsoever to ban the aforementioned book." Rabbi Kamenetsky stated that Rabbi Sternbuch rules for anyone who asks him that the book is "Kosher." He quoted Rabbi Sternbuch as exclaiming within earshot of at least 50 people one Shabbos morning after services: "Reb
Noson, you keep [on] writing - no one can do as good a job as you!"
Yaakov Kamenetsky
Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky , was a prominent rosh yeshiva, posek and Talmudist in the post-World War II American Jewish community....
, about the lives of his father and of various other Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
sages of the 19th and 20th centuries, who are revered by Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
(especially Haredi
Haredi Judaism
Haredi or Charedi/Chareidi Judaism is the most conservative form of Orthodox Judaism, often referred to as ultra-Orthodox. A follower of Haredi Judaism is called a Haredi ....
) Jews. The word Godol means "great [one]" in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, and refers to exceptional Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic scholars who are often prominent Roshei Yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
(heads of yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
s).
The book, which resulted from about 15 years of extensive research, includes much historical background based on over 800 sources, and is very detailed in its stories and biographies
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
. Some readers find this tedious, while others find that the book offers many valuable insights into the lives of great men. Due to the banning of both editions (see next section), not more than 1,000 sets of each edition are in existence.
Bans against both editions
Soon after it was first published, a group of 10 leading Haredi rabbiRabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, first among them Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, appeared to issue an official letter banning the book, claiming that it was disrespectful to the rabbis whose lives it describes. For example, the book records that Rabbi Aharon Kotler
Aharon Kotler
Aharon Kotler was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and a prominent leader of Orthodox Judaism in Lithuania, and later the United States, where he built Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood Township, New Jersey.- Early life :...
read Russian books in his youth. The book also claims that as a young man studying in yeshiva, Rabbi Kotler was a "sore loser" at chess and he would always demand from his opponent to be able to take back moves once he realized that they were a mistake. This is said to have prompted a grandson of Rabbi Kotler to urge Rabbi Eliashiv to ban the book. Rabbi Kamenetsky responded that he did not consider such information to be disparaging. (Indeed, he wrote that his father also had read Russian books). Rather, he was merely recounting a nisayon (personal test or trial) that these great men experienced in the process of becoming Gedolim (great sages) during the difficult period of Haskalah
Haskalah
Haskalah , the Jewish Enlightenment, was a movement among European Jews in the 18th–19th centuries that advocated adopting enlightenment values, pressing for better integration into European society, and increasing education in secular studies, Hebrew language, and Jewish history...
.
The author stated, however, that Rabbi Eliashiv had agreed to defer publicizing the letter until he had the opportunity to speak with the author in person (Rabbi Kamenetsky was in the United States at the time for medical purposes). This agreement was thwarted when "zealots" publicized the letter prematurely without permission, an action that caused Rabbi Eliashiv to be "furious." Although the ban was still not official, it was very difficult to subdue the message of Rabbi Eliashiv's letter, countersigned by nine other sages, which now lined the walls of the religious neighborhoods of Jerusalem. Despite further negotiations, through which the author was almost able to prevent the ban from taking effect (or have it withdrawn), Rabbi Kamenetsky states that "zealots" falsely accused him of breaking his promise to temporarily stop selling books, which led to the ban becoming official.
The ban was highly controversial in the Orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
world. Rabbi Kamenetsky has noted that none of the 10 Israeli signatories of the ban personally read Making of a Godol and, indeed, all but one (Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg
Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg
Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg is a Polish-born, American-raised Haredi rabbi and rosh yeshiva who, since 1965, makes his home in the Kiryat Mattersdorf neighborhood of Jerusalem, Israel. He is the rosh yeshiva of the Torah Ore yeshiva in Kiryat Mattersdorf and Yeshivas Derech Chaim in Brooklyn...
) are unable to read English. Although he did not agree with the ban, and believed that the signatories of the ban were misled by "zealots," Rabbi Kamenetsky abided by it, primarily out of his reverence for Rabbi Eliashiv. However, Rabbi Kamenetsky lamented that, had Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
Shlomo Zalman Auerbach , was a renowned Orthodox Jewish rabbi, posek, and rosh yeshiva of the Kol Torah yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel...
or Rabbi Elazar Shach
Elazar Shach
Elazar Menachem Man Shach also spelt Eliezer Schach, was a leading Lithuanian-born and educated Haredi rabbi in Bnei Brak, Israel. He also served as one of three co-deans of the Ponevezh yeshiva in Bnei Brak along with Rabbis Shmuel Rozovsky and Dovid Povarsky...
been living, he is certain that the ban would have never been issued, as these sages would have insisted on hearing his side of the story first.
Rabbi Kamenetsky stated that, in writing the book, he "naively believed that everyone would appreciate getting a true, human glimpse [of] our spiritual leaders," and that this honest portrayal "is what bothered the zealots." Rabbi Kamenetsky argued that he has more respect for Torah sages than do the "zealots," in that they believe that it is an embarrassment to reveal the truth about the Gedolim, whereas he believes that there is no need to hide anything, because knowing the truth about the Gedolim only increases one's respect for them (due to their vast accomplishments, despite facing life's trials and being human).
The author addressed the ban in his 2003 book Anatomy of a Ban, which is currently unavailable to the public. Shortly after releasing the second edition of Making of a Godol, Rabbi Kamenetsky discussed the ban of the first edition, and expressed hope that the second edition would not meet the same fate. Nevertheless, a new letter was issued in March 2006, with the rabbis who issued it, first among them Rabbi Eliashiv, declaring that the second edition was reviewed by Rabbis Dan Segal and Yosef Rosenblum, and that the original ban remained in force for the second edition.
The second ban was reportedly in violation of an agreement between Rabbi Kamenetsky and Rabbi Eliashiv, that the second edition would not be banned without Rabbi Kamenetsky first being given an opportunity to defend the work. Indeed, Rabbi Kamenetsky reports that, before the second ban was issued, he sent letters to most of the signatories of the first ban, informing them of this agreement with Rabbi Eliashiv.
Rabbi Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, a signatory to the first ban, did not participate in the second ban, having apologized to Rabbi Kamenetsky, and given his word that he would have nothing more to do with the matter.
Torah sages who support the book
Rabbi Kamenetsky reports that both Rabbi Zelik EpsteinZelik Epstein
Zelik Epstein, also known as Zelig Epstein , was a prominent Orthodox rabbi and rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Shaar HaTorah-Grodno, a private, Talmudical institution in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York, containing a high school, Beis Midrash, and Kollel...
, who was a senior Rosh Yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
in America, and Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch
Moishe Sternbuch
Moishe Sternbuch is the Vice-President of the Rabbinical Court and Chief Rabbi Ra'avad of the Edah HaChareidis in Jerusalem. He resides in Har Nof where he is the rabbi of the local GR"A Synagogue, named after the Vilna Gaon of whom he is a direct descendant...
, a prominent Halachic
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
authority in Israel, read Making of a Godol and fully approved of it. He quoted Rabbi Epstein as stating in a letter to Rabbi Eliashiv that "in my opinion there is no justification whatsoever to ban the aforementioned book." Rabbi Kamenetsky stated that Rabbi Sternbuch rules for anyone who asks him that the book is "Kosher." He quoted Rabbi Sternbuch as exclaiming within earshot of at least 50 people one Shabbos morning after services: "Reb
Reb
Reb is a Yiddish honorific traditionally used for Orthodox Jewish men. It is not a rabbinic title; it is the equivalent of the English "mister"...
Noson, you keep [on] writing - no one can do as good a job as you!"