From a recent email some people received.....
This Shabbos is the yahrtzeit of the holy tzadik HaGaon Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap ztz"l. Hashem plants tzadikim in every generation so that we can learn from their ways in addition to learning their Torah. Since I have been zoche to learn and spread much of his Torah, I wanted to share some stories from his life to elevate his neshama and our own.
- Humility - It was known among the mekubalim, that souls from the world of truth would come to R' Yaakov Moshe for a tikkun. He explained "They see that in shomayim my soul came from a very high and holy spiritual world. What they don't know is that my deeds in this world do not reflect my elevated source.
- A chossid named Moshe Sheirman was once at the house of the Rov in Shaarei Chesed. During the course of their conversation he said in Yiddish "I am a simple Jew [a poshuter yid]". The Rov said "Halevai that I should merit to be a poshutur yid!"
- When he was young and learned kabbala from his Rebbi, Rav Tzvi Michel Shapiro, whenever someone would want to come into the room they would first put away the kabala sfarim and take out tehillim and only then let the person in.
- Tzidkus - There was a Jew who died without children and left everything to Rav Charlap in his will - including his aprtment. Rav Yaakov Moshe pretended that the possessions were not for him to take for himself and his job was just to be the executor of the will, so he made sure to give everything away, including the apartment [which he lacked himself]. He found a poor talmid chochom who had another positive quality - he was a zealot who made Rav Charlap's life miserable. He was found to be the most worthy and received the apartment.... All Rav Charlap kept for himself was a winter coat and a sefer in order to fulfill the niftars wish that Rav Charlap receive an inheritance.
- R' Yehuda Reeder related - I davened with him for many years in the Gra shul in shaarei chesed and he never criticized anybody. I once put a siddur on a bench where people were sitting and he quietly removed the siddur but didn't say a word to me. Only one time he said something. One time someone was davening in his makom and a person approached him and told him that he is sitting in the Rav's place. Rav Yaakov Moshe quickly ran over and said to leave him alone. A person shouldn't be bothered when davening.
- Rabbi Eliyahu Weissfish was on an airplane going to America and an older man who didn't look particularly religious, sat down next to him. The man first spoke to Rabbi Weissfish in heavily accented English but when Rabbi Weissfish related that he is a Yerushalmi he switched to Yiddish. Upon learning that Rabbi Weissfish was the grand nephew of Rav Charlap ztl"z he told the following story:
When I was a child I was mesmerized by the holy presence of Rav Charlap. It seemed to me that he radiated the Shechina. Even his bekeshe seemed to shine more than anybody elses. I would accompany him to the Gra shul on Friday night, daven in the Chasidic shul and then go back to the Gra shul where he davened and walk him home.
One week I noticed a man who was contorting his face in a strange way. When Rav Charlap came close I understood what he had been doing. He proceeded to empty out the contents of his mouth on the Rav. The Rav didn't look at his aggressor [so as not to feel enmity towards him or maybe so as not to embarrass him] and took out a handkerchief and cleaned his face, beard and clothing as well as he could and then walked home deep in thought. His eyes looked very sad. I wanted to hug and console him.
I now knew that this man was truly an angel of G-d.
The man removed an old picture from his wallet and showed it to Rabbi Weissfish. He explained that he had undergone many difficulties in his life. Whenever he thought to do something he shouldn't have, he looked at the holy Rav and asked himself how he could look at this holy man and veer from the path of Judaism. Everything he has become in this world, he said, is thanks to Rav Charlap. - Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap was once walking down the street with his grandson when he was accosted by a קנאי [zealot] who starting saying horribly insulting things to him. His "sin" was that his Rebbi was Rav Kook whom the zealots could NOT STAND. Rav Charlap's grandson was appalled and wanted to answer the man but the Rav gently grabbed his arm to calm him down and to signal him to remain silent.
When they passed him Rav Charlap explained: A wealthy man once wanted to buy Rav Kook an apartment. Rav Kook said that he didn't need one but that he should give it to me. The man agreed and offered it to me. I ALSO didn't want a beautiful new apartment because I was satisfied with what I had. So I found this poor man and gave it to him in such a way that he wouldn't know it came from me. So he doesn't even know that the people he holds in such contempt gave him a free apartment.
- Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein [the son in law of Rav Eliyashiv] said that Rav Charlap looked like a holy angel. Just looking at him brought one to a feeling of fear of heaven.
- A teaching - Avraham was told by Hashem that he should go to Eretz Yisrael for his own pleasure. From here we learn that one is only properly mekayim the mitzva of living in Israel unless he feels the Israel is not only spiritually superior to all other lands but physically as well.
- THERE IS SO MUCH MORE AND I COULD WRITE HUNDREDS OF PAGES WORTH - BUT SHACHARIS BECKONS:-). I hope to continue at a later date in some framework.
