The local Shomray Torah synagogue on New Scotland Avenue in Albany (affectionately known as “The Shteeble”) often has travelers stopping by on their way to and from Montreal (or other points, in all directions) to join in the prayers.
This New Years 2016 (20th of Tevet, yartzeit of the Rambam – see below) I was praying there with my son and there were two Strulowitz brothers who came for the prayers. They are Satmar Chassidim, originally from Montreal now living in New York State. They have a third brother who passes through this area as well. But the story they shared is about their brother-in-law’s former accountant, a Jew from Vienna (before WWII) named Duvid’l or David.
This David was describing his youth in a close-knit religious community in Vienna (where most pre-war Jews were secular, though that made no difference to Hitler) that had no advanced Yeshiva, but it did have places of learning. The boys who showed Talmudic promise went away to Yeshiva in Hungary or Galicia. He described three boys who left Vienna to go study abroad. One later became the famed Rabbi Padua of London, another (I forgot his name) became a Rosh Yeshiva in Nitra, and the third was Shmulik Wosner.
“Why did Shmulik Wosner go away to study?” recalls this Dovid’l, “He had a farshtopteh kop (a clogged head). The others were geniuses, they showed promise, they were good learners! But Shmulik….” And then says Duvid’l, “Nowadays, whenever I read the Jewish papers, I see Shmulik’s name everywhere, they speak of him like some great Rabbi, what happened to him?”
Indeed, this Shmulik Wosner, who in his youth didn’t show much promise and may have had a clogged head as this Duvid’l recalls, later became one of the greatest Rabbis in Israel! Rabbi Shmuel Wosner studied first in Ungvar and then at Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva in Poland, and later became one of the most widely respected authorities on Jewish Law, authoring more than ten books of learned scholarly responsa!
Mr. Strulowitz added that one of the turning points in Rabbi Wosner’s life was hearing a teacher of his recite the Ahavas Olam prayer before the Shma of the Maariv evening service. It isn’t as long or meaningful as the morning’s pre-Shema edition, but hearing his teacher say it was such emotional power made a deep impression and created a deep yearning in Shmuel’s heart.
My father, Rabbi Israel Rubin (Rabbi at Shomray Torah) has done extensive research and interviews regarding the Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva, and has a feeling that this teacher may have been Reb Shimon’l Zelichover, whose students speak of with reverence and warmth.
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A similar story is told in some biographies of no one less than the great Moses Maimonides, the Rambam! Whether or not this was the case in the Rambam’s youth – the message is the same. They tell similar stories of Albert Einstein’s youth and other under-appreciated geniuses throughout history.
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Obviously the point of sharing this story is not to in any way – heaven forbid – speak negatively of Rabbi Wosner’s youth or anything of the kind. There is no doubt that he later became one of Israel’s greatest Rabbis respected all across the world, and that he authored a great deal of brilliant scholarship and Halachic decisions.
Rather we share this story in order to highlight the important lessons for all of us, educators, teachers and parents – and students, too – including:
a) Don’t underestimate anyone! Don’t write anyone off. Don’t dismiss their potential. Hey, you never know! as the Lotto says. People and life’s turns and twists may surprise you and we should do whatever possible to allow that potential to emerge and blossom.
b) We often don’t know what’s going on in someone else’s head and heart. People are often judged by barometers that are unfair or unreasonable, or without consideration to their unique gifts and talents. It may have been said back in Vienna that he had a clogged head, but who knows what that was based on.
c) Sometimes it takes time, or a different set of circumstances or a special teacher to bring out the best in students. People don’t all shine by the same polish. And like flowers or fruit buds, we don’t all blossom at the same time and in the same season.
d) Willpower can be stronger than brainpower. The eagerness and desire can surpass one’s capacities and open up new channels and discover previously untapped strengths and inner resources.
As the Haggadah tells us all: “Go and learn!”