Yesterday, was the 132nd Yahrtzeit of Rav Hirsch ZT”L

Rav Hirsch wrote the following words on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Kehila.

The Achievements of the Kehillah in Frankfurt

THE KEHILLAH WAS FOUNDED by eleven members. Now, after 25 years, it has 325 members; two schools with an enrollment of 470 boys and girls, a mikvah

(the mikvah of the 'official Kehillah' was sealed up by its leadership, in order to enlarge their synagogue!); three kosher butcher shops, three bakeries, three hos- telries, a synagogue with a thousand seats. The bachurim and baale batim, who are graduates of the school-set aside regular periods for the study of Torah daily, the women again cover the hair of their heads, and learn from their daughters the \ways of tz'nius.

(Collected writings, vol. 4, pp. 274, 303, 339)

Rav Hirsch was a maverick! Reestablishing Orthodox Judaism in Germany.

Yet, Rav Hirsch was also very careful never to hurt anyone’s feelings- even a non-Jew.

Most of the English teachers were not Jewish.

One day, Rav Dovid Zvi Hoffmann- a Rebbe in the Yeshiva- came to talk to Rabbi Hirsch during the afternoon.

After a few minutes Rav Hirsch said, “Of course I love conversing with you on Torah topics. However, I am the Headmaster of the school and now is English time. I am supposed to be available to speak with the English staff and deal with their issues. It might be a Chillul HaShem if we continue talking as they will think I favor the Hebrew staff over them. That is not proper.”

Rabbi Hirsch loved learning Torah, but, he loved even more sanctifying the name of HaShem.

“If not now, then when?”- Hillel

Ron Yitzchok Eisenman

Rabbi, Congregation Ahavas Israel

Passaic, NJ