The Short Vort
Good Morning!
Today is Monday the 21st of Iyar 5781 and May 3, 2021
R’ Avrohom Aronovitch ZT”L
As Klal Yisroel collectively sits in mourning over the horrific tragedy which occurred on Lag B’Omer, I have an additional personal sadness on this particular day.
Today is the fourth Yahrtzeit of Rav Avrohom Aronovitch.
Rav Aronovitch was a special man; he was a teacher of Torah.
He was the first person in town to make sure we all observed the Mitzvah of not wearing Shatnez.
He was a wonderful father and husband to his family.
Yet, to me, he was my friend.
Rav Avrohom had a unique trait about him; he had a gigantic “Ayin Tov” (looking at things from a positive perspective).
If he heard something about someone less than complimentary, he would always put a positive spin on it.
His smile lit up the world.
Rav Avrohom always had a smile on his face.
When I would visit him towards the end of his life when he was already confined to his bed, he always greeted me with a smile.
He not only talked the talked, but he also walked the walk, literally.
When he walked home from Shul with his sons and came to the corner of Van Houten and Pennigton, he would never cross the street until the light turned green.
Everyone crosses the street even if the light is red. You can clearly see all the down Pennington in both directions.
The street itself is not especially wide or dangerous; yet, Rav Avrohom would not cross until the light changed green.
When his sons asked him why- after all, there was no danger, he replied, “True, however, perhaps a non-Jew would see them and think Jews are not law-abiding citizens.”
I must confess when I walk down Van Houten, I think of Rav Avrohom when I reach the corner and I think to myself, “Rabbi Aronovitch would wait until the light turns green.”
During the week- after the final Mincha- which could have almost one hundred attendees, over ninety percent of them would leave and not remain for the Shiur between Mincha and Maariv.
There is nothing wrong with such conduct; there are many Maariv minyanim later in the evening.
If Rabbi Aronovitch was at the last Mincha, he would always stay for the Shiur even when he was not planning to daven Maariv until later on in the night to show Kavod (respect) to the Rav. He would sit down and listen and participate in the Shiur.
He was a giant in Midos Tovos.
He constantly found the good in people and never allowed the challenges of life to depress him.
He rarely spoke about himself. Yet, one time he confided the following.
When he traveled by subway to Sloan Kettering for treatments, a colossal escalator brought people from the subway platform to the street level.
There must have been one hundred steps from the subway platform to the street level, and therefore, Rav Avhrohom-especially in his weakened state- relied on the escalator.
One day he alighted from the train, and the escalator was not working.
He looked up at the mountain of steps before him and could not imagine how he could reach the top.
Yet, given that he had no choice, he put his head down and began to climb one step at a time.
When he finally reached the top, he turned around and could not believe he scaled the mountain.
Indeed, Rav Avrohom scaled the mountain of life.
I miss him.
Yehi Zichro Baruch.
May his memory be a blessing.
“If Not Now, Then When?”- Hillel
Ron Yitzchok Eisenman
Rabbi
Congregation Ahavas Israel
Passaic, NJ
