Yahrzeit Rav Elchonon Wasserman zt"l

 Rav Elchonon’s yahrzeit 

It is a people (am) that shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations (goyim) (23:9).

The Beis Halevi expounds this pasuk as follows:  If the Jewish nation is alone, living in a literal ghetto or a self-imposed spiritual ghetto, it will dwell securely, but if it wants to live amongst the nations and mimic their way of life, then they shall not be reckoned, because they will lose their superiority over the nations. 

Rav Elchonon Wasserman was in London collecting for his yeshiva.  Rav Sternbuch, who was a boy at the time, was present during his speech in a shul in London when he expounded this pasuk differently.  He said that “goy” refers to a nation united by a common territory, like all the nations of the world, whereas “am” refers to a group of people with a common language, dress code or other customs, which, notwithstanding the lack of a common territory or state of its own, is still considered to be one nation. 

Bilaam was saying that the Jewish nation shall dwell alone, because we are a solitary holy nation with no connection to the other nations, and as for being a goy with a state of our own, we attribute no significance to that, as we are distinguished as a nation without having our own territory, and the reason we yearn to live in Eretz Yisroel is on account of its sanctity and the mitzvos which can only be observed there, but our national essence is not dependent on living there.

He continued to expand on this theme, even though his audience was becoming sparser by the minute, as the majority consisted of Zionists, who walked out in protest.  Rav Sternbuch recalls that by the time he had finished, there was barely a minyan left.  Rav Elchonon, who knew from experience what the likely response to his words of rebuke would be, and the consequent loss of donors, explained to the amazed questioners who remained, that it was his duty to increase Kavod Shamayim (the Honor of Heaven) regardless of the consequences.  Hashem has guaranteed the eternity of Torah and Torah learners, and He would surely find a way to maintain his yeshiva even without the support of these potential donors.

Rav Elchonon was solely concerned with fulfilling Hashem’s will, regardless of the consequences, following in the footsteps of his teacher, the Chofetz Chaim, from whom he absorbed his greatness.  Rav Elchonon’s was murdered 83 years ago on 11 Tammuz 5701.  Rav Sternbuch recalled how Rav Elchonon lived with a pure and simple faith that all of life’s trials are divinely ordained.  His holy image and desire to fulfil the Will of our Father in Heaven remain before Rav Sternbuch’s eyes and still inspire him.