Rabbi Avrohom Hertz at Shloshim for Harav YM Hertz in Bensonhurst

In memory and honor of the my dear community ambassadors and my father who was here many times and he really loved to be here. So, today we mark the occasion the 30th [clears throat] day since the passing of my dear father Rabbi Gavriel ben Yitzchok who passed away on Daled Tammuz, the fourth day of Tammuz, today, after Gimmel Tammuz, the day of the passing of the Rebbe, on a Friday morning. Many years ago, the Rebbe shared a profound insight into the portion of the Torah that Shabbos Parshas Korach. We know that Korach challenged Moshe and Aaron because he desired the position of the Kohen Gadol. >> [clears throat] >> But after Korach's downfall, the people proclaimed "Moshe emes v'Torah emes." Moshe is true and the Torah is true. The Rebbe explains that Korach's challenge was not only about being a Kohen Gadol in the priesthood, at its core, it was an attack on the Torah itself, whose very foundation is emes, truth. Moshe represented unwavering truth. True peace can only exist when it's built on the firm foundation on Torah and emes. As the Mishna teaches in Pirkei Avos, "Al shlosha d'varim ha'olam kayam, al ha'din, v'al ha'emes, v'al ha'shalom." The world stands on three pillars, justice, truth, and peace. Peace can endure only when it rests upon justice and eternal truth of Torah. This teaching reminds me so much of my father. He was a man who stood firmly for the truth of Torah. He was never afraid to express his opinions in matters of halacha, communal affairs, or personal guidance. Every day of his life reflected Torah and heavens. During the Shiva, many stories were shared and one theme emerged repeatedly. A number of rabbonim remarked that whenever difficult halachic issues were discussed at rabbinical meetings, my father would express his view clearly, briefly, and directly. As one rob said, "Kolea el asiro." He spoke without concern for popularity. His only concern was, as we heard before, "What is the truth according to Torah?" One story especially captures who he was. Someone once sold my father a used car. >> [clears throat] >> This person shared the story at the Shiva. Shortly after he was stopped by a police officer, cuz one of the brake lights was not working. He received a ticket and was required to appear in court. >> [snorts] >> When my father stood before the judge, the judge asked him, "Have you ever checked the brake lights on any of your previous cars before this?" Without hesitation, my father answered, "No, your honor, I never have." The judge immediately realized he was standing before an exceptionally honest man. Here was someone who was not trying to make excuses or say whatever might help his case. He simply told the truth, even though it wasn't necessarily to his advantage. The judge dismissed the case without imposing any fine. That story says so much about my father. He believed that truth is not something to use only when it's convenient. Truth is a way of life. I always remember a beautiful teaching my father would used to quote. There's a verse, "Emes me eretz tisma." Truth shall spring forth from the earth. So, there's a question with us, if truth is on the ground, why don't we find people that are honest? Why don't people find it more easily? The answer, my father said, is that to find something on the ground, one must first be willing to bend down. One One must humble oneself. Many people are unwilling to humble themselves in the search of truth. My father was. Throughout his his life, he searched tirelessly for the truth, no matter where it led. >> [clears throat] >> As a young man, together with my mother and their three young children, my father [clears throat] left everything familiar and moved to London. 60 years ago, 60 years he was a shliach in London. They knew very few people. They They made that courageous decision because he believed this is what the truth and his shlichus were leading him. On his very first Shabbos in London, he attended a shul. It was called the Scottish people upstairs in Hendon, where the minyan was held. There he met a 19-year-old man, Alex Sandor, who shared the story going to shul. My father introduced himself and said, on the first Shabbos he came, "I'm a Lubavitcher chossid, the shliach of the Rebbe. I came to London to teach Torah and Chassidus. If you have some friends, I'd like to I'd love to learn with you." Alex gathered some young men, and my father began learning with them Torah and Chassidus and giving regular shiurim. What started as a small group of fewer than 10 young men, eventually became the nucleus of the community of the shul in King's Way. It was a powerful example of how how one person, guided by the truth of Torah and deep sense of mission can plant seeds that grow into a thriving Jewish community. Years later, my father and mother decided to come to visit my wife and I in Manchester and spend time with our Chabad community. From the moment he arrived, he felt the special warmth and sincerity of the community. Together with my mother, he joined us in shul for the public reading of the Aseres Hadibros, the Ten Commandments. Looking around the shul and seeing so many children that year gathered to hear the Ten Commandments was an afternoon we made a special program for the children. Filled him with tremendous joy. And it gave him immense nachas to witness Jewish children and families embracing Torah with such enthusiasm. [clears throat] He marveled at what had been built here and was deeply encouraged by the growth of the community. Looking back, it is clear this was the story of my father. Whether standing before a judge with complete honesty, searching relentlessly for the truth of Torah, leaving everything behind to build Jewish life in London, or rejoicing in the growth of Jewish life here in Manchester, he lived every day according to the principle of emes. May we honor his memory and follow his example living lives guided by the eternal truth of Torah, seeking truth with humility, and bringing genuine and lasting peace to those around us. That way may his precious soul have a good aliyah and neshama have an aliyah. And may we soon witness the fulfillment of the verse of Kitzu Veraninu Shaykh Yakov together with coming of Mashiach and may it be in our days, amen. >> Amen.