Rabbi Yerachmiel Garfield – When They Were Young

[Music] Welcome to Inside Art Scroll, where the books that we read and the people that write them come to life. It is a pleasure and an honor to welcome Rabbi Rakhel Garfield to Art Scroll Studios. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Rabbi Garfield, for coming all the way from >> Houston, Texas. >> Houston, Texas. Wow. We don't have people from Houston, Texas here that often. It's the only place that's hotter than here. I think >> that's true. And today's are really hot. >> Yes. >> R Garfield, first of all, Mazletov on a release of a blockbuster book. Thank you. >> Um, when they were young, stories about Gdylum, when they were children, very unique twist and it's a fantastic book. Uh, very attractive to the eye. So, very excited to see where this book goes and Mr. I'm sure it's going to go pretty far. >> Thank you. Thank you, >> Ra Garfield. Before we talk about the book, tell us a little bit about the author. So >> what's your personal professional journey in like 60 seconds? Where are you from? What do you do? >> When I was young, if you >> When Zade was young. >> Yeah. >> I grew up in Philadelphia. Great. >> I went to Shar and Muny for high school. Rabbi Bar Wine. Should be well. >> Who made it into the book? >> Oh yeah. Oh yeah. That's one of the perks of being an author. You get to, you know, put in people that are meaningful to you. And then I went to Suka Shalkis for a while. Narral before he was famous before Miracle Baby. >> Yes. I was an early adopter. Okay. A long time ago when he was only a major London but not a Tati. >> And then I went to Ner Israel. She was ner Israel in Baltimore. Very lucky to be there. My wife's family's from there. Rabbi Slaneski Cook. And then we moved to Atlanta where I was a nth grade rebby for 10 years. And I've been in Houston for 14 years as the manal of the Tmasuraba based uh day school there. >> And my understanding is that the school has exploded. How many students do you have there? >> We had this year 530. Next year we're looking at close to 600. Wow. >> Unbelievable. >> That's fantastic. >> Yeah. We have like over 100 applicants for next year. So, it's really it's really doing well. >> Okay. So, now we know who we're talking to. >> Yes. Yes, indeed. >> And and I think that you're the appropriate type of author to write a book for children. >> Yeah. I spend a lot of time thinking about and children and building children and what messages we want to give them. So, this is very much fits with that. >> I don't know if you've ever seen this, but in Lakewood there's a school. It's called Tashbar on Oak Street. It's right by all the halls. And there's a huge sign in front of the school and it says on it, Khan Bonim Banim, >> which is a great line. We're building. >> Exactly. >> Okay. So, let's let's jump right into the book before we talk about the actual book and we're going to take a look inside it because it's got a really unique and exciting features to it. >> So, what happens one day? You're like lying on a beach chair outside in in Houston, Texas sipping a I don't know, hard lemonade. I know what they drink there. and uh you're like let me write a book a GDL book for kids. I don't think anyone's ever done it about GDL when they were kids. Um is that what happened? Was this something that you've been working on for years? How does the book evolve? >> So in truth, you know, it has been an evolution that's taken some time. I could go way back, but I think the biggest change took place at the Torah convention about five years ago is available on Torah anytime. I asked Van Leansky this question. Should we be teaching children that they could be gdm? That was like a question. Should that be something that we say to kids, you you're the next Scud'll be a >> Why not me? >> Yeah, exactly. We have a cute interchange where I said, "When I grow up, they told me if I learn and I dive and I could be like Ravaran Leansski." He got a kick out of that, you know. So, that was funny. But anyway, he went into a beautiful explanation that what is a guttle? And he said, "We have to tell kids that a guttle is someone who makes the most out of who they could be." He gave a story when he was at a graduation of his son in Eric. The room was full of people and the manal or whatever said stand up. Everyone stand up a god is coming. So everyone stood up. Then he said to the adults, adults sit down. So that the adults sat down and he pointed to the hund and he said one of you is going to be a god be. And he said as a parent he said what if his kid is one of the 99? How is he going to interpret that? He said the message there is a little hard to give to all those kids. So he said the the better message to tell children is everyone has the potential to be great. And so he said this to me in front of a lot of people and it got me thinking about what is a god? What's the message? What do we want? How do we want children to relate to gdole? Should they see them as certainly they should see them as kadeshar but how is that relatable to them? And then the other thing that happened was I started seeing pictures of kids gdole as kids in books and things and I was always taken by that you know it's like fascinating just look at the picture and as someone who works with kids all day and you see the similarities or the connection and you say oh that kid he was just a kid he could have been in my third grade at my school right he could have been in the eighth grade and I started collecting those and that's really when I started collecting the pictures is when I really started to think about the potential for telling stories. And that's sort of how it started. >> That's fascinating. How long did it take you to write the book? >> So once I actually decided I remember I was walking to Nighter. >> It wasn't on the beach chair >> unfortunately. Although perhaps another idea might blossom at a beach chair. I have to take you up on that the hard uh cider but um hard lemonade rather. But uh I was walking tonight. I was thinking about it. I was like that's a book idea. I had read one story. I'll tell you the story. My favorite story. I was reading one story that I really enjoyed and um I was like that is a great story for children to have. I walked into the basement madish and there was a kabusa there. I'm going to do a shout out if I may because it'll make them >> it's Rabbius Stein and Nola in Houston and his talid Arich. >> Okay. >> And they were learning the kabusa eth grader and uh and a cola guy. I told them the idea and they got so excited. I like felt their enthusiasm and then they kept asking me about it and and every time I would mention it to someone I just got, you know, there was just so much enthusiasm about the idea and the story and that's how it began. So that was about a year and a half, maybe two years ago and um, you know, it took some time to solidify how it was going to look and who to do it with and whatever. So the actual writing was about, you know, a year or so. >> And at what point did you approach art scroll? >> So I'm blessed to have a great friend of W Morgan Stern. uh >> very special place. >> Well connected. >> Yeah. He knows he knows some people. >> Yeah. >> So I I tried the idea out on him and he said wow you know it's such a good idea and he was kind enough to connect with Gdalia who I met at another Tormma conference and uh you know the rest is history as they say. >> Beautiful. I just we're going to open the book in a second but I remember like growing up that we didn't see a lot of pictures of Gdam as children. I don't know. I don't think there was so much of an access just generally, >> right? >> But I do remember I learned tells and Rav Gifter was a rashiva. I do remember that picture of Rav Gifter as a child. >> Um, and I always used to think to myself, I remember even as a child thinking this like did he know did he know when he was growing up in Baltimore >> in the early 1900s that one day he would be in LA in Lithuania that one day he would be a powerful that he'd be a Gobl speaking at the Agura convention going to Eritrol and establishing. Did he know? I don't know. I I I'm assuming he didn't. There's a beautiful story about him in the book as a child that he was brought to seek and shim he asked for a braha and shiman said you should love tra he actually said give me a brah I should be a he said or or I should learning he said I can't do that but I could give you a braha that you should love learning >> is that beautiful and that inspired him >> I have seen many or I saw over the years many people go over to and ask him for learning >> and he always had exactly the same response >> what was that >> he said learn and learn and you'll have I can't give you a brush brother a similar thing I can't >> but that's a that's fantastic so if it's okay you know I don't know if the camera could see this but I want to point out a few amazing features first of all I love the fact that you you broke the book into like different sections and what's interesting is that the se the sections are things that children can relate to sensitivity and care tyra greatness doing for others even if it's hard and that's a big theme but that what I really love love loved about it was that every single One of these pages is not just a story. So you get to see the um you get to see the uh the young the young Romero Khadesh. >> Great story about him by the way. You get to see the elderly Romero Kadesh. But that's more you get a little bit of a sidebar who he was very concise. You get a lesson to learn which is amazing. And then you get >> pause and reflect again something to think about and think about a time. And I love this because there are thousands and thousands of stories out there and kids consume the stories. Every Rebby has to have a repertoire of stories. I just know from Alder Band that reach out to me. Oh, I use this story. I use that story. >> But the godless is so what do you do with the story? >> Right. >> Make it relatable. >> Correct. My grandfather always says the story is but what lisa do you do with the misa? So I encourage people to also and also there's a tiny little square on top which has like where they're from, when they were born and what they're known for. This must have taken you a long time to put together. Was it the most challenging part to come up with all the sidebars or what was >> you know each part is its own mixy? I did the the sidebars at the end. The last ones were really a reflection of the editors were like I'd done lessons to learn and some reflection questions but they um I think it was Tovas who's a great editor. She helped me focus on practical come up with scenarios that the kids could relate to. So together we came up with them that fit with the theme. >> I'll tell you something fascinating and I want to use this as a a little bit of a trigger for a question. So last night I was at a wedding in Brooklyn and Rabb Ramshore walks in Ramshore also you know and my seven-year-old son who loves >> um he says I get a bra is is a man who's like he doesn't get you know his external appearance is that's who he is >> there's an intensity >> yeah and I said to my son you know there's a lot of people around him so but I think you're small if you sneak between the people and you stick out your hand. Maybe he'll take it and then ask him for a braha. >> Yeah. >> So he it took him a little bit of you know hesitation but then he pushed himself. He really wanted this and he sneaks through and he puts his hand out and I'm sure takes his hand. >> Wow. >> Quietly whispers to I'm sure he says to him can you give me a braha? >> And the reason I'm telling you this is because I want you to hear the braha that he gave. He said to him you should be and you should learn a lot of that's what he said. He didn't say you should become a god is he didn't say you should become a >> interesting >> he said you should be and you should learn a lot of and I said a I mean I'll take that to the bank but my question is and I guess this is kind of the trigger for the question um so what's a let's start with that what's Rabbi Garfield's definition of aud because the bottom line is you wrote the book you titled them gdylum so who made it in and who didn't make the author's cut >> as much as I'd like to use your Garfield's definition. I think we're going to use Mosha Feinstein's definition if you may >> because it is a bit of a sensitive nuance. I think it's important to base it on gdole Israel and on so the para Mosha is going on a pulse like that inverts Aaron and Moshe and Mosha and Aaron and Rashi says when it says Aaron before Moshe usually it says Moshe before Aaron right >> so Rashi says they're equal as of Moshe equal with all due respect to Aaron you know Mosha spoke to out of it's one of the right one of the basic beliefs is right there nothing like Moshe to say They're schoo. Look at this emotion. It's a beautiful emotion part of he says godless. When it means in their godless, it's because they both actualized the gifts and potential that Hashem gave them. That's they were schoo in their fulfillment of who they were destined to be of their of who they were. And so that's really the definition that we're using of godless that really lejiansky said over and I've heard it in other places that a gull is someone who takes the opportunities the gifts the opportunities the challenges the life all that and makes the most they can out of it and there's there's many kaz about who's who's a benaba it's not the person who's the god in the room and this room it's pushet you know actually >> but you know in a in a room you go to there's 150 200 300 people who who's the god We all know that when we get to Shmayim, it's not going to be so push the Israel that we have will be where they're going to be. But everyone else, it's hard to tell. There's no clear definition. >> So that's the definition of a god. A god for the for the purposes of being children in this way is to tell a kid you're shy to this. You're shy to godless within you and you should embrace that and celebrate that and find that. And so that's an important message that I hope by reading the book it's relatable. You know, arrogal are multi-dimensional. I' I've been blessed in my life to have relationships with some very great people. I grew up in Philadelphia, so I've been exposed to Rebellia and uh Zataletski Shalomi. Many great people. I've I've been lucky. >> They're complicated multi-dimensional people. It's not a one-dimensional human being, right? Anyone who is a well-known figure, you know, he should have racial >> he's a he's a he's a wonderful person, but he's not one-dimensional. >> No. >> Right. He's kind. He's a he's thoughtful. He was an amazing husband, a father, a zeda. There's a lot there. But a lot of times the stories that we read are are single-dimensional or maybe two-dimensional, you know. So the idea here is to bring another dimension of their godless that children could relate to when there was there's a beautiful story. >> Yeah, I was going to say you have to say that story. That's one of my favorite stories. >> It's a beautiful story. The story is when it goes back the way it came about was a camp director was saying to his counselors, make sure you find a kid who's struggling and give them love. So someone asked where did you get that from? I got it from my head counselor. I think his name was fireworker and a good >> Right. Correct. So, so the author of this story or be gold I think he goes back and finds this rabbi fireworker says why did you do this you know so he says because when I was a bucker when I was a camper I had was going through a hard time my grandmother was sick or something I forgot the details you have to read the book and someone was really kind to me and it changed my whole camp experience and who was that Kamitki the counselor what a story right and and how many people are going to be counselors or have opportunities to see a kid who's who's struggling So that's a dimension of that we could all relate to that we could all learn from we could grow to beautiful >> it's fascinating you know in a few weeks I'll be in camp monk for shabas spent some time there so they have a list of all the >> the um color war generals since the camp's inception in the 1940s I think >> wow >> and you look at them they're mayor stern was a color war general in camp monk like you're saying multifaceted and I'm sure he was a great color war general and a great counselor >> and that's really Well, that's really where it started. I I want to push just push back on one thing. If that if your definition Mosha's definition, Rashi's definition of a God is someone that uses their full potential. So why did only Rabonim Malamim make it in here? Why didn't you have a story about Schllemigi gross for example arts girls a great book about him or about some of those lay people or manalim who what made there are some but if they lived schlamus then they're good >> 100%. First of all, Mit Hashem, there'll be plenty of books and opportunity. Yeah. Different themes. We're going to do a whole marketing. >> But the truth is, honestly, the honest answer of which stories are in the book are the ones I came across in that year and a half that I was writing it. Got it. I, you know, certainly didn't do a uh full canvas of every story ever said about people, but uh the stories that I came across that are published that are available, you know, I didn't interview everyone. Tell me a story of your kid. I had to find them in books and stories and interviews that I came across. And so the stories that I came across, those are the ones that I published. And it's it's true if you look at the names, they are a little random. And also in the terms of their notoriety as Gdolan, >> right? I saw like like Rabbi Lavine. I don't think most people ever heard of him, but you did obviously. >> He was my rubbing philosoph. I grew up with him. I grew up with this the lore of him and his family. To me, he was a god. The story really is a example of something that inspired him for life and that we could learn from or or Verski or Rabbi Wine. I mean it's not your normal grouping but they all shared people who accomplished a lot for Claus or for the world and had experiences as a youth that helped make that happen. >> As you were collecting material for this, what what was the most shocking fact, story, idea or concept that came across? Maybe there was none. baby everything was just very like you know placid but >> there are a few I would say something I'm still recovering from as a manal >> okay >> is that Rabavadia yv's manal kicked him out of school for sleeping in class >> yeah wow can you imagine >> like theas that that person I mean there's a story it's in there he he would stay up at night he was bored in class which is a common challenge you know that that I'm gifted I'm gifted to meet him Yeah. Yeah. And uh so he would learn at night and class wasn't engaging him. So he'd fall asleep and then the Rebi was losing losing his mind. What are you sleeping right now? He got upset at him. He's screaming at him. He tried to stay up. He couldn't. He was bored. He was sleeping. So finally the Rebi said to the man, "It's either me or this kid." Yeah. And the Manal, you know, hey, no judgment. No judgment. He said, "All right, >> those were different times, you know." >> Yeah. Today the Manal would have certainly I don't know. Let's not beat up on Manal. I'm here in Art Girl Studio. But >> anyway, so uh he said, "Fine, you have to leave." So on the way out, they they bumped into a famous makubul. I forgot the name. It's in the book again. And he said, "Oh no, you know, you're not you're not kicking out this young boy." >> And he took him back to the Manal and he said, you know, no, not on my watch. This isn't happening. And they put him in. They actually So the Rebi said, "But he's not coming back. I don't care." So they were stuck. So they put him in the next level. And then he wasn't born in class. And you know it's a great story but in that moment think about the father razu's father who came to school to meet the principal who's telling him kicking his kid out little who's falling asleep who's trying to do you know if you were watching that you know what would be the commentary you know you certainly wouldn't be anticipating godless out of this story >> and also the scary thing is imagine had they not met that makoba or whoever is and they would have kicked the kid out of yeshiva >> and he would have gone to work in a grocery store and cla would not have had one of the most amazing leaders and piskin in in 500 years. >> Yeah. >> I mean just the chas of Rabia alone are mindboggling. >> It's such a to be listen speaking to a manal here. You have a kid in your class and think about it. He could be a gal and someone does something positively or negatively and impacts that. >> Absolutely. >> I don't know if you have a story in it because I didn't have a chance to read every single story in here but like >> yet >> yet? No, of course. Not even a not on the way to this we went to last night. My kids the were sitting in the back seat going through the book story by story. So my wife turns around >> and she says to them, "You can't read a book like this fast. >> You need to read one story. >> You need to think about it." >> Oh wow. >> See how it applies to your life and then you can read. I want to give I want to give make a recommendation. >> Yeah. >> To all the parents that are out there um or 80s and bubbies, buy the book first of all. Um read a story every Shabasuda. >> Wow. Isn't that a nice thing? And there's and there's what to do. There's what to unparent. You you read this read the things on the side. Read a little bit about them. And if you're a really good parent, do some research on the gau come up with something else. You could say you could literally have a gym stories every single one of your shabas meals and it'll take you I don't know. >> Yeah. 55 weeks. >> 55 weeks. >> You got a year. >> You got a year. Your Yeah. >> That's beautiful. Um did you find a a contrast in the childhood of that grew up in Europe versus those that grew up in the United States? There weren't that many but there were some raor gifter and and others. There were there were certain themes I mean the poverty it was more of a miserious nephesh a lot of the stories that took place in before the war were stories that people had in nephesh for tyra that really inspired the child to you know appreciate it like there's a story about zev desler when the the parents celebrated a new safer coming out if I remember or there's another another one with the same idea do I remember it where it was like a celebration of tyra through difficulty or through life life and death you know sort of commitment and uh as you get older it's more like finding greatness in in unexpected places in the American scene >> and you think about any of the American bornum like all the odds were stacked against all the odds >> and they didn't go to aradam today >> oh no and the bottom line is the incredible growth of tyra in America which is totally supernatural like were was the work of certain individuals who somehow their gave them the opportunity and they took it and they ran with it. >> Yeah. I I remember as a as as a bak listen we're a similar age bracket here but I remember as a baker my entire misan the whole where everyone sat were all European European you know Holocaust survivors besides Rog Gifter who is also European >> Portsmith Virginia >> yeah but he did learn in town in Lithuania >> our children will never see that but these people who came here as well as the Americans they were the ones that helped to bring terror to life you mentioned when we were chatting offline um that one of your favorite stories in the book is about Rip Schlim is almond. >> Yes. Could you share that with our >> Yes. Yes. I actually referenced it earlier. It was the first one. It was really the first story that I uh found I guess in a funny place. It was in the Shuran journal about it's like a random place in Hebrew and uh it just touched me as a manal as a father and I'll share it with you. When he was a boy, he learned an inkim around his barn mitzvah and there was a young kid who was very smart and they put him a grade ahead and the class did not appreciate this little kid in their class. They were very upset and they didn't treat him as well as they should have. And there was a mug at the time that when there was a bar mitzvah, the whole class would chip in and buy a set of for the bar mitzvah boy and they would come as a class and they would be mame. So when it came time for this boy's bar mitzvah, the class got together and said, "We're not going." >> Boycott, >> boycott, but don't tell anyone. Last minute boycott. No gift. No, we're not coming. We're not participating. A way to show, you know, as eighth graders or whatever that age is could do. Now, take a moment just think for ourselves as a year or 2025 like this happened 100 years ago. >> But I can't say that it could never happen today, right? These are kids. >> Kids are kids. This is of of old, you know. Anyway, comes the bar mitzvah. One boy came with a big gift that was and he said to this boy, "I'm here for you." They ended up being close karus and that boy grew up to be a major avo. First of all, we talk about the dimensions of right and when they sprouted and how they developed and who he was as a child. I mean, this this person had greatness, but but that greatness another kid could have today, right? That story could happen today and a boy could act like today, right? Any boy who's listening to this interview could hear this story and say, you know what, I could do that for my child. >> Let me find that opportunity. >> Yeah, I could do that. And so that really inspired me to to share that story and to appreciate who was in the dimension of his his kindness. >> I knew I knew we had to mention this Rashi right at some point in the interview becomes a >> yeah he goes out of himself and he tries to help other people. Then Rashi says that part of godless was godless happens when a person's able to see outside of themsel and this book has so many precious examples of people as children who just made one little turn to somebody else and who knows if that was the first step towards godliness towards greatness% >> this has been very enjoyable super gishmach um I urge every family out there buy this book um your children will read read it. You should read it. Discuss it with them. And let's set the stage for godless for our children. You know, we need to listen wouldn't wouldn't nurse from an Egyptian mother because one day he was going to be why should our children why should we short change them? Let them let's give them that path to godless. Final question here. When's volume two coming out? I have to get to the beach first. I'm working on it. Mashem, I I'm very excited. I will say to your many viewers, send me your stories. You know, I'd love to find great stories and and broaden the stories to a wider range of of subjects like you mentioned and Mashem, you know, it's uh it's really resonating with people young and old. >> Fantastic. You chef continue to in your special thank you >> in becoming roles man on some level and spreading and uh we should be to see so many of our young children. Thank you very much for being here. Thanks. Heat. Heat. [Music]