Rav Avrohom & Shimon Lefkowitz — Reb Baruch Mordche Ezrachi

[music] >> Welcome to Inside Our Scroll, where the books that we read and the people that write them come to life. On today's Inside Our Scroll, we actually don't have the author, but we are extremely honored to have two of Crowley Israel's most beloved brothers, Reb Avraham and Reb Shimon Lefkowitz, Lakewood Flatbush Flatbush is out of town, right? >> [laughter] >> Um and the book that we've come to discuss, which is a beautiful book, super motivating. You want I told Rabbi Yisrael Besser, who is the very talented author, Yisrael Besser, that after I read a third of the book or quarter of the book, I wanted to just go learn. Like that's the Avodas Hashem that the book was able to foster. So the book is about Reb Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi. I know the Lefkowitz mishpacha was super close to Reb Baruch Mordechai, and we're here to talk a little bit about your personal relationship to Reb Baruch Mordechai, share with us some insights and some stories, and I think this is going to be a snapshot, a window into a small percentage of the book. So if the oilam enjoys this conversation, the book is a hundred times better than whatever this conversation could be. And listen, Reb Baruch Mordechai was a million times better than anything a conversation could be. So let's begin. Um Reb Avraham, we'll start with you. What was the first time in your life that you ever met Reb Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi, the the noted Rosh Yeshiva personality Marbitz Torah? So Reb Baruch Mordechai was in our house for I think over 45 years. But we knew him also when we went to Eretz Yisrael for Yom Tov. And we spent Shabbosos and Yom Tov meals in his like um uh uh 200 square foot apartment. And he had talmidim over there, and that's where we were exposed to his talmidim, to his energy, to his Kavod HaTorah, to his Limud HaTorah. How old were you when you like Do you remember as a little child? We were Shimon, I think we were maybe 10 and 11. 10 and 11 years old. And all of a sudden a big personality pops into your life. It made us proud that that we were connected to such a great Rosh Yeshiva. Reb Shimon, how how did that connection happen? How did Reb Baruch Mordechai find your father and your mother? You know, it's that that's it's we're still trying to figure that one out. Um someone had made the connection. Um and uh I still remember um the first time he came to our house was, I believe, uh it was Purim time. Maybe before, a little bit before. Um and uh he was a new young Rosh Yeshiva who uh uh was just coming on the scene, as they say. Obviously, his learning was preceded this. But uh he was just at first sight, he was somebody at first sight. Didn't matter if he's 21, 28, you you saw him, you just fell in love with him. The way he presented himself, the way he's dynamic in in and you could see already, this is this Rosh Yeshiva is going to be heard from for many years. So um we we were we were we always felt so special. We came whether like my brother Reb Avraham said, well, the whether we were in Eretz Yisrael, whether we were there for Shabbos, and he spent a lot of Shabbosos with us in America as well. And um it was always a special treat. He was He always showed interest. It didn't matter who was at the table, he was um interested in everyone, and he gave people attention. Used to talk to Didn't matter if you were uh uh young, old, or if you were uh what type of uh Yid you were. Yid you were. He He He loved all Yidden, obviously. And he would always find the right thing to say. That was the incredible thing. He always found the right thing to tell people. As chizuk or a a compliment or a little bit of a jab? Uh I wouldn't call it a jab, more like constructive advice. And uh it it just it was it was a special special relationship. I have to say that you know, there are many Roshei Yeshiva that they come across, they're known for their their godliness and learning. And some are known for their godliness in chizuk HaTorah. But I believe he had so many different facets about him. It just wasn't just about the learning, which you know, we we we all know one day he could talk in Kodshim, the next day he could be in Yevamos. And I shouldn't say the next day, next hour. He would go and give chaburos. Uh I first remember the Yarchei Kallah. Um I think I maybe I'm jumping ahead. If I am, I'm sorry. >> Go ahead. But uh in the Yarchei Kallah, he would come to Yarchei Kallah and he'd give on whatever the sugiyah was. Uh he didn't need much preparation. They told him, you know, but he I I Upon finishing, he was heading over to give a shiur to uh someone else in a different Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. And that's besides his own Yeshiva. Uh uh But but just from one to the other. So So besides his learning, it just There were so many facets facets about him. He had his camp that he he brought so many so many uh Yidden back to their roots and to to Torah. to Torah to Torah. And there's so many stories. I know so many stories that are in the book that uh that uh that we we we just amazed that he would would talk to the way he would present it. Um there were many people who would uh take to it, and they um they they became big bnei Torah. Even members of his Yeshiva. He had the Reb Baruch Mordechai We should We should take a step back here, cuz I don't know if everyone knows about the camp. Do you want to share with us a little bit about about his camp? So um >> [clears throat] >> I just want to mention something about what Shimon said. You know, when Reb Baruch Mordechai gave a shiur, it just wasn't a shiur. It wasn't uh to give over his mahaloch in the sugiyah. It was a production. It was like I would say l'havdil, it's like you're watching an event, a sports event. It was exciting. At the Yarchei Kallah, everyone looked forward to his shiur. And they were on their edge of their seats saying, okay, what's he going to say? How is he going to respond? >> at a good Yarchei Kallah you're talking about? Is that a good Yarchei Kallah? But anytime he spoke, it was just it was exciting. It was exciting. He brought an energy and a shlavus and a simchas HaTorah that we've seen. I mean, we we had many Roshei Yeshiva in our house. We had many rabbonim in the house, and they're all very chashuv. Reb Reb Mordechai, it was explosive when he he engaged with us. And the other thing that Shimon said that about the his his uncanny ability of focusing in and understanding people. I spoke to him, and I'm sure Shimon spoke to him also, um just on personal things. And he was able to engage and get down to the bochur to that level that, wow, I'm talking to a friend. And that compassion, that empathy that he had, that's that stays with us. If I want to be a ben Torah, if I want to be a maggid shiur, he's the maggid shiur I would like to be. That's who you emulate. Yeah. That's beautiful. Let's go back to the camp. So cuz I think this is one of the most interesting thing I did not know about this. I knew about Russia, but I didn't know about the camp in Eretz Yisrael. And it's a big part of his life. Um he had all the backing of the gedolim in so many different ways. Reb Share with us a little bit about what was this camp? So the camp, as far as I know, was a camp which went on for a sometime in the summer, maybe a week, maybe 10 days. And here's the interesting fact how Reb Baruch Mordechai, Roshei Yeshiva they usually they take time off. Dacha. He dacha. But his dacha was being with uh boys and teenagers which had no affiliation at all with Yeshiva and trying to embrace them and engage them and give them a tam of Yeshiva. So he had his Yeshiva bochurim, and they had a matzav there, as we say today. And his famous uh I guess crescendo was his his speech that he gave to them, the famous story with the Netziv, how uh he said that when he make a siyum, that uh they would have had a ta'anah if he would have never written his Meishiv Davar and his Ha'amek Davar. And um and he was an orator. And people were just staring and almost uh mesmerized and caught in his web. And they went on to be tremendous talmidei chachamim and frum Yidden. These are secular or very unaffiliated with with with Yeshivas. >> Or definitely people who didn't have the the bnei Torah experience. Yeah. Um and they Yeah, like if you you're you have to read the book to see this, how he hopped them with his dynamism 100%. >> But he'd ask them He'd set up a sugiyah, a whole scenario, and then there would be fire, and there would be a fireworks show between this this And then a bochur would say a good point. Who said that? Who said that? To get Reb Baruch Mordechai's attention, that you said a good vart, was literally what propelled the kid to go to Ateres, to go to the Yeshiva. Just that alone. Just unbelievable. Super dynamic. It's so interesting what you were saying before, Reb Shimon, that he could relate to anyone, and he knew The book opens and I'm not going to give it away in a in a bomb shelter while they're getting pounded and he's literally going around to every type and stripe in in the bomb shelter and giving them exactly the his that they need and he's a bocher. And he's a bocher. And he just took that and he grew with it. Okay, beautiful. What did did as you became bochurim and learning and listen, you're 10 and 9, I'm sure the left goods house 10 and 9 was already a bocher but like 15, 16, 17, 18, did you bring your friends to the house? Did they did you get did they get an exposure to Reb Baruch Mordechai or was it was a left goods family secret? You know, definitely our good friends we we you know, who used to congregate and Baruch Hashem our house was always was always buzzing with my friends, or Avram's and so so getting an opportunities to the the their memories. It was a interesting story that I I'm not sure if it's in the book. I don't know if it made it to the book. The London School of Jewish Song. Yigal Salanik. Yeah, of course. We're all dating ourselves right now, but it's okay. The first year that they came, we had six boys, I believe and um uh one of the I guess one of the Yigal's assistants and at that time uh it was a very uh Hamish atmosphere in the house and um it ended up that Reb Reb Baruch Mordechai was uh um s- was sleeping staying downstairs and um uh the London School came that that uh they flew in on that day and they're very jet lagged. They were up the whole night. So, what does a what do boys do when they um they have jet lag and they come from London especially? What's the sport that they It was about soccer. So, there was a ball down on the in the basement and um they started playing and kicking the ball around. And Reb Baruch Mordechai was happened to be in the same area and um uh one of the boys by mistake kicked the ball and it landed right on the Reb Baruch Mordechai. >> Mordechai. Reb Baruch didn't flinch and uh he he uh he he just you could see, you know, some people would be so can I and more than night this and that. He wasn't can I. I believe it was in the restaurant. He kicked it back or like he he >> [laughter] >> That part I don't know if we could talk about. That part definitely will not be in the book. Right. We're not Yeah, I'm not sure if this will even be in the book. But um but like I said, he was uh his his his heart, his his presence was open to everyone. And he when we I just like to re- I know it's we're we're reiterating um he knew what which crowd he knew his crowd. He knew who to speak to he knew what to speak about. If it was a good convention, he knew. If it was Yeshiva Show Bnei Torah, he knew what to talk he knew how to talk to them. He just was able to connect with that group with that crowd. And that's that's an unbelievable trait, you know, when you have a Rosh Yeshiva who's >> [snorts] >> you know, you you're you're going to you feel you feel like you predict what he's going to say, but not him. He would come out of nowhere. He'd come up with with with he'd bring out an idea that that it's just you know, but it was for that crowd and that crowd caught on to it and they they just it was a You know, one he came to the curl a number of times in Lakewood and he spoke for us also in in Brooklyn, but I remember one time he walked in and he says, "Okay, what's all heading?" So, I told him something and he stopped. He was prepared with something totally different. And I just saw him stand there for 30 seconds. Oh, okay. He had it. He came in and he spoke to the curly and go light as young go light, not just generally, you know, he understood exactly how Shimon how Shimon was describing him. As we grew older, we grew a tremendous appreciation and it was almost like an honor that we had someone like Reb Baruch Mordechai. And also I assume you know, when we used to go there to stroll you know, he's a Litvish Rosh Yeshiva. But Melaveh Malkah, do you remember the Melaveh Malkah? >> Sure. He had Melaveh Malkah >> in the morning. And it was like like a tish and the the the the just the niggunim and the uplifting was >> There was some bochurim there as well who who played a keyboard. >> They had a keyboard, they can imagine. This is Yeshiva, right? You know, a keyboard, but he he understood that there's another dimension to Torah or the most important dimension to Torah and it's to learn it be simcha. And it should be which is needed because like you know, if someone's just going to learn and not have that enjoyment and realize that Torah could be exciting he made it exciting. His picture is hanging in your shul, correct? His picture is hanging You want to talk Share share what I mean. Shimon, you could say that the table Oh. Yeah. Our our dining room table >> [clears throat] >> which when we were growing up we were younger was a was a small table, the dining room table. And many gedolim visited. My parents had Baruch Hashem we were exposed to many many gedolim, Reb Moshe, Reb Yaakov, Novominsk Rebbe, we had Reb Ovadia Yosef there and we also had Reb Baruch Mordechai. And the table as we grew and the family grew, so we had a they my parents had to make a decision whether or not it's going to be the small table or we should buy a new table and both my parents insisted so many gedolim sat at this table that uh we should keep it and just enlarge it. And he had a custom furniture person enlarge the table and Reb Baruch Mordechai sat at that table, that dining room table. Um but besides that, we have a round table. And this is really uh something he inscribed in his farm. I don't know how many farm did he write at that round table. So, the round dining room table and he sat there for hours and hours. Here's the scene. Reb Baruch Mordechai gets off the plane, comes in with his luggage, puts it in the room and makes a bee line straight to the table and he sits there for hours. Do you remember Shimon like people used to come to visit him? Sure. And the table they they stood there. They couldn't interrupt him. It's like they stood like 10 ft away and he would not be I yeah, I have to say my recollection I have never seen him in our house besides maybe eating at the in the kitchen table I have never seen him anywhere else. I've never seen him on the couch. I've never seen him on the phone. He was at that round table. This I'm sure there's a picture there are pictures in the book of the of him at that round table. That was it. That's where we knew I I I I if you ask me to think of another another place in our house where he was it wasn't. He was never there writing on the table with swarum all opened just writing and writing and many times oblivious to what's going on in the house. Never things could have you know, kids kids kids young kids people coming in and talking. It was oblivious. He didn't say, you know, like he didn't request or I need a more quieter place. He was just closed out to the world and he wrote and wrote and wrote. Yeah. And uh Many swarum written. >> Yeah, sure. >> Do you know what else um One one second. So, why is his picture hanging in your shul? Oh. Why is his picture hanging in your shul? So, the table um after my after my mother passed away so, we had to decide what we're going to do with the table. So, I have to give credit to our sister Rochala and she said, "You know what? It's befitting that the table should be in the curl and continue to do what had what it did all those years um enhance and have people sitting there learning Torah." So, we brought it into the curl into the Yitzer. It fit perfectly as if it was custom made for it. And we wanted the people to have an appreciation that they're sitting on Shulchan Orech. Zeh ha shulchan lifnei Hashem. That's what it says on the table on the plaque. >> And there's a picture of all the gedolim in the table. And people like it's it's it's a landmark. Wow, I could touch the table that Reb Baruch Mordechai learned at. And and people should know, if you're in Lakewood or the surrounding towns, they should come to your shul. What's the address? Um Address 940 East Kennedy. >> 940 East Kennedy. You walk in the ultra swarum, that table is there and all of its honor and you can see which gedolim sat there. I I learned at that table. It was very special. Oh, you did? Yes, I learned at that table. So, now I can put another picture up. >> [laughter] >> I have to say I have to say we've gone on this conversation probably 15, 20 minutes maybe. We didn't mention much about my father. Olive Shalom. I think we should we should >> how that came I mean, your father brought him to you. So, let's talk. >> brought him. My father was his was his go-to person when it came to fundraising, when it came to just guiding him, when it came to the baal batish velt of how to approach different people. He signed on loans. My father I still remember because after he was nifter, I there was still he had signed on and he had postdated checks to uh to the the person who who gave the loan and um my father was was just his it was like a brotherly connection. Really was. Reb Boruch Mordechai said I think at the levaya after he was my best friend. That's a compliment. >> friend. Cuz everyone felt that he was their best friend. You read the book. It is unbelievable how many people alone are in the book. And we need to give credit to Yisroel Besser cuz there's so much information there's so many divrei Torah beautiful divrei Torah in there and he just manages like just everything just flows so beautifully. How did the kesher happen between the Lefkowitzes and Yisroel Besser and Reb Boruch Mordechai? That's what we need to know. So I was at a convention approximately 3 years at the convention. Yes, around approximately 2 years ago. And um I was always in the back of my mind I said who else is going to talk about writing a book? So it has to be us and I mentioned I mentioned to my brothers I said you know we have to do something there was such a connection and he was a he was such a a special uh uh a godol a special So I said you know but you know how things go you're moving on in life and time's moving on. Also Sruly Besser I was at the convention doing one of the meals and Sruly Besser comes over to me as I'm walking >> [snorts] >> to I guess I was going to head to the washing station. He says Shimon what's about a book on Reb Boruch Mordechai? So I said I know we're thinking about it but you know how things go he says you've got to write it you've got to write it. And Yisroel Besser and I we go back we you know I knew his grandfather of course Reb Chatzkel and his father because of my father's relationships and so we were we we always met each other and I said I said Sruly I said you know I I want to do it. He says listen to his credit he says I don't care if I don't write this book. I don't have to write this book but this book has to be written no qualms about it. So I said Sruly you are the you are the star what Reb Boruch Mordechai is to the godol you are to I I told him he was sitting here I said you're Klal Yisroel's pen. >> [laughter] >> Ooh that's good I like that line. And I said you're the person and I I just took a step back he said he has such enthusiasm who else than other than Sruly Besser should write this book and I said Sruly let's do it I'm ready we made the decision right then and there and a few weeks later you know it just it just went on but but he was you know he kept on saying by the way it doesn't have to be me I said no Sruly we're doing it we're doing it with you let's let's get together let's work out the arrangement and let's go ahead. And I told him there's one thing I want from this book exactly what you said a few minutes a few minutes ago. When a person finishes reading this book he's ready close it jumps into the Beis Medrash and starts learning takes out of Chaim takes out of takes out of uh Walks over to his round table and he sits down and learns. And just learns and that's what I wanted I want people to be excited the gishmak of the way he he he learned he made it so such a gishmak when he would sit down and I had occasion to talk to him learning of course I talked to him a lot more learning but I don't know and and he I was just so excited when I finished learning with him I said I can't believe it everything didn't matter what Sugya whatever I had a question on something sat down he made it so gishmak and I said that's what I want this book Sruly put that's if we can accomplish that it's worth it everything's worth it. I think that this book is so important and critical for today's Yeshiva bochur because it gives them an insight how someone can learn and have that excitement and have that gishmak and it's so important today we get so distracted with exciting things other exciting things learning could be gishmak learning could be something and you Also Olam Haze it's not just Olam Haba. Right. Right. Right. And you you feel it so tangibly it's unbelievable. >> Really. It's unbelievable. That's great. >> And I'm here to say I'm I'm hopeful that your your hope will be realized and and your goal as well that Yeshiva bochurim you know like bottom will open up the book and they'll they'll get a hashkafa Torah and they'll be like you don't have to be a godol to love learning and ahava Torah is for everybody and by the way it's not just for men this book cuz there's a lot about his rebbetzin who was a superstar you know rebbetzin is acronym for rebbe bitzina right? She was huge part of his hatzlacha and she herself was a tremendous educator and we the time is short we should do another another interview but like there's a lot a lot of to learn from this book history people middos divrei beautiful divrei Torah one after the next and um my my advice is buy it um make sure you block out some time and I don't know if you'll be able to put it down which is always a problem with Sruly Besser's books and to continue to to inspire us um I'm >> If I could say one thing just only because Reb Shimon I always want to listen to you. I've got to mention my our mother. You know what I'm sorry to interrupt but I I was just going to say the same [laughter] thing I said we can't stop before >> to tell it's a story about my mother. Mrs. Shoshana Lefkowitz correct? Mrs. Shoshana Lefkowitz and the middos of Reb Boruch Mordechai after my father was nifter at the Beis Aharon Reb Boruch Mordechai said we are not going to stop coming to we your mother was always the ba'al habayis of the house and how could I not I'm not going to come because Reb Yisroel's not here anymore? I would just devastate her that was her life when he used to come my mother would work around her vacations with my father so that when Reb Boruch Mordechai's coming we got to be here because she used to prepare the meals for him and and whatever he needed set up the the the room and accommodations. But he said he said we cannot I cannot not come and of course we worked out all the the problems if you know whether there might be yichud and all that stuff but it all worked out and but he was insistent that he is going to come what a what a middos of a godol. And uh that that multi-faceted person who could be the Rosh Yeshiva the orator the maggid shiur and the unbelievable mensch and person and thinking of the other person's feeling. That's something we all could aspire to. Thank you so much this is a treat it was a pleasure. Let's get another book out there so we could do something else or maybe we should do I don't know episode two? Actually I think you so much have a lot of Thank you so much. [clears throat] >> [music]