CHAZAQ's Torah Talks #223 Rabbi Yonah & Shlomo Landau - The Life & Legacy of Rabbi Yaakov Yosef

He's saying that there was sort of a wild wild west type in New York. It's all over the place. Everyone was able essentially to declare himself a rabbi. This is culture. This is not culture. There was an understanding even among themselves that and and obviously back in Europe the United States was considered the typhen of Medina. And there was a certain understanding from the kahillas back here that they needed to have a stronger backbone. that triggered a search. So that there was 18 different gahillas that they officially went out on a search. Uh you know they would went off to Europe to find a chief rabbi. Today's episode is sponsored by Borism Tax Planning and Advisory. Schedule your free tax strategy session online and get started now. Call us at 212-430-6881 to learn more. >> Welcome everyone to tonight's program, the Torah Talks, Kazak's Tuesday night program. We have amazing special guests. Um, today we have a very important topic, the life and legacy of Rabak and we have Rabbi Lando and his son Landau. Welcome. Welcome. So um before we before of course we want to talk about the the chief rat the first chief rat by of New York could you just give us a small background about about yourself? Yeah, I was born after the war in Hungary and then in stay I not remember I was a kids because they everybody was good they killed the Jews then there >> what year did you come to when was the America >> 47 I was a baby >> was the boy >> no before them really before them a few years before them I was small kids and we went to the the the school went in English in Jewish in the sat was make the big reb a school for Eden and it is told for everybody have to go for English also >> that's you have to go in business not can this this is no no good >> everything so music was I guess so my my father was born in November of 1947 and they were seen in Hungary. >> Hungary. >> Uh they immigrated to the United States when he was a 14 or 15 year old boy. >> 15. >> How old were you? We obviously >> eight or nine years old. Eight or nine year old boy. They immigrated to the United States and uh he was attracted to Satner. Sat of course came down to the United States. He settled first. You know, there was a bunch of other at that point, but he was attracted to Sapp in particular and uh he always loved even as a young child as a he always loved history speaking to people from everywhere going to different uh and you know that's how he developed >> he met but a lot of a lot of the previous Gymam uh he met a lot of people that knew Godam even from >> from before. Yeah. >> So that's that's the origins of how he got interested in history and then he developed a peculiar interest in uh American Jewish history. >> Amazing. >> Uh yeah. >> Well there because of the Eden. >> Yeah. So the well because the rebate which for him you know that when he says the reb >> said that uh you know even though that's the United States was considered sort of the tribina at that formed >> um there was a lot of you know Jews and you know >> honest and good >> and what what so talk so the the of course rabbi you have tremendous history about of of so many of the Gdome. Can you can we're talking today about about Raak Zal. Can you can you talk can you talk to us about how did it come to be of that there's a chief rabbi of of of New York? What what was going on before there was a chief rabbi? How did how did he become the chief rabbi? What was the background? What was going on? >> Because he sat when he came to the United States say was a big sadic in Europe. He was say he came because he grew a big rabbi. He was a holy man. He say go. >> Yeah. So essentially the reason why my father was so amazed by >> was the the said that uh >> say >> yeah the the United America New York rather only had one mud aa so he was a legit mudasa and he was the and given because obviously he was never replaced you know he so my father felt that this was a very strong endorsement from SAP which was you know not >> yeah didn't give to anybody. Yeah. So that's that's that's what >> so what what was going on during during that time meaning that there was rabbis there but what what was the central force that that the people at the time said we got to make a chief rabbi what was the importance The name of the party. So he he's saying that there was sort of a wild wild west type in New York as opposed to uh the strictly structured >> back over it was all over the place. Everyone was able essentially to declare himself a rabbi and they'll say this is kosher. this is closer, this is not closer. Uh and and there was an understanding even among themselves that and and obviously back in Europe the United States was considered the typhen of Medina and there was a certain understanding from the Kahillas back here that they needed to have a stronger backbone if they wanted to >> hold on to that Judaism that we we need to have more of a structure in order to to stay strong. >> Yes. and and that triggered a search. So that there was 18 different gahillas that they officially went out on a search uh you know they would went off to Europe to find a chief rabbi. >> Okay. and and what what what happened once he became um the the chief rabbi can can you talk about more about regard regarding you're talking about uh Kashwise can you talk about maybe what was what what he what did he try to accomplish and what was I guess what what was the reaction I guess >> the team know everybody to go to him and then they start to make trouble that's the troublemaker. >> So, so there's there's there was sort of two sides to it. Uh, one of which was there was, you know, every butcher as opposed to back home, you know, where you had the had to be by the uh in here every every can be gets me from anyone that declared himself a rabbi. >> So for him it was super important to make sure that it is actually reliably culture meat. Uh but also part of it was that as he as he started engaging with different issues in the community, it turned out that this one sort of by backfired the most. Uh it was mostly about a new tax that he initiated uh another saint for each for each stamp for each plumba uh on the chickens and >> and this caused a huge uh backfired. There's an uproar in the >> there's an uproar by a bunch of you know by the butchers themselves and a bunch of house housewives actually >> you know for the additional cost and uh and there was a lot of butchers at that time were some of them were you know owned by rough people and they started instigating him they worked together actually with the local Yiddish speaking media >> uh to you know continuously shun him and work against him >> they were bad mouthing sort of became a a sort of very you know large part of his legacy >> but although there was a lot of different policies as well that he you know >> what I got to >> so what was what was the >> the funeral >> I guess I had the story that he last uh with the freezer which is that one of the butchers actually once locked him into a freezer >> uh as he was inspecting the meat eat or something. >> So what what happened what happened at the end of that day? >> I don't know. He obviously survived but I to show the level of animosity that existed there. He says he he says that you know the interesting phenomenon was that once he died even the lay man not just the other even the lay man felt like ashamed for what they did and they understood that they wronged them. >> Yeah. I was in >> what was what what was the there um someone I heard about there was this he gave this uh final >> because after the cross in somewhere when the still when when everyone assembled his his his followers, his detractors, they all came back. They all came to the to the standing room only. There are biters in the ship. He says that after the famous story of the you know the funeral procession that you know there was a bunch of riots it was called back then the largest anti-semitic incident on the United States council you know um then he says that years after there was uh that exact exact factory that had employees throw out you know garbage iron and hot water on the on the >> and the people walking the the prison. >> Yeah. I had sort of a uh corporate retreat on a on the >> those dimensions on the river >> and there a business gathering whatever it is >> and there was some accident uh and a lot of them died. >> Understanding afterwards that this was the sort of the owners for what they did. >> This was this um at that time and for many decades that was one of the largest the largest funeral in in America. What what was what what do you think was the reason that that um there was such a big um >> gathering? What what was what was the the mida the impact of the r that that so many people said they want to come and show their respects to the years later. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. some clothes. It says that that at the end of the day there was a certain realization and they they were Jewish, you know, and and certain realization Jewish whatever is they saw what what the EMS was, >> right? And there's obviously I'm not sure if you have it as a question there, but there's obviously the there was they were fighting after who gets you know to bury him in their plot >> which cahila. And so part of it uh they were lobbying the amuna you know his wife and the one came out with came with the best package if you will the best the most amount of money and >> she she got sort of a retirement and they didn't end up keeping their word either after he died and after everything they >> she he died without nothing and she got nothing >> after being promised >> terrible kind of kick So the revival at the was a was a momentary lapse. >> Yeah, it was unfortunately the Yeah. >> Well, the the r of saying of course it's famous about about the cautious. You touched upon before. Maybe there are some other maybe um issues that he was trying to deal with that maybe aren't as well known. Can you maybe touch upon that? It's it's essentially his the way that he looked at his job was to enforce a infrastructure or to create an infrastructure as it did in Europe. Uh and you know some people would say ultimately that was the failure >> right as in there was a different approach needed. you know, we have a first amendment. We can do whatever we want. We can say whatever we want. >> A bill of rights. We have a certain right to do whatever. >> Versus in Europe, the the rebels actually had power, you know, given to them by the government. So they were used to a very different environment uh and how to govern. uh so when a he came to the United States and implemented tried to implement a system like that and the people some of the people revolted he couldn't use the same measures and they didn't have the backing of you know the secular authorities or anything like that quite the opposite >> well what would be one of one or two um life lessons that from from the from the r that we that that that that we should all remember on um on his yard site and about his life that can apply to our lives. Lisa, >> we try to do something people going all over the year day to spell us out. >> Yeah. I think I think one of the things he always used to say that uh you know he famously he wasn't the first choice uh he the malam was asked before and uh some others >> people were afraid like you said earlier even the bel said people were afraid to come here >> there was a certain danger a spiritual danger that people felt uh >> is it might not be worth it you might like too much danger >> you might get sakas more damage than >> than good. >> Uh but nevertheless, he did say yes. Uh and he he gave it his all. He he uh his delicious was as fierce as you would think that he's standing in >> Vilna. uh if he didn't change >> his uh his shashkafa his outlook what what the message to give over to the people was still on that >> he famously also didn't speak English uh which was one of the one of the the things that the local Yiddish papers really lambasted so >> for them was super important that their representative the chief rabbi speaks the language and the like >> okay can can you talk about maybe um some some uh Yeshua salvations or or or impact that of of course the people come to the to the RV's uh the Kev on on the yard side or throughout the year. >> Yeah. So I can tell you that growing up so uh since I I'm a child I remember we used to go a couple of times a year like every >> but then he started writing my father is has written in like aidish newspaper for over 50 years >> and he started writing about uh and many people started calling him and asking him and he started taking people there like just friends like let's go >> and then he started telling us like this person had a sh that night is he he told me earlier that a friend of his told him that he hasn't had children in a long time. he hasn't had children and >> uh he started going to the kaver and he was helped and then he said like every few years whenever he needed a child that's one of the first times yeah >> he also said earlier that an interesting anecdote that someone said that because uh he was the one and only chief rabbi in New York people in construction go a lot to him if they have issues with government agencies because their attitude is you're still the chief forever in New York. Go do your thing. >> Go be go be my liaison. You know people, you know, see wonderful things. So >> yeah. And and as you mentioned the was a he thought he thought very highly of him. So, and um I guess to um to end off here um I know that that we have uh can you tell us a little bit more about um about the fararm about the books that we have over here? >> Yeah. So this is the I believe the one and only cipher uh the this is this is his his um his >> and this was published by my brother Rebul published this just now for the youth. It hasn't been it hasn't been in print I believe for over 20 years. >> Okay. I just want to show it on the screen over here. We got it over here. It's called Leakov >> over here. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. And then we also have over here we have >> Thanks >> Rava. So this is >> this is about the >> yes this is the >> this one. >> So my father has written many books uh mostly around Yiddish history in America. >> Um this particular he has a series of books on the rabbit co. So this particular is in Yiddish, but there it's also there's one in >> English. >> One is English and there's one in >> this was this was is in Hebrew. >> This one is in Hebrew. >> Beautiful. And so so we have the the art site of course is is coming up. Uh the the English date, of course, people come during the day on Thursday, July 9th, from 8:00 a.m. till 7 till 7:00 p.m. And the the the Kev is at 7211 Cypress Avenue in Ridgewood, New York 1385. And um of course, people can um if they if they want one of these amazing books, they they can they can text 917-6233715. Um and of course if they of course um be a big to be to be part of the a vod of of of of be connected to of course reach out you can of course make a a dedication um make make a donation over there of course reach out for um to be part of it at the same phone number 3715. Do you want to can you leave us off with a a final message about about the rough? >> Sure. Everybody's know all he was very very close with very he was from what you mean he was the biggest rabbis in in >> my my father used used to say that if you know people like to go to Kudam all over the world which is beautiful it's nice we should >> but this is right here in our backyard uh it it'd be wise to you know take the opportunity I was in the hol and the people was crying so much trouble in you come home to the United States you're going to find a big chic not have to go with the plane and left the whole family here in Hind they give Yeah. So, >> yeah. So, so like I said, it's it's been said a couple a bunch of times growing up, you know, as you have something local, you should >> Why you have to go >> Why do you have to Why do you have to pass on on your way to the airport when you're literally you're passing the camera? Go to the camera. You have you show us some >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Go here in I went about a big family. We went to the snow old country there see terrible but I as somebody what was possible my father and my mother they they separated and nobody cared for me some is the father go to the mother the mother go to the He was like Hefkar he go to the plane when he used to travel to Europe to the used to see that a lot of single guys there you know crying forum >> and he felt bad because you know nobody used to take care of them and they didn't have anyone you know to you know so he told them that you know instead of coming once a year to go to Nikkai there's come here locally believe that somewhere you can go every >> Yeah. >> Every doesn't have to be a once a year thing. They go they're able to go overseas. You have it in in your neck of the woods. So So take advantage of of and and the dab in there of course or how often we can weekend. I was remember also but closes the closet the old everybody Yeah. He is saying that famously the you know the had the yeshiva closed when the who was it. So the should be able to go to the left. Then the other rabbi was make them estatis and they went to the rebels was I have to leave. >> Okay. >> So, so we we see the power. Thank you so much for joining us and we should be a big aliyah for we should of course take advantage and of course by the we should see of only good things.