Inside ArtScroll - Season 5 Episode 6: Shlomo Werdiger - The Beis Yisroel

[Music] Hello everyone and welcome back to inside art scroll where the books you read and the people who write them come to life. Today I am privileged to be joined by Rip Schlma Wertiger well-known Asskin and the dedicator of a brand new book about the Gerba the basis ripma thank you for being here my pleasure my pleasure actually I stand corrected it's actually my son who is the dedicator of it he did it in this of of our family's kesher to to to my my my kesher to the basis ro and our family's long-standing kesher with g so I Thank you for doing this. It's a big uh form that you did this for us. Yes, we thank for that. And of course we thank Rubis Besser the author of this book who's written so many beautiful books and he he's his masterful pen has brought out the life of the basis in such a way no question about it and I I think here as I'm sure you'll see in the book and I didn't see the book yet but I'm sure you'll understand the kesha that his mishba had to the basis role to his father who was very very big makur and close to the basis ro so here it was a labor of love not only what he normally does every everything he does is a labor of love but I think there was a special kesher here for him to do this for the on the basis also so in in talking about the evolution of this book take us back we know that mishbahas word goes back many many decades with the g talk about how that evolved and and where did that connection start yeah so so as as you'll you'll see in the book and and and as as Gadalia showed me this morning a famous picture of my father was a little child walking with the with the Imra and the basis roll and so the kesh goes back a long time but I was you know regular yeshiva ba my father you know we for years until they opened the gish in bar park I I ded in in in other places in bluej and and so I didn't really have a ger real connection and then um my father it was time for me to go to yeshiva it was time for me to go to yes I say well imagine uh uh book I go to my father and I said to him you know where am I going he says wherever the basis tells you to go that's where you're going to go learn I said are you kidding me who today imagine if you send your son to he doesn't have a dorm he doesn't have a room he doesn't know where he's learning he doesn't know if he's learning in shalam or in ky or in benra but I was a I was a good son and I picked myself up and I I went there to s and again I had no idea where you were going where I was going I had no idea that night when I landed in the morning. I had no idea where I'm parking my bags, where I'm sleeping, where I'm learning. And I walked into the basis roll for the first time. And I said to the basis, before I even opened my mouth, he gave me a fr across the face and he said, "You're going to tell me your name. I knew the Zera that you're named after." Wow. So he tells me, uh, and you you looked at the basis. I mean, the basis roll was one stick fire. You looked at him, you started trembling. I I think that in the hundreds of times that I saw him, I was no less in fear of the basis. It was a combination is the love that he had for everybody, but the fear, the fire that he instilled in you. I don't think the last time I was any less scared than the first time. But he says to me, Vista was vista. I said the my father sent me here to to ask the Reb where to to go learn. with a big smile on his face. He calls in his gaba and he tells his gaba and he should call up and it was a year after the pet of the chibar and he says call up and tell an aid he was aiden by the chab. He was an aiden by the chabra. Yeah he was an aiden by the chabina and he says call him up tell him I'm sending somebody to fare himself to to go. So the basis sends you to raarak shim send. So I I I come to I come to chabin and of course if the basis ro sent me the rashiva himself was waiting for me and uh and uh gives me a fer and he himself personally I davened marav I they gave me some supper they take me took me downstairs to to and gave me a room I unpacked my stuff hashem I was relieved I I well and I go to sleep you can imagine I was both mentally and physically exhausted you know it wasn't my father didn't send me business class there to so so uh so I go to sleep and all of a sudden all of a sudden somebody's shaking me says stay off wake up wake up I take a look I see some Garrett guy with long pis it's my first night in there see a guy with long pis says stay off I said who are you crazy I pulled the covers over my my my head takes the neglei pause stay off I said who are you says I'm your fatuk's kusa I'm your kusa The basis sent me last night I was there. He sent me the first morning in antisol. He sent me at 5:00 in the morning at Yungaman to wake me up and to come and start learning with me every morning in that role of what 18 years old. 18 years old. That was my indoctrination. He woke me up. Obviously he was a young man. He was uh he was very very of you. But he took me that first morning. We walked from from Chabim which was in Tel Aza. We walked up up uh to to to G and and uh and that was my start. That was my first indoctrination. After I learned for an hour the basis world called me up was a very famous I'm sure it's stories in the book about having Thai with milk, tea with milk by the basis world was a big big big coet and uh uh actually the first time I had tea with milk I just reminded myself that first morning I didn't know what to expect. So I come upstairs after learning and they give me a a tea with milk. I'm holding in my hand. The basis all walked in. I got so shooken up. I dropped the whole cup. I dropped a hot cup of tea and milk on the floor and and I was told next time leave it on the table. They brought me another one. But that was my indoctrination. The basis saw what did he see in me? An American ba that had a kesher that had a kesher to to G from the hind. But really no never learned Garyhivas. Where where did you learn? You grew up in Barak. Yeah, I grew up in Barak. I learned in in Turvadas. I was a Turvadas boy. I graduated. I went straight from Turvadas to Chabit. Wow. So So that's the basis role. I think it's I think it's so important that that not just gidum to understand what it means to build something from from from scratch to build something from the from Mameish from from the depths of Eden that came to after who sent their children after the Muhammad to rebuild. Why my father why did my father sent me? My father sent me for a reason because he realized that that the the he wanted the heritage of our family with care to to reconnect and who else there's nobody in the world that could have re reignited that flame of love forb more than more than the basis. So I'm not saying my father had but my father understood that this was the this was the opportunity and he understood that the basis ro is going to put an eye on me. Listen, my father was a was a working was a working person. What did your father do? My father was in the was a diamond schlifer was in the in the business and even though we came from ash probably mishb in Poland uh my father here was not but the basis had had what what did he see the basis have envisioned that the word family would would give the new gabis medish right 50 years 50 years later uh there's no question in my mind that he bes put in all that kas into me and and and the and the scarvis that we had. He saw he no question he had he saw the future right of the word family intertwining with with G and continuing that and we kept the kesher with all the grebba since then and obviously with with today the rebun. So um you know I really think that the young light today the boim should understand understand you know I I once met I once met the my father came once when I was learning in to visit me I was there two years he came once we didn't go for wasn't a different world and my father stayed in Milona at that time that was the hotel and walked in must have wanted to see I wanted to see a and I walked over to he says uh I keep show and uh he says what's your name I said he says I said let me tell you about the basis and immish had fire in his face he says without the basis ro there wouldn't be punovich today I looked at him and I said what do you mean says he sent me my first talidim he shuffed me he he arranged for me my first money and he kept on going on and on. after I never forget I went all the all the Russians all the I went with the basis myself as a he kept a kesher he not only strengthened and built the gar community but he was all of those people that came to that lost everything in the Europa and that that's what it was so I think it's very important that that everybody today not just not meant for I think most of the gidum know who the bas was and know what he is and the impact that he had on on on all of our lives. I think it's important to understand there's so many literature that he kept an eye on that became big rashum which you'll see in the book today big literature rash shivas who'll talk about the basis role and the impact that he had on their lives. So, so, uh, I encourage everybody, uh, I'm not I'm not a book salesman, but I encourage everybody who who wants to understand. We take it for granted. We come today, we have Yeshivas, and we have G and we have Slabotka and we have Ponovich, and we take it for granted, but but it's not the way it was 50 years ago when I was in World 50 years plus. And a lot of that credit uh goes goes to the to the basis ro. What what do you think his secret was? He had this like you said it was post the war many broken yidden the the the mater that we see today didn't exist as you said there were no yeshivists he came especially after he immigrated to and he was able to rebuild really and uh and he lost his whole family too listen that's the kayak was he he No question that he he realized you know what's what what the mat was then and he realized that he was saved. No question to to to like we we had varat he was a oneman vat he was a man that came and realized listen that he he encouraged everybody every role I'll never forget when when the he was you know when when the when the when the hint you know when the bela who has one one he was a young man one son who was the sic who was this who was aim by by the who was the sandic by the by this one son's bris the basis uhhuh Pesrol was was was with everybody he had he had this you'll read the book I don't want to I don't want to preempt the book but how many people and that I hear stories from the middle of the night would get knocks on the doors from the basis all he he he basic not only G but all of Kalia's role and I and I think that uh he realized that he doesn't have his own mishb he didn't have his own children and he took it upon himself to make sure that that that the continuity of G and the continuity of after the goes on and becomes what it is today. You go to this world today. I ded you. Let's talk about g in general. You d built a bismet that holds 25 30,000 people. It's not enough, you know. So it's it's the same thing in the mat in Lakewood and and in in all the and and so so I I think that's that's that was that was his that was his mission in life. and and Barak Hashem I could say that you're looking at one one example of one small example you see you see the the basis like the closen let's say who lost his wife and 11 children and here lost his family really came by himself and he was never and but with unbelievable devotion he his his love for every you read the stories every individual he seemed to have a a six sense about what to say and what to do. Some of these stories are are like I don't I don't want to say supernatural but you said the rebesh it definitely seemed like he no question supernatural the rebba told me things he would throw in a vart that that it's 50 55 years later and I still pattern my whole life and my mishb both my personal life my my claw life my my my family life around things that he told me he he he he would throw in short little cs and sharf you know g was never meant never longer derious but he threw in a vort and everything else that were lessons for life and and uh um you know this story is in the book I don't I don't want to tell you know I remember the first time I'll tell you one quick story and I think it's in the book but one quick story that that's a lesson I must have repeated it thousands of times to all people that go to today they get they went to they go and everybody's the first time I went to the Reba to ask him something. And I I led with a question in a way of how I wanted the chuva. You know, sometimes you walk in, you want, you want to go in and get a buha, you could get a buha. But if you want in, you want to ask something. So to many people today, go into to rebash and they ask him a question, but they're leading the witness. It's like they want an answer. And he capped it in 30 seconds. He gave me a fr across the face. He says did you come to tell me or did you come to ask me and I said I said I came to ask and he said if that and the whole conversation changed and I told this over to hundreds maybe thousands of of people friends when you go in when you go in to ask you have to ask you have to be I say this to all my also we we have a you can't go in and tell them what you want the cha to be you have to So that was the basis ro he he he he intuitively he understood every by looking at you he knew right away you know what he shots you up right away and and and and it's a lesson in life and and he did this I don't know where he found the time every day and and and but he did the lines the lines he always told me you know there used to be long lines to go into the basis well and people sometimes and and that was a small fashion today and You'd you'd sit there and you'd think before you went into the Reb and the Reb once told me the B once told me this vat is the waiting to go into a Reb. And I tell this to all the guys too. You're waiting to go in and you're through your mind. You're saying you're walking into the Reb. You're walking into whoever you're walking in. He clearly sees through you. You have to clearly understand. You have to prepare yourself. You walk into a Reb and he says because you you got such a knowing that you're going in to bury your soul to the Reb to to Shiva. We all have to know that and these are lessons that we're hoping everybody is going to read the book, hear the stories and be inspired and and take away from that. They're lessons that I personally learned. But it's so many years later and there's a dur generation that's growing up now that never knew the basis, heard the basis oil and we're hoping that uh that that by reading this book, you're all going to be inspired and and take away val valuable lessons in life of how to conduct your life. Yeah. No question about it. Now, it's not every day that we have you. I just want to take a moment. I'm curious. When you came back after you learned in Chabin, right, you came back to America. Yes. What what was your next step? What did you Well, then I started getting a kesh. It was a Gishel. I started diving again. I didn't go to Gary yeshivas but but I I kept up I kept up my kesher with with G uh we we my my my father uh um you know reconnected again also once there was the GI with his friend my father started you know putting on the G lavush again which he didn't but you know before my going and and uh you know I have two brother-in-laws that are so so yeah I kept up the connection I went to see us to the basis I'm I made a big na before my uh two weeks before my to the basis. So we kept up a very close ka that was probably close to the end of his life, right? Yeah, that was very close. The rebu was nifted in the late '7s. Yes. Yes. The late '7s. I got married in the early '7s. So yeah, we kept I kept up a kesher with him. But because of that, I became close to the to the left simka who became rabbi. My my place my place by Davining by the basis and that was a small bis med stood next to the next to the dimma and the and the left simka had a chair next to him and my place was right behind the chair of the of the left because I became close to the left became very close you know to the panim of course to the so yeah so that's that's really what I took back I came back I was the only kid I was a modern kid I used to go to the to the yungalide today. I used to go there for shallis and they all embraced me because they all knew that uh the the the love that the affection that the basis showed to me. So they all uh they all figured there has to be a reason for it. So uh so they they they continued with that uh I continued with that warm relationship with with giad. kids as a witness that saw the of this and took it upon himself to work very very hard with Besser and and they worked hours and hours and weeks. I think it's maybe a work that's taken almost a year, right? Sure. Sure. Sure. So uh so my kids go to continue the relationship and and uh very proud of it and it's all it's all due to the to the efforts of the basis world that he that he put into me. So was your involvement in good Israel also related to 100% 100% when I were first when I when Israel yeah I mean the the the immo and and all of the gym were the ones the founders of a good Israel and and um you know so who who recruited you to join that Mosher really recruited me because I used to go with him a lot to to to Reb he was very close and I'm sure it's in the book as well if not it would be a big miss. But I used to walk with him. I used to pick him up uh wherever he stayed. We used to walk together to G. was very close to the to the basis role and and the Gerbas encouraged me very much to to to get involved in the good and asis the whole role of is all due to the kesha that had they encouraged me and and they still even today I go into I spend long time with the rebas discussing the various issues of of my and many many times I get frustrated and say to myself it's the reb doesn't want to hear from it doesn't want to doesn't want to hear from the zid is the zidis and and and and and it's we said the gid is h the g is holy told that it over to the mosh shar too so so I'm continuing with that ms as well and how about how about the role of the rebas when once you entered the business world there so many issues so many challenges so many questions is that yeah so the reb listen the rebba always when it came to hik questions regarding uh business uh he we said gay gay fragarov uhhuh you know, he never you never to ask Shilus, even though I'm not saying he couldn't have to pasan shilus, but how to conduct myself and how to in the workplace and how to make sure that you that you that you act the way you're supposed to act like like the ama that we are and to make sure that we act morally and ethically correct and how to conduct myself 100% all the time and to make sure that we're that we're in in in in business. But business shy list there was raon there's no shortage of raon to go ask but the reb wasn't going to give pasan shalas and ribbis or other things but obviously shabas that fire the the the basis ro that was one of the when he came there that was one of the more laxidasial uh shabas was not shabas he was fire fire on shabas all the is always shabas but um but of course of course I discussed everything with him and as I do today. Now you mentioned that you know when you go to the Rebate frag Yeah. Yeah. Do you remember any instance where you taco went into the Reba and you had a certain uh thought in mind maybe a certain approach and the Reb told you something totally opposite? Yeah. Not once many many times and by the way the same by the way that was the basis. Same thing here. Mosha Sher told me that when he when when I started working in the Audi says the highlight of everybody thinks you know his accomplishments. He says the greatest achievement that he has as the leader of audi is when he went in to the matra and he he was sure he had he had a case he worked up this scenario of how he's going to present it. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he's going to get through what he wanted and they turned him down. He walked out with a smile on his face. That's what it means to be makra. So, and I had the same thing many times, not just not just with the basis. And there's a story in the book about about uh an instance that I had a medical issue that I had with the basis roll. You go in, you have to understand you have to be maky times. So that's important. Today the young don't know that. They they think their idea is the greatest idea, but you have to and that's what I learned from the basis. If you go in to ask, you don't want to go in, don't go in. But if you go in to ask, don't expect a rubber stamped answer. You have to be prepared to accept what they tell you. So that's that's very important. And I hope that that many of them and there are people life and death issues that come not just not just the basis role in general. You go what these rebas have on their plates today, what these rashes have on their plates today, they give away their lives for Cla. I think one of the lessons we could learn from here is to appreciate that to understand our gadbas our rashivas uh to to to appreciate what they're going through. But if they but if they you go in and ask and they tell you you have to listen. Mhm. Listen, maybe one day we could have you back and we could discuss all the other issues. I would love to speak to you about asus and and and also that's not for today. We wanted to speak but thank you very much. I and and I want to have Carto as I said before not only to Schmully but to Gdalia to yourself of course to to Bessa for doing this and I think as I said I think that this is going to make a big impact on the next generation to understand you know we we take it for granted we're 55 years later look what we have we have thousands of hundreds of thousands of of of of young sitting and learning and bing yes that's not the way it was and a big part of the success of the continuity of of of of of Clius ro is due to the basis ro I encourage you to to buy the book and and to read it and to and to take away the valuable lessons that I think you can from this book thank you for coming in thank you for all your efforts on behalf of Israel and just my bra to continue to have and and carrying on the legacy and the mess of the b and the subsequent rebas which you do with such such pride and and and and with such uh you know such a kite. So continued. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. [Music]