By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com Rav Yeruchem Levovitz zt”l writes something absolutely fascinating (Daas Chochma uMussar Vol. I page 76) about the Megillah.  He writes, basing himself on the Vilna Gaon’s pshat on the last pasuk in Megilas Esther, that the entire Megilah is a mussar sefer – wherein we derive lessons in both inspiring behaviors that we should imitate, as well as horrible behaviors that we should stay away from.  Everything act and character trait that Esther and Mordechai do in the Megillah are perfect prototypes for us all to follow. Conversely, every character trait and act that Haman and Achashveirosh do are examples of horrible character traits from which we must distance ourselves.  Examples abound.  Vechamaso baarah bo – and his anger seethed within him. So what we should be doing, writes Rav Yeruchem, is we should carefully note all of these traits and learn to imitate the good and stay away from the bad. For those who are unfamiliar with the Mashgiach – he was an individual, who, by dint of his personality and intellect, was able to literally change the topography of Torah life. He was the famed mashgiach of the original Mirrer Yeshiva in Poland. Almost all of us were shaped by someone, who was shaped by someone that came under his influence.  It is somewhat strange, however, that very little has been written in English about this remarkable Mussar giant. Rav Yeruchem was a close Talmid of the Alter of Slabodka, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l as well as the Alter of Kelm, Rav Simcha Zissel.  Indeed, one of the great Mussar giants of this past generation, Rav Shlomo Volbe zt”l once stated that a single mussar shmuess of the Mashgiach had given him the strength and fortitude to withstand the fearful years of the second world war.  Rav Volbe zt”l had helped thousands of refugees in Sweden and was deeply involved in the rescue effort to save the bochurim of the Mirrer Yeshiva. What follows is a brief overview of the Mashgiach’s life and some of his thoughts, sayings and practices. Rav Yerucham was born in Luban in White Russia (next to Slutzk).  His date of birth was approximately in the year 1873. His father, Reb Avrohom was a cheder Rebbe.  His first learning was in Fahust near Minsk in the yeshiva of Bobroisk. Somehow during this time, the young Rav Yerucham was sent on a very important task involving Pidyon Shvuyim deep in the heart of Russia.  The person who was imprisoned was a Talmid Chochom and Rav Yerucham extended every effort that he could in freeing him.  Rav Yoseph Leib nendik, an early student of Rav Yerucham, once said that his Rebbe attained greatness on account of this remarkable act. Later, Rav Yerucham travelled to study in the great Yeshiva of Slabodka.  The Alter of Slabodka recognized his enormous potential as a pedagogue and became close to him. Rav Yerucham also developed a close relationship with Rav Yitzchok Blaser, one of the greatest students of Rav Yisroel Salanter, the founder of the Mussar movement.  Rav Yerucham adopted Rav Blaser’s method of Mussar study. In 1897, at the urging of the Alter of Slabodka, he left Slabodka to study in Kelm under Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv.  He spent the next eight […]
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