Rabbi Don Yoel Ben R’ Dovber Levy ע״ה was נפטר during the week when the parsha talks about מיתת נדב ואביהוא. There is an interesting note mentioned in the name of the Arizal, that when one reads the parsha of מיתת נדב ואביהוא one should cry tears on their early demise.
It is difficult to understand, to cry today for a tragedy that happened over 2000 years ago. Is there something that we are actually missing today from their early demise that can bring us to tears?
We know the Torah as we have today was given to משה רבינו at Sinai. משה רבינו passed the Torah to Aron from there to his sons and onwards to whole כלל ישראל. The Torah as we have it today is due to that Mesorah. We cannot fathom to understand that if the two great ones as נדב ואביהו were part of that מסורה how different and clear the Torah may have been.
The גמרא tells us that אביי ורבא were destined to die very young. Due to the mitzvos they done their lives were prolonged. Can you imagine a ש״ס without אביי ורבא? It would be totally different and almost incomprehensible. That is how we have to look at .מיתת נדב ואביהוא.
The missing link in the מסורה is irreplaceable. Until this day we are missing the light that נדב ואביהוא would have given to the Torah.
When thinking about the life and achievements of Rabbi Levy, the stronghold and Kashrus empire that thrived under his constant guidance, it is difficult to fathom who will replace the captain of this great liner. However as we all know, life continues, especially Kashrus that requires ongoing surveillance, must continue without a break. Bez”h, it will continue, but the input of Rabbi Levy will be missed forever. Yes bezH his work will be allocated to his responsible children and staff, but whenever a crisis arises, whenever a major decision is needed, how different it would be if Rabbi Levy would be here to guide us. Even in years to come we still may shed tears of this great loss to the world of Kashrus and כלל ישראל. A
link to the מסורה of Kashrus that was torn away in its prime.
Rabbi Levy a”h was a rare combination of a strong personality who on one part demanded expertise and precision, whilst understanding the need to explain concepts to beginners who needed guidance to understand the basic concepts. His clarity in Kashrus came from his perseverance to delve into the most difficult processes in food chemistry, so as to ensure no comprise is made.
He was demanding from himself and so expected from others, but as a living example it was a guiding light to follow. This will be sorely missed.
Even though he was a Talmid Chochom, familiar of all aspects in יורה דעה he was not ashamed to ask and listen to what the Poskim opinion in any query that arose. On hearing the P’sak he totally was ready to give up his opinion and was מבטל himself to דעת תורה.
יהא זכרו הבהיר ברוך ותנצב״ה
ויעמוד לגורלו לקץ הימין
הכותב בדמע
אשר אנשיל עקשטיין דומ״ץ קהל
מחזיקי הדת בעלזא בארה״ב