Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein recipient of Rabbi Hanoch and Sarah D. Berman Chair

On Monday, December 8, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Gush Et'Zion and head of the Gruss Institute, was invested as the inaugural chairholder of the Rabbi Henoch and Sarah D. Berman Chair in Talmud at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) in an hour ceremony in Weisberg Commons.

The investiture, attended by many YU students and Alumni, began with opening remarks by Rabbi Robert S. Hirt, Vice President for Administration and Professional Education of RIETS. Following Rabbi Hirt's speech, Rabbi Feivel Wagner, the Rabbi of Young Israel of Forest Hills, gave a tribute to Rabbi Henoch and Sarah D. Berman.

After Rabbi Wagner, Yeshiva University President Rabbi Norman Lamm formally invested Rav Lichtenstein with the new chair. Rabbi Lamm praised the Berman family for their generous donations and strong dedication to YU and torah. In addition, Rabbi Lamm directed his focus to Rav Lichtenstein describing him as the true embodiment of Torah U'Maddah and called upon Rav Lichtenstein to give his inaugural shiur.

Rav Lichtenstein began by explaining that he did not mean to be "whimsical nor corny" as he went on to compare the concept of yeshiva to a chair. Rav Lichtenstein described the tension between the notion of learning torah while sitting, verses standing. He noted that people generally "speak of the locus of talmud torah as yeshiva," while "the ultimate learning experience is ma'amad har sinai.. Which then shall it be?" Rav Lichtenstein stated that "the answer is dialectically both an attitudinal issue." On one hand, he explained that learning torah is the source of "ultimate joy," yet, unlike other academic worlds, one must learn with reverential fear of Hashem and realization that "even a simple individual engaged in torah has shechinah with him." Both these perspectives are included in the notion of Torah study.

Rav Lichtenstein, also explained that in general, the idea of sitting usually implies a static situation, while the notion of standing connotes dynamism. He stated that both these notions that are necessary for the success of Torah study. Rav Aharon then concluded by saying that the current status of torah study exemplifies this idea with Torah earning basing itself on the mesorah, while the growth of YU and Israeli yeshivot is a testimony to the vitality of K'lal Yisroel and torah.

Meyer A. Berman, the son of Rabbi Henoch and Sara D. Berman, followed Rav Lichtenstein with a few heartfelt and personal anecdotes describing his parents' dedication to Torah and Judaism. The ceremony concluded with closing remarks by Rav Zevulun Charlop, Dean of RIETS, who retold stories of Rav Aharon's brilliance as a student in YU and his display of intellectual prowess as a talmid and son-in-law of Rav Soloveitchik.

Related Sites:

• HaRav Aharon Lichtenstien