Remembering Rabbi Wein Z"L

Guest Post by Allen Pfeiffer

A few months ago, we had a fascinating podcast episode with Allen Pfeiffer. There he mentioned the big impact that Rabbi Berel Wein had on his career. After Rabbi Wien’s passing, Allen wrote a beautiful hesped which was published in The Jewish Link, and we are reposting it here with his permission. This piece touches on many important ideas for Bnei Torah in the workforce.

Rabbi Berel Wein ZT”L was a world-renowned legend but to me, he was simply my Rebbe. I seeked his advice on issues pertaining to both Halacha and hashkafa for over for 40 years and benefitted greatly from his unique and clear-headed guidance that permeated nearly every aspect of my life.

I was privileged to attend Shaarei Torah, Rabbi Wein’s Yeshiva, for high school, in Monsey and which marked the beginning of my love for learning. Additionally, I developed a deeper appreciation for mitzvos and a keen awareness of how to prioritize different responsibilities in life. When Rabbi Wein taught Gemara, Tanach, Parsha, Pirkei Avos or Jewish History, it always felt like a personalized lesson and always relayed with relevance to my life.

Until this day, I attribute any successes I have to Rabbi Wein’s guidance during my early years.

He encouraged me to focus on chessed and wrote my recommendation to work at Camp Hasc, where I met my wife! He advised me to choose a career that allows me to balance family, learning and career. He knew that I had an affinity for math and suggested that I pursue an actuarial career that provided stability for a young couple getting married right after college. He felt that it could be a springboard for other opportunities, and he was correct as after two years of working as an actuary, I attended Columbia Business School and pursued a career in finance.

As our family grew and I advanced in my career, I would often seek guidance from Rebbe.

First and foremost, in every decision, he would encourage me to think "Vos Zogt Got?" (what does God say?) and that has always resonated with me in life.

Second, he stressed the importance of living in Israel. I recall meeting with Rabbi Wein almost twenty years ago and he told me “don't be like me and wait until you are an old man to move to Israel.” He simply and unabashedly felt that Israel is our destiny (his foundation's name) and that living there is the greatest of privileges.

Third, his advice on parenting was priceless. He encouraged me to give endless love to each child, remind them how precious they are, how proud they should be to a Jew and how much we should believe in them and their abilities at every age.

Countless other attributes of Rabbi Wein have dramatically impacted how I live my life.

Rebbe taught me to think earnestly about hashkafic and halachic decisions. He did not believe in shtick or labels; only pure Halacha, yet he was also nuanced. He was a Rav who could shuttle between the OU and the Agudah convention and taught me how to appreciate and embrace the varying approaches to Torah life.

Rabbi Wein was so incredibly brilliant and multi-talented, yet so humble. He was the penultimate intellectual yet also deeply emotional and thoughtful. Each time he ended our phone conversations, he would say "I love you very much and I am proud of you."

Rabbi Wein appreciated travel and often reminded me of Rav SR Hirsch's comment that Hashem will ask us after 120 "have you seen My Alps".

Rabbi Wein always made clear that family comes first. He would always ask about his granddaughter who taught at RYNJ and I would ask about his son Rav Chaim Wein and son-in-law Rabbi Teitelbaum who were my rabbeim.

I enjoyed when he would come for shabbos to our home, the shiurim including at our own Chanukas Habayis, the lectures in our shul, and the long car rides we had to Monsey or the Five Towns.

Rabbi Wein was provided a charge by Rav Herzog to do the whatever he can for the Jewish people and he encouraged students like me to do the same with sharing Torah, Kiruv and community endeavors. He was indefatigable in his desire to give to others.

I yearn to continue to make Rebbe proud. I will miss Rabbi Wein very much. So much of what I am today I owe to him and his teachings.