Post by Rabbi Dr. Laibl Wolf

BLOG 125 – 24th January 2020 A Friend and Mentor Rabbi Laibl Wolf I lost a friend today. In truth he was more than a friend – he was a mentor without him knowing it. He was much older than I. Chaim Greenfield was well into his nineties. I would visit him quite regularly and we would just sit and talk. And when we did, I felt I was in the presence of a unique human being and a truly humble Jew. He was a Holocaust survivor. Not an angry man by nature he nevertheless had demanded more of G-d and was not prepared to forgive Him easily after losing his own family in the Shoah. He wrestled with G-d, strove with Him and yet, never allowed that struggle to diminish either G-d or himself. The dust their almighty struggle kicked up with their entangled limbs was reminiscent of Jacob striving with Esav’s angel. Chaim was a scion of a distinguished family - a descendent of the famous 18th century Halachist, the Nodah Bihudah, Rabbi Yecheskel ben Yehuda HaLevi, Landau, himself a descendent of the great Rashi. Chaim proudly displayed a portrait of his great ancestor in his home-office, and Menachem and I were able to procure and gift Chaim with an old and venerable tome of the Nodah Bihuda’s writings for Chaim’s collection. CONTINUED IN COMMENTS