By Rabbi Avrohom Brashevitzky – Chabad Jewish Center of Doral, FL
Two night ago, my wife asked me, “Do you know who passed away?” I didn’t. She then shares the news that Rabbi Shmarya Katzen had passed. Now, we all go to COLlive (several times a day) to check up on news and events in Chabad, to find out about Simchas and sadly, to witness the cycle of life.
It is always terribly sad when news of a very young person’s passing is recorded. Truth be said, every notice of a passing is sad, yet I cannot honestly say that they always shake me up. Last night was different. I literally shed a tear, I felt sad for the loss of such a good man.
My earliest memories of him is from ULY Ocean Parkway. I remember being already in First Grade (he taught Pre1A) and wishing I’d have been in his class. Even as a young child, and not fully understanding why; why as children we were attracted to this special person – yet we were drawn to him. Perhaps this is because a child is pure, not yet corrupted by (even) intellect (of Kedusha) or any bias, thus we naturally gravitate to Emmes in its purest form. Rabbi Katzen was an Emmese Mentch. He was real! He didn’t fake one bit. It wasn’t that he offered candies or prizes, I cannot remember if he did or didn’t give sweets to his students. It was the purity, the Emmes that drew us. We all wished we can be in his class!
Even as young children we all felt the Emmes emanating from him. He wasn’t just teaching; he was a Mechanech Par Excellence, and we felt it even before having the grown-up ability to scrutinize and “figure out” the character of an individual. “Emmes Tziet Tzu – Emmes draws near”.
Later I had the privilege many times (albeit not enough times regrettably) to attend the Mesibos Shabbos in 770. Wow! Wonderful memories. I cannot tell over a word I heard, but I can try to share the everlasting impression he left on me. I don’t remember him ever getting the Mic at the large events; that was for the “Gressereh Mentchen – bigger people”. He was too humble for that; he didn’t need it. He did the Messibos Shabbos. Whether upstairs in the Zal or downstairs under the Veiber Shul, there was one thing in common: it wasn’t in the very open public, just him (and the other great teachers who would help him) and the children. No Kavod, no attention; just the cause. Emmes.
I vividly recall his true Emuna and Erenskite as we were sitting in his car on a freezing winter morning as he was trying to get it warmed up. He encouraged us to say a few Pesukim so the car would start and get warm. He said it with such Emmes that it just made sense; even us older, cynical “Farshtei’ers”.
Many years later, as a Yungerman I worked several summers as head counselor in ULY Crown Street and once again I had the privilege to enjoy his Emmeskite. It did feel a little awkward to work side by side with someone I remembered to be much larger than life from my very young years. It certainly was inspiring to encounter his humility as here he was in a sense working with / for me… For him this had absolutely no context; he was a Chossid doing what he needs to do. He was a teacher, with same zeal and Chayus that he had when I was that little boy in ULY Ocean Parkway. It didn’t matter to him who was at the helm, as long as he was there serving the children!
I also had the privilege of being invited to his home several times for Shabbos meals (not my Zechus rather my wife’s). I remember a very quiet, kind person. He was very inviting and pleasant but not involved in the empty talk. It’s not that he felt higher than anyone around the table, on the contrary it was humbling how he offered respect and Chashivus to me. It’s just that he was an Emmesdike person and didn’t even know how to hold empty conversation.
In conclusion, Rabbi Katzen was a man with great humility. He had respect for little children with the same reverence he respected Rabbonim. He wasn’t a man “Foon Di Hoiche Fenster”, literally translated “from the high windows”, perhaps the English equivalent would be “from high society”. He was a humble, Emmesdike person who was not looking for attention nor Kavod. I’m certain that there is a very high window up there that was flung open, awaiting him, the moment he passed away!
I have no doubt that Rabbi Shmarya Katzen z”l was a lamed-vovnik (one of 36 hidden tzadikim of a generation)
Rabbi katzen we miss you tell the rebbe we had enoughf of this golus hope to see you very soon again with moshiach now !
When I was in Rabbi Katzen’s class he would sometimes when talking about asking for moshiach illustrate his point by taking out his cell phone putting it at his ear and saying we’re going to dial 770 and we’re going to ask hashem to send Moshiach
Then he would say hello? We want moshiach now!
I am older them the writer of this article my teacher’s were in ohelie torah
My teacher’s or they were talmidim in the underground chadorim in Russia or teachers in those chadorim
I had the zchus to observe rabbi katzen and see how our rebbe was able to take down that “iron wall” and show how his chasidim are true emmesdike yirai shamayim no matter where they come from