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Zeide: Records & Recollections, Part 2

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Masmid Yearbook (1949)

Eighteenth Annual Masmid, Matthew Katz, editor; Norman Lamm and Bernard Ducoff, literary editors; Cy Shavrick, business manager; David Halpern, technical editor; Abraham Morgenstern, photography editor; Yeshiva University, New York City, June 1949.
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Yahrzeit - Zeide (1950)

Over a decade has passed since he was with us, a decade in which much has happened and in which the face of the world has been changed. During this lapse of time we have had the opportunity to view his life and death from a broader perspective, to submerge the minor details of his biography into the penumbra of our memory and to bring out in clear and sentimental pastel-shades the more fundsmental features of him and his life, in other words, the totality of Zeide. Perhaps the borders of the picture, the outlying regions of the mental portrait we have of him, is vague in the minds of many of us. But the central theme of the picture, the essential impression is, I believe, identical for all of us. I have been asked to speak to you, my family on this occasion of his yahrzeit. I can do no more than, In a few words, attempt to transmit to you what I think is the important part of th picture or impression that I have of him. And perhaps this very gathering of his family to remember him so reverently and lovingly is one aspect of the immortality of his soul. For can we not say that he lives on and lives again when, for a time, he dominates our train of thought? Biological or physical life is not the all of Life. Man is a social animinal, he lives among men, and therefore when he continues to occupy the minds and considerations of his fellows he cannot be said to have died in the full sense of the woi I dare say that Moses and Isaiah and Maimonides are more above todt than most of us. It is in this sense that I maintain that the gestalt of Zeide which hovers above us here, today, 16 alive in oui memory of his indomitable warmth and essential humanity. We welcome him into our midst. I feel that it is unfortunate for me not to have known him more and better than I did. But those memories I do have, them I cherish, and I hope you will allow me to share some of them with you. My very first memory of him — and I feel that the same is true for my brother and many of my cousins…
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Zeide: Records & Recollections, Part 1

It is two days since I visited my grandfather’s grave, in commemoration of the first anniversary of his passing in 1948. It is superfluous to record the reactions of the family – they all loved and revered him so much. I too was sobbing through a choking throat and felt hot tears rolling down my cheeks. Yet I must admit that I was too confused and perplexed by the entire series of events – consisting of his passing and this first yahrzeit – to be able to be responsive to a single, clear type of emotion or sentiment. The tombstone itself was a remarkably fresh-looking and handsome tablet, and the inscription was attractive and appropriate. But there was something depressingly passive about it, a simple and concise summary of the man’s biography that not only could never do him justice, but was somehow, because of its passivity, contrary to his way of life. It was still, stagnant, and reminiscent of death because of its frozenness; in fact, this very thought made the odor of death come so much more pungently into my nostrils until it nauseated the very insides of me. Two parallel thoughts, as far as I can now discern, ran through my mind with competitive readiness. One was admiration and respect; the other, self-pity. I have already had one year – I might change that to: “although I have had only a year” – to think about his personality, his achievements, his self. The added perspective of my impressions and thoughts during the weeks immediately after he died certainly shed a new light on my attitude. I still think that he had much to give to the world in the way of new and creative ideas. Yet the way I see it now – and I believe that he would agree with me – the fact that he died almost immediately after accomplishing what he set out to do (publication of the second volume of his Responsa Emek Halakha) emphasized that he passed away after he achieved what he considered his mission in life. I therefore remain firm in my contention – that he lived a complete life, per…
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