In Tribute to Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein

The current issue of Yeshiva University’s Alumni Today begins with the following:

“Rabbi Hershel Billet ‘71 YC was a pre-med major on the day he sat in a shiur taught by Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, that changed the course of his life.

“Rabbi Lichtenstein had told his students that while he believes that Israel needs as many professionals — doctors, lawyers, and accountants — that it can get to make aliyah and contribute to Israeli society, what America really needs are people who are committed to Jewish communal work and lay leaders who have responsibility to serve klal Yisrael in the Diaspora.

“ ‘Rav Lichtenstein’s words made a deep impression on me and I really took his mandate to heart,’ said Rabbi Billet. ‘I decided to continue on to RIETS and the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies to eventually work in both the rabbinate and Jewish education’.”

Rabbi Billet is not alone in his sentiments, or in his experiences with Rav Lichtenstein. Below are a few samples from others.

Last Tuesday, on Yom Ha’atzmaut, Rabbi Lichtenstein was awarded the Israel Prize in Jewish literature in tribute to his monumental contributions to the works and teachings on Torah and Jewish literature.

This marks the first time that a Gadol Hador, a Jewish sage, a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivat Har Etzion, received such recognition by the State of Israel in recognition of his “versatile biblical work characterized by its depth, scope, advanced logic, wit, sensitivity, and vision.”

Further, it was stated that, “Rabbi Lichtenstein’s works are a wonderful combination of deep fluid familiarity with all aspects of Jewish scholarship, with an ability to take deep Torah concepts and make them palatable to the average Israeli.”

In an essay entitled, “And They Also Prophesied,” written in 2011 by one of America’s leading journalists, Hillel Goldberg, note was made of the following: