By COLlive reporter
A mere week before he passed away, the noted halachic author and educator Rabbi Eliezer Wenger handed over 128 pages to his family and asked them to have them printed.
Known for his talent for pedagogy, vast knowledge in Torah and care for detail, Rabbi Wenger wrote many books in English about halachah for everyday life. And this one was not going to be different.
Titled “Simchas Eliezer,” it is a collection of explanations on various wedding customs. He wrote it in installments, after many sporadic hours of research, and released it in parts for the weddings of his children over the years.
At around Purim 5770, while battling a lengthy illness, he gave his family the collection of those small “teshura” booklets, redone as a book. He asked that they have it professionally edited and publish it.
It was going to be printed through B’Ruach HaTorah Publications, which he founded as one of the 71 Jewish and Torah institutions worldwide established in honor of the Rebbe’s 71st birthday.
On Monday, 22 Adar 5770, he passed away at the age of 62, leaving a grieving family and hundreds of students who took his classes at Beth Rivkah Academy for girls and Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch elementary school in Montreal.
“[Our father] had a great love for the learning of halachah and minhagim and enjoyed passing this enthusiasm and knowledge on to others,” said his son, Rabbi Yossi Wenger of Chabad Chai Center, who is now publishing the book with his family.
One example of the explanations the English book provides about shidduchim and marriage is the answer to the question why do some people find their bashert easily, and others have difficulties and hardships.
Rabbi Wenger quoted the Sanzer Rebbe R’ Chaim Halberstam (“Divrei Chaim”) about the gemara that shidduchim are similar to the splitting of the Red Sea.
Tosafos (in Erachin 9a) explains that the Jews did not cross the Sea in one straight line. Rather, they traveled in a semicircle, emerging on the same side of the sea but much farther away.
Each tribe had its own path upon which it traveled. Obviously, those who were on the inner pathways had less distance to travel, while those on the outer pathways traveled greater distances. “The same is true of Shidduchim,” Rabbi Wenger writes.
“He strongly believed in the importance of appreciating the different customs that exist among the many groups of Jews and understanding the reasons behind them,” his son added.
The book is available at the Jewish bookstores or online at Amazon.com. Booksellers can contact [email protected].
n’shei chabad newsletter kislev issue contains excerpts of the book
I had the privilege of working with Rabbi Wenger when he was principal of Landow Yeshiva in Miami Beach. We had a wonderful professional relationship. His passion for education and halachic prowess was renowned. His Chageinu and Berachos manual (originator of the Berachos Bee) were monumental contributions of the day and afterwards.
Rabbi Wenger a”h was my teacher when in was in 3rd grade in California. I was in the first group of students who participated in I his Brachos Bee. Years later, my daughter was in the Rambam competition in Montreal and was testd by Rabbi Wenger. Imagine the hundreds of thousands of students who he educated; what an amazing legacy! Yehi zichro boruch.
as his student, i really apreciated his valuable work!
if published it would help many other teachers and students today!
beautiful, i know a few of the family members and they’re amazing people. I imagine Harav Wenger is also a special person.
Every Tishrei I read through Rabbi Wenger’s ‘Chageinu’ to make sure that I do it right!
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Looking forward to reading. Rabbi Wenger A”H was a wonderful G-d fearing person and teacher.
Rabbi Wenger was an exceptional individual who constantly cared about others and shared his wealth of Torah knowledge!
a must read!
Is Harav Wenger A”H and Rabbi Asher Mintz Rosh Kollel. Kollel Keser Torah of Montreal. I loved Rabbi Wenger and felt close with him, as I was growing up. Even though he has children much older then I, He would sit and Shmooze. He had a contagious smile, laugh and positive attitude! I miss most, his INability to speak untruth! he shared it as it was, no politics, no negius, just simple put HALACHA! To him Torah was real and special! He never used his learning to make himself great (as he could have) but he used his learning to… Read more »