Rav Yitzchok Hutner's books and thought systems (Part Two)

In part one of this series we discussed the contribution of Rabbi Pinchas Stolper (1931–2022) whose books in English included lengthy translations and interpretations of the Pachad Yitzchok series in Hebrew by Rav Yitzchok Hutner (1906–1980).

In the course of his long career as a Rosh Yeshiva in America and in Israel, Rav Yitzchok Hutner (1906–1980) attracted many hundreds of devoted and brilliant students. In particular, Rav Hutner would deliver lectures to them in flowing Yiddish about the Sabbath and the Jewish Holidays either close to or on the holidays themselves that he eventually translated and wrote down into classical Rabbinic Hebrew and published it in many volumes under the name Pachad Yitzchok ("fear/awe of Isaac").

There has never been a full translation into English of all of Rav Hutner's works but many years after his passing a tiny handful of his devoted disciples have attempted to either translate or interpret their master's writings into good spoken English. Not an easy task!

Starting in 2003, more than twenty years after Rav Hutner's passing in 1980, one of his great disciples, Rabbi Pinchas Stolper (1931–2022) began publishing a series of six books in intellectual English that contained both ideas based on Rav Hutner's teachings and translations of Rav Hutner's Magnum Opus the Sifrei [books] Pachad Yitzchok.

Then starting in 2021, more than forty years after Rav Hutner's passing, another one of his leading disciples, Rabbi Yitzchok Alster (b. 1935) has so far published a five volume set of translated quotations, interpretations and elucidations of important portions of Rav Hutner's words, scholarly outlook and thought systems in high level English.

Both authors rely on much transliteration of Hebrew words and Torah ideas into English letters that assume a basic Jewish and Torah literacy on the part of the interested reader. The books by these two authors are not "light reading" for novices or beginners but instead are aimed at the English reading Jewish public that has some basic knowledge and love of Judaism, a deep longing for God and the Divine, and preferably even a serious grounding in Torah thought and ideas - but is still not proficient enough to fully understand and comprehend advanced Rabbinic Hebrew and related Torah, Talmudic and Midrashic sources as found in the profound original Pachad Yitzchok Hebrew writings of Rav Yitzchok Hutner.

It must be stated that while many of Rav Hutner's disciples wrote down their own private copious personal notes of Rav Hutner's original Yiddish lectures, there are only a small handful of Rav Hutner's disciples who have actually published their own works based on Rav Hutner's books and methodology, whether in Hebrew or English.

None would ever fully duplicate each other because Rav Hutner's teachings and the puzzle about his sources would result in each author coming out with a uniquely different set of teachings based on the same core principles expounded by Rav Hutner, those that they had heard from him in his original mostly mysterious Ma'amarim (lectures).

Such is already the case in Hebrew where three of Rav Hutner's most famous and trusted disciples have either published their own books or have allowed others to publish part of what they taught, based on Rav Hutner's teachings and methodologies. These include his top disciples Rav Aaron Schechter (1928–2023), Rav Yonason David (Rav Hutner's son in law) and Rav Shlomo Carlebach (1925–2022) (not the singer).

Rabbi Yitzchok Alster (b 1935) was a close disciple of Rav Yitzchok Hutner who was at one time the founding Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Pittsburgh in the USA and since 2004 has been the founding Rosh Kollel of Kollel Nachlas Tzvi in Jerusalem, Israel established to educate young Torah scholars from English-speaking countries. In the course of giving his lectures to his own students in English, Rabbi Alster wrote down and published his own works titled Olas Yitzchok ("offering of Isaac") in Hebrew in which he quotes and expands upon both oral and written lessons that he himself heard, learned and absorbed from his Rebbi Muvhak (main teacher), Rav Yitzchok Hutner.

From 2021 to 2024 Rabbi Alster published five volumes that are translations of his work Olas Yitzchok ("offering of Isaac") into English together with the assistance of Rabbi Yehoshua Grant who is one of Rabbi Alster's own disciples and a member of his Kollel Nachlas Tzvi in Jerusalem. In each of the five volumes, Rabbi Alster stresses that what he writes is based on what he learned from Rav Hutner either in person or in writing from Rav Hutner's Hebrew language Pachad Yitzchok books.

Upon perusing all five volumes it could be said that approximately 20% of Rabbi Alster's books use direct quotes of and from Rav Hutner. The rest is scholarly discourse and examination of Rav Hutner's ideas within the context of over-all Torah and Rabbinic thought and teachings.

Rabbi Alster's books serve as a key and guide and an in depth introduction to the methodology and thought systems that Rav Hutner used to present his Ma'amarim (lectures). Compared to Rabbi Stolper's books of interpretations and translations of Rav Hutner's works, Rabbi Stolper provides many more actual fully translated into English Ma'amarim of Rav Hutner's Pachad Yitzchok, while Rabbi Alster is more focused on less direct translated quotations from Rav Hutner but aims for more elucidation. He provides quotes from other Torah and Rabbinic sources in an attempt to explain and flesh out the core concepts and ideas that Rabbi Alster either heard from Rav Hutner directly in Yiddish or derived from his written books in Hebrew.

The following words written by Rabbi Alster himself in the Introduction to one of his books, encapsulate what he is trying to do: "The treatises presented here were inspired by, and in many cases, based on the 'Ma'amorim' [lectures] that I heard from my teacher and mentor, the unforgettable Gaon [genius]. Rav Yitzchak Hutner zt"l. His monumental Magnum Opus, Pachad Yitzchak is the source of many ideas presented herein. He personally directed me to undertake publishing a synopsis of the fundamentals at the root of his Ma'amarim." So that Rabbi Alster's writings are neither de facto nor de jure translations of Rav Hutner's words and books, but are, as he states, a "synopsis of the fundamentals at the root" of Rav Hutner's books and ideas.

Therefore as one peruses Rabbi Alster's five volume English set of translations of his own Hebrew work Olas Yitzchok there are numerous references to sources besides Rav Hutner's writings. While Rav Hutner relied on his own ongoing eclectic far-ranging personal lengthy expositions driving home his points and arguments based on a series of his own original statements and driven by an evident superhuman trajectory of his own high energy and continuous logic with a bare minimum of citing sources, that he felt was a distraction. Rabbi Alster freely quotes from abundant sources all the way from classical Torah and Rabbinic references to oblique lesser known authors and even to contemporary living rabbis who in some cases are his colleagues. In particular, he frequently cites his esteemed son law Rabbi Chaim Yitzchok Kaplan who is also a disciple of Rav Hutner and currently serves as the Mashgiach Ruchani at the Hebron Yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel and is a distinguished thinker and author of Rabbinic works himself.

Published in 2021 is: "The Song of Shabbos: A comprehensive and in-depth study, revealing the secrets and sanctity of Shabbos. Culled from Sifrei Olas Yitzchok [by] Rav Yitzchok Alster. Translated by Rabbi Yehoshua Grant" (Mosaica Press. Distributed by Feldheim). In his Preface, Rabbi Alster states that: "Several years before his passing in 1980, I had proposed to Rav Hutner to publish a series of excerpts from his Sifrei Pachad Yitzchok (eleven volumes). The purpose would be to make available some of the basic principles and fundamentals of Emunah [faith] to the broader Jewish public...Upon finishing my proposal, he reacted immediately: 'Do it, but you should know that it would be even better in English."

"He passed away less than two years later, and, somehow, this idea never reached fruition. But I felt I was given a mission. With this publication, I hope in some way to fulfil this legacy. Most of the Ma'amarim [lectures] herein are based on the fundamentals of Emunah [faith] and Yiddishkeit [Judaism] that he so skillfully espoused to the Talmidim [students] of Mesivta Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin for over forty years."

Rabbi Alster adds an important proviso: "If my interpretations and expositions are correct, they should be considered implied by his words. If they are not, I assume responsibility"!

In April of 2022 there appeared: "Pesach: A Night to Remember: The Source of the Final Redemption. Misifrei [from the books] Olas Yitzchok [by] Rav Yitzchok Alster. Translated by Rabbi Yehoshua Grant" (Adir Press. Distributed by Feldheim). In his Preface, Rabbi Alster remarks that this book: "Is based on the eclectic teachings of Maran Rav Yitzchak Hutner, delving into the innermost secrets that Chazal [Sages], the Torah SheBa'al Peh [Oral Law] found in the Torah Shebichsav [Written Law]. Rav Hutner's style in writing was unmatched as were many other talents he possessed...But above all, he was a Rebbi [teacher] to his Talmidim [students]. He cast an unforgettable image of Torah greatness on all who knew him. It was the select few, the new generation of Gedolei Torah [Torah greats], who flocked to his side to hear his words of wisdom and bask in the light of his countenance."

In September 2022 came: "Body and Soul: An Enlightening Study of Chanuka and Purim. Misifrei [from the books] Olas Yitzchok [by] Rav Yitzchok Alster. Translated by Rabbi Yehoshua Grant." (Nachlas Tzvi Press. Distributed by Im Hasefer). In the Introduction, Rabbi Alster once again states that: "The treatises presented here were inspired by, and in many cases, based on the Ma'amorim [lectures] that I heard from my teacher and mentor, the unforgettable Gaon [genius] Rav Yitzchak Hutner. His monumental Magnum Opus, Pachad Yitzchak is the source of many ideas presented herein. He personally directed me to undertake publishing a synopsis of the fundamentals at the root of his Ma'amarim [lectures]. However, he admonished me to touch up on my English"!

2023 saw the arrival of: "RETURN: Based on the Torah of Hagaon Ha'adir, Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt"l: Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkos. Misifrei [from the books] Olas Yitzchok [by] Rav Yitzchok Alster. Translated by Rabbi Yehoshua Grant." (Nachlas Tzvi Press. Distributed by Feldheim). In his Introduction, Rabbi Alster writes: "I was privileged to spend my early years at the feet of the great Gaon [genius] Rav Yitzchak Hutner. My connection with him, spending hours and days in his presence, both privately and as one of his many disciples, continued for over a quarter century... "

"The Chiddushim [new ideas] of this Sefer [book] are, some directly and some indirectly connected to his Chiddushim and insights, enlightening for us the fundamental concepts of Yiddishkeit [Judaism]. He brilliantly revealed the sophistication and nuance of Torah...Those of us fortunate to be in his presence during the Yamim Noraim [High Holy Days], and Sukkos, and Shemini Atzeres, were all witness to both the pleasure and the awesomeness of his presence."

2024 brought the publication of: "SINAI: You Were There: Based on the Torah of Hagaon Ha'adir Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt"l. Misifrei [from the books] Olas Yitzchok [by] Rav Yitzchok Alster. Translated by Rabbi Yehoshua Grant." (Nachlas Tzvi Press. Distributed by Feldheim). In the Introduction Rabbi Alster sums up: "All the treasures of Am Yisrael [Nation of Israel] come from Sinai, the written Torah and the oral Torah, the revealed Torah and the hidden Torah...The Torah of Rav Hutner brings to life these issues with a potency and relevancy geared to the very special needs of his generation. They are even more potent and relevant to our generation. To be sure, he addresses Torah in its eternal form. "

"But how to get the youth of his generation, a generation heavily invested in the mundane and profane, to appreciate the eternal, required genius of its own. In studying his Magnum Opus, the Sifrei [books] Pachad Yitzchok, one comes alive to Emuna [faith] in Acharis HaYomim [End of Days], the world of imagination which tells us what can be, instead of the focus of the multitudes on what is. In the process he turns imagination into reality, and this is how he played such a crucial part in recreating the Torah world."

In life, Rabbi Yitzchok Alster has been true to his high devotion to Rav Hutner and has followed in his footsteps in significant ways.

Just as Rav Hutner had set out at an early age to be a pioneering Rosh Yeshiva in America in the 1930s becoming the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin at a relatively young age, Rabbi Alster was also a young pioneering Rosh Yeshiva setting up the Yeshiva of Pittsburgh in the 1960s.

Just as Rav Hutner did not retire in his later years but instead left America and moved to Israel and founded Yeshiva Pachad Yitzchok in Jerusalem, likewise Rabbi Alster in his later years left America and moved to Israel and set up the Kollel Nachlas Tzvi in Jerusalem.

And just as Rav Hutner worked hard to publish his life's teachings in Hebrew in his Pachad Yitzchok books and aspired to have them translated into English some day, similarly Rabbi Alster worked hard to publish his Olas Yitzchok books in Hebrew and succeeded in translating and publishing large parts of them into English.

The main similarity between Rav Hutner and Rabbi Alster is that they were personally serious Torah scholars and Jewish Educators par excellence committed to raising new generations of Talmidei Chachamim (Torah scholars) contributing to the continuation of Torah life in both America and Israel.

On a more personal note I would like to express my deepest Hakoras HaTov (gratitude) to Rabbi Yitzchok Alster who introduced me (Yitschak Rudomin) to my wife Zahava Lasky MSW in 1981 at a time when I was a Talmid (student) at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin and where I had also met Rav Yitzchok Hutner. All the Naches (satisfaction) and accomplishments in Torah life we enjoy from our children and grandchildren is due to the brilliance, foresight and kindness of Rabbi Alster as our Shadchan (matchmaker).

Yasher Koach and thank you, and may Rabbi Alster and his entire family together with Klal Yisrael live long and healthy lives until the coming of the Mashiach, Amen!

Rabbi Yitschak Rudominwas born to Holocaust survivor parents in Israel, grew up in South Africa, and lives in Brooklyn, NY. He is an alumnus of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin and of Teachers College–Columbia University. He heads the Jewish Professionals Institute dedicated to Jewish Adult Education and Outreach – Kiruv Rechokim. He was the Director of the Belzer Chasidim's Sinai Heritage Center of Manhattan, a Trustee of AJOP 1994–1997 and founder of American Friends of South African Jewish Education 1995–2015. He is also a docent and tour guide at The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in Downtown Manhattan, New York. He is the author of The Second World War and Jewish Education in America: The Fall and Rise of Orthodoxy. Contact Rabbi Yitschak Rudomin at [email protected]

...