''Making of a Godol: A Study of Episodes in the Lives of Great Torah Personalities'' is a two-volume book written and published in 2002, with an improved edition published in 2005, by Rabbi Nathan Kamenetsky (1930-2019), son of Rabbi

Yaakov Kamenetsky Yaakov Kamenetsky (February 28, 1891 – March 10, 1986), was a prominent rabbi, rosh yeshiva, ''posek'' and Talmudist in the post-World War II American Jewish community. Biography Yaakov Kamenetsky was born at a folwark called Kalyskovka owned b ...

, about the life of his father and of various other

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

sages of the 19th and 20th centuries, who are revered by

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...

(especially

Haredi Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...

)

Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...

s. The word ''

Godol ''Gadol'' or ''godol'' (, plural: ''gedolim'' ) (literally "big" or "great" in Hebrew ) is used by religious Jews to refer to the most revered rabbis of the generation. Usage The term ''gadol hador'' refers to the "great/est (one of) the generati ...

'' means "great ne in

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

, and refers to exceptional

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cente ...

ic scholars who are often prominent

Roshei Yeshiva Rosh yeshiva ( he, ראש ישיבה, pl. he, ראשי ישיבה, '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primar ...

(heads of

yeshiva A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are s ...

s). The book, which resulted from about 15 years of extensive research, includes much historical background based on over 800 sources, and is very detailed in its stories and

biographies A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or c ...

. Due to the banning of both editions (see next section), not more than 1,000 sets of each edition are in existence.

Bans against both editions

Soon after it was first published, a group of 10 leading

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

s in

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, first among them Rabbi

Yosef Shalom Eliashiv Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ( he, יוסף שלום אלישיב; 10 April 1910 – 18 July 2012) was a Haredi Rabbi and ''posek'' (arbiter of Jewish law) who lived in Jerusalem. Until his death at the age of 102, Rav Elyashiv was the paramount lead ...

, appeared to issue an official letter banning the book, claiming that it was disrespectful to the rabbis whose lives it describes. For example, the book records that Rabbi

Aharon Kotler Aharon Kotler (1892–1962) was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and a prominent leader of Orthodox Judaism in Lithuania and the United States; the latter being where he founded Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood Township, New Jersey. Early life Kotler w ...

read Russian books in his youth. The book also claims that as a young man studying in yeshiva, Kotler was a "sore loser" at chess and he would always demand from his opponent to be able to take back moves once he realized that they were a mistake. This is said to have prompted a grandson of Kotler to urge Eliashiv to ban the book. Kamenetsky responded that he did not consider such information to be disparaging. (Indeed, he wrote that his father also had read Russian books.) Rather, he was merely recounting a ''nisayon'' (personal test or trial) that these great men experienced in the process of becoming Gedolim (great sages) during the difficult period of

Haskalah The ''Haskalah'', often termed Jewish Enlightenment ( he, השכלה; literally, "wisdom", "erudition" or "education"), was an intellectual movement among the Jews of Central and Eastern Europe, with a certain influence on those in Western Euro ...

. The author stated, however, that Eliashiv had agreed to defer publicizing the letter until he had the opportunity to speak with the author in person (Kamenetsky was in the United States at the time for medical purposes). This agreement was thwarted when "zealots" publicized the letter prematurely without permission, an action that caused Eliashiv to be "furious." Although the ban was still not official, it was very difficult to subdue the message of Eliashiv's letter, countersigned by nine other sages, which now lined the walls of the religious neighborhoods of

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. Despite further negotiations, through which the author was almost able to prevent the ban from taking effect (or have it withdrawn), Kamenetsky states that "zealots" falsely accused him of breaking his promise to temporarily stop selling books, which led to the ban becoming official. The ban was highly controversial in the

Orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on M ...

world. Kamenetsky has noted that none of the 10 Israeli signatories of the ban personally read ''Making of a Godol'' and, indeed, all but one (Rabbi

Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg ( he, חיים פנחס שיינברג;‎ 1 October 1910 – 20 March 2012) was a Polish-born, American-raised, Israeli Haredi rabbi and rosh yeshiva who, from 1965, made his home in the Kiryat Mattersdorf neighborho ...

) are unable to read English. Although he did not agree with the ban, and believed that the signatories of the ban were misled by "zealots," Kamenetsky abided by it, primarily out of his reverence for Eliashiv. However, Kamenetsky lamented that had Rabbi

Shlomo Zalman Auerbach Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ( he, שלמה זלמן אויערבאך; July 20, 1910 – February 20, 1995) was a renowned Orthodox Jewish rabbi, posek, and rosh yeshiva of the Kol Torah yeshiva in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem neighborhood Ramat Shlomo i ...

or Rabbi

Elazar Shach Elazar Menachem Man Shach ( he, אלעזר מנחם מן שך, Elazar Shach; January 1, 1899 O.S. – November 2, 2001) was a prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbi, heading the non-Hasidic ''Litvak'' Orthodox from the early 1970s until his death. He ...

been living he is certain that the ban would have never been issued, as these sages would have insisted on hearing his side of the story first. Kamenetsky stated that, in writing the book, he "naively believed that everyone would appreciate getting a true, human glimpse four spiritual leaders," and that this honest portrayal "is what bothered the zealots." Kamenetsky argued that he has more respect for Torah sages than do the "zealots," in that they believe that it is an embarrassment to reveal the truth about the Gedolim, whereas he believes that there is no need to hide anything, because knowing the truth about the Gedolim only increases one's respect for them (due to their vast accomplishments, despite facing life's trials and being human). The author addressed the ban in his 2003 book ''Anatomy of a Ban,'' which is currently unavailable to the public. Shortly after releasing the second edition of ''Making of a Godol,'' Kamenetsky discussed the ban of the first edition, and expressed hope that the second edition would not meet the same fate. Nevertheless, a new letter was issued in March 2006, with the rabbis who issued it, first among them Eliashiv, declaring that the second edition was reviewed by Rabbis Dan Segal and Yosef Rosenblum, and that the original ban remained in force for the second edition. The second ban was reportedly in violation of an agreement between Kamenetsky and Eliashiv, that the second edition would not be banned without Kamenetsky first being given an opportunity to defend the work. Indeed, Kamenetsky reports that, before the second ban was issued, he sent letters to most of the signatories of the first ban, informing them of this agreement with Eliashiv. Rabbi Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, a signatory to the first ban, did not participate in the second ban, having apologized to Kamenetsky, and given his word that he would have nothing more to do with the matter.

Torah sages who support the book

Kamenetsky reports that both Rabbi Zelik Epstein, who was a senior

Rosh Yeshiva Rosh yeshiva ( he, ראש ישיבה, pl. he, ראשי ישיבה, '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primar ...

in America, and Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, a prominent

Halachic ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...

authority in Israel, read ''Making of a Godol'' and fully approved of it. He quoted Epstein as stating in a letter to Eliashiv that "in my opinion there is no justification ''whatsoever'' to ban the aforementioned book." Kamenetsky stated that Sternbuch rules for anyone who asks him that the book is "Kosher." He quoted Sternbuch as exclaiming within earshot of at least 50 people one

Shabbos Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical storie ...

morning after services: "

Reb Common meanings * Johnny Reb, personification of a Confederate soldier in the American Civil War * Reb (Yiddish), an honorific title for a teacher People * Reb Anderson (born 1943), American Zen Buddhist teacher and writer * Reb Beach (born 1963), ...

Noson, you keep nwriting - no one can do as good a job as you!""Making of a Ban" speech at about 15:00-18:00. The quote from Epstein is translated from the original Hebrew, with emphasis in original.

Publication details

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Bans against both editions

Torah sages who support the book

Publication details

References

Further reading