Here''s the full text of Rabbi Kenigsberg's speech at the Sheloshim for Rabbi Wein et'l, delivered at Beit Knesset Hanassi on 14 September 2025. The full proceedings of the Sheloshim, including Rabbi Kenigsberg's speech, can also be viewed on YouTube, here.
As we gather tonight to mark the Sheloshim
for Moreinu veRabbeinu, Rav Berel Wein zt”l, finding words of hesped
feels no easier now, than it did 30 days ago. If anything, with time to
reflect, the sense of loss is even greater, and the void more keenly felt.
Over these weeks, I have often
caught myself instinctively wondering: What would Rabbi Wein say? Faced
with a dilemma, confronted by the turmoil of our times, I have longed for his
sharp, clear voice - the voice that could, in a moment, place events into
perspective and set our minds at ease. That voice is no longer here, and how
bereft we feel.
In keeping with Rabbi Wein’s
wishes, our remarks tonight will be brief. But the outpouring of tributes from
across the length and breadth of the Jewish world reminds us of what we already
knew: Rabbi Wein was a connector of worlds. Who else could be admired and loved
by the President of the State of Israel and at the same time revered in the
halls of Satmar Chassidut? To all of them, and to all of us, Rabbi Wein was the
voice of Torah, the voice of the Jewish people. He showed us our place in the
eternal story of Am Yisrael and charged us with the mission of writing its next
chapter.
Many times he would recall the
verse we recite in Shofarot of Mussaf of Rosh Hashana:
וַיְהִי קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק
מְאֹד מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹקים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל
“When Human beings sound shofar blasts, the sound weakens as the length of the note increases. The Ba’al Tokeah simply runs out of breath. But the sound of the shofar at Sinai emanated from Heaven and had eternity encased within it. The sound of that Shofar did not weaken in time, but rather continued and strengthened.
That mighty sound came to symbolize Torah itself: not only has it maintained itself in Jewish life over millenia, it has the uncanny ability to become stronger and evermore resonant as the generations of Israel proceed… one of the great phenomena of our time… has been the resurgence of Torah study on a mass scale in Jewish populations the world over… the sound of the shofar at Sinai never weakens or abates…
The verse states… Moshe yedaber… the Torah uses the past perfect form of the verb “to speak”. It infers that Moshe not only spoke in the past, but that he continues to speak, even in the present and future.
This is the timeless quality of Torah; it has the ability to speak to every generation, providing values and guidance under all human circumstances.”
Moshe yedaber, veHaElokim ya’anenu
bekol. Rabbi Wein heard that eternal voice of Torah echoing through the
generations and the events of our day - and when he spoke, he allowed us to
hear it too.
Rabbi Wein was a living link in
the great chain of Jewish destiny. In a world of confusion, he was an anchor of
clarity. He had the rare gift of making the complex simple: That’s what’s
written in the Torah. What more do you need?
As we enter the Yamim Noraim without his guiding voice, the loss is especially sharp. Yet his charge to us is clear: to carry forward his lessons, his love of Torah, his faith in HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and his unwavering commitment to the Jewish people. May we be worthy to do so, and ensure that his voice continues to resound – not only for us but for generations to come.
