Collision at Home Plate: Life-changing Lesson from a Top Rosh Yeshiva

(VINnews) — Recently, two sincere, ehrliche Jews had a friendly dispute to resolve. While playing baseball, one of the men was dashing across home plate, and collided with the other man, the catcher.

One of the men, a doctor, broke his leg and was not able to work for two weeks. He estimated his loss at $15,000, and wanted to know if he was permitted to sue the other man, whose liability happened to be covered by an insurance company.

They brought their shaila to Rabbi Betzalel Y. Rudinsky shlit”a of Forshay, the popular and renowned Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Reuven in Wesley Hills, as well as Rav of Kahal Ahavas Yitzchok.

Among other factors, the Rav invoked a psak issued by Rabeinu Tam, who ruled that if two people are jousting for sport (which was not uncommon in his days), there is no Chiyuv Mazik, because “savar v’kibel” – the participants accept the potential injury as a risk, and essentially they are mochel the damage.

Rabbi Rudinsky advised the doctor to be mevater, and added that Hashem has many ways to compensate his loss.

Amazingly, Rabbi Rudinsky brought his talmidim to observe the friendly Din Torah, something he does quite often. Even more astounding, he later discussed an incredible epilogue to the story with his yeshiva during a shiur, which can be heard on the yeshiva’s app.

The injured doctor called the Rabbi several weeks later, to tell him that he just won a raffle for free tuition – worth up to $15,000, the exact amount of his loss.

These types of stories happen somewhat regularly in the life of Rabbi Rudinsky, a true Gadol B’Torah.

Yeshivas Ohr Reuven in Wesley Hills, NY., founded in 1992, and Kahal Ahavas Yitzchok, have both enjoyed incredible success and a wide reach. Both are led by Rabbi Rudinsky, shlit”a, an internationally known Posek who is consulted on the most crucial shailos imaginable, including pikuach nefesh – from halacha to hashkafa.

In addition to his vast bekius (he completes Shas every year), the Rav’s real gadlus is his immense havana and clarity, and he is also a deep lamdan. He also has an uncanny ability to give over deep concepts in a crystal clear way that anyone can connect with and understand on their level.

Although Ohr Reuven has been helping bochurim shteig for decades, it has reached a whole new level in recent years.

The yeshiva launched a free audio library of every shiur given there since 2003, allowing anyone access to over 10,000 of Rabbi Rudinsky’s (and other Rebbeim) shiurim on demand. All shiurim are provided free of charge, with the philosophy that Torah should be available anywhere, anytime. Thousands have benefited to date – with close to 3000,000 shiurim listened to – as the Rav gives multiple shiurim each day on virtually every topic.

Ohr Reuven includes a Yeshiva Ketana, Mesivta, Beis Medrash, and Kollel program. Like Ahavas Yitzchok, the yeshiva is a pillar of Torah in the community.

During a critical time for Klal Yisroel, Yeshivas Ohr Reuven is launching its first ever $1 million fundraising campaign on December 5-6. For 30 years, it has developed hundreds of talmidim in an environment of love and warmth. Rabbi Rudinsky has personally taken on a $100,000 fundraising goal to ensure his yeshiva, our yeshiva, can continue to provide all the resources their students need to grow to new heights.

This campaign will be matched by generous community members. Please consider donating today: https://causematch.com/ohrreuven/136553

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For more information, please contact the yeshiva directly at [email protected]