Memory Lane: Rav Shmuel Yaakov Traube

He was a world-class ga’on who concealed his Torah greatness in a cloak of humility. For half a century, he taught Torah at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas where he shaped thousands of talmidim. Rav Shmuel Yaakov Traube burned with love for Torah—a fact that was evident to all those who came in contact with him. 

Torah Vodaath 

Mesivta Torah Vodaath was a legendary institution in Williamsburg of yore, and this is where Rav Shmuel Yaakov sat down to learn with incredible diligence and hasmodoh—as though making up for the lost years in the camps. 

He was soon noticed by the Yeshiva administration, and he was appointed as the 12th grade maggid shiur in 1954. His entire essence would be poured into his shiurim throughout the next half century, and his entire soul would be given over to the talmidim in whom he displayed a keen interest. 

He kept one foot in the Gerer court, and many recall the great kiruv displayed toward him by the Bais Yisroel of Gur—and he would keep an ardent connection with the later Admorim of Gur as well. Haga’on Rav Elya Fischer, the Gerer Rosh Kollel in America, once remarked: “The pnimiyus of Rav Shmuel Yaakov is something extraordinary for our times.” 

His first shiur in Torah Vodaath was attended by some of the greatest minds of the Torah world—talmidim of Rav Boruch Ber in Kamenitz, and of Rav Elchonon Wasserman, zt”l, Hy”d. At the same time, there were talmidim from South America who were new to the limud of Gemara. To all of them, Rav Shmuel Yaakov would be a loving and devoted rebbi. 

While originally Reb Shmuel Yaakov was advised by Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, zt”l, then the Rosh Yeshivah of Torah Vodaas, to teach his talmidim Chumash with Rashi, “in order that they should at least remain erliche Yidden,” Reb Shmuel Yaakov insisted on teaching the standard limudim of the yeshivos.

When Rav Yaakov came back at the end of the zman to check up on their progress, he was shocked when he heard that they had covered forty blatt Gemara, together with Rashi and Tosafos!

Talmidim Remember

In the following lines, we bring comments from talmidim from throughout the decades. These words express their love and their reverence for a rebbi who taught them so much: 

“He was my maggid shiur over 30 years ago. He was from the old school of Rebbeim who took a personal interest in the welfare of his talmidim. His shmussen were legendary. A Purim spent at his home was unforgettable. He helped me in my development for which no amount of gratitude will ever be adequate,” said one talmid. 

“He gave an interesting shiur to twelfth-graders, and they lapped up every nuance and kvetch. His sharfkeit was typical of a Poilisher Gerrer Chusid and his mussar was accepted by all. When he left Torah Vadaas we missed him dearly. He will always be remembered…,” remembered another. 

Yet another talmid recalled that: He was my Rebbi close to fifty years ago. He took bochurim who were what he called blocks of wood and turned them into beautiful furniture. A very real person, he loved his talmidim. He threw out many words of mussar and hashkofoh in the middle of a gemara shiur, and usually through a sharp incisive Gerrer-style vort.

“I remember when we learned gemara Bava Basra and the beginning of the mashechta had Rashi. In the 20’s it says “kan meis Rashi” and the next piece begins with the Rashbam. He was reading the Rashi and went right into the Rashbam. He suddenly stopped. No one knew why. He waited a bit and then said in an impassioned voice, “Here it says Rashi died and I didn’t hear even one krechtz from anyone…. Where is your heart?”

“We loved Rav Traube, zt”l, so much that we went on strike at the beginning of the 2nd year and wouldn’t leave the classroom. We ended up being in his shiur for two years— the most wonderful two years of my whole Yeshiva life. I have very fond memories of my year in Rabbi Traube’s shiur (25 years ago). His hasbara of the sugyos were extraordinary and his shmuessen were something to look forward to. He was also very approachable and took a keen interest in the bochurim.” 

Rav Shmuel Yaakov was niftar in the fall of 2008 following a lifetime of loving Torah and teaching Torah.