Page 72 - issue
P. 72
IDn aMrermeolrlyZofaMslyoFwri,enz”dl,
Pby Dovid Fink devoted to assisting the sick
arshas Tetzaveh deals with the completion of the and the elderly. But he didn’t
Mishkan, the portable Tabernacle which would be merely assist; he befriended
built and taken down multiple times until the erec- all. No one was his project-
for-being-compassionate,
tion of the Beis Hamikdash in Yerushalayim. Parshas rather each one became his
Terumah and Tetzaveh instruct in all the details of the
menora, the mizbe’ach (altar), the peroches (curtain), friend, and friends helped
and the vestments to be worn by the kohanim while each other. Darrell was never too busy mastering the precise
performing their service. Each one of these items was timeline of Jewish history or the intricacies of family law in
a magnificent work, some made of pure gold, fashioned with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to help another person.
detailed carvings and meticulous craftsmanship. Others were Darrell had time for everything and everyone.
precise in their measurements and had detailed instructions I enjoyed listening to Darrell’s lectures and dissertations.
and designations as to who was to supply the raw materials He was a masterful speaker, who managed to convey many
and the workmanship. Yet, it is inescapable that, regardless of of his brilliant thoughts even to the novices among his lis-
the majesty of each one of the keilim and other items that teners. His combination of knowledge, humor, and delivery
were designed and crafted, together they formed something made him a treat to listen to. He was an equally wonderful
far greater than the sum of their parts. The combined power audience. After the daunting task of following Darrell on a
was an ability to serve Hashem as never before – to have playbill, he would ask pointed questions and challenge me
“veshachanti besocham” – to have a dwelling place for the on my presentation. Did the Merriam-Webster dictionary
Shechina in our midst. actually debate removing the word “Jew” from its listings, or
◆◆◆ was it happenstance? Was Moshe Rabbeinu born great, or
Darrell Zaslow was a man who, every day of his life, was his greatness the product of his actions and discipline?
exhibited this same characteristic. A person of remarkable Was Nimrod the same person as Hammurabi, a conclusion
intellect, impeccable integrity, humility, commitment, we both reached from quite different sources. Was Esther’s
accomplishments, and friendship, Darrell had many individ- choice in the Megilla sanctioned by halacha? This was a
ual things in his life about which to be proud. But the com- mere sample of the discussions I had with my friend
bined characteristics in one human being made for a per- Darrell.
son who was far more than the sum of his parts. They made Darrell was just as comfortable reflecting on nuances of
him a true marvel. the various Davidic kings and the turmoil of Shabtai Tzvi
Above, I refer to Darrell as “my friend.” He was my as on the best climate to foster maximum growth of vege-
friend indeed. Darrell and I learned Torah together, dis- tation native to the Galapagos islands or Neville
cussed Jewish philosophy and kabbalistic ideas, and ban- Chamberlain’s naive treaty with Hitler and how it relates to
tered about our mutual practices of law. We had discus- the modern pacification of Iran. Books could have been
sions about wormholes. Were they merely interspatial written on the pearls of wisdom which we would glean from
conduits or, as I advocated, were they also capable of Darrell.
being inter-dimensional and even trans-temporal con- We didn’t always agree. Darrell’s broad and deep base of
duits? We analyzed ancient books of astronomy and knowledge allowed him to challenge any premise. He always
obscure midrashim on the creation of the world. We prefaced his disagreement with “You know more Torah than
shared an appreciation for Star Trek and even enjoyed an I ever will, but…” It wasn’t true. Darrell was a great Torah
annual diversion to play poker. But I know Darrell had scholar. His areas of study were in some ways different than
many such friends. He had friends who appreciated his mine but no less valuable. And he mastered what he studied.
passion for writing, his love of music, his knowledge of Often, I got the impression that the challenge was not real
American and Jewish history. Darrell’s vast array of inter- but intended just to help me further the development of my
ests and mastery of so many disciplines allowed him to thoughts into a more robust theorem - although, when the
relate to and be friends with everyone. I know the loss I disagreements were genuine, they were never personal.
feel is shared by literally thousands of others on many dif- Darrell articulated his counter point of view always from an
ferent levels. intellectual perspective, never from a personal one. His
Darrell touched and impacted so many lives. His intellect responses always left you with the desire to acquire more
was matched by his compassion for others. Darrell was knowledge. That was one of Darrell’s main quests – the
64 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
Pby Dovid Fink devoted to assisting the sick
arshas Tetzaveh deals with the completion of the and the elderly. But he didn’t
Mishkan, the portable Tabernacle which would be merely assist; he befriended
built and taken down multiple times until the erec- all. No one was his project-
for-being-compassionate,
tion of the Beis Hamikdash in Yerushalayim. Parshas rather each one became his
Terumah and Tetzaveh instruct in all the details of the
menora, the mizbe’ach (altar), the peroches (curtain), friend, and friends helped
and the vestments to be worn by the kohanim while each other. Darrell was never too busy mastering the precise
performing their service. Each one of these items was timeline of Jewish history or the intricacies of family law in
a magnificent work, some made of pure gold, fashioned with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to help another person.
detailed carvings and meticulous craftsmanship. Others were Darrell had time for everything and everyone.
precise in their measurements and had detailed instructions I enjoyed listening to Darrell’s lectures and dissertations.
and designations as to who was to supply the raw materials He was a masterful speaker, who managed to convey many
and the workmanship. Yet, it is inescapable that, regardless of of his brilliant thoughts even to the novices among his lis-
the majesty of each one of the keilim and other items that teners. His combination of knowledge, humor, and delivery
were designed and crafted, together they formed something made him a treat to listen to. He was an equally wonderful
far greater than the sum of their parts. The combined power audience. After the daunting task of following Darrell on a
was an ability to serve Hashem as never before – to have playbill, he would ask pointed questions and challenge me
“veshachanti besocham” – to have a dwelling place for the on my presentation. Did the Merriam-Webster dictionary
Shechina in our midst. actually debate removing the word “Jew” from its listings, or
◆◆◆ was it happenstance? Was Moshe Rabbeinu born great, or
Darrell Zaslow was a man who, every day of his life, was his greatness the product of his actions and discipline?
exhibited this same characteristic. A person of remarkable Was Nimrod the same person as Hammurabi, a conclusion
intellect, impeccable integrity, humility, commitment, we both reached from quite different sources. Was Esther’s
accomplishments, and friendship, Darrell had many individ- choice in the Megilla sanctioned by halacha? This was a
ual things in his life about which to be proud. But the com- mere sample of the discussions I had with my friend
bined characteristics in one human being made for a per- Darrell.
son who was far more than the sum of his parts. They made Darrell was just as comfortable reflecting on nuances of
him a true marvel. the various Davidic kings and the turmoil of Shabtai Tzvi
Above, I refer to Darrell as “my friend.” He was my as on the best climate to foster maximum growth of vege-
friend indeed. Darrell and I learned Torah together, dis- tation native to the Galapagos islands or Neville
cussed Jewish philosophy and kabbalistic ideas, and ban- Chamberlain’s naive treaty with Hitler and how it relates to
tered about our mutual practices of law. We had discus- the modern pacification of Iran. Books could have been
sions about wormholes. Were they merely interspatial written on the pearls of wisdom which we would glean from
conduits or, as I advocated, were they also capable of Darrell.
being inter-dimensional and even trans-temporal con- We didn’t always agree. Darrell’s broad and deep base of
duits? We analyzed ancient books of astronomy and knowledge allowed him to challenge any premise. He always
obscure midrashim on the creation of the world. We prefaced his disagreement with “You know more Torah than
shared an appreciation for Star Trek and even enjoyed an I ever will, but…” It wasn’t true. Darrell was a great Torah
annual diversion to play poker. But I know Darrell had scholar. His areas of study were in some ways different than
many such friends. He had friends who appreciated his mine but no less valuable. And he mastered what he studied.
passion for writing, his love of music, his knowledge of Often, I got the impression that the challenge was not real
American and Jewish history. Darrell’s vast array of inter- but intended just to help me further the development of my
ests and mastery of so many disciplines allowed him to thoughts into a more robust theorem - although, when the
relate to and be friends with everyone. I know the loss I disagreements were genuine, they were never personal.
feel is shared by literally thousands of others on many dif- Darrell articulated his counter point of view always from an
ferent levels. intellectual perspective, never from a personal one. His
Darrell touched and impacted so many lives. His intellect responses always left you with the desire to acquire more
was matched by his compassion for others. Darrell was knowledge. That was one of Darrell’s main quests – the
64 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
