Weekly Chasidic Story #732 (s5772-11 / 9 Kislev 5772) The Wrestling Rabbi In Israel, Rabbi Raphael Halperin was one of those rare figures who established his bona fides in the Orthodox and non-Orthodox communities. Connection: Weekly Torah - wrestling The Wrestling RabbiBy Steve LipmanSome three decades ago, while working as editor of The Buffalo Jewish Review, I happened across a reference to a story I knew I would pursue the next time I went to Israel: a professional wrestling champion turned Orthodox rabbi-scholar. In those days, before e-mail or Facebook or easy international phone calls, I did not make any arrangements until I got to Israel, calling Rabbi Raphael Halperin as soon as I checked into my Jerusalem hotel. Although he had a busy schedule as a lecturer and author, although he had frequent interview requests, and although he had just concluded an exhausting campaign for a Knesset seat, he graciously allowed me to come to his Tel Aviv house, a few blocks from the Mediterranean. Discussing Rocca the Wrestler and Rashi the Commentator Rabbi Halperin, died of cancer on Aug. 20, 2011, at age 87. When I met him, he was 50, still in the prime of his post-wrestling health, even though 20 years removed from his glory days as "The Wrestling Rabbi." A former boxer, karate competitor, weightlifter and bodybuilder, he had remade himself into a wrestler who reportedly - competitive records in the world of pro wrestling are, at best, nebulous - had won 159 consecutive matches and refused, as a matter of principle, to throw a match as part of a promoter's script.
Could Do Hagbah with a Single Hand A onetime "137-pound weakling" who was "not at all" athletic in his youth, he developed his impressive physique and memorable record of sporting accomplishments through dint of hard work. He wrestled as "Mr. Israel," resting on Shabbat and delivering sermons in synagogues near his hotel, to "bring honor to the Jewish people," he said. Able to Cross the Religious-Secular Boundaries In Israel, he was one of those rare figures who established his bona fides in the Orthodox and non-Orthodox communities. Turning His Back on "Make-Believe Success" After retiring from the athletic life, Rabbi Halperin used his
athletic accomplishments to reach and influence the wider public, teaching on
army bases and kibbutzim, he told me in our interview. "I saw society without
any goals. I felt I could do something to help." His success in sports
and his army service (active duty in 1948, reserves in 1973) earned the respect
of Israelis little interested in his theological expertise. "I opened the
eyes of thousands of people." He was clean-shaven in 1980, although in later years he grew a beard that at the end was snow white. He entered, with varying degrees of success, several business enterprises over the years. Both a Standard Scholar and an Iconoclastic Activist When the results of the election were clear, Rabbi Halperin said, his life as a candidate was over. "I went to sleep [on election night] at 10 o'clock," he said. "At five o'clock the next morning I was in my yeshiva." I never spoke with Rabbi Halperin again, but I followed his many exploits. The rabbi re-entered my world when I went to Israel last year. I needed new frames for the spare set of jogging glasses that I keep at a friend's apartment in Jerusalem, and the optical shop at a nearby mall turned out to be to be part of the Optika Halperin chain. I Noticed Yeshiva Students Getting Free Books Rabbi Halperin, an employee of the store informed me, had written an extensive commentary on the Torah, in Hebrew, and anyone who identified himself as a yeshiva student got a copy for free. I was intrigued and asked to look at one of the books. Although my Hebrew skills are rudimentary, I could recognize that "Diyukim B'Torah" was high-level commentary. I paid for a copy. The book - so far I have only Genesis - is now part of my Torah library at home. Now, when I wrestle with Torah, I get some posthumous help from "The Wrestling Rabbi."
[Reprinted from the AJOP Newsletter. The article originally
appeared in the New York Jewish Week's August 31, 2011 edition.] ~~~~~~~~~~~
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