Several years ago, Yitzhak Raphael announced plans for the establishment in Jerusalem of Yad Harav Maimon, a world center for Torah and Juaic studies. It was to include the Mosad Harav Kook publishing house, a people’s academy, a central library, a teacher’s training seminary and several research institutes.
Hearing of these grandiose plans some might have been skeptical as to their realization. But those who knew Raphael, his iron determination and stupendous energy, had no doubts that before long Yad Harav Maimon would become a fact.
Raphael has lived up to his plans. Within a few years Yad Harav Maimon has grown into one of the largest study and research centers in Israel. The imposing building at the entrance of Jerusalem is buzzing with acitivity. Men and women from all walks of life attend classes and lectures at the people’s academy. At a Kollel promising Yeshiva students engage in higher studies, about fifty young men are enrolled at the teachers’ seminary and at the various research institutes scholars are occupied with their projects. A large library is at the disposal of the center’s staff and students as well as of the public at large.
Mosad Harav Kook, the world’s leading Jewish publishing house, which is now part of the center, has embarked in addition to its wide range of activities, on two new great ventures: The production of text books for Israel’s religious schools and the preparation of a new traditional commentary on the Bible.
When we met last week with Raphael, we did not enquire of him about the development of Yad Harav Maimon. We had no need to do this. On our recent visits to Jerusalem we had ample opportunity to see for ourselves Yad Harav Maimon “in action.” However, we were most eager to hear of his plans for the future- knowing him well, we were almost certain, that this man who had never been content with things as they were, had brought with him from Jerusalem blueprints for some new institute or literary venture.
Our hunch proved right. Raphael is indeed planning the expansion of the center and two large enterprises are now uppermost in his mind: The publication of a new Mikraot Gedolot, the Bible with all its famous commentaries, prepared on the baiss of the best available manuscripts, of the writings of our medieval exegetes, and the establishment of a Research Institute of the Cairo Geniza. The institute would assemble photostatic copies of the fragments, now dispersed in libraries all over the world of the great and valuable hoard of Hebrew mansucripts discovered in the last century in an old Cairo synagogue, and thus make possible a more systematic study of this great literary treasure.
Raphael has worked out in detail the plans of the projects and has submitted them to scholars and communal leaders whose cooperation he has been seeking.
Though he has come here primarily for matters of Yad Harav Maimon, his presence in this country has been exploited to the full by Mizrachi, which has deluged him with requests to address gatherings and functions. In his public appearances, Raphael, prominent Mizrachi leader and representative of the party in the Knesset, has lectured on Israel’s spiritual, political and economic problems.
Despite his many preoccupations, he has found time to take an interest in the writings of local authors. A writer himself, Raphael has followed in the footsteps of his father-in-law Rabbi Y.L. Maimon who throughout his life had encouraged authors in their literary endeavors and urged them to publish their writings.
Many books, published under the imprint of Mosad Harav Kook, have had their origin in the prodding and urging of their authors by Rabbi Y.L. Maimon and Yitzchak Raphael.
Several weeks ago, Rabbi Yaakov Yechiel Weinberg, who was regarded as one of the foremost rabbinic authorities of our time, died in Switzerland. A great scholar and writer he contributed to numerous publications and authored several books. In recent years “Sride Esh,” three large volumes of his responsa were published.
If not for Raphael these three volumes would not have appeared in print. He told us the story in the interview. Twelve years ago he visited Rabbi Weinberg in Montreux. The rabbi showed him a manuscript of his: “Studies in the Baraita and in the Tosefta.” Raphael asked permission to publish it. The rabbi was hesitant to part with the manuscript. He would send it first to a friend in London to prepare a typewritten copy thereof. He sent the manuscript to London.. and there it got lost.
Seven years ago Raphael visited Rabbi Weinberg again. The rabbi showed him a large box filled with papers. “These are my writings he said.” Raphael begged him to publish them, but Weinberg would not hear of it. “One manuscript was lost. I seem to have no luck with publishing,” he said.
“Nothing will remain of all this,” Raphael remarked and pointed at the box.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean what I said. The mice will eat up your writings,” Raphael retorted.
The next day, early in the morning, Rabbi Weinberg came to see Raphael at his hotel. He had not slept the whole night. He had been worrying about the fate of his writings and had decided to publish them at Mosad Harav Kook. However, he must first arrange his material.
“Give it to me as it is. We will take care of it,” Raphael pleaded.
On his return to Jerusalem, Raphael sat down with Reb Anshel Katz, veteran literary worker of Mosad Harav Kook and drew up plans for the arranging of Rabbi Weinberg’s writings. Reb Anshel Katz has golden fingers and under his expert handling Rabbi Weinberg’s writing went to press.
Before long the first volume appeared. It was followed by another and a short time ago the third volume appeared.
When Raphael received the first bound copy of the last volume, he asked one of his employees to send it by airmail to Rabbi Weinberg in Switzerland. After a short while the man was back: Postage would cost 25 Pounds. Was it worthwhile to send the book by air mail? By boat it would arrive at its destination in about twelve days.
“Send it air mail,” Raphael said.
Several days later the news was received in Jerusalem that Rabbi Weinberg had died.
“Did you know that the rabbi was ill?” the employee asked Raphael.
“No, I did not know it, but with a man who is over eighty, you do not take your time,” was the answer.
Rabbi Weinberg was buried in Jerusalem. Two friends of the deceased accompanied the coffin from Switzerland to Israel. They told Raphael that Rabbi Weinberg had received the volume two days before his death and it had filled his last hours with indescribable joy.
The Jewish Press, Friday, April 1, 1966