With Hearts Full Of Faith

Mattisyahu Salomon, ArtScroll, 2002

Rabbi Salomon was my mentor and advisor in Gateshead, where he was the Mashgiach Ruchni (spiritual overseer) of the famous Yeshivah there. He subsequently went to the USA, where he now occupies a simlar position at the Lakewood Yeshivah in New Jersey. One of the main roles in the Yeshivah of the Mashgiach is to deliver the ‘schmooze’ – a kind of ethical, inspiration Torah discourse; usually in Yiddish. He has published a number of volumes of them in Hebrew; this is a collection in English (my copy is a gift from the rabbi). They cover a range of subjects that Rabbi Salomon would typically address: faith, prayer, dealing with tragedy, responsibility, etc. The essays are very readable and have been prepared for publication by an able author. The compilation also includes material from various addresses following the 9/11 attacks on the USA, as well as a study of our attitude to Russian Jewry. An interesting and well-arranged collection.

With Hearts Full Of Faith