Chesapeake Torah

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Zaydee Schmellisms

People from the last generation often had an interesting outlook on things. Sometimes well founded, other times not. Either way interesting.
Here’s a few from R’ Abe:

Air conditioners and open windows

When you got into a car with him and quickly clicked on the air conditioning, Abe would tell you:
“What do you think yer doing? Now wait a second. First you have to open up the windows for a few minutes and get the heat out of the car. The car was closed and filled with heat. That vent’s just going to blow out hot air first.”
Now that was on a fairly hot day.
On days that were not as hot, you might get:
” What do you need that for?! Open the windows and enjoy some of Hashem’s fresh air.”
(Later in life as his asthma got worse though you never heard that one.)

Garbage Compacting

Early on in my marriage, Zayde Schmell observed that I would just throw things into the garbage. Just like anybody else does. He explained to me that this was a waste of space and garbage bags. He proceeded to show me how if you tore open the orange juice container, you could stuff smaller items in there, especially junk mail. This also applied to any other cardboard box that could hold anything.
For years I thought that this was a waste of your time.
Then came recycling and his idea became quite useful quite often.

Rushing around

We all find ourselves busy. It’s always something. Amidst this business we endeavor to fit everything in. That means stopping to see someone and not staying very long.
R’ Avraham Yehuda did not admire that.

Countless times he would tell you,
“What are you rushing around for so much. Don’t you ever take a rest?

You’re gonna knock yourself out.”

He really was not being critical.

When I asked him if he rushed around when he was younger he replied “Of course, I did. That’s why I’m telling you not to .”

But he had lived a busy life

Rav Yehonasson Eibeschutz instructs us that unless you have the ability to learn an awful lot, you better stay very busy with this world. That packed schedule of activity will keep the Yetzer Hora away. You just won’t have time for him. Every time he offers you something delectable, you’ll tell him how it will ruin your timetable. Taking on responsibility may feel cumbersome but it blocks the Yetzer’s temptations.

And when the hard working, chesed doing family man is not busy, what’s the shield then?

Rav Yehonasson says that then we have Krias HaTorah /the Torah reading. He explains that the large readings of Shabbos (sometimes very large!!) are there to crowd our mind with Torah. Torah that will occupy the mind at Shul, at the table, walking with a friend, reviewing the Sedrah two times and maybe spill over to the week before and after.

This was Mr. Schmell 110%.

He worked harder in the bakery than most people could handle. Pretty good for a fellow raised part in Poland part in NYC, all on a European cholesterol diet. His head and hands were too busy for the Yetzer.

When he had off on Shabbos and Yom Tov indeed that Krias HaTorah was for him exactly what Rav Eibeschutz taught.

My father-in-law woke up early to review the Parsha. That was the sweet sound all of his children and visiting grandchildren woke up to.

To see him doing that at the dining room table with his glayzel hot water was a vision of Shabbos peace and serenity.

The good Shabbos you received upon him seeing you, was a spiritual infusion.

No room for the Yetzer!!

At Shul he loved the Torah reading. His father R’ Naphtali Hertz had planted this seed in him with the most powerful tractor ………………himself.
Zayde Naphtali Hertz was an accomplished Baal Tefilla and Baal Koreh. He did this proudly and it spilled over onto his son.
Thus when many of us could be bored or edgy about a lengthy Torah reading rendering by a melodic voice, R’ Avraham Yehuda was hearing a symphony. He was wont to remark with a contagious smile:

“Oh how that boy lained.

A wonderful job.

His teacher taught him well
or
Ohhhhh, Etzyon Brand was terrific today.”

.

Needless to say, that he made himself available for teaching grandchildren their bar mitzvah portions.
But it didn’t stop there. For the rest of Shabbos and during the week too, he would always request a good Vort on the Parsha. Most conversations led into that.
The Sages’ idea of keeping us occupied with the Torah reading on non-work time was an integral ingredient of Mr. Schmell.
This is all part of why Abe Schmell was such a great man. He had no time for the Yetzer Hora because he was too busy being a good man

To his G-d
To his family and friends
To all he encountered.
And oh yes, to me and all of the in-law children(who became his own).

Isn’t it amazing how such a physically small man
could leave such a large void.