In a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshiva of Staten Island and son of the legendary Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”l, offered timeless wisdom and heartfelt reflection on Chazaq Torah Talks.
When asked what it was like to grow up in the home of Rav Moshe, Rabbi Feinstein humbly replied, “My father was my father. I had no other.” He didn’t feel his upbringing was extraordinary—until he heard how others described their own. He then shared a stunning glimpse into Rav Moshe’s brilliance: Despite constant visitors, Rav Moshe would stop writing mid-sentence and return hours later to the exact spot without losing his train of thought. “I can’t do that,” Rabbi Feinstein admitted. “That was his greatness.”
The conversation covered challenges facing this generation—respect, technology, and learning. Rabbi Feinstein emphasized the need to instill proper values without belittling others. “We disagree, but we don’t need to disrespect,” he said. Regarding technology, he acknowledged both its dangers and its potential. “Hashem gave us technology for Torah. If only we used it that way.”
On antisemitism and America’s moral decline, he warned about ignoring the warning signs and expressed strong support for aliyah when feasible. “If I didn’t have a job here, I’d go,” he said. “Everyone should have their passport ready.”
He passionately advocated for kiruv and investing our ma’aser zman—a tithe of time—for outreach. “If everyone gave just a bit of their free time to teach or mentor, we’d have an army.” He praised Chazaq’s public school outreach and added that even one hour a week can make a lasting impact.
The highlight of the episode was a profound drush on chesed. Rabbi Feinstein contrasted two guests—one who joins a lavish Shabbat meal already prepared, and another for whom a meal is personally cooked from scratch. “Who feels more valued?” he asked. “Avraham Avinu went out of his way to make his guests feel special—that’s chesed.”
He extended this lesson to bullying: Rivkah Imeinu offered Eliezer water in a way that neutralized his controlling posture—not with confrontation, but with grace. “She saw through the power play and met it with dignity,” he explained. “That’s how you raise people up.”
In closing, Rabbi Feinstein urged everyone to make others feel important. “Friendships, marriages, communities—everything thrives when people feel valued.”
Rabbi Yaniv Meirov is the CEO of CHAZAQ and Rabbi of Congregation Charm Circle in Kew Gardens Hills. Since 2006, he has led the organization’s mission to empower Jewish youth and families through Torah education, kiruv, and community initiatives. As Chazaq Torah Talks recently aired its 207th episode featuring Rabbi Arieh Friedner, Rabbi Meirov continues to uplift and inspire through candid conversations that bridge Torah tradition with contemporary challenges.
Rabbi Reuven Feinstein: Wisdom In Every Word
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