Because Rav Aharon didn’t speak about “Gedolim”, his students generally didn’t either. And yet, now that he has left us, we all find ourselves referring to our revered and beloved teacher by that exact title: Gedol HaDor. And why? Because, simply, that’s the only way to describe what he was – one of the greatest people of our generation.
He wasn’t a member of an exclusive group with special authority, because he negated the very legitimacy of that concept. He didn’t insist that his students and followers accept his opinion – to the contrary; he insisted that we think for ourselves and form our own opinions, sometimes even on matters of halacha.
And yet, he taught and led tens of thousands. Among the multitudes of his students are rabbis, teachers and leaders across Israel and the world. His teachings continue to reverberate, and indeed he was a leader to the entire generation.
He commanded respect and emulation, though he never demanded it. His impact on an entire generation came simply through the power of his encyclopedic knowledge, unfathomable intellect, and even greater piety, humanity and concern for others. He taught us to reject the culture of “Gedolim,” but he led an entire generation simply by being the Gedol HaDor.
[1] Though sometimes pronounced “Gadol HaDor,” I prefer to use the grammatically correct Hebrew expression.
[2] Indeed, several political parties in the current Knesset have official bodies known as “Moetzot Gedolei HaTorah” which make all decisions. The MKs in these parties are ostensibly obligated to vote only according to the instructions of the “Gedolim”.