Rabbinic Heroes

Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss, Ph.D., z”l, a rabbi’s rabbi

“Rabbi Andrea Weiss…” I scribbled into my ‘rabbinic journey journal. “Powerful Torah. Soft-spoken approach. Deep feeling. Humility. Ready, willing to be of service.” In just a few days at a retreat to kick off Hebrew Union College’s Virtual Pathway to the Rabbinate, Rabbi Weiss imprinted on me her love of Torah, with every possible meaning of Torah imaginable. That was 14 months ago. She died today.

I cannot claim a long personal history with her. Others will eulogize her with more knowledge of her life and work. Others will remember her conferring their smicha. Others will speak to her profound influence on the body of Jewish learning, including her central role in the creation of the Women’s Torah Commentary.

Here’s what I offer: testimony to the power of a single moment of her teaching. Testimony to the power of a single conversation with her. Testimony to the fact that once you became one of her students, you’d be forever in her heart.

We learn the ‘stuff’ of being a rabbi in seminary. Mishnah. Talmud. Philosophy. History. Parshanut. Just for starters. We learn the ‘way’ to be as a rabbi from watching the rabbinic heroes of our generation, like Rabbi Weiss.

Here in Jerusalem, these past few days under rocket fire, I’ve been thinking about rabbinic heroism. How rabbis – facing their own personal issues, traumas, and crises, here and, really, anywhere – still minister to others. We learn the way to be in the world as a rabbi through our role models.

I didn’t get enough time as Rabbi Weiss’ student. My goal is to do justice to her legacy.