Briskers: Can’t Live With Them, Can’t Live Without Them!
After encountering the enormity of R’ Bunim Shreiber, I decided to learn more (call it unpaid oppo research) by listening to him on Kol Halashon. But of course, he is giving shiurim. Many shiurim. Is the damage worse than the benefit? Well, if so, what is the alternative? Rosh Yeshiva is not a low-watt job. We can’t just bring someone else…
The very first shiur I listened to is ישיבת תורת אליהו, בענין הגונב מן הגנב – ביסודות החילוק בין גנב וגזלן – כ’ אייר פג, find it here. R’ Shreiber quotes the Brisker Rav (“perhaps in the name of Reb Chaim”) [minute 13] as the source for an insight into the difference between Ganav and Gazlan. Rabbi Asher Weiss disagrees and makes a few good points here. Rabbi Rosental’s “Mishnas Yaakov” at the beginning of Hilchos Geneiva also brings this distinction.
Chas veshalom, I’m not calling them all Briskers!
By the way, while the Mishnas Yaakov usually appears to be scrupulous about giving credit, perhaps he innocently forgot where he first heard the Brisker chiddush and mistakenly regarded it as his own. Or maybe Rabbi Rosental thought it’s so well known he need not give explicit credit. Or he regarded the Brisker Rav as Rabo Muvhak, so it’s obviously from him (doubtful).
Still, I must include one insult, at least: Maybe someone can enlighten R’ Shreiber as to the translation of the word שקוצקעראיי. It “means” שקוץ!