Rabbi Doniel Kirschis Rabbi at Yeshiva 'Nachalat Yosef' in Shaavei Shomron and an IDF battalion Rabbi
I had the privilege of knowing Yitzhak Zeiger HY"D for about seven years since I started serving as the rabbi of a battalion in the IDF.
Zeiger (as everyone called him) was the legendary medic of the battalion, and he served there for about 35 years. He was not only a medic--but everyone knew that if they needed anything (and I mean anything!) Zeiger was there to help with joy. There was no limit to the kindness he did. He never stopped helping others, not for a minute."
About seven years ago, as soon as I entered the battalion, a soldier who did not observe Torah and mitzvot approached me and asked: "Rabbi, prove to me that the Torah is true. I want you to convince me."
We talked for maybe an hour and a half but he was not completely convinced. He claimed that he does not see that the Torah influences people to be more moral (he stated that the media publishes stories about rabbis who commit all kinds of injustices, etc.).
I told him that surely the Torah has a positive effect, and in the end I sat with him and we read from the book 'Ish Tzaddik Hayah' (There was once a righteous man) about the Tzadidk Rabbi Aryeh Levine, in order to demonstrate how the Torah makes people better. He was moved and said that it is a pity that there are no such people living today.
The next day the same friend approached me and said that he found a man who acts like Rabbi Aryeh Levine and his name is Yitzhak Zeiger. The friend observed Yitzhak Zeiger who helps people all day long with all kinds of things. The friend approached Yitzhak Zeiger and said to him: "You know Zeiger, you are like Aryeh Levine. You help others all day like Aryeh Levine would do."
Zeiger replied: "Reb Aryeh Levin! He was my sandek!". It is known from what is written in many books that the sandek influences the newborn baby in bringing him into holiness. Whoever saw Yitzhak Zeiger HY"D, would understand well how much Reb Aryeh influenced him.
This story took place about seven years ago before I really knew Zeiger that well. From the beginning of the current war, I had the privilege of being with Yitzhak for a few months and I got to see with my own eyes how correct my friend really was about Zeiger.
Yitzhak Zeiger did not stop helping others, not for even one moment, and not only as a medic. One of the things that struck me in particular occurred on the second day of the war (October 8) we arrived at the shooting range in Nabi Musa. Zeiger called his friend from the medics union to ask where the rest of the medics were. The friend replied that they stopped for a moment to eat at a bakery.
Zeiger got upset with them and told him: "Why didn't you tell me that we had some free time? If I knew that I had some free time, I would drive to Jerusalem to bring a pillow to a friend who needed one!" He didn't say it jokingly. He sincerely wanted to bring a pillow to someone who had trouble sleeping.
In all of my duties as an army rabbi, he was always there to help me, just as he was there for everyone in the battalion who needed him for any matter.
When we established an eruv for the base, he knew with his amazing technical skills how to quickly and efficiently establish complex eruvin. On Hanukkah, he made sure to bring with him enough oil and wicks and when there was no baal korei (Torah reader) , he volunteered to prepare the reading. And there are countless more examples.
Much more will be said and written about him, but clearly Yitzhak Zeiger truly was a continuation of Rabbi Aryeh Levine. I am sure that even in heaven he will continue to do kindnesses and will be a strong advocate for his dear family and for all the people of Israel!
May his memory be blessed!
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