It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rebbetzin Ruchoma Shain a”h, daughter of Rav Yaakov Yosef Herman zt”l and well-knownauthor of “All for the Boss,” the groundbreaking, bestselling book about her father and her life. She was 98.
Rebbetzin Shain had been staying at Leisure Chateau in Lakewood, NJ, but was rushed to Kimball Medical Center last night and passed away.
Rebbetzin Shain was a remarkable woman who stood at the side of her husband, Rav Moshe Shain, for decades as a true eizer kenegdo, allowing her husband to immerse himself in Torah.
As the youngest daughter of Rav Yaakov Yosef Herman, Rebbetzin Shain, from a young age, was imbued with strong hashkafos and chashivus for Torah and lomdei Torah. She grew up in a home that was literally open to all Yidden who needed a warm meal, a comfortable bed, or a listening ear. These ideals stayed with her for her entire life, as she continued the legacy of her unforgettable father by continuing in his path of Torah and gemillus chassodim.
Rebbetzin Shain, following her marriage, spent time in Europe, when her husband learned at the Mir Yeshiva in Poland, where she was together with her sister, Rebbetzin Sheinberg, and her brother, Rav Nochum Dovid.
She later moved to the United States and then Eretz Yisroel. For over a decade, she lived with her son, Rav Yitzchok Shain, R”M at Adelphia Yeshiva, in Adelphia, NJ.
Four years ago, Rebbetzin’s Shain’s sister, Rebbetzin Bessie Sxcheinberg a”h, wife of Rav Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Ore, passed away.
Rebbetzin Shain, besides being a bestselling author, spent many years as a devoted mechaneches, and was beloved by her students. She authored a number of books, including Dearest Children, Reaching the Stars, All for the Best, and Shining Lights - Illuminating Stories of Faith and Inspiration, but the book that changed the lives of thousands of people was All for the Boss about her father, first published by Feldheim in 1984.
A native of Slutsk, Russia, Rebbetzin’s Shain’s father immigrated with his parents and younger sister to New York City at the age of 8 and was left on his own five years later after his family returned to Russia. Following his marriage,Rav became known for feeding and lodging dozens of people in his home, including visiting European gedolim seeking kosher meals. He displayed a staunch commitment to mitzvah observance at a time that many abandoned their faith, and urged promising young Jewish men to pursue advanced limud haTorah in the great yeshivos of Europe
For his promulgation of Torah values to Yidden, Rav Herman was called the “Chofetz Chaim of America” by Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz, the Kaminetzer rosh yeshiva, who lived with the Hermans for two years while he was fundraising in the United States.
Rav Herman was the eldest child of Rav Yitzchok Isaac Herman and his wife, Minna Rivka. Finding it difficult toearn a living in Russia and believing that it would be easier to do so in America, his father emigrated with his wife, son, and daughter Molly in 1888. But in New York City, he was unable to find work as a private rebbi and could not keep other jobs because he refused to work on Shabbos. Five years later, he decided to return to Russia. He did not have enough travel fare for all the members of the family, so Yaakov Yosef, at age 13, was left behind with cousins until money could be saved for his fare.
Yaakov Yosef earned $1.25 a week working as a handy-boy in a Shabbos-observant fur shop in New York City. His cousins charged him $1 a week for room and board. A few weeks later, they raised his rent to $1.25. Feeling betrayed, he spent Shabbos alone in a park, where he promised himself that he would host poor and homeless people in his home after he married. After Shabbos ended, he moved to a rooming house. At work, he advanced from handy-boy to apprentice to professional worker, and four years later he was able to send money for his parents, sister, and newborn brother to join him. He was able to support his family in New York City on his salary, enabling his father to work as a rebbi.
At age 21, Rav Herman met his future wife, Aidel, daughter of Rav Shmuel Yitzchok Andron. At first Rav Herman’s mother nixed the match, since Aidel’s father could not afford a dowry. A few months later, Rav Herman bumped into Aidel’s brother Yankel Leib, who asked why he had ended the shidduch. Rav Herman explained his mother’s demand and Yankel Leib suggested that Rav Herman give him $2,000, which he would present to Rav Herman as the “dowry” on the night of the engagement. The shidduch was concluded successfully, and the couple was married on December 29, 1903. They had four daughters and one son. Rebbetzin Shain, as mentioned, was the youngest.
Rav Herman told his kallah that he wished to have an open house in which guests would be welcome for Shabbos and Yom Tov, and she agreed. Thus began their “business” of hachnasos orchim. Dozens dined at the Herman table each week, including men with social and emotional disabilities whom no one else wanted as guests. Many great rabbonim from Europe stayed with the Hermans while visiting the United States. Noteworthy among them were Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz, rosh yeshivas Kaminetz, and his son-in-law, Rav Reuven Grozovsky, who stayed with the Hermans for two years; Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, Mir rosh yeshiva; Rav Avraham Kalmanowitz; and Rav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler. The latter wrote to his father, Rav Reuven Dov Dessler, about his host during the summer of 1930: “He is a businessman brought up in America. But he is an outstanding yirei Shamayim who observes the mitzvos of the Torah meticulously. He influences many people and guides them to become observant Jews. Reb Yaakov Yosef is known for strict adherence to the mitzvah of hachnasos orchim. On Shabbos, there are approximately twenty guests at his table.”
Rav Herman lost his wholesale fur business and most of his savings in the 1929 stock market crash. Yet he continued to provide meals and lodging for many guests in his home.
Rav Herman made aliyah to Eretz Yisroel in August 1939. Following the passing of his wife Aidel in 1946, Rav Herman remarried. Rav Herman was nfitar on July 24, 1967 at the age of 87.
The passing of his daughter, Rebbetzin Ruchomah, marks the end of an era. She will be forever remembered for her warm and loving nature, but, perhaps most of all, for influencing and uplifting the great Torah world through her writings in a manner virtually unrivaled in the world of contemporary Jewish publishing.
