Rav Noach Weinberg: The Five Levels of Pleasure
The 11th of Shevat is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Yisrael Noach (ben Yitzchak Mattisyahu ) Weinberg (1930-2009). Born in the Lower East Side of New York, he learned at at Chaim
Berlin and Ner Yisroel, and completed undergraduate work at Johns Hopkins University and post-graduate studies at Loyola Graduate School. He always considered his older brother, Rav Yaakov Weinberg, his rebbi muvhak.
He married and moved to Eretz Yisrael in 1958, where they raised their 12 children. Disturbed by the high rate of assimilation and lack of Jewish knowledge among Western youth, he opened his first yeshiva for assimilated young men in 1966. That short-lived effort was followed by several others before he co-founded Yeshivas Shma Yisrael (later renamed Ohr Somayach) with Rabbis Nota Schiller, Mendel Weinbach and Yaakov Rosenberg in 1970.
His difference in philosophy led to his creation of Aish Hatorah in 1974, which over the next 35 years had expanded to 25 branches over five continents. Tens of thousands have attended seminars or listened to recordings, especially his widely-circulated “The 48 Ways to Wisdom”. He also co-authored a book, What the Angel Taught You: Seven keys to life fulfillment.
1. Encounter with God
2. Creativity
3. Goodness
4. Love
5. Physical