Among the great Rabbonim, poskim, and marbitzei Torah in postwar Williamsburg was Rav Shimon Zev Miller, the Rov of Arad, Romania, not far from the Hungarian border. 

Rav Miller was a ga’on who was well-versed in all areas of Torah, and spent his life learning with superhuman hasmodoh. He impacted thousands of talmidim as a marbitz Torah in the Satmar Yeshiva and summer camp. Here is his story. 

Nagysomkút

Rav Miller was born in the year 1918 in the Romanian town of Shamkut (known as Şomcuta Mare, 70 km southeast of Satu Mare). His father was Rav Tzvi Moshe Miller, a Dayan in the town. He was raised by his father in the ways of Torah and yiras Shomayim, and was sent a small distance from home to learn in the yeshiva in a town called Érmihályfalva (Mihalifolva), under the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Chaim Shmuel. He later entered the yeshiva of the Satmar Rov—and became known for his incredible hasmodoh, learning eighteen hours a day. 

He married Rochel Breif who hailed from an illustrious family, and continued learning with great diligence after his wedding, being supported by his father, who also trained him in the ways of hora’ah, and he eventually became a dayan in his own right in Shamkut. 

Then came the great Churban, and he lost his wife and children, his parents and friends, and millions of Hungary’s Yidden in the flames of the Holocaust, remaining virtually alone in the world. 

But Rav Miller was determined to rebuild. He returned to Shamkut where he married Rebbetzin Rochel, the daughter of Reb Moshe Klein of Bania, Romania. They remained in Shamkut, where he served as a Rosh Yeshiva for dozens of bachurim who had likewise survived the war. 

Arad

Rav Aharon Tzvi Brisk was a ga’on from prewar Romania who served as the rov of the towns of Tcheka and later Arad, Romania. Following the war, he returned to Arad, where he continued to lead his Yeshiva Beis Moshe. In 1951, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of alighting to Eretz Yisroel, settling in Netantya, where he reestablished his yeshiva with many of his talmidim from Romania. He was niftar suddenly in the year 1959.

Taking his place as Rov and Rosh Yeshiva in Arad was Rav Shimon Zev Miller of Shamkut.

Volumes could be filled with the efforts that the Arader Rov invested into his community, and on behalf of so many broken Yidden in the postwar era. He was a loving marbitz Torah to the bachurim, broken survivors who were left alone in the world, and he infused them with Torah and yiras Shomayim. Many of them went on to become Rabbonim in their own right, including Rav Chaim Sholom ABD Grosswardein Staten Island, Rav Benzion Deutch ABD Bucharest, and others who went on to rebuilt beautiful Torah homes thanks to his influence. 

The droshos that he would deliver to his community were filled with warmth and fervor for the Ribbono shel Olam and His Torah—exhorting his listeners to remain faithful to the ways of their parents. Simultaneously, he suffered greatly from the local government on account of his activities, and was even arrested under harsh circumstances for spreading Torah and Yiddishkeit.   

Countless people from the surrounding region streamed into Arad, recognizing the caliber of this great Torah leader who cared for each and every one of them. 

Williamsburg

In 1963, he finally made it out of Romania, arriving in America, and settling in Williamsburg. Here, he was reunited with his rebbi, the Divrei Yoel of Satmar who had arrived here a few years previously. Upon the instruction of the Rebbe, Rav Miller was appointed as a marbitz Torah in the Satmar Yeshiva, where he would go on to shape and mold hundreds of bachurim in the ways of Torah and yiras Shomayim.

The Arader Rov was a giant in all three pillars upon which the world stands; Torah, avodah, and gemilus chassodim. 

He toiled greatly in Torah with herculean effort—dedicating himself to his talmidim who drank thirstily from his Torah. He had mastered all four sections of Shulchan Aruch and its commentaries by heart, and his hasmodoh was unique. It is said that he knew entire masechtos by heart, and could repeat the lashon of many a Shach and Taz verbatim, with a phenomenal recall!

In gratitude to the Ribbono shel Olam for the gift of Torah, the Arader Rov took upon himself to learn with others—and this was a promise that he fulfilled throughout the years, including the times that he learned aleph bais with newly-arrived Sephardic boys. He also had a special place in his heart for the weaker bochurim…seeking to infuse in them too a cheishek for learning, and he derived tremendous nachas seeing his talmidim grow and develop. His talmidim, in turn, loved him as much as he loved them. 

His tefillah and his avodas Hashem was always with great deveikus and fervor. He was always known for his incredible humility, making nothing of himself. He would stand in the back of the beis Medrash, like one of the simple folk. His patience with others was likewise sterling, and he had a sense of hachna’ah and bittul for everyone, and in his veins flowed yiras Shomayim….kol ma’asav l’sheim Shomayim, all his actions were solely for the sake of Heaven. He would spend his summers in the Satmar Camp in Dairyland, and this is where his talmidim could witness his true mesirus nefesh for hasmodoh b’Torah and his avodah. 

His dedication to his Torah and his talmidim went on until his last day on this earth. It was in Elul of 1986, and Rav Miller was preparing for the upcoming zeman, inquiring with his bochurim whether they had a summer of growth…He felt unwell, and was taken into the hospital where he was niftar a few days later, leaving behind and incredible legacy of Torah and yiras Shomayim in Williamsburg of yore.