A Glimpse into My Father’s Strength: Rabbi Wagner’s Unwavering Dedication to Torah

The following was shared by Rabbi Menachem Wagner as part of the “Share to Remember” series memorializing Rabbi Akiva Wagner OBM through the stories and interactions others had with him.

by Rabbi Menachem Wagner

About a year and a half ago, I found myself sitting on my father’s bed, chatting with my sister. Rabbi Akiva Wagner, our father, was a revered Rosh Yeshiva and a devoted family man. Despite his illness, he always tried to make time for us, his children.

That evening, as we sat in his room, he mentioned that he was tired and needed to rest due to his weakness. Although he didn’t explicitly ask us to stay and keep him company, he was not going to remove himself from the conversation either. He just wanted to take a moment to rest.

I offered to leave and turn off the lights to help him rest, but he insisted it was fine for us to stay. He explained that he didn’t need the lights off or to sleep in a particular way.

I suggested that he should at least get under the covers and make himself comfortable, but that’s when he shared something I had never known. Over the years, I had noticed that he slept over the blankets, but I never understood why. He revealed that he had never slept under the covers since he got married. Intrigued, I asked him why.

He explained that after getting married, he stopped sleeping in pajamas and going under the covers so that it would not be difficult for him to get up in the morning to learn. This was also the reason he would sleep on Friday nights. The reason behind this habit of his was more calculated than I had ever realized.

Many people thought of him as a holy man or a “freak of nature,” but what I learned that night was that he was a person who put in a tremendous amount of effort to be the man he was. He made sacrifices and pushed himself to grow in his devotion to Torah, despite the challenges he faced.

This conversation with my father gave me a new appreciation for the man he was and the determination he had. Rabbi Wagner was not just a great rabbi and a loving father but a man who constantly pushed himself to excel in his spiritual pursuits.

As I reflect on my father’s life and his passing, I am grateful for this memory and the lesson it taught me. It serves as a reminder that true greatness is not just about innate talent or holiness but the dedication, effort, and commitment we put into our lives and the pursuit of our goals.