The Wolf who Saved his Flock
A humble tribute to a giant hero of our times
Today the world lost a luminary, Dr. Vladimir Zev Zelenko, MD.
His Jewish name was Velvel Wolf Zev. Each of these three names mean wolf. [1]
Why do Jews name children after wolves?
In Genesis 49, Jacob blessed his youngest son Benjamin and likened him to a wolf:
Benjamin is a wolf who will seize [his prey]. In the morning he will devour plunder, and in the evening he will divide the spoil. [2]
Scripture employs numerous animal metaphors when describing mighty warriors, such as lions, oxen, leopards, and serpents. How is the wolf analogy distinct? Its singularity is described right here in our verse: “…a wolf who will seize his prey.”
There are special individuals among us who are blessed with this uniquely wolf-like quality in a holy sense. [3]
A wolf seizes. He does not care about social norms or staying on beaten paths.
He doesn’t follow a script. When an opportunity presents itself to assert the truth amidst the darkness of falsehood, he seizes it.
A wolf x3, Dr. Zev seized the opportunity to assert the truth. He refused to follow the script and tow the party line.
He would not bow before the golden calf of Big Pharma, nor would he follow the herd like a feckless sheep.
Instead, he fearlessly grabbed the bull by the horns and confronted evil head on.
Like a wolf who snatches his prey, Dr. Zev seized the false narrative and exposed it, transforming darkness to light.
A hero of epic proportions, Dr. Zev is a modern-day Maccabee whose accomplishments were truly extraordinary and historic.
In a time of unprecedented darkness and mortal risk, he seized the moment and saved thousands and millions of fellow human beings from death.
From the onset of covid hysteria, Dr. Zev was a solitary voice of reason. It was almost unheard of… a physician who dared to speak the truth, risking his career and reputation. But by the time he passed away on 6/30/22, he was no longer a ‘lone wolf,’ but had empowered and inspired millions of people worldwide.
On a personal level, I was blessed and privileged to know Dr. Zev as a fellow chassid and true scholar, a refreshingly unique individual who was able to think critically and challenge the norms of “herd thinking.”
He served as the rofeh yedid (a doctor who is also a faithful and beloved friend) for countless chassidim, yidden, and people of all stripes from around the world, including many chabad rabbis (although tragically, many of these rabbis are afraid to admit it publicly).
“In the morning he will devour plunder, and in the evening he will divide the spoil.”
At a crucial time in history, Dr. Zev seized the moment and left a legacy that’s larger than life. Now that the sun of his mortal life has set, it’s time for all of us to reflect his light and bring his life’s work to fruition. Seize every opportunity to assert truth, defy tyranny, and embrace liberty. Let us seize back the narrative and topple all genocidal tyrants once and for all.
Thanks to Dr. Zev’s groundbreaking efforts and moral courage, tyranny WILL be plundered and their spoils divided. Freedom WILL prevail, and truth will vanquish falsehood for all times.
May his memory be an enduring source of blessing and inspiration for his family, for klal Yisrael, prat Yisrael, and for all humanity.
To the Zelenko family:
May the Omnipresent One comfort you amongst the remnant of mourners for Tzion and Jerusalem
Notes:
[1] Velvel is diminutive or endearing for wolf in Yiddish (Volf), and Zev (זאב) means wolf in Hebrew.
[2] Genesis 49:27
[3] See Likutei Sichos by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson of Lubavitch, volume 25, page 275-284
This is beautiful. Thank you for your explanation.
A great man has left us. He was a courageous man who battled the establishment to give us freedom and deliver us from fear. I found him when Covid just started and never doubted him. A true hero for mankind. BDE.