1a) The problem is there really is so much to say, like my father frequently says at the pesach seder: “I can go on for 3 hours if you want…I’ll open your eyes” - highlighting a few of the qualities
1b) The Mishna in Avos says: “al shlosha devarim haolam omeid – al hatorah al ha’avoda v’al gemilus chasadim” The world stands & is sustained on 3 things: Torah Learning, Avoda (which can mean tefilla among other things), & Gemilus Chasadim acts of kindness & tzedaka.
(dvar torah..omeid..permanence)
If the entire world stands on these 3 activities, then certainly a Kehilla, a community & a shul can only be matzliach & thrive with members who excel in them
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2a) First & foremost my father is a man of Torah, his devotion to limud haTorah is well known. If we are known as the am hasefer, my father is an ish hasefer. The many sefarim that line the shelves are not there just for looks, they are all marked up with underlines & notes in the margins. A common refrain heard in our house whenever we were caught overindulging in time-wasting activities was: “hey uhh open a book!!” will ya?!?!?
2b) The Gemara in Chagiga quotes a pasuk in Malachi וְשַׁבְתֶּם וּרְאִיתֶם בֵּין צַדִּיק לְרָשָׁע בֵּין עֹבֵד אֱלֹהִים לַאֲשֶׁר לֹא עֲבָדוֹ which is comparing one who serves Hashem with one who does not. Chazal explain that the one who serves Hashem, refers to on who reviews his learning 101 times. The one who does not serve Hashem refers to one who reviews only 100 times.
The obvious question is why should there be such a vast difference between reviewing 101 times vs. 100?? Ad kedei kach that one is an עֹבֵד אֱלֹהִים & the other is not.
Mefarshim explain, that it was commonplace for talmidei chachomim to chazer their learning 100 times, & this was sufficient to guarantee complete retention of their Torah. So the 1st 100 times had a functional, practical aspect to it. The one, who learns the sugya an additional time, does so, because he simply can’t resist the sweetness of the gemara & because of his pure love of Torah. And Ahavas haTorah is the hallmark of the true Oved Hashem.
They say about Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, that despite his encyclopedic Torah knowledge, his thirst for Torah was such, that he could review the same material over & over, never tiring of it.
Anyone who knows my father, knows that his name is synonymous with perek shnayim ochzin in bava metzeyia. Whether he has learned it 101 times or 1001 times, his willingness & ability to learn it over & over again & to teach it over & over shows a tremendous love & demonstrates a great chashivus for every word of Torah
2c) It states in Mishlei “Ish Lefi Mehalelo” (a man is according to his praise) the simple meaning is that you can tell a lot about a person based on the fact that others praise him & they praise him. Rabeinu Yonah says a different pshat, that you can evaluate a person & tell what is truly important to him & what his value system is, based on what HE praises & is excited & about. The word Hallel always means enthusiastic praise – from the lashon Holel or holelus which means wild.
My father constantly speaks in praise of the Torah & talmedei chachomim & tzadikim (even rabonim sometimes) these are the things that animate him & that he is passionate about
Many years ago in the middle of my senior year, I decided to get a little more serious about my yiddishkeit & I went to go learn in eretz yisroel. After several months my parents came to visit. My father was so thrilled with the fact that I was learning, he would boast to anyone who would listen - this kid is going to skip the rabbinate--- & go straight to prophecy!
Unfortunately I fell short of prophecy AND the rabbinate & barely managed to pass the CPA. But this is what is truly important to my father & this is what he values beyond anything else.
3) Of course avoda / tefilla plays a big part in my father’s life. I cannot recall him ever missing a minyan or even being late. Many years ago he told me that he felt that going to minyan on a daily basis is what protected him from the fate of some of his peers who lost their focus in yiddishkeit
4) & finally gemilus chasodim - if you want to know something of my father’s charitable nature, just ask any of the multitudes of people who have avoided points on their license or jail time, all for the price of a lemon meringue pie