The Gathering: HaRav Povarsky is speaking
The Achiezer Organization under the leadership of Maran HaRav Chaim Kanievsky recently had a gathering in honor of its maggidei shiurim.
The message of HaRav Chaim was read at the high point of the event: "All Torah leaders toiled throughout their lives to establish Torah shiurim, especially for those who do not devote their full time to Torah study. [They believed that] such shiurim had the power to change the character of an entire household and even generate the growth of Torah scholars, for ever since the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, Hakodosh Boruch Hu only has the four cubits of Halacha. It is written in Shulchan Oruch (Orach Chaim 155) that it is forbidden to close down a steady ongoing shiur even it means a great loss of money. When a person is eventually judged before the Heavenly Tribunal, he is asked if he established set times for study. It is told of a godol whose father once forfeited a large sum in a very lucrative business deal by letting the opportunity pass since he was determined not to miss his regular Torah shiur.
"Therefore, the Achiezer organization which establishes dozens, even hundreds, of Torah shiurim throughout Eretz Yisroel is highly commended and those who lend a hand thereof will surely merit that their sons become talmidei chachomim and they will be duly blessed as well."
HaRav Boruch Dov Povarsky, Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh and member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, encouraged the participants with his words: "After [the proverbial lifespan of] 120 years, each soul rises to give an account of his life. Some will report having devoted ten hours of study a day, but when this is examined, it is shown to be impossible since they were forced to go out a make a living and only established short set times for study. [Yet they are credited with they amount they could not study.] Others attended Torah lessons just because they were ashamed not to do so and would have preferred to spend the time differently. When they give a reckoning in Heaven, they are not credited with this amount of study at all.
"This is something that each person has within his power to do."
