Meeting with HaRav Chaim
"The primary objective is study of gemara. The more difficult the study, the more beneficial. That is how one can better succeed." These were the words of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky to the rabbonim of the Ve'idas Hachinuch as raised before him among the burning issues which will be dealt with at the 16th Chinuch Conference to be held 9-11 of Shevat in the Nir Etzion conference center, for hundreds of Torah disseminators, administrators of educational institutes and mechanchim.
At the conclusion of dealing with various issues of guidance and direction, HaRav Chaim said, "Educators are responsible to preserve the chinuch of Jewish children through purity, according to the tradition of all time." He blessed the hundreds of mechanchim who will be participating in the upcoming convention.
The Chinuch Conference will deal this year with the subject of "May You make the pleasantness [of Torah]! (Veha'arev na)" The rabbonim first asked HaRav Chaim why we ask for this pleasantness of Torah in our prayers. The Torah is surely sweet to begin with! And he replied: "So as to feel it."
How can one merit this pleasantness and transmit the sweetness of Torah to students, they asked. He replied, "Through prayer."
The rabbonim asked what to do with a student who enjoys and prefers the study of Halacha over that of gemara. Must one be stringent in making him study gemara? Maran replied: "Yes."
Why, they asked. And he said: "Because gemara is the mainstay, the core."
