Heightened anticipation gripped Yeshivas Mir with the coming of HaRav Dov Lando for a historic visit to the yeshiva halls in order to participate in two unique events, where he delivered the keynote addresses.

His visit began in the Beis Yeshaya hall, attended by 400 prominent philanthropic figures who have come here from the U.S. for the week-long traditional Yarchei Kalla taking place at the yeshiva. HaRav Lando explicitly hailed those who bear the brunt of the upkeep of the yeshiva and of the Torah world. He said:

A new government has not yet been established in Israel. If to judge by the volume of headlines emitting from the chambers of negotiations, it appears that this will yet take some time. The debates keep on going, each facet of the coalition pulling in its own favor.

We have no intention here to worm our way into the inner negotiations and their many aspects but whoever attempts to keep track of the goings on, cannot help noting the extensive hypocrisy and incitement suffusing the discussions.

"In contrast to what took place in the previous government which was determined to harm the chareidi public, and did indeed, succeed, this upcoming government does not want to hurt any sector," were the worlds of MK Rabbi Uri Maklev to a Yated interviewer.

We didn't cheat; we didn't deceive anyone. Everything was clear and on the up and up from the onset. The nation went to the polls to vote purely according to the current issues being dealt with now in the coalition negotiations.

Furthermore, the parties of the Opposition warned the voting public that this is what would happen with a rightist coalition plus the chareidim coming to power. They warned the public everywhere and through all means that all the "reforms" which the previous government tried or succeeded in achieving would be arrested by the incoming government. The judicial system would undergo changes by the new government, torpedoing any situation where the judges attempted to rule supreme, regardless of the elected body.

This extended appreciation of HaRav Aharon Kotler zt"l was first published in 1992 in the print edition. We are republishing it now for the 60th yahrtzeit, and also to make it available on the web.

Introduction

No description or appreciation of Reb Aharon can come closer to capturing his essence than one of his own shmuessen, entitled "Keser Torah". This shmuess, prepared from manuscript by his son HaRav Shneur Kotler zt'l, first appeared in a publication of Toronto's Kollel Avreichim entitled Hama'ayan and has since been reprinted in the first volume of Mishnas Rebbi Aharon.

As he analyses the nature of that supreme dedication to Torah learning which raises a man higher than his fellows, crowning him with the glory of the Torah itself, Reb Aharon could have been sketching a brief self-portrait. A careful reading of the text of the shmuess, together with the stories here which illustrate how Reb Aharon himself exemplified everything he wrote, will give us some inkling of the extent of his greatness and help us to understand how one man was able to bear the tremendous double burden of harbotzas haTorah and hachzokas haTorah single-handedly.