The exceptional harbotzas Torah and avodas
Hashem practiced by the late rosh yeshivas
Ponevezh, HaRav Dovid Povarsky zt"l, were the main
theme at a hesped held in his memory at the North
London Adass Yisroel Beis Haknesses last Sunday evening.
The extremely large crowd was from a wide spectrum of
London's chareidi community and included many rabbonim,
roshei yeshivos, ba'alei batim, as well as
talmidim of the niftar, who organized the
event.
Rav Gavriel Knopfler, rosh yeshivas Sha'arei Torah,
Manchester, a talmid of the niftar, spoke of
the impact which the Rosh Yeshiva made on his
talmidim.
He dwelt on the concept of todir veshe'eino todir and
highlighted the regularity with which Rav Dovid zt"l
arrived at the beis hamedrash every morning at
4.00 a.m. irrespective of whether it was a weekday, Shabbos,
yom tov or bein hazmanim.
Rav Knopfler related that when he visited the Rosh Yeshiva
last year, he was in great pain and had an oxygen mask to
help him breathe, yet he refused to close his gemora
stating that, "Life without limud haTorah is not worth
living."
Rav Azriel Yaffe, rosh yeshivas Tiferes Yaakov,
Gateshead, also a talmid of Rav Dovid, related that
the Rosh Yeshiva never allowed an outside engagement to
interfere with sidrei hayeshiva. He never accepted
seder kiddushin at a talmid's wedding if this
interfered with tefilla betzibbur in the yeshiva or
seder mussar. Rav Yaffe noted that when Rav Dovid
studied in Mir the mashgiach, Reb Yeruchom, always
took him along when he journeyed to other yeshivos. When
asked whether he remembers Reb Yeruchom's shmuessen,
the Rosh Yeshiva replied, "Every word of them."
Rav Yaffe recalled that when on one occasion the generator
that supplied the yeshiva with electricity on Shabbos broke
down and the yeshiva was plunged into darkness, Rav Dovid
still insisted on going to the beis hamedrash because
he still felt that there is no excuse to miss a seder
limud.
Rav Chaim Wosner, rav of Kehal Yitav Lev, London, who knew
the niftar while living in Bnei Brak, exclaimed: "Who
can say that he fulfilled the first se'if in Shulchan
Oruch -- Yisgaber ke'ari la'amod baboker le'avodas
Boiro -- with the same dedication and despite failing
health, as did Rav Dovid."
Rav Wosner pointed out that despite his greatness in
learning, he had no problem in discussing a sugya with
talmidim who were 80 years younger than he.
Rav Dovid's sole concern in life, said Rav Wosner, was
limud haTorah and he never allowed himself to be drawn
into extraneous matters of the environment around him.
When one looked at Rav Dovid, one could see a reflection of
such great luminaries as the Chofetz Chaim and Rav Elchonon
Wassermann. "He was a living Mesilas Yeshorim and
Chovos Halevovos," Rav Wosner said.
The final speaker was Rav Dov (Berel) Povarsky, rosh
yeshivas Ponevezh and the son of the niftar who
travelled specially to London to address the gathering.
In an hour-long emotional hesped, he related
highlights of the life of his great father and
rebbe.
"My father never enjoyed food. He never commented whether a
meal was to his satisfaction. His only satisfaction was
derived from Torah, Torah and again Torah," he said.
"He educated thousands of talmidim and regarded every
talmid as his own son."
R' Berel spoke of the poverty which his father suffered while
learning in the kollel at Baranowitz as a
talmid of HaRav Elchonon Wassermann. "None of it
bothered him, he said, as long as he had his blat
gemora to sustain him."
R' Berel made a fervent plea that an enhanced level of
limud Torah will be the best memorial to his late
father and an aliyas neshomoh be'olom ho'emes.
