Neveh Achiezer, a neighborhood located on the edge of Bnei
Brak, drew hundreds of visitors last week who came to take
part in the cornerstone-laying ceremony for the building
slated to house the Beis Medrash Elyon yeshiva and beis
knesses of Mishkenos Achiezer Kehillas Avreichim.
By the time the event began with Minchah the streets
were already filled with participants. Following the
tefilloh HaRav Yisroel Ehrentreu, rov of Bnei Brak's
Adas Yeshurun community, led the recitation of Tehillim
as gedolei Torah--HaRav Gershon Edelstein and
HaRav Meir Tzvi Bergman--began to arrive and took their
places at the table of honor.
After the Tehillim HaRav Ehrentreu announced the
arrival of maranan verabonon HaRav Aharon Leib
Shteinman and HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkovitz. A hush fell on
the gathering as the gedolei Torah made their way to
the edge of the stage where a special ditch leading to the
foundations had been prepared. One after another the
gedolei Torah, roshei yeshivos, ramim,
neighborhood rabbonim, the rov of Kehillas Haavreichim,
activists and public figures, Mayor Mordechai Karelitz and
philanthropist R' Heshy Friedman of Montreal, all stepped up
to help lay the foundations for the building.
Once the cornerstone had been laid HaRav Ehrentreu asked
HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkovitz to deliver the main address. He
opened by speaking about Rosh Yeshivas Beis Medrash Elyon in
Monsey, HaRav Don Ungarisher, a talmid of HaRav
Shlomoh Heiman, as is HaRav Michel Yehuda. "He has great
merit for having succeeded in setting talmidim on the
path in the U.S. and now has come to Eretz Yisroel to found
and guide Yeshivas Beis Medrash Elyon. Doubtless the merit of
his father-in-law, Maran HaGaon R' Reuven Grozovsky, the son-
in- law of Maran HaRav Boruch Ber Lebovitz, author of the
Bircas Shmuel zt'l, has helped the yeshiva
succeed."
HaRav Lefkovitz also spoke of the efforts made by Rabbi
Mordechai Karelitz, "who identified the need to set up the
yeshiva in a place that was empty of Torah and provided
everything necessary, and he has the merit that Torah [study]
is being upheld through him. In addition Rabbi Karelitz saw
that just as Bnei Brak needs to develop by erecting buildings
it also needs to develop in harbotzas haTorah, which
is the foundation of Am Yisroel, and just as he devotes
himself fully to ensuring the city's character is preserved,
he also is fully devoted to building the city on foundations
of Torah and yir'oh and middos tovos."
He also mentioned R' Heshy Friedman, "Who came [to Israel]
especially to participate in the great joy of upholding the
Torah and who HaKodosh Boruch Hu appointed a treasurer
who is faithful in supporting and maintaining Torah in
Klal Yisroel."
He then expanded on the merits of Klal Yisroel "which
was given a kli chemdoh. This is because, besides the
Torah itself they were also given the ability to delve deep
into the Torah. This is the chiboh yeseiroh conferred
upon them.
"We find that the Ovos Hakodoshim studied Torah and Yaakov
Ovinu sent Yehuda before him `to instruct them.' This was the
beis talmud Yaakov set up in Egypt. All this because
Klal Yisroel cannot exist without the Torah. . . .
Since the destruction of Beis Hamikdosh HaKodosh Boruch Hu
has only daled amos of halochoh on which the world
stands.
"We also find that Yaakov went joyfully toward Yosef
Hatzaddik when he mentioned the wagons, 'and Yaakov's spirit
was revived' because he was reminded of the egloh
arufoh that he had been studying with his son. On the
verse, 'Yayomer Yisroel rav, od Yosef beni chai,' the
Medrash explains, `Greatness like Yosef's. So many calamities
befell him and he maintained his righteousness.' . . . This
yeshiva, Beis Medrash Elyon will succeed, b'ezras
Hashem, and will establish a great reputation."
When HaRav Lefkovitz finished speaking HaRav Ehrentreu
delivered blessings sent by HaRav Chaim Kanievsky. Later
HaRav Ehrentreu said not only was a cornerstone laid for
Yeshivas Beis Medrash Elyon, but also for the minyan
avreichim of Mishkenos Achiezer, headed by HaRav Ariel
Buchwald. "Maran Baal HaAvi Ezri zt'l wrote a famous
letter on the importance of having both adults and young men
pray in a minyan avreichim. The minyan was
organized several years ago in the neighborhood and now the
cornerstone has been laid for its fixed dwelling place."
Rosh Yeshivas Beis Medrash Elyon HaRav Don Ungarisher opened
by citing the Baal Haturim, who says how much Moshe Rabbenu
wanted to enter Eretz Yisroel--even just a single
amoh. He thanked Hashem that he merited establishing
not just one amoh of Torah, but an entire course of
stones for the walls of Torah in Eretz Hakodesh.
He went on to paraphrase Maran HaRav Shach zt'l who
cited the Yavetz on the miracle of Am Yisroel's existence
among the nations and added that upholding the Torah in the
face of all its detractors and attackers is a miracle in and
of itself.
"The founding and building of Beis Medrash Elyon is part of
this miracle," said HaRav Ungarisher, proceeding to recount
the course of events leading to the founding of the yeshiva
and the fact that HaRav Lefkovitz holds a special place in
his heart among the other yeshiva matters. At this point
HaRav Ungarisher turned to the material existence of the
yeshiva. "I owe much thanks to HaKodosh Boruch Hu for
sending us a man like Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz, who is
himself a talmid chochom and a lover of Torah and
knows how to appreciate Torah. Out of his great ahavas
haTorah he helped and continues the help the yeshiva as
if it were his own yeshiva. HaRav Mordechai Karelitz is from
the family of the Chazon Ish, who made a point of turning
Bnei Brak into a city of Torah and yiras Shomayim, and
he has this quality as well. He wanted the light of Torah of
the yeshiva and the avreichim who pray there to shine
and extend into the Neveh Achiezer neighborhood."
He also spoke of the joy and honor of having R' Heshy
Friedman, famous throughout the Torah world, agree to his
request by making a special effort to participate in the
occasion. He concluded with a prayer that he would merit
seeing the yeshiva's further development with the arrival of
the Redeemer.
Next Mayor Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz was called to the podium
to speak. He began with the verse from parshas Eikev,
"Bo'eis hahi hivdil Hashem es Shevet Halevi . . . "
"Rashi explains that the words `bo'eis hahi' refer to
the time when many among Klal Yisroel erred in the Sin
of the Golden Calf making it necessary to segregate Shevet
Halevi. Today, as well, many among Am Yisroel have gone
astray. We refer to them when we say, `Vehivdilonu min
hato'im.' We, too, need to separate Shevet Halevi, which
is the bnei yeshivos, by strengthening the Torah and
yeshiva world. How great is the joy that another jewel has
been added to Bnei Brak's crown, another yeshiva that has
already succeeded for several years and of which it can be
said, `Tzar li hamokom.' My hope is that the new place
to be built will also be `Torah mitoch hadechak,' i.e.
that space will be lacking . . . "
Mayor Karelitz was followed by R' Heshy Friedman, who spoke
of the merits of building a beis talmud in Am Yisroel
and the power to disseminate Torah to the entire area. This
aspect is part of the building about to be constructed,
b'ezras Hashem, he said.
HaRav Ehrentreu then announced the conclusion of the event
and invited the participants to a seudas mitzvoh in a
specially prepared area. During the seudah speakers
included HaRav Boruch Dov Povarsky, one of the roshei
yeshivos at Yeshivas Ponevezh; rosh yeshivas Beis Medrash
Elyon HaRav Yerachmiel Ungarisher; and HaRav Areil Buchwald,
rov of Kehillas Mishkenos Achiezer.
Also participating in this impressive event for the honor of
Torah was HaRav Shlomo Zalman Ulman, moro de'asra of
the Mishkenos Yaakov neighborhood, roshei yeshivos,
dayanim, rabbonim and many public figures.
