This is what Bein Hazmanim looked like in the proximity of
Gedolei Yisroel:
In days of yore, the bein hazmanim intercession was
used by the elite Torah scholars in the yeshivos for
continued application and diligence in Torah study. They did
go on various outings, like trips to the grave sites of
gedolim to pour out their hearts before their Heavenly
Father, to ask that He strengthen their toil in Torah and
avodas Hashem. We have been fortunate to come into the
possession of an interesting document which reconstructs such
a trip to holy grave sites during the bein hazmanim of
5694 (1934) by a group of yeshiva students from Beis Yosef of
Novardok-Tel Aviv, headed by HaRav Hillel Vitkind
ztvk'l, in which is written:
On Monday, we left Tel Aviv for the holy city of Tiveria, and
towards evening we arrived to pray at the tombs of the
saintly Tana Rabbon Yochonon ben Zakkai and his five
disciples. There we prayed for siyata deShmaya for the
tikkun of our souls and discussed the subject of
yiras Shomayim as was exemplified by Rabbon Yochonon
ben Zakkai.
Before his death, he said to his students, "Would that your
fear of Heaven be as your fear of flesh and blood." The Rosh
in Orchos Chaim notes how amazing and puzzling it is
to ponder Rabbon Yochonon's concern and fear. We resolved to
commemorate this day by incorporating this measure of
yiras Shomayim through prayer with great devotion and
by care and caution in all of our deeds in this area.
Afterwards, we went to pray at the grave site of the Rambam,
known as the Great Eagle, and we found written upon his tomb
this inscription: "Here lies buried the epitome of the human
species." We prayed for Heavenly assistance and contemplated
his holy words that lust is only aroused in a heart that is
devoid of wisdom. We resolved to strive for a heightened
measure of austerity and abstinence, and perseverance in
avodoh, Torah, mussar. We undertook to strengthen
ourselves through various resolutions in this area, when we
visited the tomb of the Ari Hakodosh, the Beis Yosef and the
author of Chovos Halevovos, Rabbenu Bechaye. We made a
firm commitment to study the Shaar Haprishus in
Chovos Halevovos every morning before
Shacharis.
Afterwards, we went in a group to Kfar Meiron, to the tomb of
the Rashbi and his son Elozor, and on to the cave of Beis
Hillel and Beis Shamai, R' Yochonon HaSandlar, R' Chanina ben
Dosa, R' Yossi ben Kisma and R' Yitzchok Napcha, may their
merits protect us. Here we made a firm resolution to study a
session in Zohar every week from the weekly portion
and to complete it before sundown. We also undertook to study
a session in Reishis Chochmoh on Shabbos, and to delve
into the subject of bitochon in Chovos
Halevovos. We collectively agreed to refrain from idle
talk throughout each Shabbos, to guard our sight from
anything unnecessary and to improve ourselves in the area of
abstinence, G-d willing.
On Friday, our entire group went to visit the grave of R'
Yehuda bar Ilo'i and there we made a vaad kloli to
meditate upon the character traits and the ways of this
saintly Tana who shook the very pillars of the world in his
generation through his devotion.
Maran the Alter of Novardok, always used to talk about
imparting to the public the ways of R' Yehuda ben Ilo'i in
the total dismissal of worldly things and completely severing
oneself from anything mundane that impedes one's G- dly
service, in the same way that R' Yehuda relinquished
ownership of a vineyard because he had harbored thoughts
about repairing its fence one Shabbos. To commemorate this
for the future, we established a routine for every Friday to
work upon this trait of rejecting worldly things, giving them
no importance, to teach the level we found by our master in
this area, and to study the teaching of R' Yehuda bar Ilo'i
in the gemora and follow this example.
On Shabbos, we were by the grave of R' Chanina ben Dosa, of
whom Chazal said, "The entire world is sustained in the merit
of Chanina My son, while Chanina My son suffices with a
single measure of carobs from erev Shabbos to erev
Shabbos." We also discussed his teaching that "It is not
the snake that kills but the sin that kills."
We spoke about his amazing devotion in avodas Hashem
through prayer. Why, indeed, were his supplications received
and answered? Because he regarded himself as a servant before
his master, before Hashem. We took upon ourselves to work
upon the trait of sufficiency and bitochon, the traits
in which this saintly Tana excelled. We resolved to study
mussar and to meditate upon it every Shabbos so that
we could carry it over to all the days of the week.
*
We learned from hearsay that the members who comprised this
saintly group of Novardok were none other than HaRav Hillel
Vitkind, HaRav Avrohom Rappaport, HaRav Elchonon Perlmutter,
HaRav Avrohom Dov Adermazin, R' Feigel Hochler, R' Osher
Fishfeder and R' Levi Zilberberg.
The Bein Hazmanim period -- viewed through a shimmering Torah
prism.
