Two hundred and fifty participants from Agudas Yisroel of
America began their Sixth Annual Yarchei Kallah on Monday
afternoon at the Renaissance Hotel in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, Executive Vice President of Agudas
Yisroel of America, said this is the largest Yarchei Kallah
held in Jerusalem to date. Presidential Board Members Rabbi
Bloom and Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zweibel, Executive Vice President
for government and public affairs, and Rabbi Shlomo
Gertzulin, Executive Vice President for finance and
administration, and members of the executive board received
the arriving participants, many of whom travelled straight
from the airport to the hotel.
The staff of Agudas Yisroel of America's Torah Projects
Committee was well-prepared to take in the numerous guests
along with the hotel staff members, who directed them to
their rooms. Each participant received a printed program
schedule for the four-day event, which includes a special
ladies' program.
Following Minchah berov om the participants sat down
for chavrusa study. Within a matter of minutes the
hotel's large events hall had been converted into a huge
beis medrash, sending forth the sounds of Torah study
as the participants delved into the study of the Daf Yomi
from maseches Eruvin and the sugya selected for
this year's Yarchei Kallah: Kiddush and
Havdoloh.
The introductory shiur was given by the Admor of
Novominsk, Rosh of Agudas Yisroel of America, who said he
considered it a great privilege to take part in the
gathering. The shiur focused on Kiddush and
Havdoloh on Shabbos and Yom Tov, and the nusach
of the Shabbos tefilloh.
The opening shiur was delivered by HaRav Moshe
Mordechai Chodosh, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Or Elchonon, who
said there are several different levels of mevakshei
Hashem, "similar to the talmidei chachomim who go
from city to city and from country to country, and in this
case from continent to continent. The gemora says that
talmidim would walk three months for one day of
learning under Rav, meaning they were learning the whole
time. When one comes to study at the Yarchei Kallah in
Eretz Yisroel, of which it is said `aviro de'Eretz
Yisroel machkim,' it is certain to turn the whole year
into Torah study at a high level of mevakshei
Hashem."
Based on directives from Maran HaRav Eliashiv shlita,
the kashrus of the Jerusalem Religious Council should not be
relied upon. Therefore Rabbi Bloom informed Rabbi Avrohom
Rubinstein, secretary of Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah, that the
entire Yarchei Kallah would be under the kashrus supervision
of the Kehal Adas Yeshurun of Washington Heights (Breuer).
Gedolei Torah and prominent roshei yeshivos are
scheduled to give shiurim during the course of the
Yarchei Kallah, which ends on Thursday.
