For this week they are bnei yeshiva,fully engrossed in the sugya dekallah. Sounds like a dream? Well, it's a reality for a few hundred committed professionals, mostly from America and Canada, some from Europe and Eretz Yisroel, who've come together at the Ramada Hotel in Yerushalayim to turn its central ballroom into a beis medrash lechol davar. This is now the 13th year that Agudas Yisroel of America's Torah Projects Commission is arranging this Yarchei Kallah.
More than two hundred male participants are earnestly trying to fulfill the ma'amar Chazal of total immersion in the Ohela shel Torah. The vibrancy in the air at the Yarchei Kallah Beis Medrash is ample testimony to this. The lomdim have put all their milei de'alma on the back burner, focusing their attention to the svoros of Meleches Machsheves, Davar She'ein Miskavein and Pesik Reisha.
There was an atmosphere of true simcha and eager anticipation as each and every participant began this unique four day Torah experience, immediately getting down to the "business" of the day, i.e. limud behasmodoh. The kol HaTorah resounded throughout the yarchei Kallah beis hamedrash as it does in prominent yeshivos.
Rabbi Shlomo Gottesman, co-chairman of Agudas Yisroel Torah Projects Commission, welcomed the lomdim and shared words of chizuk. Rabbi Gedaliah Weinberger, Chairman of the Torah Projects Commission, acknowledged the diligent work of the staff members who made the Yarchei Kallah possible and talked about the special zchus of limud HaTorah beEretz Hakodesh.
After a three hour seder, participants were treated to divrei pesicha from HaRav Pinchas Friedman, Rosh Kollelim of Belz. He began his Shiur by proclaiming: "You the participants of the Yarchei Kallah are the Shlichim of Klal Yisroel!" He implored the lomdim to treasure and make good use of every minute of Shabbos Kodesh. Klal Yisroel is unique amongst the nations in that Shabbos Kodesh, our day of rest is a day that we have the opportunity to elevate even the most mundane to levels of kedusha.
Then began this year's Shiur Hakdama given for the 13th consecutive year by HaRav Asher Weiss, Av Beis Din Darchei Hora'ah and Rosh Yeshivas Darchei Torah, who offered stirring words of chizuk for the attendees. HaRav Weiss then, clearly and cogently, explained the sugya of Meleches Machsheves, Davar She'ein Miskavein and Pesik Reisha. He led the participants on a fascinating tour of the sugyas highlighting and expounding on new concepts and vistas in the sugya dekallah.
While the men were engrossed in learning the sugya, the women participants were treated to an insightful shiur by Rebbetzin Rina Tarshish followed by a trip to Kever Rachel.
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The evening program began with Divrei Chizuk Vehisorerus from HaRav Yitzchok Scheiner, Rosh yeshivas Kamenetz. Rav Scheiner opened his remarks by stating: "Surely you have made the effort to travel over 6000 miles for this Yarchei Kallah in order to shed some of the excesses of Chutz La'aretz and acquire untainted ruchniyus from the avira de'Eretz Yisroel." He encouraged the Lomdim to strengthen their observance of Shemiras Haloshon and Ono'as Devorim, hurtful speech, mentioning the importance of greeting one another with genuine simcha.
This was followed by a very inspiring drosho from HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh yeshivas Slobodka. He quoted his Rebbi, HaRav Aharon Kotler zt"l with the message: "Every Yid must continuously strive to achieve greater heights in Ruchniyus."
As the evening progressed the Bais Medrash was brimming with anticipation, as people vied for a place to see HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman as he regally entered. Despite the overflow crowd, the atmosphere of awe and chardas hakovod was clearly apparent. One could literally hear a pin drop as one of the foremost of our gedolei Hador entered the room.
HaRav Shteinman told the story about Agrippas Hamelech. The king requested permission from the Kohen Godol to have the exclusive right for one day in the Beis Hamikdash to bring one thousand Korbanei Olah. On that same day, with tremendous self-sacrifice, a poor man brought four doves as his Korbon. Agrippas Hamelech, who was no tzaddik, understood the importance and sacrifice that the poor person was making and allowed him to bring his four doves as well on that day. It's the Mesirus Nefesh and bitul to HaKodosh Boruch Hu that really determines the value of doing a mitzva.
Thus ended the first day of Agudas Yisroel's thirteenth Yarchei Kallah in Yerushalayim
Report of 3rd Day
The beis medrash has almost never been quiet; while the sound of the learning is animated during the sedorim, there's really no bein hasedarim. For many, the days' learning began with Rav Meir Zvi Spitzer's, lively daf yomi shiur at six thirty AM. Everyone is trying to chap arein as much as possible. The participants are clearly in their element.
With a keen sense, one can detect an undercurrent of urgency. Although the participants may feel at home, they simply can't allow themselves to forget that tomorrow is the last day of the Yarchei Kallah — hayom kotzor vehamelacha meruba...
Clearly apparent, was the eager anticipation that soon, one of the generation's leading Poskim, a moreh hora'a and maggid in one, HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein, Rav of Ramat Elchonon, Bnei Brak, a prolific author of so many popular seforim, would soon deliver a shiur behalacha.
Exuding warmth and addressing the lomdim with his trademark greeting "mein teiyere brieder," HaRav Zilberstein led the mishtatfim on a scenic tour of halachic sheilos. The lomdim were challenged to resolve halachic issues that covered disparate topics ranging from hilchos aveidah, tzedaka and finally a multifaceted familial inheritance dispute that took place ,involving complexities of kibbud av ve'em and much more. With true, eye-opening stories, the Rav shared profound lessons in halacha and revealed new insights into the realm of a world class posek. Concluding his two hour shiur, Rav Zilberstein shared with the lomdim some previously unknown stories depicting the greatness of his late father and mother-in-law, Rav and Rebbetzin Eliashiv and a very moving story told over by his grandfather Rav Aryeh Levin.
While a few dozen participants continued to engage Rav Zilberstein in heated conversation, others got right back to their avodas Hakodesh, learning the sugya, trying to prepare as much as possible for the iyun shiur to be given by HaRav Boruch Dov Povarsky, Rosh Yeshiva, Ponovezh.
The iyun shiur served to clarify not only the finer points of the sugya, but also showed the lomdim practical applications. While yesterday's iyun shiur delved into the very depths of the sugya, answering specific questions, Rav Povarsky did the opposite, showing the wider implications of the sugya as a whole.
The lomdim got a short break after Mincha, although many of them kept on learning without interruption. In fact, this year's attendance of both Rabbi Shlomo Gottesman's hachana shiur during morning seder and Rabbi Shlomo Cynamon's chazara shiur during bein hasedorim has been larger than ever before.
By now, most feel at home in the sugya deKallah, and the questions are getting sharper. There's a true sense of accomplishment.
The evening program was dedicated lezecher nishmas the senior Posek Hador HaRav Yosef Shalom Eliashiv zt"l. A siyum maseches was organized involving many of the yarchei kallah participants to mark this evening's azkarah.
Stirring Hespedim were given by HaRav Moshe Shapira and HaRav Ezriel Auerbach the son-in-law of HaRav Eliashiv. Their message of chizuk and mussar touched the hearts of all present at this very special ma'amad of kovod HaTorah. The attendees of the seudas mitzvah were then addressed by HaRav Yosef Efrati, a talmid muvhak of HaRav Eliashiv and HaRav Avrohom Tzvi Yisraelzon, a grandson of HaRav Eliashiv, who conducted the Siyum.
The women enjoyed a full day tour to Zefas and the Golan Heights making several stops at interesting sights including an ancient shul in the area.
After the Siyum and seuda, a number of participants went right back to learning in the beis medrash until late at night. The work before them was formidable. Just reviewing the shiurim will certainly keep them occupied for the near future, but the next day's schedule of two iyun shiurim, to be given by HaRav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi and HaRav Dovid Feinstein, both of them towering figures whose mere presence inspires awe, was enough to remind them that Mi shetarach be'erev Shabbos yochal beShabbos.
A Case Presented by HaRav Zilberstein
Upon finding themselves stuck at a railroad crossing, hearing the sounds of the oncoming locomotive in the distance; the family made a quick decision to exit their car. A brave bystander leapt into the car and, with milliseconds to spare, managed to restart the car and drive off the tracks, thus preventing a scene of destruction and carnage. The next time the car owner and savior met, was in Beis Din to decide who was now the owner of this saved car?
Rav Zilberstein, using Shas and Poskim to explain the classical sugyos involving the concepts of matzil min ha'ari and zuto shel yam asked several pointed questions:
What are the guidelines of matzil min ha'ari and zuto shel yam?
What guidance does the Torah give us to render a psak in this case?
Does the Torah provide any remuneration for the hero of this case?
For the answer to this and many other questions all are invited to listen to the recording of this shiur.
Day Four
Day four of the Agudas Yisroel's Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah got off to a solid start with a packed beis medrash full of lomdim who were clearly at home, both with the sugyos and the seviva. The avira of Eretz Yisroel, the impromptu beis medrash and the 347 page sefer containing all possible mar'ei mekomos, meticulously indexed, really made this experience a delight.
The first shiur of the day was delivered by the renowned mechaber of the popular sefer, Orchos HaShabbos, HaRav Sholom Gelber. This fascinating Shiur Halacha expertly defined the interplay of various aspects of the sugya deKallah, specifically focusing on the issue of the use of digital water meters on Shabbos, which have recently come into popular use. He explained the differences between the various opinions and cast a bright light on this important topic.
Next came a seder hachana in which the lomdim readied themselves for the first iyun shiur of the day, to be delivered by the renowned HaRav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Rosh Yeshivas Ateres Yisroel. The anticipation was palpable as the Rosh Yeshiva made his way through the Yarchei Kallah beis medrash and took his place behind the shtender to begin his shiur.
With his trademark air of authority, HaRav Ezrachi, delivered a fiery shiur that was kenisinasso miSinai. He led the lomdim methodically through the Gemora, rishonim ve'acharonim concerning the sugya of geromo bemeleches Shabbos. He highlighted the difference between the chiyuv for nezikin and the chiyuv for meleches Shabbos. Whereas in nezikin the focal issue is the amount of damage caused, not the action which brought about the damage; in hilchos Shabbos our prime attention is on the action which bought the meleches Shabbos, not necessarily its outcome. He touched on complex chidushim of HaRav Chaim Ozer and the Chazon Ish and concluded with his own mehalech in the sugya.
Although the allotted time for the shiur had long passed, the oilam was clearly not finished; several dozen participants engaged HaRav Ezrachi with more sheilos and he'aros on the sugya, after mincha, until he had to leave for a shiur in his own yeshiva.
Thursday afternoon, the final seder of this year's 13th Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah, everyone put all their kochos into their preparations for the final shiurim of HaRav Dovid Feinstein, Rosh Yeshivas Beis Yehuda and HaRav Avraham Direnfeld, Rosh Kollel, Belz.
The penultimate shiur of this year's Yarchei Kallah was given by HaRav Direnfeld. He gave an incredibly clear halachic analysis of the sugyos deKallah.
HaRav Dovid Feinstein electrified the entire Yarchei Kalla beis medrash with his intense analysis of the various chilukim in the sugya of davar she'ein miskavein and mis'asek. Beholding the Rav's intensity, allowing the svara to animate his entire being, was a lesson in the reses vezei'ah that Chazal recommend as the appropriate mindset for learning Torah. He concluded with equally fiery words of mussar on the importance of kvius itim LaTorah, chinuch habonim and being ever vigilant to remain honest in our business dealings. He then spoke passionately about the deep and troubling spiritual crisis threatening to engulf Yahadus hacharedis with the drafting of the bnei Torah which poses an existential threat to the very foundations of the koslei beis hamedrash.
The neila address containing profound and inspiring Divrei Machshava was given by HaRav Moshe Chodosh, Rosh Hayeshiva,Yeshivas Ohr Elchonon. He said that the way to preserve the lofty feeling that each one of the participants are glowing with at the end of this incredible week, is for each one to make a kabbala. The kabbala should be simple and one that the person is confident that he will be able to keep.
The women's program included a very lively and animated shiur given by Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel followed by a fascinating tour of important sites including sifting for archaeological relics and the new Kosel tunnel tour.
With mixed emotions of joy and sorrow — joy for the precious, unique kinyan HaTorah, made in the company of true mevakshim (you don't fly 6,000 miles to learn if you're not a mevakeish) in the heady presence of Gedolei Roshei Yeshivos and Gedolei Poskim; and sadness for the ending of this lofty experience — the 13th Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah drew to a close. Over a farewell seudah sponsored by Agudas Yisroel of America, the lomdim took leave of each other, bringing new meaning to Chazal's statement, "leolam al yipared adam meichaveiro elo mitoch dvar halacha."
We can truly say that in the hearts and minds of all the participants was the fervent hope that Leshanah Haba b'Yerushalayim habenuyah.
In Closing
As the 13th Yarchei Kalla drew to a close, Rabbi Labish Becker, executive director of Agudas Yisrael of America, noted the origins of the Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah. It was the height of the second intifadah and the Yidden of America very much wanted to do something to help their brothers and sisters under siege. To that end Agudas Yisroel worked on organizing a trip to be mechazek the Yidden there. They asked Rav Aron Leib Shteinman what the nature of this visit should be.
He answered unequivocally, Torah magneh umatzleh. The learning of Torah protects and shields Klal Yisroel. Come to Eretz Yisroel and sit and learn with great hasmada. That is the best thing that you can do for the Jewish people, and so we did. The rest is history!
