This week they're not physicians, attorneys, accountants or businessmen. For this week they are bnei yeshiva, fully engrossed in the sugya dekallah and if you want to put that to the test, just call any of their offices and see what response you'll receive! Sounds like a dream? Well, it's a reality for a few hundred committed bnei Torah, mostly from America and Canada, with some from Mexico, Europe and Eretz Yisrael, who've come together at the Ramada Hotel in Yerushalayim to turn its central ballroom into a beis medrash lechol davar.
More than two hundred participants are earnestly trying to fulfill the ma'amar Chazal of total immersion in the ohela shel Torah at this 14th Agudas Yisroel of America's Yarchei Kallah. The lomdim have put all their milei de'alma on the back burner, focusing their attention to the svoros of perek Keizad Mevorchim, and especially on hilchos birkos hanehenin.
From late Sunday night through early Monday morning, participants filed into the hotel lobby, some of them clearly more jetlagged than others. Nevertheless, 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 the most 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 many staff members who made the Yarchei Kallah possible.
After a very lively three hour morning seder, participants were treated to divrei pesicha and a Shiur Hakdama given for the 14th consecutive year by HaRav Asher Weiss, Av Beis Din Darchei Horo'oh and Rosh Yeshivas Darchei Torah, who offered stirring words of chizuk to the attendees. HaRav Weiss then clearly and cogently explained the intricacies of hilchos birkos hanehenin. He led the participants on a fascinating tour of the sugya, highlighting and expounding on new concepts and vistas in the sugya dekallah.
This year the participants of the Yarchei Kallah were exceedingly fortunate to then hear an in-depth, clear and captivating shiur on the precise geder of birkos hanehenin from the Novominsker Rebbe, the Rosh Agudas Yisroel of America, who fortunately was be visiting Eretz Yisrael at this time. With his customary brilliance, he was able to engage the lomdim and give them a true feeling of ta'amu ure'u ki tov into the minutiae of the sugya dekallah.
As the men were engrossed in the sugya, the women left for an inspirational trip to be mispallel at the kever of the Zeviler Rebbe, who was known to be a great poel yeshuos. Back at the hotel, they were treated to an insightful and fascinating shiur from Rebbetzin Zippora Heller.
The evening program began with divrei chizuk vehis'orerus from HaRav Yaakov Edelstein, Rav Umoro De'asra Ramat HaSharon. His address was followed by the very inspirational and moving words of HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Hayeshiva Slobodka, who marshaled various ma'amarei chazal to call attention to the importance of regarding tefillah in the proper manner.
HaRav Hirsch, in his discussion about tefillah, related that on one occasion a non-observant Jew entered the Bais Midrash of HaRav Elya Lopian in Kfar Chasidim during davening. He was asked, what did you notice about the tefillah? He answered that everyone in the room was davening, but there was one old man in the front of the room talking to somebody. HaRav Hirsch observed that this is how we should treat our tefillos, using them as opportunity to speak directly to HKB"H.
The Bais Medrash was brimming with anticipation as people vied for a good place to see HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman as he regally entered. Despite the overflow crowd, the atmosphere of awe and cherdas hakovod was apparent. One could literally hear a pin drop as he entered the room. Rav Shteinman implored the participants to take note that our sole salvation and source of bracha, especially in these difficult times, is through the study of Torah.
"It's such a chizuk to see that, in its fourteenth year, the Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah continues to grow by leaps and bounds," commented Rabbi Labish Becker, executive director of Agudas Yisroel. "We b"H have many more participants than ever before. What's more amazing is that the program continues to expand and due to popular demand has, with each passing year, started earlier and earlier in the week."
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The 2nd Day
Today, they were not so tired. They'd already eaten breakfast and they were not expecting any phone calls from the US. They all have chavrusas, the avirah demachkim of Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh, a seviva that's conducive to learning, and top tier shiurim throughout the day. Let's now immerse ourselves in the yam shel Torah and shteig.
These were the sentiments of over two hundred lomdim in the Yarchei Kallah beis hamedrash on day two of Agudas Yisrael's Yarchei Kallah in Yerushalayim.
The shiur iyun with HaRav Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Chevron, was now only three hours away, and this was preparation time. The rischa deOraisa in the beis medrash was palpable. Lomdim of all ages, from all walks of life, excitedly engaged in the sugya dekallah. Such contentment, such hana'a ruchani!
HaRav Cohen's shiur probed deeper into the Sugya dekallah. HaRav Cohen examined the chilukim in dinei kadima bebrochos, highlighting some of the important opinions of the rishonim, demonstrating an amazing breadth and depth of insight into the Sugya.
A special English track, inaugurated this year was addressed by Rav Shlomo Morgenstern, Rosh Hayeshiva of Givat Zev. Rav Morgenstern delighted the participants and engaged them in an animated discussion on the brochos relating to shemen zayis.
Rav Nissan Kaplan, a noted maggid shiur in Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, delivered a fascinating halacha shiur that turned the Gemoras, Rishonim and Acharonim learned so far into halacha lema'aseh. He challenged the lomdim, citing multiple practical applications of the Sugya dekallah that affect our daily lives. The shiur was lively from beginning to end, with the participant's excitedly interjecting at numerous points. The participants lined up to ask questions for over an hour after the shiur.
The lomdim were then addressed by HaRav Yitzchok Meir Alter, the son of the Pnei Menachem, Rosh Kollel Gur in Bnei Brak, and HaRav Moshe Chodosh, Rosh Yeshivas Ohr Elchonon, who delivered profound messages of chizuk and his'orerus.
Rabbi Alter explained why David Hamelech said that the Torah is dearer to him than alfei zahav vachesef. In truth, gold is far more precious than silver. So why do we even mention silver? Rav Alter explained that when standing on the top floor of a two hundred story building, the difference between a small or large object below is insignificant. Similarly, someone who truly values Torah regards gold and silver equally.
The women's made a trip to Kever Rochel followed by a fascinating tour of Yerushalayim. In the afternoon, they were addressed by the renowned speaker Rebbetzin Rina Tarshish.
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Day 3
"This sugya is really becoming clear," said one participant to another, their voices barely audible over the thundering kol Torah as day three of Agudas Yisrael's Yarchei Kallah in Yerushalayim got off to an energetic start.
Indeed, the beis medrash has almost never been quiet. While 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 in the morning. Everyone is trying to chap arein as much as possible. The participants are clearly enjoying themselves and growing.
One can detect an undercurrent of urgency. The participants simply can't allow themselves to forget that tomorrow is the last day of the Yarchei Kallah - hayom kotzor vehamelacha meruba.
The eager anticipation was clearly apparent as one of the generation's leading poskim, a moreh hora'a and maggid, HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein, Rav of Ramat Elchonon, Bnei Brak, and an author of many popular seforim, would soon grace the Yarchei Kallah with his presence and deliver a shiur behalacha.
Exuding warmth and addressing the lomdim with his trademark greeting mein teiyere brieder, HaRav Zilberstein utilized his unique style to lead the mishtatfim on a scenic tour of halachic sheilos. The lomdim were challenged to resolve multifaceted halachic issues that covered disparate topics ranging from the obligations of a guarantor, a physician's responsibility to his patient and finally a fascinating story involving complexities of the sale of Judaica. With true, eye-opening stories, the Rav shared profound lessons in halacha and revealed new insights into the realm of a world class posek.
While dozens of participants continued to engage Rav Zilberstein in heated conversation, others got right back to their avodas hakodesh, learning the sugya, preparing for the iyun shiur to be given by HaRav Baruch Dov Povarsky, Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh.
The iyun shiur served to clarify not only the finer points of the sugya, but also showed the lomdim practical applications of the sugya. While yesterday's iyun shiur delved into the depths of the sugya, answering specific questions, Rav Povarsky took a different approach, showing the wider implications of the sugya as a whole.
The special English track, inaugurated this year was addressed by HaRav Binyomin Moskowitz, Rosh Hayeshiva of Medrash Shmuel. Rav Moskowitz gave a crystal clear and engaging shiur, to a standing room only crowd, delineating the nuances of the machlokes between the Rambam and the Ravad as to whether one should make a brocho on food that is forbidden to eat.
The lomdim got a well-deserved 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 of Keitzad Mevorchim and the questions are getting sharper. There's a true sense of accomplishment, albeit mitigated by the knowledge that the Yarchei Kallah has just passed the half- way point.
The afternoon program began with a shiur halacha given by HaRav Pinchas Breuer, Rosh Hayeshiva of Knesses Eliyahu, followed by divrei chizuk vehis'orerus from HaRav Asher Arieli, R"M in the Mirrer Yeshiva. HaRav Yitzchok Scheiner, Rosh HaYeshiva of the Kaminetz Yeshiva, then addressed the participants and imparted strong words of chizuk and mussar for the lomdim to take back home with them. The evening concluded with warm words of chizuk from HaRav Yehuda Ades, Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshivat Kol Yaakov.
After the evening program, a number of participants went right back to 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 iyun and halacha shiurim, to be given by HaRav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi was enough to remind them that mi shetarach be'erev Shabbos hu yochal beShabbos.
The women enjoyed a full day tour to Netivot, the mokom hakevura of the Baba Sali zt"l, followed by a visit to Ein Avdat and Mitzpeh Ramon.
History
The Agudas Yisroel of America Yarchei Kallah had its humble roots 14 years ago with a group of 40 balebatim from the United States who came to Eretz Yisroel at the height of the intifadah. They came to learn in the spirit of Chazal that Torah magen umatzel, Torah has the ability to protect and save. In the ensuing years, more and more balebatim understood the value of intensive learning in the avira demachkim of Eretz Yisroel. The scope of the Yarchei Kallah has continued to grow both in the number of participants and the countries that they hail from. Canada, England, Israel, Mexico and Switzerland are part of the growing roster of countries sending lomdim to the Yarchei Kallah.
To the delight of all the participants, this year saw a significant breakthrough in the annals of Yarchei Kallah history. The large number of lomdim overwhelmed the hotel ballroom that has been the home of the Yarchei Kallah over the years, necessitating the opening of a second ballroom to accommodate the tremendous growth of the Yarchei Kallah.
As a participant who has attended since the very first year commented, "It has been an incredible nachas ruach to watch the Yarchei Kallah grow from year to year. It gives us spiritual sustenance throughout the year. We are truly appreciative to the askonim who work so hard to make this happen year in and year out."
