Participants in Agudath Israel of America's 17th annual Jerusalem Yarchei Kallah were happy and uplifted. A project of the Agudah's Torah Projects Commission, the Yarchei Kallah has grown nicely since its inception in 2001, expanding from a three day program attracting several dozen men, to a five day event attended by more than 300 participants. The atmosphere in the Beis Medrash was laden with passion with the Kol Torah reverberating throughout the room, and as concentration gave way to clarity, those who put their lives on hold for five days to immerse themselves in the sweetness of learning radiated triumphant joy.
The opportunity to hear shiurim and divrei machshava from rabbonim of this caliber is unusual, observed Rabbi Labish Becker, Agudath Israel executive director.
"The Yarchei Kallah has the top Magidei Shiur and Roshei Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel," explained Rabbi Becker. "If you wanted to hear all of them speak you would have to spend a month running around to different yeshivos. Here you get them all in four days."
While the Yarchei Kallah began on January 15th, many spent weeks preparing. Hakdama shiurim were given in Brooklyn, Lakewood and Passaic, and eleven weekly teleconferences given by Rabbi Shlomo Gottesman allowed participants an additional opportunity to familiarize themselves with the sugyos being covered.
Participants
After a pre-opening day in Bnei Brak where more than 200 Yarchei Kallah attendees basked in the presence of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky shlita while hearing divrei bracha and chizuk from HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein, Rosh Kollel Bais Dovid in Cholon and Rav in Ramat Elchonon Bnei Brak, and Rav Eliyahu Mann, MeiRoshei Yeshiva of Yeshivaa Ohr Yisroel, the incredible hasmada began in earnest on Monday morning. The newly enlarged Yarchei Kallah Beis Medrash in the Jerusalem Ramada Hotel was a microcosm of Klal Yisroel, with men of all ages, some dressed in suits and ties and others in shirts and sweaters, plunging into the fascinating depths of Maseches Sukkah.
After a morning of hachana and limud bechavrusa on Monday, the first official day of the Yarchei Kallah, Rav Pinchos Friedman, Rosh Hakollelim Belz, spoke at length about the interplay between simcha and the chag of Succos and how we can use the inherent simchas yom tov to attain a higher level of closeness to Hashem. Rav Asher Weiss, Av Beis Din of Darchei Hora'ah and Rosh Hayeshiva Yeshiva Darchei Torah, discussed hiddur mitzvah and the incredible power of tefillah. While many stayed in the Beis Medrash until late into the night, others took advantage of an opportunity to take busses provided by Yarchei Kallah organizers to visit Kever Rochel and, with their new understanding of koach hatefillah, poured their hearts out to the Ribono Shel Olam.
The learning began on Tuesday morning with 6:30 AM Daf Yomi and nearly three hours of limud bechavrusa. HaRav Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Chevron, gave shiur in Yiddish on the concepts of the arba minim and spoke about Rav Moshe Shapira zt'l whose shiva had just been completed, describing his greatness in all aspects of Torah and his total dedication to the concept of emes. A parallel English shiur given by Rav Yosef Elefant, RaM Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim discussed the halachos of ownership of a lulav and esrog. An afternoon shiur by HaRav Nisan Kaplan, Rosh Hayeshiva in Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, explored whether someone who took lulav and esrog outside the Old City would need to do so again to fulfill the chiyuv deOraisa of daled minim, and HaRav Tzvi Kushelefsky, Rosh Hayeshiva of Heichal HaTorah, discussed the sedrah of the week, Parshas Shemos. Tuesday drew to a close with an audio visual presentation on the source of the mesorah of esrogim by Rabbi Yechiel Goldhaber, author of Sefer Minhagei Hakehilos.
After Wednesday morning's Daf Yomi and limud bechavrusa, the first shiur of the day was given in Yiddish by HaRav Boruch Dov Povarsky, Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh, on the concept of bal tosif, with a parallel English shiur by HaRav Yaakov Friedman, Rosh Hayeshiva of Birchas Mordechai, on the applicable laws of a lulav that is assur b'hanaah. A stimulating two part audio visual presentation by HaRav Avi Wiesenfeld, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Gevuras Yitzchok, offered fascinating, dynamic insight into the arba minim. Rav Yehoshua Eichenstein, Rosh Hayeshiva of Yad Aron in Yerushalayim, shared remembrances of Rav Moshe Shapira zt'l, detailing the growth of the mussar movement in today's world. Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, delivered a beautiful exposition of the concept of gratitude.
Speaking in learning with HaRav Ezrachi
One of the unquestionable highlights of the Yarchei Kallah came on Thursday morning, when Rav Zilberstein, a world renowned halachic authority, presented several intriguing scenarios that can arise when taking lulav and esrog, as well as other interesting topics. Participants were mesmerized by Rav Zilberstein's words, with many animatedly discussing the many different halachic aspects of the matters at hand. After a session of limud bechavrusa, the shiurim resumed with Rav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Ateres Yisroel, speaking about beautifying the mitzvah of lulav and esrog, and Rav Shraga Kallus, Rav of K'hal Imri Pi in Ramat Shlomo and Rosh Kollel Machon L'Horaah L'Rabbonim, sharing divrei halacha for the English track, giving a very practical demonstration of qualifications for a kosher esrog.
Afternoon shiurim in halacha and iyun were given respectively by HaRav Yaakov Avrohom Cohen, Chaver Beis Din of HaRav Nissim Karelitz, and Rav of Ramat HaTzafon in Yerushalayim, and Rav Chaim Tzvi Senter, Rosh Hayeshiva of Aderes Torah in Yerushalayim, discussing yom tov sheini shel galuyos. The final two speakers of the program were HaRav Chaim Aryeh Chodosh, Rosh Hayeshiva of Ohr Elchonon, speaking about his father Rav Moshe Chodosh zt'l of Chevron, who addressed the Yarchei Kallah numerous times in his lifetime, and HaRav Avraham Chaim Feuer, Rosh Yeshiva Mesoras Mordechai in Ramat Beit Shemesh, and Rav B'Khal Chasidim in Sha'arei Chesed in Yerushalayim, elaborating on the mesorah of Klal Yisroel through the lens of Rav Yochonon ben Zakai, Rav Yonoson ben Uziel, Abaye, Rava, and others.
More than 100 women enjoyed a sold out program touring mekomos hakedoshim in Yerushalayim as well as Kever Rochel, Gush Etzion and the northern regions of Eretz Yisroel. Additionally, thought provoking shiurim given by Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi, Rebbetzin Rina Tarshish and Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller attracted large crowds of ladies who came to be enriched and inspired by these world renowned speakers.
Having spent the past several days in the whirlwind of an intense experience, excitement was palpable as the Yarchei Kallah ended on a high note with a magnificent tzeischem leshalom. Energized by the incredible Limud HaTorah that took place during the program, participants parted on a spiritual high note, filled with exuberance and fortified by their learning. The bracha Leshanah Haba a B'Yerushalayim was repeated countless times, and as the group wished each other farewell, many were already making mental plans to attend Agudath Israel of America's 18th annual Yarchei Kallah where they will once again have the opportunity to drink their fill at the magnificent Torah wellsprings of Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh.
