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Gedolim Address Dirshu Gathering for Bochurim Entering Yeshiva Gedolah

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HaGadol HaDor, HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, Shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh in Bnai Brak recently addressed a Dirshu asifa of 850 bochurim entering Yeshiva Gedolah
HaGadol HaDor, HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, Shlita, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh in Bnai Brak recently addressed a Dirshu asifa of 850 bochurim entering Yeshiva Gedolah
For three and a half hours they sat in their seats, quietly, intensely concentrating and taking notes. It was an event that they would remember, an event that they would one day recount to their grandchildren. It wasn’t only the appearance of a gadol hador of the stature of HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, shlita, that so moved them, rather it was every speaker and all of the words of guidance that they received.

It was Dirshu’s special gathering attended by more than 850 bochurim from across Eretz Yisrael who are entering yeshiva gedolah. At the gathering they received guidance from prominent Roshei Yeshiva and Mashgichim led by HaGaon HaRav Shteinman. The asifa, held this past Sunday just days before the start of Elul Zman, offered them advice from the gedolim on how to properly transition from yeshiva ketanah to yeshiva gedolah and on how to maximize their yeshiva gedolah years.

HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, Shlita: Entering Yeshiva Gedolah Requires Tefillah Like a Yom Hadin

The highlight of the event was the appearance of Rav Shteinman. Rabbi Avigdor Berenstein, a senior member of Dirshu’s hanhala, described the scene when the venerated Rosh Yeshiva exited the car to enter the Armanot Chen Hall in Bnei Brak where the gathering was held. “One could see how fatigued the Rosh Yeshiva was, but when he entered the hall and saw it packed with such a large crowd of serious yeshiva bochurim, who wanted nothing more than to hear guidance, he became infused with energy.”

In his words, Rav Shteinman addressed the significant transition inherent in entering yeshiva gedolah. He said, “Every bochur must understand, that before each new stage in his life he faces something akin to a Yom Hadin, a Day of Judgment. He requires such rachamei shamayim to succeed. Now that all of you are entering a new stage in your lives, progressing from yeshiva ketanah to yeshiva gedolah you need to intensely daven, for success and growth.

Rav Shteinman then quoted the well known words of the Vilna Gaon, who says, “There is no such thing in this world as a person who is stationary. He is either rising and growing or he is falling. A person must recognize that the fact that he can constantly better himself is a great quality that only a human being possesses. Nevertheless, this wonderful quality also demands tremendous vigilance. He must see to it that he is always in sustained ascension, because if he isn’t, he is automatically in descent.”

HaGaon HaRav Asher Ben-Naim, Shlita: “Can There be a Greater Simcha in the Celestial World?!”

The gathering which hosted bochurim representing yeshivos from the entire cross-section of Klal Yisrael – Ashkenazim, Sephardim, Lithuanian and Chassidic yeshivos – was opened by Rav Asher Ben-Naim, Mashgiach of Yeshiva Birchas Ephraim. He began, “The gathering of so many bochurim, who have come during their bein hazemanim to hear words of guidance is the ultimate response to those who seek to still the voices of the yeshivos. What are you doing during your vacation? You have come to hear chizuk on how to best utilize your years in yeshiva gedolah! Can there be a greater simcha in the celestial world than this?!”

HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Shlita Gives Guidance He Heard from Rav Aharon Kotler, Zt”l

A most comprehensive shmuess was given by the Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch. He said, “The main hatzlacha of every bochur, is dependent on the yeshiva gedolah years. That is why the milestone of entering yeshiva gedolah requires supreme dedication. If someone starts this new era on a high level, that level will continue for years into the future. Conversely if a bochur suffices with starting off this new stage with mediocrity, that too may continue for years… It is in these years that he must accept upon himself to fully and totally immerse in Torah learning, and to have real, authentic yiras shamayim.  He must also make up his mind to wholly dedicate himself to cultivating good middos, to be humble, to listen to a sevara that his friend conveys instead of immediately rejecting it. Humility is the key to all other middos tovos.

Rav Hirsch explained, “My Rebbi HaGaon HaRav Aharon Kotler, zt”l would say, “Human nature is such that a person is afraid to accept upon himself the full yoke of Torah and yiras shamayim. He thinks that perhaps it will be too hard for him. Rav Aharon Kotler said, however, that he is making a mistake. He doesn’t realize that when he accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah without compromises he will automatically begin to taste the sweetness of Torah. Rav Moshe Hillel continued with precautionary words, “Not all bochurim feel the sweetness and geshmak of learning immediately. For some it takes a bit of time. If , however, he perseveres, eventually he will have a true geshmak and satisfaction in learning.”

The Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva also profusely praised Dirshu and its accomplishments in helping bochurim accept upon themselves the yoke of Torah and helping them to attain the goal of learning and knowing Torah.

One who Truly Tries is Divinely Endowed with Newfound Ability

Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Dirshu’s Nasi, spoke about the fact that a bochur might periodically deem himself incapable of accomplishing the goals that have been set for him. He might think, “It is beyond my ability.”

“In reality, however,” Rav Dovid said “a person does not know the special strengths with which he is endowed. If he jumps in and tries with every fiber of his being, the siyatta d’shmaya comes along empowering him to draw on latent strengths which he did not know he possessed.” Rav Dovid also spoke about the importance of each bochur having a Rebbi and attaching himself to a Rebbi. “One can’t learn from a seforim shrank or just from seforim. One needs a Rebbi who will teach him right from wrong.”

HaGaon HaRav Chaim Avrohom Weisel, Shlita: Keep Your Distance from Harmful Friends

Rav Chaim Avrohom Weisel, Mashgiach of Yeshiva Chachmei Lublin, urged every bochur entering yeshiva gedolah to invest great effort in acquiring a good friend or good friends. “A bochur never knows what nisayon, what spiritual hurdles await him, but one thing that will certainly cause him to fall is a friend who exerts a negative influence on him.

HaGaon HaRav Uri Weisblum, Shlita: The Most Effective Antidote: Being Prepared

Rav Uri Weisblum, a talmid muvhak of Rav Shlomo Wolbe and a mashgiach with decades of experience assisting bochurim, gave a deep, powerful address. The bochurim sat at the edge of their seats absorbing every word.

Rav Weisblum addressed the common feeling of many bochurim who were at the top of their class in yeshiva ketanah but upon entering yeshiva gedolah find themselves with considerably larger classes which boast other bochurim who are far more gifted. He guided them on how to deal with feelings of inadequacy and how to strengthen themselves.

Another very important issue addressed by Rav Weisblum was sleeping in the dormitory. While in most yeshiva ketanos in Eretz Yisrael, bochurim sleep at home, in yeshiva gedolos, they sleep in dorms. Acclimating to a dorm and cultivating the personal discipline to go to sleep on time and get up on time is new and requires thought and effort. This new, uncharted territory becomes much easier to navigate when a bochur enters yeshiva gedolah knowing what he will face, Rav Weisblum stressed.

The special event for bochurim was the third annual such event hosted by Dirshu. It has been enthusiastically embraced by the Gedolei Yisroel as an important primer for any bochur entering yeshiva gedolah. The necessity of the event was mirrored in the faces of all the bochurim who exited the auditorium, clearly uplifted, filled with simcha and a conviction to implement the advice and continue growing!

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