“My father, zt”l, would say, ‘It is worthwhile to work for fifty years – day and night – to produce one talmid chacham.’ Even if I did nothing but produce that one talmid chacham, that too would have been worth it,” said the Sanzer Rebbe, shlita, of Netanya recently at a gathering in his home.
The Rebbe, shlita, added that, “Baruch Hashem in our time, we see tens and hundreds of great talmidim being produced. The baal teshuva movement itself has produced so many great talmidei chachomim. Every time I meet baalei teshuva who have become talmidei chachomim I am suffused with emotion. I see the Ribono Shel Olam fulfills His promise that He will not forsake His nation and His inheritance.” The Rebbe continued, “There is no logical explanation for the baal teshuva movement wherein scores of secular Jews not only take on mitzvah observance but become lomdei Torah and talmidei chachomim. As great as the hester panim that we see in the world today, so too is there an open manifestation of the revelation of the Shechina where hundreds are coming close to Yiddishkeit.”
The Rebbe’s remarks were delivered to a delegation of leaders of the Dirshu organization who visited the Rebbe as well as other gedolei Yisrael to receive their brachos for Dirshu’s newest special program of halacha and mussar that will especially appeal to baalei teshuva or those who are not able to learn the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Mishnah Berurah program. This program, entitled ‘Kinyan Hadas’, will feature daily learning of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch as well as one of the classic works of mussar.
HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka, was very pleased when the delegation came to his home and told him about the new program. The actual knowledge that such a program exists will enhance the Yiddishkeit of a baal teshuva affording him the feeling that he belongs to something greater. He will be able to participate in a program that will teach him what is assur and what is muttar.
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One Response
One every 50 years? That’s about enough for me. Not every yeshiva bochur has to become a talmid chocham. It’s enough that most bochurs become good Jews. And there are a fair number of good Jews who were never bochurs – especially the earners who support the learners.