An unannounced, surprise inspection by the Israeli Ministry of Education, was conducted Wednesday morning in Mir Yerushalayim – the largest Yeshiva in the world.
Following a recent string of arrests in Kollelim and Yeshivos, the Israeli Authorities are conducting random inspections to ensure that all institutions are being conducted in a legal manner.
Thousands of Bochrim and Yungerleit had to close their Seforim during first seder and packed into the Yeshiva lunch room, all waiting in long lines to present their documents to the inspectors.
The Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yerushalayim, Hagon Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel Shlita, is currently in the United States, in preparation of the Yeshivas annual dinner, to be held this coming Sunday.
Eye-witnesses tell YWN (and can be seen on the attached video & photos), that the inspectors were completely unprepared to deal with the massive crowd of Bnei HaYeshiva. Unfortunately, this resulted in a serious amount of Bittul Torah, as they waited in lines for a long time to present their papers.
YWN PHOTO LINK: Click HERE for photos – Credits: B.W. Posen – Kuvien Images (Yehuda Boltshauser & Co.)
(Dov Gordon – YWN)
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29 Responses
“…Unfortunately, this resulted in a serious amount of Bittul Torah, as they waited in lines for a long time to present their papers.”
Why? I’m saddened after watching the video that so few of them had a sefer with them to learn from while waiting…
Oy all that Bittul Torah. Gimme a break with your crocodile tears. The Mir or most other yeshivas CHOOSE to get govt handouts so they have to deal with inspections especially when nebach there are some shmey drey organizations out there that give everyone a bad name.
You made your beds, now sleep in it!!
Reply to first comment..
As it happens.. These photos were probably taken during bein hasdorim which was the busiest time, that i can verify since i was there.. when not ‘everyone’ carries a sefer under their arms!
Why is it that nobody seems to realize that all these so called “inspections” of Torah institutions in Israel are all part of sinister plot, to destroy all these institutions by claiming that they are cheating the goverment.
No matter how honest these institutions may be the Israeli government will still claim fraud and file charges against the heads of these institutions, for THAT is the ultimate goal, to malign the students of Torah in Israel.
Who said the Mir is bigger then BMG??
hey cool it!
The Roshei Hayeshiva shlita not only ordered full participation [were they also over on bitul tayrah]
and 2. “major part of mirs support is from the israeli govt
3, over 8000 “kollel” ganovim were removed nationwide from the lists, how many millions under whose hecsher,its “lo zignov”
4. the issur of talking loshon horah alsdo applies when you speak of a tzibbur of am yisroel, there is noexem,ption of being mevazeh, and speaking sheker and loshon hora against proper audits.
would you attack the US govt for checking sedction 8, food stamps etc
1h
#1 and #4 – This is a direct result a story that broke this past November. Six heads of three haredi Yeshivot (Ramat Beit Shemesh, Betar and Mea Shearim) were arrested. They have for years been forging ID cards for people who are not enrolled in the yeshivot in order to receive monthly financial support from the Education Ministry, claiming that hundreds were studying at the yeshivot, when in fact only dozens were. The yeshivot allegedly were receiving money for these fictitious students.
I believe that it was a good opportunity to meet a new Yid. Achdut Am Yisrael!
Did anyone else notice the guys doing the Bikoret were wearing kippot, too?
When I lived in Beitar the Bikoret came to the Kollel. The guys did not have kippot. It was a tremendous opportunity for Kiddush HaShem and Kiruv.
Every moment is possible to be service HaShem Yisboroch. Its one of the pillars (if you do remember).
Shame on the author of this post for creating Sinan Chinam! Inspections by their very nature are unannounced!
All comments that have pointed out that these inspections are needed since so many kollelim are responsible for straight up gezailah and sheker are 100% correct.
Instead of pointing fingers at the ‘tumadike chilonim’ it’s time for inner-reflection and realize that we are responsible for this bitul Torah!
#5 im not sure but i think all together they have over 7,000 students. ( again im not a 100% sure about it)
“Inspections by their very nature are unannounced!”
How many of us would eat at a restaurant for which all visits by the mashgiach are announced in advance?
Learning in Kollel is no different than working. True mesiras nefesh for Torah is learning without taking money. Someone who is signed up in Kollel to receive a stipend, shouldn’t complain that someone is taking roll-call. Everybody who works has a boss – even if learning Torah is one’s chosen profession.
isaacskaufman, are you living in another dimension?
Issac, you might be needed on the cast of Law and Order!!
Baruch Hashem, all legal issues are A1 at the Mir, with proper registration,names,address and info on each bochur. Bitul Torah is a self-imposed decision, those who wanted to continue learning can have a sefer in hand and chazer their limudim.
In a Brisker one.
The “cause” of the bitul Torah is the geneiva that goes on at several yeshivas (however many or few). The inspection is a natural reaction.
to the author
it was not the min. of education, but rather the min of dattot [religionS!!! rch”l]
No. 2: Here is something that probably scares you: I agree with you.
Ralphie,
You wrote in #12 that “Learning in Kollel is no different than working. True mesiras nefesh for Torah is learning without taking money.” I was wondering which gadol explained that relatively unknown bit of daas Torah?
In general, there seems to be a sort of self-righteousness across the comments here (not personalizing this to you, Ralphie) ripping those who have been sacrificing all but the barest essentials of physical subsistence in order to discharge the one duty that sustains the world. The learners as a whole here are being lumped together with a handful of criminals, with the implication that the criminal element defines the character of the whole set (learners + criminals). And these self-righteous commenters seem to be attempting to set themselves up as the “enlightened” ones by forcing “tumadik chilonim” and other deprecative expressions into the mouths of the learners and then berating the learners for being so intolerant. Maybe we could do without joining the anti-religious crusade by unjustly villifying our most holy brothers.
Having watched the video now, it strikes me that the Education Ministry created a major fire hazard by squeezing everyone into the dining room like that. Nice trade…
It is fascinating to read sagacious insights from people thousands of miles away from the Mir Yeshiva. The inaccuracies in this comments section are mind-boggling.
Just to set the record straight: No one ever complained that they came unannounced to take register of all students. They have turned up periodically for as many years as one can remember. Permanent signs in the Yeshiva request that everyone carries ID with them at all times for precisely such an eventuality.
The problem Wednesday was that they turned up at 10:45, and with only about seven men, pathetically ill-prepared for managing the numbers they should expect. They realised this themselves – by three o’clock – and cancelled the whole affair making it little more than a waste of time.
Next time they will come at 9 with some more man-power and they will be welcome.
Get it?
Now cut all the nonsene in this comment blog.
Can anyone confirm that everything was in order?
I totally agree with #21 I have personally been learnin at the Mir now for five years and they are always on guard for these “surprise inspections” I highly doubt that the Rosh Yeshiva complained about the bittul torah as w/o this money the yeshiva could not possibly last as a matter of fact about 4 years ago I remember R’ Nissin Kaplan giving a klap on the bima and said that in the name of the R”Y everyone should go sign now even during seder and about 400 people stood up and went
If anyone has a problem with the yeshiva and does not thin they are legit they are more than welcome to come on any random day and try to find a seat in any of there 8 batei midrashim Good luck!
to anyone that has a problem with thi poor yungerleit that take money cut them a little slack they make around 450-800 nis amonth ( you get 800 when u have like 10 kids)!so everyone chill out and respect this choshuve makom torah
Good Shabbos
#19
Is it bitul Torah to travel to the Mir to learn. Is it bitul Torah to go to the office to pick up your monthly check? Any government that gives money is entitled to verify that the program is legit. We always had unannounced inspections. If you’re there learning like you’re supposed to be, you won’t have any problems. Stop hockin a chinick.
Yes its all legal the government has to check out the Yeshiva!!!!!!!!
BUT do they ever go and check the universities????????????????? the students there get 10 times the amount koillel jungerlait get and they steal more as known secret in Israel so don’t justifie the corrupt anti chareidy Government don’t ever believe they are on our side they here to get the Yeshiva and nothing else
Good Shabes
If I can clarify a few misconceptions:
I have been in quite a few yeshivos over the years and these inspections are routine – once or twice a year. The Ministry of Religion was discontinued a few years ago and the attendance inspections has been taken over by the Ministry of Education.
In general the inspections go smoothly. They usually take no more than a half an hour.
Let me assure the reader that these inspections are not carried out in the universities – who collect many times over from the government. Also, the secular high schools get no inspection though their ‘attendance’ rates are appalling.
What was different about the Mir’s inspection was as follows:
The inspectors knew how many students they were dealing with as they had a list of everyone who was supposed to be there.
They had no permission to go hold everyone past one o’clock as the morning seder officially ends at that time. They should have given up as soon as they saw how many people they were dealing with – or at least split up the alphabetical list into different dining rooms. The comment #20 is correct – it was a terrible fire hazard.
As far the the comment about not bringing seforim:
First of all, there would not have been enough room if everyone had brought a sefer with them and nobody had time to locate a small one. Second of all, the first seder learning largely involves discussion between learning partners and a text is not always necessary. Especially when nobody anticipated being locked up in a crowded dining room for hours on end…
Yes, they had kipas.
Yes, their allegiance was to the government.
No, they had no common sense.
WHO carries papers with them at all times? i dont have my birth certificare with me never.
#27: This is just a guess, but are you Barak Obama?
A few points to add from my firsthand experiences there as an observer on the scene;
The inspectors were apparently not from the ministry of education. They were outside contractors from an accounting firm in Tel Aviv hired by the ministry. As mentioned in previous posts, the main issue here was that they came inadequately prepared to process the whole student body. In the words of one of these inspectors, “We go to Ponevezh with only seven people and it is fine, but here there are over 3 times the amount of students, Ben Porat Yosef!” Another point agreed upon by these inspectors was that even though the students of secular universities, l’havdil, receive 17 times more funding from the government, in the form of tuition payments, subsidies, transportation credits, free housing, extracurricular events (Hashem Yishmor), there is no such thing as an inspection to take roll call or any similar critical audit tools. That is because “the know that there all the students actually show up” or in less cynical words, because the gov doesn’t care. To explain this, I am reminded of the Gemara about the nations seeking credit and reward in the time of the redemption, for all the support and service they provided for Hashem’s nation… L’maase, the head honcho of the ministry of ed was on site.
An important expression of gratitude must be made for all the effort and planning by the office staff and volunteers to make this chaos as orderly as possible. I wanted to take a picture of the controlled balagan but I was disallowed by one of the sadranim (I guess B.W.P. must have a press pass or something 🙂 w/e). Kudos too to all the Bachurim and Avreichim who were so patient and calm! It was a huge Kiddush Hashem!
A most important point must not be omitted, the events hinted to in some comments were rare acts of fraud perpetrated by a few individuals in some institution. How dare you proclaim that “since so many kollelim are responsible for…” or similar comments.
As a last note, I would add that I assume they will be back one of these days to finish off the work the began. Even though there was a sign up (unofficial hand-scrawled) that the inspection was cancelled, I have reason to think that this was lost in translation. As the Yeshiva is requesting, continue to keep your passport/TZ on you.