“I couldn’t believe my eyes! The sight that lay before me this past Wednesday was simply unbelievable! It was at a time when the entire country was still in upheaval. The eis tzara plaguing Eretz Yisrael was clear to all. It was (and is) nothing like anything we have ever before encountered in our lifetime. Every time there was an azaka, a siren, we jumped. We were nervous and on edge…

“It was several hours before THE test was about to begin, and I was in one of the testing centers as were tens of avreichim getting in just one more chazara before the test. They were learning diligently, some with Gemaras open in front of them and others with large volumes of Shulchan Aruch…

“Suddenly, the plaintive wail of the siren was heard. That meant that within a very short period of time, everyone had to evacuate to a safe room until the all-clear would be heard. I watched the avreichim get up, calmly and quickly, grasping their Gemaras and Shulchan Aruchs in their hands. Quickly, without panic, they made their way to a safe place. The second they got there they once again opened their sefarim. In seconds, they were completely immersed in learning until the all-clear signal was sounded.”

“I realized that lomdei Dirshu of this caliber who are about to be tested on half of Shas, yes, HALF of Shas, at ONCE, are in a different zone. Lomdei Dirshu who are about to take a test on Kinyan Halacha, on half a years’ worth of in-depth limud of Shulchan Aruch, are different. They live on an elevated plane.”

Those were the words of senior Dirshu hanhala member, Rabbi Avigdor Bernstein, who passionately expressed the inspiration and chizuk that he himself derived when observing the latest Dirshu bi-yearly, post bein hazemanim test, where lomdim are tested on large amounts of material.

Indeed, our brethren in Eretz Yisrael are undergoing a tremendously difficult period, when the barbarism of the neighboring bnei Yishmael has been revealed in the most horrific way. The country is at war. That is why lomdei Torah throughout Eretz Yisrael refuse to leave their front. They have their task to help win the war and that is utilizing the power, the koach haTorah to help Klal Yisrael. Lomdei Dirshu have shown this past week their steely reserve to persevere no matter what obstacles are put in their place.

The test that they took this past week was the Dirshu cumulative Kinyan Shas test on the half of Shas learned thus far in the cycle of the Daf HaYomi. The Kinyan Shas program is a cumulative testing program in which nearly 1,000 avreichim throughout the world were tested from Masechta Brachos until the end of Masechta Gitten, approximately half of Shas. It is a grueling three-hour test that covers questions on every masechta learned thus far.

May Hashem continue to protect His Nation and especially those living in Eretz Yisroel.