One could feel it in the air. The yiras hakavod, anticipation and tension as the Gedolei Roshei Yeshivos, HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, and HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron entered the cavernous hall to address the bachurim. 

Indeed, it was an unforgettable scene. Thousands of bachurim, converged on the Armanot Chen Halls in Bnei Brak to hear guidance from senior Gedolim at Dirshu’s annual “Seder Hachana” event. Seder Hachana is a unique maamad specifically designed to give guidance to bachurim finishing yeshiva ketana and entering yeshiva gedolah.

In addition to being addressed by the Gedolei Roshei Yeshiva, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch and Rav Dovid Cohen, they were treated to speeches by Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, Nasi of Dirshu, and Rav Yaakov Shternshus, shlita, Mashgiach of Yeshiva Shaarei Shmuos. 

There was also a unique shailos and teshuvos session wherein many questions about how to be successful in yeshiva gedolah were posed to the three panel members, HaGaon HaRav Yehoshua Eichenstein, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Yad Aharon, HaGaon HaRav Bunim Schreiber, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Nesiv Daas, and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Peretz Berman, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva at the Ponevezh Yeshiva.

Without a doubt, the very practical hadracha of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch was a game changer. In clear, concise language he underscored a number of major keys to success and outlined strategies to avoid pitfalls. 

“The first thing a bachur must realize is that he can unwittingly waste so much precious time in a yeshiva gedolah setting when there is less hashgacha than there was in yeshiva ketana. After a full day of learning, a bachur finally returns to the dormitory and wants to schmooze with his friends a bit. A bit of schmoozing is permitted. The problem begins when that twenty minutes of permissible and even necessary schmoozing can turn into two or three hours… one goes to sleep very late, and the next day is a disaster… 

The second point Rav Moshe Hillel passionately made was that when one enters yeshiva gedolah one is also the recipient of a “new yetzer hara.” Until now, you were always under someone’s control. You slept at home, you were under your parents, the yeshiva ketanas are very regimented and you are under constant watch. In yeshiva gedolah there is much more ‘freedom’. When a person has more freedom, he likes to think, ‘I will now decide what is good for me and otherwise…’ That is a mistake! That is the yetzer hara talking! This yetzer hara of ‘freedom’ is a great one and one must be vigilant!” Rav Moshe Hillel exclaimed. 

An exceptional highlight of the event was the powerful, moving words of Rav Dovid Cohen. He said, “I have merited to participate in this event for several years already, and each year I am filled with emotion when I see the massive turnout of bachurim who are joining the ranks of Hashem’s army, yeshiva bachurim, bnei Torah. 

“Entering yeshiva gedolah is not only a new chapter in life but perhaps the central chapter in your lives!