For the first time in 40 years, major changes were made at the start of the Elul zeman to the famed daily shiur of HaRav Asher Arielli in Yeshivas Mir, transforming it from a shiur into a chaburah or even a quasi-yeshivah, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.

Bochurim who want to join Rav Arielli’s shiur now have to undergo a bechina [in addition to the bechina to enter the yeshivah] and Rav Arielli is striving to have a stronger connection with the bochurim, turning the “biggest daily shiur in the world” to the biggest “chaburah in the world.” There are currently over 800 bochurim that participate in Rav Arielli’s shiur every day at 6 p.m. in Beis Shalom.

In addition to a bechina to enter the shiur, Rav Arielli is also reportedly dividing the chaburah into groups: Litvaks, Chassidim, Chutznikim and Israelis, and appointing a “Mashgiach” over each group who will maintain a personal relationship with the bochurim, like in every yeshivah gedolah.

Rav Asher Arielli himself will also be making efforts to have a personal connection with the bochurim in his chaburah. This past Friday, Rav Arielli walked through the Beis Shalom Beis Medrash and spoke with the bochurim, something he’s never done in the past.

According to what someone at the Mir told Kikar H’Shabbat, Rav Arielli wants bochurim in his chaburah to maintain an intense learning schedule, including “a second four-hour seder on Fridays.”

The changes to Rav Arielli’s shiur are being carried out at the instruction and under the supervision of Rosh Yeshivas Mir Rav Eliezer Yehudah Finkel.

Those in the know say that already during the lifetime of HaGaon Rosh Yeshivah Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, z’tl, Rav Ariella rejected offers from gvirim to open his own yeshivah.

Despite Rav Arielli delivering the “largest shiur in the world,” no outsider would recognize him as someone so famed by his dress, which is no different than those around him, and his incredible anivus.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)