Hundreds of yeshivah bochurim and avreichim participated in the traditional erev Purim sicha of Rosh Yeshivas Ponevezh HaGaon HaRav Baruch Dov Povarsky on Tuesday night in Bnei Brak.
The Rosh Yeshivah emphasized the chashivus of limud Torah during Purim, the day Bnei Yisrael accepted the Torah b’ahavah.
HaRav Povarsky also reminisced about the early days of Ponevezh. “I began to teach in the yeshivah in 1954. They were learning Masechtas Bava Basra. Three of us began to deliver shiurim (HaGaon HaRav Mordechai Shlomo Berman, z’tl, and יבלחט”א HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein and HaGaon HaRav Povarsky].
“Then the Rav, z’tl, [the Ponevezher Rav, HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman] said that if all three of you are delivering a shiur, the salary will also be divided by three..and so it was. And min ha’Shamayim they helped me and Rebbe Gershon and Rebbe Shlomo, z’tl – we weren’t lacking anything – they worried for us in Shamayim.”
Later, the Rosh Yeshivah mentioned the hasmada of the bochurim during that era. “The first cook for Ponevezh was a member of the Gerrer kehilla. She approached my mother and said: ‘Rebbetzin, I’m terribly sorry. I give my whole heart to cooking good food for the bochurim. I want them to be happy and enjoy. But in actuality, at mealtime, the bochurim sit and talk, reviewing the shiur. Until they finish reviewing the shiur the food is cold. I work for nothing.'”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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Such “Heligeh” people in the world!
The Roshei Hayeshiva who are Mechanech us… though the women who are so sensitive to the well being of those learning is priceless. Not sure there’re words to describe their caring and compassion for keeping Torah alive and thriving. Nothing has changed – they still do it! Ashreichen!