This winter, our Yeshivos experienced a six-month winter zman. While technically just one month longer than some other years, the additional month of Adar makes it a full half-year; giving the zman, perhaps, an added dimension of Shleimus. A prominent mechanech once suggested that best way to assess a Yeshiva is by its final days of an extended winter zman.

At one Yeshiva in Monsey, the momentum of the zman remained on a steady rise, right up the beautiful Siyum Hazman, which was a perfect culmination for an uplifting tekufah of continued aliyah.  This past Sunday, Yeshivas Ner Dovid in Monsey, commenced the zman with a festive mesibah, marking the culmination of the first half of Masechta Bava Kamma – some sixty blatt – over the course of the zman.

A the initiative of the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Yoni Friedberg, the goal was set at the outset of the winter to complete the first six perakim of the masechta over the course of the zman – quite a tall order, indeed. “The drive and the determination that this undertaking provided was a unique dynamic that was palpable in the Yeshiva all throughout the winter,” says Rabbi Friedberg.

In addition to the mastery achieved in so many of the fundamental “bread-and-butter” sugyos of Shas that dominate these six perakim, the siyum covered many of the uncharted areas that are often overlooked in the scope of the “Yeshivishe-Machzor” cycle. In this respect, the siyum can also be credited for many additional hours of Limud Hatorah it garnered during the bochurim’s own free time, such as Bein Hasdorim, before Shacharis, and over Shabbos.

The celebratory aura at the siyum reflected the culmination of this successful undertaking, which brought to the fore the innate kochos of hasmodah and potential within each of the talmidim. It also provided a taste of the fulfilment and the uplifting feeling of aliyah that comes from attaining a milestone achievement in Torah.

The siyum was addressed by Rav Chaim Rubin, Sho’el U’meishiv in the Yeshiva for the Afternoon Seder, and Rav Zelig Berkowitz, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah Ateres Mordechai and mara d’asra of K’hal Mikdash Dovid. In his address, Rabbi Rubin highlighted the immeasurable value of each and every word of limud haTorah. Rav Zelig Berkowitz underscored the role of a Yeshiva is a mokom which unifies the collective kochos, aspirations and abilities of all of its talmidim, creating a vibrant force which nurtures and sustains aliyah in Torah and Yiras Shomayim to ever greater heights and ever expanding horizons. He associated this dynamic with the words of Dovid Hamelech, Hinei ma tov umah naim sheves achim gam yachad.

This insight actually encapsulates the essence of the Yeshiva, and the vision of its founder and Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Yoni Friedberg. Ner Dovid opened its doors several zmanim ago, with a very distinct objective. Rav Friedberg, a close talmid of Harav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik, had learned under the Brisker Rosh Hayeshiva for close to fifteen years, starting out as a bochur and later as part of the select group in his Mishnayos Shiur.

Rav Friedberg’s vision was to create a Yeshiva that would instill the focused Brisker derech halimud with its strict and uncompromising bikush ha’emes, while fostering a tender, nurturing environment that is so crucial for today’s young bochurim. This unique synthesis has become the trademark of the Yeshiva. The penetrating shiur is an intense exercise in uncovering the essence behind the Rishonim’s thought process, while the Rosh Yeshiva’s gentle and compassionate demeanor serves as the vehicle for transmitting the tools and the skills of this labor of love to the talmidim.

“The foremost prerequisite for joining this yeshiva”, says Rabbi Friedberg, “is an overriding desire to learn and to acquire the skills for learning. One of the beauties of the Brisker derech, obviously aside from its demonstration of the majestic truth behind every word of Torah, is the ability to transmit the approach to talmidim in a manner which they can retain for life.”

The close and personal kesher between the Rosh Hayeshiva and the talmidim is nurtured through one-on-one mentoring, as well as Seudos Shabbos at the Rabbi Friedberg’s home.  A special Thursday-night shiur is delivered in the Rosh Yeshiva’s dining room for this specific purpose a fostering a personal shaychus to the talmidim.

The members of the Yeshiva’s handpicked hanhola each provide a unique component in molding the shleimus of the talmidim. Rav Aharon Mashitz serves as the Meishiv for the Morning Seder. Rav Shammai Einstadter, of Kollel Ruach Chaim in Monsey, oversees the night seder. Weekly shmuessen are delivered by Rav Eliyahu Ausband, R”M at the Yeshiva of Telshe Alumni in Riverdale.

As one of the bochurim noted, the cheshkas haTorah generated through the mesibah is a perfect precursor for the Bain Hazmanim ahead, reinforcing the kesher between a ben Torah and his inherent joy and geshmak in limud haTorah that transcends the fixed sedorim or zmanim in Yeshiva.

(Studio B – YWN)