Rosh Yeshivas Mir, Harav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, is on a chizuk visit to the Jewish community in Panama this week, Kikar Hashabat reported.

The Rosh Yeshivah’s visit is a continuation of the relationship between the Mir and the Panamanian community, as his father, Harav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, z’tl, visited Panama two years before his Petira.

Recently, one of the pillars of Panama’s Jewish community asked mechila by the kever of Rav Nosson Tzvi, z’tl. Apparently, on Rav Nosson Tzvi’s visit to Panama, this man refused to donate money to the Mir, telling Rav Nosson Tzvi that: “Ashkenazim discriminate against Sephardim in the yeshivas.”

The man’s comment greatly pained Rav Nosson Tzvi, z’tl and he later told Harav Shteinman z’tl about the comment with tzaar is his voice, noting that the Mir is extremely careful to accept everyone without differentiation.

The Panamanian Jew subsequently suffered a severe personal difficulty and apparently believed it may have been connected to his comment to the late Rosh Yeshivah. Recently, he flew to Israel to ask mechila by Harav Nosson Tzvi’s kever.

This week, a circle was closed as the man greeted Harav Nosson Tzvi’s son, the current Rosh Yeshivas Mir, with great respect.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)