Eliezer David Shapiro
Rav & Dayan, Kehilat Sanz of Bnei Brak
Rosh Yeshiva, ‘Torah Lishma’, Bnei Brak

ב”ה

With pleasure and joy in my heart, I declare that I had the privilege to participate in a gathering for the honor of the Torah, the kind of which I have never seen before. This gathering was one “that will not be forgotten from the mouths of his descendants” to personally witness לא אלמן ישראל )that  Israel is not a widower and bereft) and that “all this came with us, and we have not forgotten it” – the knowledge of Torah, the toiling in Torah, and the memorizing of Torah. Simply, it all had to be seen to be believed!!!

In fact, it is some time since I heard of the Shas Yiden bastions of Torah that are well known for their reputation and their praise throughout the world of Torah and throughout the Jewish people. However, my heart was distant and it appeared to me that there must be some exaggeration, and in the words of Chaza”l: אין דומה שמיעה לראיה (“Hearing is not like seeing”)

Behold on Wednesday, 10 Kislev, there was a gathering of the champions of Torah, the avreichim geonim of Shas Yiden, led by the founder, the Pozna Rov, Hagaon Harav Avrohom Halevi Eisen, shlit”a. A great privilege had been accorded me to come and test these geonim – over 120 of them – and among them young avreichim!!! Yir’as shomayim (Awe of Heaven) was bathed on their countenances, a sign that they have cast behind them the lure of materialism and other opportunities, so that what has remained with them are the words of Torah. 

They are precious avreichim from Eretz Yisroel – Yerushalayim (the Palace of the King), Bnei Brak (the city of Torah), from Beit Shemesh, Betar Illit and Modi’in Illit, and from the Diaspora – New York (the great city) and London (the capital city). While they all come from different communities and circles, the one element that unites them all is limud Hatorah (the study of Torah), the debates of Abaye and Rava – the holy Shas.

The Farher:

With some hesitation, I began the farher with a few questions, not knowing what response to expect. However, I immediately saw the fulfillment of the verse אם תעירו או תעוררו “)if you will awaken and stir up”(Suddenly the answers came flying from all sides of the large hall, covering a vast expanse of Torah that demanded broad knowledge and an amazing memory – this was clear to all who sat witnessing this spectacle. If I had not seen this first hand, I would not have believed it was possible. ‘The walls of beis medrash will testify,’ Chaza”l said. 

   a. And if I had prepared myself to receive answers from the Talmud Bavli alone – behold the answers came not only from Bavli with all the Gemora, the Rashis and the Tosfos, but also with details of which folio, side a or b, which line of Rashi, which Tosfos and the exact position on the page!! Could this all be believed? 

   b. Their answers also drew from the Yerushalmi, and direct quotes of the Rishonim and Acharonim, Tur, Shulchan Aruch and earlier and later Poskim. And as if this was insufficient, they also quoted from the Poskim of our time, and סברות (logical reasoned opinions) of these avreichim geonim themselves.

The difficult task that I was faced with was how to halt the flow of yedios (knowledge) that came from all sides, and I had to be able to go to the next subject. The Shas Yiden geonim did not let up and kept pouring more and more incredible information. It became clear to all that they were delving and diving into ‘deep waters’ across the vast expanse of the Torah and coming up with jewels and pearls.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that in the years ahead, from the Shas Yiden bastions of Torah, will emerge Gedolei Torah, geonim, Roshei Yeshiva and important poskim who will teach Torah to multitudes across the entire Jewish people.

Thus, “How priceless is your kindness Hashem” – how precious are those who support the learning of Torah  and who merit to hold fast to this tree of life. Not all who wish to clasp it can do so, when the merit of learning Torah in depth and breadth as these talmidei chachomim who are at once ‘Sinai and Oker Harim’ (Total textual knowledge and up-rooters of mountains) are not readily found.

The awesome image of Rabbeinu Hagaon v’Hakadosh of Sanz-Klausenberg comes to mind. He toiled and labored all his days, in the generation after the war, to establish a generation of incredible avreichim who would be fully conversant with Shas. This was his happiness and hope for the continuity of the Jewish people. And here we can behold the fulfillment of that hope –

“Praised is the nation that has this, praised is the nation that the Hashem is its G-d.”

I conclude with a wish of abundant brochos to honor these Geonim of Torah and for their supporters with love and joy of the heart, for great success in all their endeavors to glorify Torah. And to all the supporters, may the following verse be fulfilled in you: “It is a tree of life for those who cling to it, and its supporters will be content” – with both happiness and materially all their days. And as the verse declares: “Blessed Is the person who will support the words of this Torah” – Amen and may it be His will.

Eliezer David Shapiro