As you can well imagine, the yeshiva has been swamped with a deluge of phone calls and emails from many of you.
I know that many of you have been in shock over the news of the yeshiva’s decisions to not open the next semester. Many of you have expressed your hakaros hatov for all that the yeshiva has done for you and your families. Your reactions have been very very heart-warming to both myself and all the Rabbeim and Rebbetzins of the yeshiva. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind and supportive words during this difficult transition period for the Ner Yaakov family.
I would like to share with you some of what has transpired over the last week in the yeshiva, as I hope that this will help all of us and give us all the ability to put things into proper perspective. There is no question that the yeshiva has impacted and inspired many people positively in their growth and maturation and in helping them become better human beings, bnei Torah and ovdei Hashem. This theme has been reiterated by all of you in your communications to us, and we take great pride in knowing that Ner Yaakov has had its impact on so many lives in a real meaningful way.
Due to the fact that the yeshiva has to conclude its affairs here on Rechov Press, we have to go through the painful process of taking apart the Beis Medrash, Aron Kodesh, Sifrey Torah and the library, which had meant so much to all the Talmidim and Rabbeim of the Yeshiva. We made a decision that we were going to loan the Beis Medrash property to a fledgling yeshiva which has started up in Ramat Beit Shemesh, with the understanding that when the yeshiva reorganizes, be’ezrat Hashem, it will be returned. The yeshiva, which my oldest son Rav Dov Bear Liff, helped found two years ago services Hebrew-speaking high school boys ages 13-16, some with an Anglo-Saxon background. Presently they have an enrollment of over 40 boys for the coming year and Baruch Hashem the future looks bright for them.
This past Sunday we started taking apart the Beis Medrash and our hearts were shattered at this difficult task. I requested some of the alumni of the yeshiva learning in various yeshivot to help by coming and learning in the Beis Medrash together with the Rabbeim for an hour before mincha on Monday. Many of our alumni came and learnt in the Beis Medrash. We then davened Mincha together with the kollel and said pirkei tehillim which much fervor and emotion. I then took the opportunity to address the Rabbiem, Talmidim and chavrey kollel about the need to understand what is transpiring and how we should look at it from the point of view of Hashkafat HaTorah, with no question that there is the aspect of the breaking of the luchos as the yeshiva is breaking apart. Nevertheless we are all fully aware that the yeshiva continues to live with the growth of all of our Talmidim wherever they might be, in all walks of life, both those who are learning in the Batei Medrash and those who are in the world of parnassa. I then added that just when one finishes a masechta he concludes it with a siyum we should also conclude this chapter of Ner Yaakov with a siyum. And I read the words of the Hadran which is recited by Jews who finish a masechta with some insights relating to the impact that the yeshiva has had on our Talmidim. We then danced in a circle singing Ma Ahavti Torateicha, and Achat Shaaltim Me'et Hashem.
On Monday night there was an evening of chizuk for the Rabbeim and alumni, which my rebbetzin and I hosted in our home. Over fifty Talmidim attended, many of the married ones came with their wives to our home at 9 in the evening. A few distinguished Rabbonim, including the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Slabodka – Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsh who came from Beni Brak– addressed the Talmidim. The Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva who has followed the yeshiva’s progress for many years spoke words of inspiration how the yeshiva is alive through the lives of the alumni and the families they have built the 21 years of the yeshiva are an entity which will continue to flourish through the growth of the Talmidim and beezrat hashem as the yeshiva reorganizes in the future. He also implored Talmidim of the yeshiva to show their hakaras hatov to the yeshiva and the Rabbeim for all they have done and mentioned the need to help in a fundraising campaign to alleviate the difficult economic situation, which the Rabbeim and staff are in. Many Talmidim spoke as well about what they had gained from the yeshiva. Some of whom have become Rabbeim in the yeshiva all expressed how the yeshiva has impacted on them and their families in a most positive way. I myself also addressed the alumni about how even during the Galus the Shechina is always with the Jewish people and will therefore be with the yeshiva in whatever form it may be in. All who participated felt a very strong message was given which we hope to share with you by producing a CD of the speeches, which will be available for everyone interested.
As we are into the week of Tisha B’Av, we hope that Hakadosh Baruch Hu will be Mehapech (turn over) the darkness into light, the tzoros into simchas, most importantly the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash and may we all be zoche to see the coming of Mashiach tzidkenu bimhera byameinu.
