“They rise up against us to destroy us, Rachmana l’tzlan…Bnei Yeshivos, bnei Torah, must be mechazek themselves, and we are mechazek ourselves by learning Torah and learning Torah some more. There is nothing else.”
Maran Gaon Yisrael, Rav Dov Landau shlita delivered piercing words in the beis medrash, in the wake of the complex situation the yeshivah world finds itself in.
“Our chizuk is learning Torah. Don’t involve yourself in all the pointless goings-on … sit and learn and delve into Torah. There is nothing other than Torah. Only limud Torah and more limud Torah. This is what we have, this is the essence of our life and the essence of our existence.”
Hundreds of talmidim merited to listen to a shiur klali from Gaon Yisrael HaRav Dov Landau shlita who gave a shiur in the beis medrash in Kiryas HaYeshivah on the Yahrzeit of Maran Rosh Yeshivah HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein.
At the end of second seder, Rav Dov Landau shlita was greeted by Rosh Yeshivah HaGaon HaRav Chaim Feinstein shlita, Rosh Yeshivah HaGaon HaRav Chaim Mordechai Ausband shlita, and the Mashgiach HaGaon HaTzaddik Rav Yosef Davis shlita. Due to his travels on behalf of the yeshivah, Rabbeinu Rosh HaYeshivah, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin shlita was not able to be there. The bachurim waited excitedly in the beis medrash for the shiur.
Maran HaRav Landau shlita delivered a shiur on the sugya of dresh hamafkid. When he was finished, he gave piercing chizuk regarding the obligation that rests on each and every talmid in light of the difficult situation of the Jewish community, when the enemies of Yisrael are waiting to destroy us and Hashem saves us from their hands.
Maran shlita said, “We are in a very difficult situation. They stand up to destroy us Rachmana litzlan; they don’t want bnei yeshivos, bnei Torah. We must strengthen ourselves, and we must do so through Torah.
“They think up evil things about us and we must have bitachon in Hashem and daven to Him that everything will be okay. We don’t need to busy ourselves with all the silliness they say. We should only sit and learn and think in Torah. Learn more and more. There is nothing other than Torah. Only Torah. Only limud Torah and more limud Torah. This is what we have. This is the essence of our life and our existence.”
Maran shlita concluded his words, “I don’t need to speak at length to yeshivah talmidim who live the Torah, limud Torah, limud Torah and more limud Torah. We will strengthen ourselves in this. They aim to destroy us, but Hashem will help. He will save us from their hands and protect us. Hashem will help us and we will merit all and only good and the geulah…bimheira biyameinu.”
Later on, after the shiur, Maran shlita repeatedly mentioned that “He got a lot of geshmak and enjoyment from the shiur.” He sensed that the bachurim in the yeshivah have a special, exceptional passion for ritcha d’Oraysa.
**
After the shiur, one of the talmidim presented him with a letter with a comment on the shiur. Maran shlita enjoyed the question very much and even took the trouble to write an answer to the bachur, something he rarely does.
As a hemshech of the minhag of baking matzos at the home of Maran Sar Hatorah, Rav Chaim Kanievsky Ztk’l, “Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo” baked matzah at the residence of the tzaddik Rabbi Dov Kook in Tveria. The day before the baking there was a special ma’amad of drawing the “mayim shelanu” from the “Be’er Miriam in the Kinneret led by the tzaddik Hagaon Rabbi Dov Kook and the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Sorotzkin Shlita.
The historic occasion was held in order to fulfill the mitzvah of baking “matzos Mitzvah” be’hiduro and to receive an abundance of brachos for the benefactors of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo from the holy tzaddik Rabbi Dov Kook Shlita at his home in Tveria. The day before, the tzaddik Shlita, went to the Kinneret, to the place traditionally accepted and passed down from generation to generation until the students of the Holy Ari Z’L as the “Be’ero shel Miriam Hanevia.” Rav Kook Shlita davened then for refuos and yeshuos for the benefactors of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo.
After that, the tzaddik Shlita davened and bentched the donors with long lives, zivugim hagunim, nachas from their children, to be saved from the shiltonos, parnassa b’shefa, and brachos of “Veharikosi lachem bracha ad bli dai”. Then the tzaddik Shlita requested of the ‘Neshama’ choir and the singer Rav Bentzi Stein to please sing songs of bakasha and tefillah to Hashem during this special eis ratzon.
View this rare occasion.
Dear parents. Baruch Hashem, ashreichem. Lucky are you that merit dear sons who
inhabit the beis medrash! Especially, this beis medrash, where they try as much as
possible to give their dear talmidim everything they need for the learning itself
—and all their other needs, so that they learn with serenity and happiness.
Due to our sins, we’re in the situation that we’re in now. I’m a father, so I also know,
baruch Hashem, how parents feel. The yeshivah hakedoshah and the Rosh Yeshivah
will try to make sure that everything that is necessary practically to be in touch with
your son will be in place. But it will be in a manner that doesn’t distract them from
their learning, which would be uprooting us from our primary purpose. There are
phones in the rooms and public phones, but if each bachur would bring a cellphone
to yeshivah, the breech would be great, and we ourselves would be uprooting the
great chizzuk that we need and the great merit of limmud haTorah for Am Yisrael.
Please, I ask, overcome your natural feelings and use logic to make your decision.
Allow the bachurim to learn Torah without distraction and not even one bachur
should bring a private cellphone to yeshivah.
In the merit of overcoming our emotions and subjugating them for limud haTorah,
the Torah will be obligated, and Hashem will repay us. We will be healthy and
strong, there will be salvation for Klal Yisroel, and we will all be able to learn with
serenity. Tzion and Yerushalayim will be saved in our days, b’mheirah biyameinu
amen.
Thousands of families of avreichim and rabbanim of the Ateres Shlomo network throughout Eretz Yisroel received a unique Ateres Shlomo pre-Yov Tov chalukah this morning.
After weeks of careful planning of the complex logistics, the Yom Tov chalukah took place at fifteen different places throughout the country. Thousands of families were recipients of this unique distribution that the yeshivah runs annually.
Each family of avreichim and rabbanim received a package that included everything a family needs for Yom Tov: a carton of meat, carton of chicken, package of soda and a box of candies and chocolate L’Kavod Yom Tov and for v’samachta b’chagecha.
The meat and chicken were from a mehudar shechitah supervised by the Rabbanim of Yeshivah Ateres Shlomo along with the kashrus of Shearis Yisroel. The chocolate and snacks were also a special run for the distribution of Yeshivah Ateres Shlomo under the supervision of the Rabbanim of the yeshivah and with the Shearis Yisroel hechsher.
The distribution took place in fifteen different areas throughout the country. During the night, more than 4500 Yom Tov packages were transferred to the distribution areas, a project that required complex planning in and of itself. Distributions took place in Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, Modiin Illit, Beitar Illit, Petach Tikvah, Achisamach, Ofakim, Elad, Telzstone and Charish. There were more than one distribution centers in somef the bigger cities.
The administration of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo and the yeshivah’s “Keren Tomchei Torah,”who spent nights and days over the last few weeks planning the distribution, expressed their satisfaction at the successful completion of the monumental chalukah for the families of avreichim and rabbanim. The operation achieved its goal of enabling the families of ameilim b’Torah to enjoy Yom Tov without worry, as befitting legyono shel Melech! In addition to the annual distribution, close to 1000 alumni of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo in the Kiryas HaYeshivah received a special Yom Tov gift, a 1000 NIS voucher to purchase jewelry at
the Noble jewelry stores as an expression of appreciation for eishes chaver.
שבועיים לאבל הכבד השורר על כל העולם היהודי ותחושת היתמות בהסתלקותו של שר התורה מרן הגאון רבי חיים קנייבסקי זצוק”ל מגישה ישיבת ‘עטרת שלמה’ קטעי וידיאו נדירים שכמותם לא נחשפו מעולם, שעה ורבע מתוך חדרו של מרן, בהם תועד שר התורה ברגעים מעוררי געגוע.
התיעודים של מרן צולמו במשך עשרות שנים בהם נשא על גבו את ישיבת ‘עטרת שלמה’ שעמד בנשיאותה ואת תלמידיה, והפנה למענה את זמנו היקר לשמוע לתמוך ולברך את הישיבה ואת תומכיה ונדיביה. התיעודים הינם מתוך מאות שעות של ‘בקודש פנימה’ בבית ברחוב רשב”ם 23 בהם מרן שר התורה קירב ועשה ככל שביכולתו למען הישיבה.
בתיעודים ההיסטורים נראים גם קטעים מתוך שיחות נדירות ואישיות של ראש הישיבה הגרש”ב סורוצקין שליט”א עם מרן שר התורה זצ”ל, בהם יצק מים על ידו כשמרן שר התורה מתעניין מייעץ מכוון ומברך את הישיבה ומוסדותיה.
בקטעי הוידיאו הנדירים שנחשפו, ניתן לראות באופן בלתי אמצעי את הכרעות האורים והתומים, את הרגעים בהם נחתכו על שולחנו שאלות הרות גורל ובדעת תורה הוכרעו שאלות חובקות זרועות עולם.
Erev Shabbos, Parshas Ki Sisa, Bnei Brak: The city hustles and bustles, as
men, women and children prepare to greet the Shabbos Queen.
In the midst of this glorious tumult, a truck crane drives up to a busy corner.
Passersby stop to look. A crane? Now? Erev Shabbos? Right next to the
house of Maran Sar HaTorah?
They don’t have time to watch. It’s erev Shabbos. But they can see from the
corner of their eyes. Workers unload iron columns and construct a new
structure right next to Maran’s porch.
Amazement grows. Rav Chaim Kanievsky is weak. It has been a while since
he received visitors. Three times a day minyanim are held in his home and he
forges on with his unparalleled learning schedule, but his door is closed to the
public. What’s the purpose of this new structure?
The mystery is solved on Motzei Shabbos, when the staff of the Beit Shemesh
matzah bakery arrives to transform Maran’s study into a matzah bakery. The
oven is located in the new structure right outside his door.
Yes! Last year, Maran Sar HaTorah made time to bake matzah for the friends
and supporters of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo. This year, despite his weakness,
Maran is going to put forth the effort to bake matzos and to give a brachah to
yeshivah supporters.
The staff of yarei Shamayim wait for Maran Sar HaTorah to enter the study.
Despite the excitement and enthusiasm, uncertainty hovers. Will Maran be
able to pour the water, roll the matzos, supervise the staff and check each
and every matzah — like he did last year?
The door opens, and Rav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin enters. He returned from the
United States on erev Shabbos so that he could be present at this special
occasion.
He understands that this rare event may never happen again.
A clarinet is heard in the background. The musician who has been invited to
add ambiance to the event plays emotional tunes of Hallel and those present
continue waiting excitedly.
Slowly the door to Maran’s study opens. Rav Chaim Kanievsky enters the
room together with his son, Rav Yitzchak Shaul. Slowly he looks around,
taking in all the details of the quickly constructed matzah bakery.
Then he announces: Water, flour
Rav Chaim pours the water and then sits and watches, taking in every detail.
The dough is mixed, the matzah rolled out and then he slowly opens his hand
to grasp the “redler.” Rav Chaim himself makes the holes in the matzah.
Lively music plays in the background and the staff breaks out in song. They
sing as they work, rolling out dough and placing the matzah in the oven.
Lucky are those who merit to be part of this momentous occasion!
Excitement builds. A long row of thin, crispy matzah are lined up in the special
matzah holder. They are brought before Maran Sar HaTorah, who checks
them one by one. They receive his approval.
Then the clarinet stops. Silence. All strain to hear every word of the brachah
that Maran Sar HaTorah gives to those who receive these matzos, the
supporters of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo: Kol Tuv. Yeshuah and Cheirus
Olamim.
One more step remains before the matzos can be packaged. Another
important step, but one that is done privately. Rebbetzin Kanievsky, the wife
of Rav Yitzchak Shaul Kanievsky, is mafrish challah from these matzos.
Now the matzos, prepared and baked with mesirus nefesh by Rav Chaim
Kanievsky, are ready to be shipped.
But then, avel gadol. Mourning. On erev Shabbos, Parshas Tzav, Shushan
Purim 5782, Maran Sar HaTorah suddenly returns his neshamah to his
Creator.
We cannot comprehend the magnitude of our loss.
And these matzos? These matzos take on new significance. They were made
during the last event with Rav Chaim Kanievsky’s participation.
These matzos were one of the last things that Rav Chaim Kanievsky made
with his own hands.
And they were made for the supporters of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo. Ashreinu.
Two weeks since the Olam HaTorah plunged into mourning, two weeks since the petirah of Rav Chaim Kanievsky ztz”l has left us orphaned, Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo presents more than an hour’s worth of footage providing a rare glimpse into the study of Maran Sar HaTorah ztz”l.
The video is comprised of short clips filmed over the twenty years that Rav Chaim ztz”l stood at the helm of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo. For more than twenty years, he gave of his precious time to advise, support and give brachos to the yeshivah and its supporters. The clips were chosen from hundreds of hours that Rav Chaim dedicated to Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo in his home on 23 Rashbam Street.
These historic clips are extracts of rare personal discussions that the Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin shlit”a had with the Sar HaTorah ztz”l, during which Maran Sar HaTorah guided, directed and gave brachos to the yeshivah and all its institutions.
In these rare video clips, viewers can watch as critical, wide-ranging decisions are made according to the guidance and direction of da’as Torah.
בס”ד
Baruch Matziv Gevul Almanah: 82 years after the talmidim of the Telshe Yeshivah hy”d were murdered, Rosh Yeshivah of Ateres Shlomo, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin shlit”a redeemed the Telshe Yeshivah building in Lithuania in order to establish a new yeshivah there.
After eighty-two years of desolation, an emotional ceremony was held to return the Telshe yeshivah building in Lithuania to the Rosh Yeshivah of Ateres Shlomo, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin shlit”a, grandson of the Roshei Yeshivah of Telshe.
The famed Telshe Yeshivah was the most prominent yeshivah in Lithuania in the previous decade, after Yeshivas Volozhin closed its doors. The Yeshiva was founded over 160 years ago by HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Gordon ztz”l, who was affectionately known as Reb Laizer Telzer. He was succeeded by his son-in-law, HaGaon HaRav Yosef Yehuda Leib Bloch ztz”l, and then his son HaGaon HaRav Avraham Yitzchak Bloch hy”d who was killed together with the talmidim of the yeshivah on the 20th of Tammuz, 1941.
HaGaon HaRav Shimon Shkop, author of Shaarei Yosher, and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Rabinowitz, called Reb Chaim Telzer, both taught Torah in this yeshivah. Most Lithuanian Torah giants of the generation before the Holocaust learned in this yeshivah, including HaGaon HaRav Elchonon Wasserman hy”d; HaGaon HaRav Naftali Trop ztz”l; HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shalom Kahaneman ztz”l; HaGaon HaRav Yechezkel Abramsky ztz”l; HaGaon HaRav Pogramansky ztz”l; HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Yehudah Finkel and many other Lithuanian greats. The Telshe Yeshivah established the foundations for today’s “yeshivah style” learning and yeshivah structure.
The Yeshivah in Telshe was decimated on the 20th of Tammuz, 1941. Survivors reestablished the yeshivah in the United States. The yeshivah there was headed by HaGaon Harav Elimelech Bloch ztz”l; HaGaon HaRav Chaim Mordechai Katz ztz”l; and then HaGaon HaRav Baruch Sorotzkin ztz”l; HaGaon HaRav Mordechai Gifter ztz”l; and HaGaon HaRav Eizik Ausband ztz”l.
Now, 82 years later, the Lithuanian government has returned the Telshe Yeshivah building to the grandson of the original founders and Roshei Yeshivah, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin shlit”a. HaRav Sorotzkin is Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo, which is a continuation of the Telshe Yeshivah.
This Av, HaRav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin shlit”a and grandchildren of the original Telshe Roshei Yeshivah visited Telshe to redeem the building. They hope to turn the building back into a makom Torah that will be a “yeshivah al kivram.”
During the unique “L’Hashiv Atarah” expedition, the Rosh Yeshivah shlit”a visited Telshe together with the grandchildren of the Roshei Yeshivah of Telshe to redeem the yeshivah building. The talmidim stayed in the yeshivah building for about two weeks and maintained yeshivah sedarim in the legendary beis medrash.
The Rosh Yeshivah spoke emotionally when they ceremoniously entered the yeshivah. “Shal ni’alecha mei’al raglecha: Remove your shoes because we’re now standing on holy ground. We are standing here for the first time that Torah is returning to this holy place. This is sacred ground, on which Gedolei Olam learned Torah and from where they merited to go out to teach Torah to Klal Yisroel. This is what Chazal meant when they said that this stone is like Har Sinai and the one who sits on it is like the luchos habris.
“When the yeshivah was closed, Rav Eliyahu Meir Bloch ztz”l cried and begged that Torah should return here. Until now, foxes walked over it, but we are now meriting to see its return. I think this is the most tangible fulfilment of – nikom li’eineinu nikmas dam avadecha hashafuch.”
“Gedolei Yisroel sat and learned in these daled amos. Every step that we take here is on ground that Kedoshei Elyon stood and learned and discussed Torah with dveikus to Hashem. This is also where they were mekadesh Hashem when they were killed al kiddush Hashem. There are no words to describe this feeling.”
The talmidim entered the yeshivah with a Sefer Torah in their hands and recited the brachah of Baruch matziv gevul almanah. With an emotional rendition of Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu, the Rosh Yeshivah shlit”a put the mezuzas on the building’s doorposts.
During the trip, there were sidrei limmud in the restored beis medrash and the Rosh Yeshivah shlit”a gave a daily shiur. On Shabbos, the Rosh Yeshivah shlit”a said a shiur klali in the beis medrash, just like the generations of Telshe Roshei Yeshivah before him.
The trip concluded with a special tefillah for the community and individuals at the kevarim of the Roshei Yeshivah, HaGaon HaRav Yosef Yehudah Leib Bloch and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Telzer at the Kovno cemetery and at the mass grave in which the talmidim and Roshei Yeshivah of Telshe are buried.
The trip made a big impression in Lithuania and throughout Europe. During the trip, the Lithuanian Minister of Tourism and Minister of Culture, a delegation of parliament members, the mayor of Telshe and member of the city council, and the head of the Lithuanian National Museum visited the yeshivah building in honor of the historic occasion. The head of the National Museum in Vilna also came to present the talmidim with notebooks and manuscripts of the Roshei Yeshivah of Telshe, some of which were never printed.
Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo is very thankful to Reb Shimon Levinger for initiating the return of the yeshivah building and for arranging the “L’Hashiv Atarah” trip, for the successful production and arrangement of the trip and for his tremendous dedication to returning the yeshivah building.
Kavod HaTorah: Annual kimcha depischa distribution to over 4000 families of
avreichim and Rabbanim of Yeshivah Ateres Shlomo.
On erev Shabbos HaGadol, thousands of families of avreichim and Rabbanim
of Yeshivah Ateres Shlomo throughout the country received the annual
kimcha depischa of the yeshivah.
After weeks of careful planning of the complex logistics, the kimcha depischa
distribution took place on erev Shabbos HaGadol in thirteen areas throughout
the country.
Each and every family of avreichim and Rabbanim of the yeshivah received
all their Yom Tov necessities at this kimcha depischa distribution. Each family
received: matzos, cartons of meat and chicken, wine and grape juice, five
cartons of fruits and vegetables and cartons of snacks and chocolate that
were manufactured especially for this distribution.
The meat and chicken were from a mehudar shechitah supervised by the
Rabbanim of Yeshivah Ateres Shlomo along with the kashrus of Shearis
Yisroel. The chocolate and snacks were also a special run for the kimcha
depischa distribution of Yeshivah Ateres Shlomo under the supervision of the
Rabbanim of the yeshivah and with the Shearis Yisroel hechsher.
The distribution took place in thirteen areas throughout the country and more
than 4000 families received carefully packaged food for Yom Tov in Bnei
Brak, Modiin Illit, Petach Tikvah, Achisamach, Charish, Ofakim, Elad, Beitar
and Telzstone. There were two distribution areas in Yerushalayim and Beit
Shemesh; in the center of Yerushalayim and in the Neve Yaakov
neighborhood and in Ramah Aleph and Ramah Daled of Beit Shemesh.
The matzos for the kimcha depischah distribution were baked by a special
chaburah. Rabbanim of the yeshivah shlit”a baked the matzos for the
thousands of avreichim and Rabbanim of the yeshivah in the Beit Shemesh
matzah bakery over the past month.
The Yeshivah administration and the “Keren Tomchei Torah” of Yeshivah
Ateres Shlomo worked for weeks, day and night, organizing this distribution.
They expressed great satisfaction at its astounding success, despite the
complex logistics involved. The goal of the entire operation was to enable the
families of amalei haTorah, the Rabbanim and avreichim of Yeshivah Ateres
Shlomo to arrive at the Leil HaSeder with joy and serenity, like true bnei
milachim.
In addition, the annual hat and suit distribution took place in the yeshivah
itself. Thousands of bachurim, avreichim and Rabbanim of Yeshivah Ateres
Shlomo received suits from the exclusive shops, HaMakom HaNachom and
London Taylor.
