Graduates of the “Sha’arei Torah” Yeshivah ○ Summary from the Shiur

The “Sha’arei Torah” Yeshivah was founded more than twenty-five years ago for the young men of our holy Shuvu Banim community. Over the years it developed into a Breslov yeshivah for younger students together with a higher yeshivah, numbering hundreds of talmidim who toil in deep, analytical Torah study in the path of The Rav shlit"a, in the light of Rebbe Nachman zy"a. In the wake of the events that the community went through, and due to financial difficulties, the “Sha’arei Torah” Yeshivah was closed, and in its place the “Breslov – Chochmah V’Da’as” Yeshivah was opened, which today numbers close to two hundred outstanding bnei aliyah, bli ayin hara.

On Wednesday night, the 24th of Tammuz, a group of graduates of the “Sha’arei Torah” Yeshivah entered for a special shiur in the inner Kodesh. Below are the topics and a summary from the shiur that The Rav delivered to the yeshivah’s graduates: The Rav opened the shiur by speaking about the greatness of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Bender, whose 34th yahrtzeit falls this week. He said that there are many mashpi’im in Breslov, but only Rabbi Levi Yitzchak truly knew how to transmit the authentic, received path as it was handed down from generation to generation from Rebbe Nachman zy"a. He explained that the true way of Breslov is to sit and learn Gemara—Shas—as brought in Torah 3, and from there he began learning Torah 3 from Likkutei Moharan.

After that, for most of the shiur he spoke about the story brought in Kesubos 62b: how Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Rabbi Chananya bar Chakinai, and Rabbi Chama bar Bisa learned by Rav. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai would send letters to his wife, whereas Rabbi Chananya bar Chakinai had no contact with his home for twelve to thirteen years—depending on the versions in the Midrash and in the Gemara. When his wife sent him word that their daughter had matured and needed to be married, Rav turned to his students and said that whoever had received a letter should stand up and go home. When Rabbi Chananya arrived in his city, he did not find his house, and he went to the place where the women drew water. There he heard them calling out, “The daughter of Chakinai! The daughter of Chakinai!” When she saw him, her soul left her, and Rabbi Chananya brought her back to life. However, Rabbi Chama bar Bisa said that he would send a messenger ahead before coming. First he went to the beis midrash and found there a thirteen-year-old boy who was exceptionally sharp. When he went home he said, “Woe to me—if I had stayed, I would also have had such a brilliant son!” Yet after a few minutes he saw that the boy had arrived at his home as well, and he understood that this was his own son. The Rav shlit"a said that a person does not need to be at home; rather, the children’s future depends on the father’s deeds—if the father sits and learns, the child will also sit and learn. Toward the end of the shiur, The Rav mentioned the story of Rachel, the wife of Rabbi Akiva—how through her merit he became the gadol ha’dor—and Rabbi Akiva’s meeting with his father-in-law Kalba Savua, as brought in the Midrashim. After half an hour of divrei Elokim Chayim, The Rav shlit"a concluded the shiur with the matter of Serach bas Asher, who brought Yaakov the news that Yosef was still alive. “His heart went numb,” yet he rose again to new life—and he lives until this very day!