Preparation Gathering for Entering a Ketana Yeshivah for the “Mechinah for

In these days, the boys of the Mechinah for Yeshivah are privileged to prepare for the next stage of their growth in Torah and yiras Shamayim—entering the world of yeshivos. As preparation for this ascent, this past Thursday a special group gathering was held for the precious boys of the “Mechinah for Yeshivah” group, under the “Chaburas Bnei HaNe’urim,” led by R’ Nachman Haas (may he live long) in an inner, holy setting. Below is documentation and a brief summary from the talk delivered to the boys:

Even before The Rav shlit"a entered, as preparation for this occasion the boys sat and played heartfelt niggunim. After about twenty minutes, The Rav shlit"a came in, and the precious boys continued singing with great awakening together with The Rav—songs of the soul, with a deep yearning for Torah. Afterwards, they sang together with The Rav “Shir Na’im,” composed by Rabbi Yitzchak Breiter as an introduction to Likutey Moharan. How stirring it was to witness dozens of youths who had only recently merited entering the yoke of mitzvos, singing together with The Rav with such enthusiasm, with such inner arousal.

The Rav opened the talk by speaking about how much a person must distance himself from the ways of the street. The Rav related that once there was a rabbi who came to deliver a lecture about Avraham Avinu in a secular school. The children either fell asleep or paid no attention and laughed at what he was saying. Suddenly that rabbi cried out: “If you don’t want to be Avraham, then at least don’t be Terach!” The Rav explained: people think they are “progressing,” but the more secular a person becomes, the more he is actually going backward—becoming more like Terach. “Terach” means the cravings, the blemishes of the eyes, and so on. Afterwards, The Rav strengthened the boys regarding singing zemiros: everyone should sing at the Shabbos table, and one should also speak at the Shabbos table from the weekly parashah and ask questions.

In the course of the talk, The Rav asked about Parashas Shelach Lecha: why specifically Yehoshua received the yud from Sarai. Afterwards, he spoke about Noach and the Generation of the Flood—how they denied him and told him, “A flood will come upon you and your children,” yet he accepted the ביזיונות (humiliations) with love and continued building the teivah. From there, The Rav moved to the concept of gilgulei neshamas, explaining that Lemech alludes to Shaul, because Shaul was his reincarnation. Afterwards, he spoke about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson—how he spread Yiddishkeit in Moscow and was not afraid of the communist regime. The Rav also spoke about Daniel the Prophet, who was not afraid and opened the windows, and The Rav recounted the entire story of Daniel in the lions’ den.

After about forty minutes, The Rav shlit"a rose from his place, recited Kaddish, and blessed the boys. Afterwards, he went out to Ma’ariv with a large crowd from the balcony of his home.

Below is documentation from the preparation gathering for yeshivah: