Shiur for Yeshivas Noam Hashem in the Old City

Yeshivas Noam Hashem in the Old City ○ Summary from the Shiur in the Inner Sanctuary

Since the return of The Rav shlit"a nearly two years ago, dozens of American bochurim have come up from the United States to shelter in the shadow of The Rav shlit"a. Because of the language barrier, and under the guidance of The Rav shlit"a, a yeshivah was established in our Beis Midrash in the Old City of Jerusalem for these American bochurim. Heading it is one of The Rav shlit"a’s students, who delivers daily shiurim in English. In addition, the mashpia, the chassidic Rav R’ Eliyahu Sukkos shlit"a, strengthens the yeshivah bochurim from time to time with his captivating shiurim in English.

As encouragement for these G-d-fearing bochurim, they merited to enter the inner sanctuary for a special shiur from The Rav shlit"a on Monday night, the eve of the 25th of Marcheshvan, before Ma’ariv. Below is a summary of The Rav shlit"a’s words as they were delivered during the shiur:

The Rav shlit"a opened the shiur with the topic of Ur Kasdim—how Avraham longed with all his heart to be burned al Kiddush Hashem, and how he did not fear Nimrod, telling him, “Move the sun just a little.” The Rav brought in the name of the Arizal that the Satan was granted permission to bring Nimrod down into the world as a force opposing the great light of Avraham. He then spoke about Amaslai bas Karnavo—the mother of Avraham Avinu a”h—and the story of Avraham’s birth: Nimrod gazed into the stars and saw that a child was destined to be born to Terach who would “swallow up” all the nations—and Nimrod as well. Nimrod therefore commanded that Amaslai’s pregnancy be closely watched. At that time, Terach’s maidservant was also pregnant. On the day Avraham was meant to be born, they switched him with the maidservant’s child, and they threw the maidservant’s baby into the fire. Amaslai fled with the child to a cave, and there he nursed on milk and honey from the rocks until the age of three. Then he emerged from the cave and bowed to the sun. Afterward, night came and he bowed to the moon. But when the sun rose again, he asked, “Is there a Leader to the world?” A Bas Kol went out and said, “Yes—this is Me, Hashem.” Then Terach found him, recognized that he was his son, and appointed him in charge of selling the idols. When people came to buy the idols, Avraham showed them just how absurd the whole idea of idol worship truly is.

After that, The Rav spoke about his trip to Kerestir after Rosh Hashanah. He recounted the miracles that Kerestir continued to bring about even after his passing: once there was an epidemic, and R’ Yeshaya ben R’ Moshe appeared to a certain woman and told her, “Say: ‘In the merit of R’ Yeshaya ben R’ Moshe,’” and her child was healed.

Toward the end of the shiur, The Rav spoke about niggunim, and that the entire essence of Rebbe Nachman is niggunim. Without niggunim, prayer does not ascend; therefore one must play and sing before davening and after davening. After a shiur of about twenty minutes, The Rav shlit"a concluded with Kaddish and blessed the yeshivah students who participated in the shiur.