A rare and emotional scene unfolded this past Friday in Ponovezh Yeshiva after the rosh yeshiva, Rav Chaim Peretz Berman, agreed at the last minute to join the South American fundraising mission on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah in place of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch.

Last Thursday, Rav Moshe Hillel reportedly asked Rav Chaim Peretz to travel in his stead for the weeklong mission to South America after Rebbetzin Avigail Hirsch was hospitalized at Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center, making it impossible for Rav Moshe Hillel to leave Eretz Yisroel.

Before agreeing to the trip, Rav Chaim Peretz discussed the matter with his brother-in-law, Rav Eliezer Kahaneman, and afterward announced that he would participate in the journey for the sake of supporting the Torah world.

Because the trip was arranged on extremely short notice, the rosh yeshiva wanted to ensure that talmidim completed the main yesodos of the sugya currently being studied in Ponovezh — the sugya of yerushas eim. He therefore informed the bochurim that he would deliver a special concluding shiur on Friday, an unusual occurrence in the yeshiva.

In Ponovezh, as in most yeshivos, regular shiurim are generally not delivered on Fridays.

Nevertheless, on Friday morning the rosh yeshiva entered the shiur room in the “Diras HaRav,” located adjacent to the main yeshiva building. Hundreds of talmidim packed the room wall to wall, filling it as though it were an ordinary weekday shiur.

During the nearly two-hour shiur, which continued past 2 p.m., Rav Chaim Peretz briefly reviewed the foundations of the sugya and carefully completed its central concepts for the talmidim.

After finishing the shiur, the rosh yeshiva addressed the bochurim emotionally and told them that although he was being forced to travel abroad for the sake of the Torah world, he was asking them to strengthen themselves in Torah learning during the coming days as preparation for Shavuos.

He urged the talmidim to increase their hasmadah during these spiritually elevated days of Sefirah and reminded them of the longstanding Ponovezh tradition that bochurim remain continuously in yeshiva through Shavuos rather than returning home, immersing themselves in uninterrupted Torah preparation for Kabolas HaTorah.

The heartfelt words of the rosh yeshiva reportedly left a profound impression on the bochurim. Throughout Shabbos, remarkable scenes of shteiging were visible throughout the yeshiva, with batei medrash packed densely as talmidim learned for long hours in response to the rosh yeshiva’s call.

In addition, following Maariv on Friday night, Rav Chaim Peretz remained in the main bais medrash for an extended period answering questions from talmidim eager to maximize the final hours before his departure by discussing the sugya with him in learning.

This past Shabbos also saw the arrival of dozens of third-year bochurim from many of the country’s top yeshivos ketanos, who traditionally come to spend Shabbos in Ponovezh during registration season for the large yeshivos in order to experience the unique atmosphere of the yeshiva firsthand. Those visitors, too, were swept up in the extraordinary atmosphere of shteiging that filled the yeshiva over Shabbos.

According to the itinerary, Rav Chaim Peretz was expected to depart immediately after Shabbos for Argentina on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah and later continue with the rest of the delegation to Brazil. Special fundraising dinners are scheduled throughout the trip to strengthen financial support for the Torah world during what organizers described as a particularly difficult time.

The mission comes as government authorities continue increasing pressure on lomdei Torah, while philanthropists abroad, recognizing the gravity of the moment, are opening both their hearts and their resources to support the continued flourishing of Torah learning.

{Matzav.com}