A journey of Harbotzas Torah

“I went to my Mesivta farher with a green sweater, suede yarmulke, necklace with sand from Eretz Yisroel and khaki pants” recalls Kollel Halocho Member R’ Yosef Trocki.

“I was born near Atlantic City and grew up there. I went to a Jewish school with my own name on it – the Trocki Hebrew Academy School. My grandparents were holocaust survivors from Vilna. They came to South Jersey after the War and my grandfather and other survivors built the first Orthodox Shul in the area with their bare hands. Then he founded the school. He was also very involved in tzedoko and chesed.”

“The school hired many teachers from Lakewood and I got good foundations there. My family and I also got positive influence from a local early mekarev and his Rebbitzen. My parents opened an upscale Kosher restaurant there for a period and during Summer I waited tables. There was a good couple from Lakewood who befriended me and invited over to Lakewood for Shabbos which had positive impact.”

“Although I had these positive influences locally – there weren’t many others who were as into their Yiddishkeit as I was and so my 9th grade Rebbe in my school suggested that I go to Yeshiva of Deal. That’s where I went for my farher in my green sweater. I got accepted, learned there and in no time I was dressed like everyone else. It was a Yeshivishe place with Lakewood Rebbeim and I loved it there.”

“From 10th Grade and on a Rebbe there encouraged me to go to Camp Agudah. HoRav Belsky Zt”l who was very active there was a big treasure – I especially enjoyed the zemiros and the special trips. He ended up being my mesader kidushin.”

“When I was at the end of 12th grade Rav Velvel Mintz’s Bais Medrash was there in Deal and so I learned there and after a year went to learn by Rav Zvi Kaplan in Eretz Yisroel. From there I learned in Bais Medrash Govoha in the Rav Zvi Kaplan oilom chaburah for about 4 years and after my main chavrusa moved away from Lakewood I decided to learn in Bais Medrash L’Torah’s Rav Jankelowitz Halacha Chaburah.”

“I’ll never forget the first time I walked in. The Rosh Yeshiva Rav Yisroel Goldblatt who knew me somewhat saw me from the other end of the Bais Hamedrash and in trademark style he opened his arms wide and strode across the Bais Hamedrash to give me a big hug – I knew right then it would work out well.”

“The Rosh Yeshivah encouraged me to be marbitz Torah first through a daf yomi shiur and then through a weekly program I ran in Margate. In the last year or so I have been zocheh to open a second seder halacha kollel in which we learn what I learn first seder with Rav Jankelowitz and in which I say over Rav Jankelowitz’s shiurim to the oilom there. My grandfather was marbitz Torah in Margate and thanks to Bais Medrash L’Torah I am now zocheh to have my own cheilek in harbotzas hatorah right here in Lakewood”.

An inside look at our Halacha Kollel

“I have been to all the Kollelim in Lakewood” says Kollel Halocho Member R’ Yossel Roberts. “I have been in them and I learned with them and what we have here in Bais Medrash L’Torah is unique.”

“We are located only blocks away from Bais Medrash Govoha and yet the sense of belonging in our Kollel is similar to what you can get out-of-town or in Eretz Yisroel. The achdus in the kollel is so strong that our wives are regularly in contact with each other. “

“As for what we are able to achieve, Boruch Hashem, learning with Rabbi Jankelowitz, my second seder Chavrusa commented recently on how much ground I am able to cover and it’s all from what we are able to do first seder here in the Kollel. When I look back at how much we have covered since I joined four years ago we have learned large chalokim of Daled Chelkei Shulchan Aruch and we also learn the halochos of every Yom Tov as it approaches and I have a real sense of accomplishment.”

“The other kollelim here and the Mesivta are also a very big plus – they make us feel that we are part of something even bigger. To me, the smile you see on everyone’s face when they come in every morning is the best sign of how fortunate we are to be a part of such a special kollel.

Rav Yisroel Chaim Jankelowitz Shlit”a

“We have an unbelievable Chaburah, Boruch Hashem!” enthuses Rav Yisroel Chaim Jankelowitz. “They are a geshmake, easy going oilom and at the same time they are schtark – they are into learning – they want to learn, they want to know and they are learning a lot of sugyos.”

Rav Yisroel Chaim’s oilom are no less enthusiastic about their Rosh Kollel. “Rav Yisrael Chaim is a chad bedoro when it comes to understanding the yungeleit and their needs” says Chaburah member R’ Yossel Roberts. “and his hanhogos are like those of a godol. You can call him with shaylos at 1 AM or 2 AM and he’s still learning. His davening is mamosh an inspiration. He is a powerhouse of energy and enthusiasm and he inspires us to bring out the best of our own kochos.”

Rav Yisroel Chaim wasn’t always focused on Halocho. He completed the Yeshiva cycle in Bais Medrash Govoha and made a Chabura to learn other miktzo’os focusing at the time more on the sugya and the lomdus than on Halocho. However, he began to learn Shulchan Aruch on these miktzo’os on his own outside seder time and took farhers from Bais Medrash Govoha’s semicha bochanim. At one point he started a halocho Chabura in Bais Medrash Govoha which was the forerunner of our halocho kollel.

He has taken shimush in halocho lema’aseh from the Sheivet HaLevi’s grandson, Rav Heschel Wosner, Bais Medrash Govoha posek Rav Shmuel Meir Katz and to keep fresh he currently sits weekly with Bais Medrash Govoha posek Rav Shmuel Felder.

“Rav Yisroel Chaim is not just a Rosh Chaburah” says R’ Yossel Roberts, “he’s not just a powerful example, he’s a Rebbe”

A story turns a Talmid around

Yanky* was hard to reach. His Rebbeim at Bais Medrash LeTorah’s YKT, Rav Elchonon Berenbaum and Rav Chaim Goldblatt had tried everything they knew, but there was no progress at all. Until the day Rav Elchonon told his talmidim the story of one of his father HoRav Shmuel Zt”l’s talmidim that had begun many decades earlier.

Avrohom* was a Talmid in Mir Brooklyn in the 1980s. Being phenomenally strong he was the one the other bochurim called whenever they ran into any trouble with the locals. Normally Avrohom’s appearance on the scene was enough to stop all trouble in its tracks. Then there was that time that one troublemaker refused to back down. Avrohom made sure to teach that troublemaker a very thorough lesson and he was very proud of himself.

The Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva HoRav Shmuel Zt”l saw things differently. Avrohom had gone too far and he was the one who needed to learn a lesson. So HoRav Shmuel Zt”l sent one of his sons – one of Rav Elchonon’s brothers – to explain to Avrohom that he had gone too far and therefore he needed to leave Yeshiva for three weeks. Avrohom who at the time was as strong-minded and outspoken as he was physically strong, wouldn’t have any of it – he told HoRav Shmuel Zt”l’s son that it was bad enough that his father the Rosh Yeshiva didn’t have sufficient hakoras hatov for his safeguarding the bochurim in his Yeshiva but on top of it he wanted to throw him out for three weeks – he said that if the Rosh Yeshiva didn’t reconsider and still wanted him to leave he should come to him personally rather than send messengers.

A number of years passed and Avrohom got married, became more serious about his learning and he wrote his first of many seforim. He went back to his Rosh Yeshiva HoRav Shmuel Zt”l for a haskomo. HoRav Shmuel Zt”l kept delaying him with various excuses until Rav Avrohom assumed that HoRav Shmuel Zt”l must be angry with him over the incident that took place years earlier when he was a bochur and so he gave up on trying to get his Rebbe’s haskomo.

A couple of years ago, shortly after the original COVID outbreak, things stopped working for Rav Avrohom. He was having serious problems that were preventing him from putting out further seforim, his parnosso had dried up entirely and he was having serious problems with shidduchim for his children. Everything was going wrong.

He began to make a cheshbon hanefesh when he was suddenly dumbstruck at how he had never realised how chutzpadik he had been to his Rebbe HoRav Shmuel Zt”l and how it had never even occurred to him once to ask his Rebbe for mechila. Rav Avrohom decided that no matter what, he would do everything he could to get mechila as soon as possible. To go himself to Eretz Yisroel wasn’t possible – at that point the Israelis weren’t letting Americans come. To get a minyan to go to HoRav Shmuel Zt”l’s kever was very difficult because of the restrictions at the time but Rav Avrohom was determined and he spent whatever time, effort and money that was necessary to arrange it.

No sooner had the minyan gone to the kever than things turned around dramatically for Rav Avrohom. Suddenly he was able to put out new seforim again, his parnosso came in with plenty to spare, and his children’s shidduchim were going well.

Yanky had listened to his Rebbe, Rav Elchonon, tell his father’s talmid’s story and he had a terrible feeling in his stomach. The last thing he wanted to do was to go back to his elementary school Menahel but he was deeply troubled by Rav Avrohom’s story. “What’s wrong Yanky?” asked Rav Elchonon upon noticing that Yanky was not his usual self. “Nothing” Yanky tried weakly. “Yanky, what’s wrong?” insisted Rav Elchonon even louder as he was beginning to realize what was going on in his talmid’s head. It was no secret that Yanky had given his elementary school Menahel a very difficult time and Rav Elchonon understood that Rav Avrohom’s story had struck a strong chord within Yanky.

Rav Elchonon called Yanky aside. “Yanky, you know you have to go and ask your Menahel’s mechila, you can do it and when you do, like with my father Zt”l’s talmid, the Eibishter will give you major hatzlocho immediately”. “Rebbe, but I can’t. I just can’t bring myself to do it, there’s no way”, insisted Yanky.

In the ensuing days Rav Elchonon and Rav Chaim both worked on Yanky, assuring him that they would arrange everything, they would go with him – all he had to do was come with them and everything would work out and he too would see brochos just like HoRav Shmuel Zt”l’s talmid Rav Avrohom. Eventually Yanky reluctantly agreed. He went with his Rebbeim to his former Menahel who was very gracious, warmly gave Yanky his full mechila and bentsched him with much hatzlocho.

“It makes no sense at all! Al pi derech hateva there is no pshat whatsoever. It’s a complete mofes.” insists Rav Elchonon. “Yanky understood nothing at all of what we were learning. Nothing. It all went completely over his head. Then just two days after getting his Menahel’s mechila he became totally unrecognizable. He changed in every single way. Not only does he now understand the Gemoro, Rashi and Tosafos, he is asking excellent kashyos. His midos have changed. He is now serious and reliable and he is having a powerful impact on the other bochurim in Yeshiva.”

To Rav Elchonon, Rav Chaim and Yanky the message is very clear. As Rav Elchonon puts it, “The power of mechilah can change everything.”

*This completely true story is told by Rav Elchonon Berenbaum exactly as it happened, only the names of the talmidim have been changed

Bubbele!” roars Rabbi Elchonon Berenbaum, as he engages fondly with one of his Talmidim in Bais Medrash L’Torah’s new Mesivta. Reb Elchonon, the second-to-youngest child of the late Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva HRH”G HoRav Shmuel Berenbaum Zt”l, is a one-of-a-kind Rebbe with decades of experience in reaching every Talmid.

“How did I become a Rebbe here in Rav Yisroel Goldblatt’s new Mesivta? It was pure hashgocho protis. I got to know Rav Yisroel and became very close to him from Lutzk’s Kollel Ohr Shmuel where we both learn daily at 6:15 AM. So when Rav Yisroel opened this Mesivta specially geared to reaching every Talmid he asked me to join him.”

“What example did I see from my father Zt”l that guides me in reaching every Talmid in Rav Yisroel Goldblatt’s Mesivta? Well, I had heard many times from Rav Dovid Trenk Zt”l how my father Zt”l used to come to Adelphia and how much my father Zt”l loved the bochurim there and how much as a result they loved him in return. But the truth is that I saw it with my very own eyes. I remember particularly one unforgettable example.

I remember, how, many decades ago someone brought a kid-at-risk to see my father Zt”l. My father connected with this kid in a very big way – and like they say – he loved him to bits – and this bochur became so close to my father Zt”l that not only did he, within a short time, get into learning in a major way – today, many decades later, he’s a successful marbitz Torah and a Talmid muvhak of my father Zt”l.”

“How did the new Mesivta start? It’s mamosh not to be believed, but one day, this time last year, right out of the blue, the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Yisroel Goldblatt, literally just met some bochurim and opened the Mesivta!

He had run into them, outside a take-out place. Rav Yisroel began schmoozing with them energetically and warmly – as he does with everyone that he meets. They were open with him and confided with him that they had dropped out of Mesivta and and when Rav Yisroel Goldblatt sees a need in Klal Yisroel he jumps right in.

Knowing that there wasn’t a moment to lose Rav Yisroel told them that he was opening a new Mesivta for bochurim like themselves, that he was going to open that same day and with pure enthusiasm and energy he persuaded them to be the Mesivta’s first Talmidim. Once we got started the word of how we were reaching every Talmid got out and more bochurim joined. Today we already have Talmidim who have gone on to other Mesivtos and are doing beautifully there.”

“What’s our Mesivta’s biggest challenge? It’s what Rav Trenk Zt”l told me many times. When a bochur is either seriously unhappy in Mesivta or finds himself outside Mesivta it’s very hard for parents to come to terms with the reality of it. They want to believe it’s just a passing phase and the bochur will get over it on his own. Rav Trenk told me “I told so many parents to send their sons to me – and I could have saved so many more – but unfortunately so many were lost because their parents wouldn’t agree.” Although things have improved since those days, we are still to a significant degree facing that challenge.”

“What type of bochur do we have here in Mesivta? All of them daven, they all learn – yes, they may lack zitzfleish to a certain extent, so we have longer breaks. What they like here is that everything is very real, there is no facade and they feel very safe here. The proof is that when we have off they stay here anyway – they even have ta’anos on us when we have an off Shabbos! It’s poshut their home.”

“What message do I have for those who have given so generously to Bais Medrash L’Torah? When a bochur is either seriously unhappy in Mesivta or finds himself outside Mesivta that can cause very serious problems. What we are doing here in our new Mesivta with your help is mamosh hatzolas nefoshos. It’s doros. It’s nitzchiyus. It’s all in your zechus and we could not have done anything without you! Ashreichem ve’Ashrei Chelkechem and in that zechus you should all be gebentscht lesheim ulesiferes with your own doros and nitzchiyus!”

When should one light the Neiros Chanukkah, in the event that he will be away for the beginning of the night and would like to set out as early as possible?

Rav Yisroel Chaim Jankelewitz, Rosh Kollel of our Semicha Chaburah responds: There are four possible options (1) Light immediately after plag even before shkia (2) one should make sure not to light until shkia and only set out thereafter (3) one should appoint a shliach to light for him at the proper time (4) wait until he returns later in the night

The Mishna Berurah in the beginning of Siman 672 brings a Machlokes Rishonim as to when is the proper time for neiros chanukah. Some are of the opinion that it is at the first shkia, others say it is at the beginning of second shkia and yet others hold that one should light after Tzais Hakochavim.

The mechaber says that some believe that one can light from plag hamincha and on when necessary, given that there is enough oil for it to burn for a half hour after the correct zman. The Poskim say that regardless of which zman one intends to follow, one can always light 15-30 minutes earlier or later.

The zman known as ‘Rav Aron’s zman’ which is approximately 25 minutes after shkia is based on this idea. Since by lighting at that time you can be yotzei all shitos.

Assuming Tzais Hakochavim is 50 minutes after shkia, by lighting at the midpoint between shkia and tzais one in turn has lit within a half hour of either zman.

In our case where someone must leave his home early, he should rather light when he returns than light through a shliach since that would put them in a dilemma over the Bracha, and lighting at plag is very b’dieved.