Parshas Behar-Bechukosai 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
אם בחקתי תלכו ואת מצותי תשמרו ועשיתם אתם ... (כו-ג) - פרש"י שתהיו עמלים בתורה עכ"ל
The custom in the Tchebiner Yeshivah in Yerushalayim is that when a student becomes engaged, at least one of the hanhala members attends the simcha of the student. This task was rotated among the Rebbeim, for while some of the simchos were local, others were farther away from Yerushalayim, making attendance time-consuming and strenuous.
At the engagement of one of their bochurim, the designated Rebbi in the rotation that week was the yeshivah’s Mashgiach, R’ Binyamin Rimer shlita. This engagement party was taking place in the south of Eretz Yisroel, a four-hour trip each way, meaning an “all-nighter” on his end. For what? For a vort? R’ Binyamin pleaded with his father, R’ Mordechai Rimer zt”l, the Rosh Yeshivah, to make an exception and waive the rule, since this would thoroughly ruin the next day’s learning and the learning of all his students. But his father wasn’t swayed. “This is the yeshivah’s rule, and it must be followed through.”
Without any further questioning, R’ Binyamin headed out on the long journey. It was a grueling drive and when he eventually arrived at the hall, he saw that it was crowded with participants, guests coming in and out every second. Other than the chosson himself, not a single person recognized him, causing him to think that his trip was a waste of time. Once he made his way inside, however, the chosson saw him and brought him to the head table, serving him majestically.
After a short while, the Mashgiach was asked to say several words in honor of the simcha. With his distinct and unique speaking talent, R’ Binyamin delivered a powerful speech. He said a wonderful dvar Torah and then, just as many prominent speakers close their speech, R’ Binyamin too, finished by praising the chosson, extoling him, how cherished he is in the Tchebin Yeshivah, how all his friends adore him, and how he succeeds in his learning. With that, he concluded his speech.
Three years later, R’ Binyamin was walking down the street and saw that same chosson, now a prominent yungerman, walking toward him with seforim in his hands. He had the appearance of a chashuva ben Torah, no longer a yeshivah bachur but an avreich who took his learning seriously. This surprised R’ Binyamin, for what he remembered of the boy, he had expected this chosson to have gone to work the day after sheva berachos. Not stay in learning. As a bachur, he hadn’t really utilized his time well, showing little interest in learning, and he figured that he likely wouldn’t continue in yeshivah after his marriage.
When the avreich approached, they greeted each other amicably, and R’ Binyamin asked him where he was and what he was doing. “I’m a maggid shiur in a cheder, and I’m really thriving in my learning and teaching.”
The Mashgiach questioned him as to how he pulled this off. “Was that the original plan when you got engaged?”
“No,” the yungerman responded. “When I was in shidduchim, I anticipated that I would be getting a job after marriage.”
“So, what changed?” asked the Mashgiach. He was so curious to know how this man’s life changed so drastically.
“Do you recall when you attended my vort?” asked the yungerman. “Sure I do,” responded the Mashgiach. “It was a vort that I’m not going to forget so fast. The eight-hour trip both ways kept me up the entire night.”
“Well, I apologize for keeping you up that night. However, you should know that those heartwarming words you delivered by the vort greatly impacted me. After hearing those words, my temimos’dike father-in-law was in awe of me - his new son-in-law. After the vort, he approached his wife, my mother-in-law, and started telling her how lucky they were for getting such a ‘superstar’ son-in-law. They had such admiration for me that I simply had to live up to my new status.
“Right after the chasuna, I started to take my learning much more seriously. I began to focus properly and it allowed me to grow in Torah and Yiras Shamayim tremendously. I took pride in my ‘name,’ empowering me to live up to it.”
R’ Binyamin was in awe of the yungerman after hearing these words. The avreich shook his hand once again and said, “That was the turning point in my life. Had Rebbi not delivered that speech, showering me with all that honor, I don’t know where I would be today. Thanks to your warm words and positive reinforcement, I stand here with pride as a maggid shiur.”