Darchei Torah Talmidim Pay Kavod Acharon to Seforim Destroyed By Hurricane Sandy

One  of the most difficult consequences of Hurricane Sandy was the terrible loss of seforim and other kisvei kodesh. Klal Yisroel has always had a special relationship with the holy printed word. When a sefer falls on the floor, we immediately pick it up and give it a kiss. We treat our seforim with dignity and kedusha.

There are so many in the Five Towns and Far Rockaway community who lost valuable seforim. Many youngsters, particularly bar mitzvah bochurim, lost their bar mitzvah gifts to the storm.

Rabbi Yaakov Bender, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah related the following: “I am reminded of a story that took place about 25 years ago in yeshiva. One of the local builders had room for burial of shaimos and they offered YDT the opportunity to bury shaimos there. I felt that not only should we bury the shaimos there, but the children should all walk there to see how we are Machshiv and honor our seforim. At the time, one of the rebbeim complained that it is ‘bitul torah’ to close the gemoras. I called Reb Elya Svei, ztl, who started screaming on the phone. This is kiyum haTorah, training children to be Machshiv seforim.”

Unfortunately, the Five Towns and Far Rockaway community lost 3 full truckloads of seforim. One of the trailer trucks of shaimos passed by Yeshiva Darchei Torah this morning on its way to burial. All of the talmidim of grades 1 thru beis medrash came to the parking lot on Beach 19 street to say a kappitel tehillim, as they escorted the seforim to their final resting place.

Among those who addressed the event were the roshei yeshiva, Rav Bender and Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, and the menahel, Rav Zevi Trenk.

Click here for a video taken at the event.

{Andy Heller-Matzav.com Newscenter}