Thousands converged on the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Sunday night for the fifth Adirei HaTorah maamad in support of the yungeleit of Lakewood, NJ. Those who couldn’t get tickets to the primary venue filled the Cure Arena in Trenton, NJ, joining the full program via live hookup.
From cities and towns across the tri-state area, busloads and carloads of attendees arrived with one shared purpose: to proclaim the honor and centrality of limud haTorah and to pay tribute to those who dedicate their lives to it.
The arena’s doors opened at 3 p.m. Gone were the sports banners and celebrity endorsements. In their place were powerful declarations of kavod haTorah, with mottos and visuals emphasizing the preciousness of those who carry the spiritual burdens of Klal Yisroel. As guests entered, they were offered refreshments, while inside the arena they were met with a magnificent sight: a round majestic dais on the floor of the arena constructed for the hundreds of roshei yeshiva, rabbonim, and roshei chaburah in attendance.
The air was charged with anticipation and uplifted by the sweet sounds of music. Keyboardist Meir Adler, flown in from Eretz Yisroel, was joined by singers Yanky Daskal, Hershy Weinberger, Duvid Berger, Shaya Lebron, and the Yedidim and Yingerlach Choirs. Their stirring melodies provided the evening with an atmosphere of joy and reverence.
Tehillim was recited for acheinu Bnei Yisroel by Rav Chaim Ginsburg, senior rosh chaburah at Bais Medrash Govoah.
Mincha was led by Rabbi Moshe Schepansky, father of Eli Schepansky z”l, a bochur who was recently niftar in a tragic accident.
As the roshei yeshiva entered the arena, accompanying the esteemed guest from Eretz Yisroel, Rav Yitzchok Soloveitchik, the crowd rose in a unified, thunderous display of kavod haTorah.
Rav Nochum Binder, who served as the evening’s emcee, opened the program by reflecting on the current state of Klal Yisroel and the many challenges that seem to abound.
Tehillim was then recited, led by Rav Dovid Schustal, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoah, who first delivered divrei chizuk.
Rav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoah, was then introduced to address the maamad.
A video was then shown featuring a song to the tune of Shlomo Zolty’s Vahaviyosim, followed by a second song to Chaim Banet’s Machnisei Rachamim, sung by Boruch Levine, as well as V’ahavascha, Moshe Goldman’s Ani Maamin, and Yisgadal V’yisgadash.
The special guest from Eretz Yisroel, Rav Yitzchok Soloveitchik, was then introduced.
Following Rav Soloveitchik’s drasha, a poignant video was shown in memory of Rav Shimon Frank zt”l, an outstanding yungerman who was niftar during the past year. The video about this dedicated ben Torah painted a picture of a life steeped in Torah and kedusha.
The singing of Avinu Av Harachaim and several other niggunim was led by Yanky Daskal, who was joined by special guest singer Naftali Kempeh, who sang his own composition, Baavur Avoseinu.
A Siyum HaShas on Talmud Bavli and Talmud Yerushalmi, learned b’iyun by the yungeleit of Bais Medrash Govoah, was made, with the Hadran recited by Rav Yisroel Neuman, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoah. After Rav Neuman recited the Hadran, the Kaddish for the siyum was recited by relatives of lomdei Bais Medrash Govoah who were niftar during the past year.
With the response of the final amein and a cry of “Mazel tov!” the crowd erupted with pure joy and simchas haTorah.
Rav Uri Deutsch, rov of the Forest Park Shul, then delivered the keynote drasha.
After an uplifting medley, the thousands joined together in Kabbolas Ohl Malchus Shomayim, led by Rav Yeruchom Olshin, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoah, who first delivered divrei chizuk.
A brief final round of singing and dancing followed, bringing the program to a close shortly after 9 p.m.
As the crowd began to file out, with music still echoing through the cavernous arena, the prevailing feeling was that the Adirei HaTorah maamad had once again fulfilled its mission—with a resounding reminder that the lomdei Torah remain the crown jewels of our people.
PHOTOS:
{Matzav.com}
Our family suffered a tremendous loss with the recent petirah of our dear son-in-law, the unforgettable avreich, R’ Shimon Frank z”l.
From a young age, R’ Shimon zl exhibited an unusual desire to continuously grow and accomplish in all areas of avodas Hashem.
In his short life time (he passed away at 26 years old after an aggressive illness), he achieved a rare measure of shleimus.
His Bain Adom Lchaveiro was impeccable, constantly thinking of others. With his powerful zest for life, together with a well honed ‘knack’ for making other people feel good, he brought happiness and good cheer to all those around him, in Yeshiva and without.
His much cultivated respect for his parents was incredible. There was nothing he would not do for them.
He put much thought and attention into his davening, and so many other mitzvos halevavos, with unusual purity and dedication.
His life’s passion was by far limud haTorah. He simply loved to learn. He invested huge kochos into iyun Hatorah his entire life, learning in depth many portions of Torah with great clarity. Besides giving many chaburos in Yeshiva, he merited to write an acclaimed sefer Shemuos Shimon on Bava Metzia, Kesubos & Nedorim.
Simultaneously, R’ Shimon had an unstoppable desire to complete Shas. He actually devised a comprehensive plan on how to accomplish that goal and in the shortest time possible. As his final illness progressed, his constant refrain to the people close to him was – “I want to live, I need to finish Shas”. Indeed, during the last months of his life, despite the unremitting pain and agony he was in, he spent almost every waking moment in and out of the hospital glued to his gemorah, conquering daf after daf with a heightened sense of urgency and mission.
From a young age he also raised ‘chazarah’ up on a pedestal. He meticulously reviewed everything he learnt numerous times. There were some mesectos he reviewed tens of times. A few weeks before his petira, a seudas siyum was held in his apartment attended by many of his friends and rebbeim upon his completion of meseches Bava Basra for yet another time. At that bittersweet siyum, amidst the throes of his final illness, R’ Shimon haltingly expressed the ‘pain’ that he has from the fact that there are so many budding young lomdim whom could really develop into much greater talmidei chachamim, if only they would invest more into ‘chazarah’. R’ Shimon then went on to issue a personal appeal to everyone in the room to make a kabbalah for daily chazara (not for his zechus but for their own benefit). This in a poignant way was his final tzavah to the world – invest wisely your time and energy into chazarah, for it is the only key to true success in limud Hatorah!
Despite all his natural talents, and his many accomplishments, R’ Shimon was a truly humble person, מעורב בין הבריות to a fault, and always putting the spotlight on others.
With his short but well lived life, R’ Shimon Frank z”l was like a sparkling meteorite blazing through the night time sky, providing extraordinary luminance and inspiration for his family, his friends, and all those who knew him, for ever and ever.
Alas, R’ Shimon, an only child to his chosheve parents, did not merit to have children. His close friends have decided to perpetuate his spiritually rich legacy by comishining a Sefer Torah to be written in his memory.
Please contribute to this Sefer Torah campaign l’ilui nishmaso, and may it be a true source of nechoma for our entire family.
https://abcharity.org/7888/36
Sports banners NOT removed; Flyers and Sixers championship and retired numbers were displayed prominently in the rafters, as they always are.
It was truly a beautiful even with no need for over-the -top verbiage that isn’t true.
Not sure what your point is.