[Video below.] This past Motzoei Shabbos, Parshas Shemos, Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen, rov of Khal Ateres Yeshaya, delivered a powerful drasha at an event to benefit Keren Even Habochen-Ner Moshe, a renowned chazara program founded in Bais Medrash Govoah over 15 years ago by yungeleit who recognized the utmost importance of chazara, reviewing that which one has learnt. Yungeleit from participating chaburos take a rigorous closed-book exam on the material learned each month and are rewarded monetarily based on the level of achievement on the exam.
Rav Cohen’s brief, but powerful, remarks touched on a variety of issues. First, holding up a bag of seeds, Rav Cohen related that his zaida, Rav Avigdor Miller, used to carry around seeds of a fruit with him all the time to remind himself of the greatness and kindness of the Ribono Shel Olam.
Rav Cohen then related a beautiful thought on the words “baavur shemo hagadol” in bentching, and went on to relate two fascinating stories about Maran Rav Elazar Shach zt”l.
Rav Cohen then addressed the chashivus of Keren Even Habochen and the importance of chazara. He said that each and every person must master one entire mesechta that he can recite baal peh. He told the crowd that at the end of his life, in the hospital, Rav Miller was chazering Maseches Bechoros for this very reason. When we come to Yeshiva Shel Maalah, he said, they are going to ask us which mesechta we have mastered. Rav Cohen said that he himself has been learning Maseches Sukkah again and again for this very purpose.
The event was held at the home of Rabbi and Mrs. Menachem and Nechomy Zucker.
Even Habochen, which has received the support of roshei yeshivos and rabbonim from across the country, has grown from an initial enrollment of a handful of chaburos to approximately 35 chaburos of over 400 yungeleit and a budget of about $250,000 annually.
Click below to watch Rav Cohen’s brief, but powerful remarks:
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