A great honor was shown in honor of the 80th yahrtzeit of Harav Levi Yitzchak, as hundreds of participants, thirteen speakers, eight hours of programming, and a grand event made up the 14th annual Yarchei Kallah event, held at the yeshiva in Kfar Chabad.
By Anash.org staff
A great honor was shown in honor of the 80th yahrtzeit of Harav Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, as hundreds of participants, thirteen speakers, eight hours of programming, and a grand event made up the 14th annual Yarchei Kallah event, held at the yeshiva in Kfar Chabad.
The event, held on Wednesday, was a grand display of Torah, Chassidus, and Halacha, in honor of the yahrtzeit and the Rebbe. The annual event has established itself over the past fifteen years as a respected Torah event for Chabad in the Holy Land.
Hundreds of participants, including rabbonim, roshei yeshiva, anash, shluchim, and bochurim, gathered for special event. People streamed from communities across the land, including Yerushalayim, Tzfas, Beit Shemesh, Beitar, Lod, Rechovot, Netanya, Ramat Hasharon, Rishon L’tzion, Bnei Brak, Tel Aviv, Krayot, and even overseas shluchim who were currently visiting Eretz Yisroel, came to participate.
The guests were warmly welcomed by the yeshiva’s rabbis, including the mashpi’im and magidei shiurim, as well as the yeshiva’s administration: Rabbi Elyakim Wolf, Rabbi Shalom Bar Chadad, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Lerrer, and Rabbi Elazar Gelbshtein.
The event began at 2 PM and lasted until around 10 PM, featuring a series of engaging shiurim.
On the festively arranged tables in the spacious hall, participants found valuable Torah publications: a new collection of teachings from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, edited by shliach Rabbi Dovid Dubov, and a collection of “B’chadrei Torascha” – previously unpublished correspondence between the Rebbe and Rabbi Leibel Groner. There were also new “handouts” from the 20th of Menachem Av, 5736, and Torah innovations by the students of the central yeshiva.
The event was opened by the master of ceremonies, Rabbi Zev Dov Halperin, mashgiach at the Chabad Yeshiva in Elad. In his eloquent and chassidishe manner, Rabbi Halperin highlighted the significance of the grand event and the importance of such gatherings, while integrating ideas from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s teachings.
There were four main sessions in the 14th annual “Yemei Kallah.” The first session was dedicated to discussions on Niglah. Speakers included Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi, Rav of Kfar Chabad and a member of Beis Din Rabbonei Chabad, who spoke on “The Melacha of Kosher in the Teachings of Our Rebbeim.” The second speaker was Rabbi Yaakov Schwika, a rosh yeshiva at the Kfar Chabad yeshiva and a member of Beis Din Rabbonei Chabad, who gave an in-depth shiur on “The Alter Rebbe’s Position on Bracha Acharona for Hot Drinks.”
This Niglah session, like all other sessions at the Yarchei Kallah, was characterized by intense Torah discussions among many participants, scholars, and yeshiva students, turning the large hall into a hub of Torah fervor.
The second session focused on Chassidus and the teachings of the Rebbe. Four speakers addressed this session.
The first speaker, Rabbi Elyakim Wolf, a member of the yeshiva’s administration, delved into the Rebbe’s chidushim in Hilchos Beis Habechira, which is being learned in the daily Rambam. He connected his talk to the twelfth yahrtzeit of the distinguished philanthropist Mr. Sammy Rohr, who was a dedicated supporter of the yeshiva, and whose activities continue to this day through his son, philanthropist Mr. George Rohr.
The second speaker was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Groner of Tomchei Tmimim in Kiryat Gat, who shared fascinating manuscripts from the Rebbe’s correspondence with his father. Rabbi Groner emphasized the Rebbe’s desire for Chassidim to deeply study and discuss the Rebbe’s teachings.
Another speaker in this session was Rabbi Dovid Beitch, maggid shiur and mashpia at yeshiva in Lod-Kfar Chabad, who delivered a fascinating shiur on “The Logical Need for Continuous Creation.” Drawing from a wide range of sources throughout Chassidus and deep Hemshechim, he presented a profound and illuminating discussion on the Rebbe’s chidushim in this topic.
The main speaker in this session was the honored guest from abroad, Rabbi Ezra Binyomin Shochet, Rosh Yeshiva of “Or Elchanan – Chabad” in Los Angeles, who gave an in-depth shiur on the Rebbe’s approach to crossing the “International Date Line” during Sefiras HaOmer. Rabbi Shochet spent close to an hour explaining the core principles and chidushim of the Rebbe in this unique area, where the Rebbe has a special approach compared to many poskim. Rabbi Shochet’s detailed shiur highlighted the Rebbe’s novel definitions of “International Date Line,” the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer, and the interplay between these two concepts, with the audience listening intently.
Between the sessions, there was a break for Mincha and a bite of the refreshments served throughout the day. The MC, Rabbi Halperin, then invited the audience to begin the third and main part of the event – the special session marking 80 years for the yahrtzeit of Reb Levik.
Four speakers addressed this central session: The honored guest Rabbi Avraham Baruch Pevzner, Rav of the Anash in Paris, delivered a profound shiur on “Learning Torah Shelo Lishma in the Zohar and Tanya according to the teachings of the Baal Hahilula”; Rabbi Mordechai Menashe Laufer, shliach and Rav of the 11th district in Ashdod and editor of “Yemei Melech,” gave a fascinating lecture on “The Rebbe’s Approach to His Father’s Learning Method,” presenting a series of quotes and unknown facts about the Rebbe’s practices and their hints in the teachings and conduct of the Baal Hahilula.
Another speaker, Rabbi Chaim Heber, a shliach in Be’er Sheva and author of “B’sod Levi Yitzchak,” passionately shared profound insights from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s teachings. Rabbi Mordechai Menashe Garelik, who helped establish the renewed matzeiva at Reb Levi Yitzchak’s Ohel, recounted with great emotion his experiences and special ‘yechidus’ he received regarding the matzeiva.
The fourth and final session of Yarchei Kallah was dedicated to practical Halachic issues arising from the current war. Rabbi Elchanan Moshe Nachmanson, rosh kolel in Lod, gave a fascinating shiur on “Negotiating and Conducting Business with Non-Jews,” while Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin, rov of Anash in Petach Tikvah and dayan with Beis Din Rabbonei Chabad, addressed “Canceling Transactions and Flights Due to the War.”
The event concluded with remarks from Rabbi Dov Halperin, integrating profound lessons from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s teachings on the essence of the esrog and the Daled Minim, drawing life lessons.
Towards the end, clips of the Rebbe were shown relating to the Baal Hahilula and the lessons from his conduct.
Many participants expressed their gratitude to the yeshiva’s administration and team for their dedication in organizing this significant Yarchei Kallah event, which continues to honor the Reb Levik’s legacy and contribute to a Kidush Lubavitch every year.
The yeshiva’s administration wishes to thank all those who worked hard to ensure the success of this grand event, especially Rabbi Zusha Wolf, for his dedication over the weeks, which surely brought much nachas to the Rebbe.
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