I'm writing this article a few days prior to the Adirai HaTorah event. I’m not a mekubal, so I won't pretend to tell you what will be. However, what I can share with you is what the days before the event mean. In this week's parsha, the Jewish people complain again about Moshe Rebbeinu, our faithful shepherd and leader. Being a lead- er or a rav, or even what we might call a simple Jew, is not a simple task. Every one of us who represents the Torah carries a heavy load of responsibility. We are the teachers of the world; our mission is to be a light to the world, and we have done that for generations from the time of the Avos on a personal level and as a nation after the giving of the Torah. This mission will be magnified when Mashiach arrives and shines the light on every one of us and shows us how much light we possess, and at that point, every Jew will have many non-Jews asking them for guidance.
Adirai HaTorah represents not just an illustrious ma- kom Torah; it represents the preciousness and honor of Torah. It shines the spotlight on the talmidei chachamim and on all of us who represent the light of Torah.
My dear friend Rav Sneh shlita shared a beautiful idea from Rav Shraga Feivel Mendelovitch zt"l, the founder of Yeshiva Torah Vadaas, with me. The Gemara in Brachos 28 relates how Rav Zeira was once feeling weak. He de- cided to sit at the entrance of the bais midrash. This way, every time an elder or rabbi entered, he would get up for them and fulfill a positive commandment. This seems a bit odd. Usually, if someone is weak and tired and needs a break, they take a day off, or if they are more rebbish, they go to Switzerland to the Alps and do some hisbodedus. Here, Rav Zeira now had to sit and get up multiple times. That doesn’t sound like a good break. Rav Mendelovitch explained a big yesod in life. Rav Zeira was feeling weak. He thought to himself: How can I feel weak and take a break? After all, if someone was offering hundred-dollar bills for free, and all you needed to do was walk up the hill, you wouldn’t be this tired. Therefore, Rav Zeira sought something that would require action and express kavod haTorah by getting up for talmidai chachamim and elders. This creates an internal message of chashivas haTorah.
RABBI DANIEL COREN
