Heilige Vinter Necht דער הייליגער ווינטער נעכט
The Possuk in Eichoh says “Kumie Ronie Baleiloh – Arise cry out at night (2:18)” Tzadikim ZY”A said about the greatness of learning before Davening.
Reb Yochanon, The Stolin Karliner Rebbe ZY”A said from his predecessors ZY”A, “Lernin muz mehn, Davenin darf mehn – Learning (Torah) we must, Davening (Prayer to Hashem), we need”!
The Pinsk Karliner Rebbe ZY”A, came once to the USA shortly before he was Nifter in the year 5760. At Sholosh Seudas which took place in the Stoliner Shtiebel in Williamsburg, he related the following, which he heard from his grandfather Reb Yehoshua Heschel Haltovsky ZT”L who was present when this story happened at the Heilige Yenukoh ZY”A, in Stolin.
During the time of the Yenukoh there were two shutfim who learnt Gemoroh together a whole week and at the end of the week on Thursday, they would sell fish Lekovod Shabbos. The Baal Dovor (evil entity) was not happy with this, as they were making their week’s Parnossoh in one day and learning the rest of the week, so he sent them a lot of customers. And so, the store started opening for business more days of the week and the days of learning Torah became less. One night one of the shutfim had a dream, Abayei came to him and said, “What will be with my Gemoroh”. This dream was at first ignored, and after it repeated itself twice, Abayei gave the shutaf a pinch on the back of his fist, as a sign that this is a real dream. The shutaf immediately awoke and ran to the Yenukoh to show him the pinch of Abayei. Reb Yeshuoh Heschel was present and saw the pinch. Concluded the Pinsk Karliner Rebbe ZY”A, we must see to it to learn the Torah HaKedoshoh and have steady times to study it.
