In the kollel where I learn, there are several tracks. In every track they learn something else. The minute a person enters a specific track, he is committed to continue learning there for a period of time. It is not so simple to move from one track to another.
I started off in one track, and once I was deep into it, I discovered that it was not for me. The style of learning and the topic were heavy for me; they did not suit my personality, and when I heard that in the parallel track they learned in a completely different way, I understood that I was much more suited to learning there.
I asked the person in charge if I could switch to the other track, but he reminded me of the rules: The answer was no.
I continued learning in kollel each day, knowing that Hashem had sent me a nisayon to continue learning His Torah even when it is difficult, even when the sugya was not smiling at me and the style of learning did not suit my heart’s desire. At the same time, I tried again and again to switch tracks.
I told one of my friends about my problem, and he asked me, “Did you daven about it? I would suggest that you invest tefillah in the kollel of choice.”
I accepted his proposal and started putting aside time each day to say a few perakim of Tehillim, and several times each day I asked Hashem that I be zocheh to learn in the place where my heart desired and to move to the other track.
One day, the opportunity came. Several avreichim switched to the track that I wanted, but when I went over to ask for myself, the person in charge pushed me off.
I continued davening, knowing that there was no reason to blame the man in charge; he was only a messenger. When Hakadosh Baruch Hu wanted, then this man too would want to help me.
One morning on my way to kollel, someone offered me a ride, and we spoke a bit on the way. “What are you learning?” he asked. I told him, and I also told him about my desire to switch and to learn something else, and about the supervisor’s answer.
“Do you mean Rav S.?” he asked.
I replied in the affirmative.
“I know him. I’ll try and speak to him.”
The conversation ended, and so did the short ride. I experienced the continuation of the story when, finally, my yeshuah came and my move was approved.
I saw tangibly how Hakadosh Baruch Hu answered my tefillah.
