On Thursday November 22nd, Mesivta Tiferet Torah had the pleasure of welcoming the Chief Rav of the Bukharian Community, Harav Yitzchak Yisraeli Shlita. The high school’s regular morning schedule was paused to present a special shiur for the boys attending the Yeshiva. As the boys made their way into the Beth Medrash (study hall), Harav Yisraeli was introduced to the yeshiva’s staff and Lamdanim (advanced students). The Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Nerya Aminov, introduced Harav Yisraeli to the Students. The Rosh Yeshiva highlighted the privilege and opportunity for the students to see with their own eyes the product of Torah learning with a great Talmid Hacham.
Harav Yisraeli addressed the students with a warm smile and the classic question: “What Masechta are the young men learning?” The students responded that they were learning Tractate Ketubot. Harav Yisraeli paused for a moment and then went into many of the concepts which are discussed in depth throughout the Tractate. He engaged with the students, questioned the premises of the portions they were analyzing, and gave them a chance to answer his questions and comment. Many of the boys took the opportunity to demonstrate the deep education they receive at Mesivta Tiferet Torah.
After this initial session, Harav Yisraeli began recounting details of one of the cases he dealt with during his time serving on the Beth Din (Jewish Court), and some relevant personal incidents as well. He recalled a situation where he once gave a man a lift in Israel, who turned out to be a yeshiva rebbe. During the car ride, this rebbe commented about a Torah lesson he was giving his students. He mentioned that he felt the lesson he was about to give had no practical purpose, and was a mere intellectual exercise! Harav Yisraeli told the students that the very topic this rebbe felt had no practical relevance was actually a Halacha Lema’aseh (practical legal doctrine). The Rav then explained how the Gemara the students were learning held the key to a very complicated legal issue he dealt with in his Beth Din! The Beth Din once had a very serious case involving an improperly executed Get (Bill of Divorce). Ignorance on the part of the drafter had caused a potential disaster because the woman had already remarried and raised a new family.
Harav Yisraeli explained to the assembled students that no part of the Torah is merely ‘intellectual exercise’. The Torah, when studied properly, holds the key to all of life’s questions, whether they are legal, emotional, spiritual etc. However, when it comes to questions of Halacha, our Gedolim have demonstrated again and again how an astute Talmid Haham can draw the right inferences from seemingly archaic doctrine to the most cutting-edge technological questions. The main thing is Amelut BaTorah, expending effort and devoting oneself to his studies.
Harav Yisraeli concluded the special shiur by suggesting that every student in the room can put maximum effort into his learning, and that every one of the students should look to himself as the next Rav Ovadia Yossef z’l. After the shiur, Harav Yisraeli spent a few moments meeting the students and answering their questions. Rabbi Aminov and part of the administration then met in the Yeshiva library and discussed what can be done to strengthen Torah in the community. It is especially nice to see the community work together and be Marbitz Torah. May we all be Zoche to see more and more growth together. Amen!
By Adam Suionov
Mesivta Tiferet Torah Hosts Chief Bukharian Rabbi Harav Yitzchak Yisraeli
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