"In Paris, today, there is a chiddush: masses flock to
a gathering like this in honor of Torah," HaRav Mattisyahu
Salomon, the mashgiach of the Lakewood yeshiva in the United
States, said in his speech at the dinner of the Yad Mordechai
institutions. "I call upon all of the Jews here: give me the
nefesh. Send your sons and daughters to Torah
institutions, so that they won't be lost."
Two thousand Jews came to celebrate the new beis medrash
and yeshiva ketana in Paris, and its naming as
"Yeshivas Avi Ezri," after the works of Maran HaRav Elozor
Menachem Man Shach zt"l.
A few years ago Maran advised HaRav Yitzchok Katz, the rosh
yeshiva and head of the Yad Mordechai institutions, to
purchase outright the yeshiva building whatever the cost and
not to rent it from the municipality even at a specially low
rent. Maran said that he was certain that the municipality
would cancel the arrangement after seeing that the former
palace had become a yeshiva. And indeed, even after the sale
the municipality sought to repurchase the building in order
to found a cultural center there.
HaRav Malkiel Kotler, the rosh yeshiva of Lakewood who also
spoke the dinner, visited the chareidi mosdos of
Paris, including the Nishmas Yisroel yeshiva, the yeshiva
ketana and yeshiva gedoloh Yad Mordechai for
avreichim, the Bais Elisheva school and seminary for
girls.
From year to year the bnei Torah community grows and
many Jews return to a Torah lifestyle, despite the social
pressure against Torah observant Jews and the attacks by the
Arabs in the suburbs on whoever has a Jewish appearance. The
new botei medrash of the Yad Mordechai institutions
have arisen and many Jews who work in the day, study there
every night. Among these botei medrash are the Ohel
Moshe beis medrash in the 19th Quarter of Paris, and
Nachlas Yehoshua in the 20th Quarter.
At the dinner, a video entitled "Netzach Yisroel" prepared by
Rabbi Dr. Yosef Harady was shown. It depicts how Am Yisroel,
through its devotion to Torah, outlasted all of the empires
and alien doctrines that repeatedly threatened to destroy
it.
With tear-filled eyes, we listened Maran HaRav Shach
delivering his famous speech that was originally recorded on
a video cassette and sent to France to inspire the Jews of
France: "I live and you are dead. I live and I will live. The
Jewish people that has suffered so much -- golus after
golus, decrees after decrees, massacres and
destructions, killings, burning, and murders. Strong nations
attempted to destroy it. Nonetheless all of those nations
have vanished, while Am Yisroel continues to live and
stand up, as it has for 2000 years, against all who rise up
against it -- and with empty hands; with no arms! How did it
manage to persevere? How did it overcome its enemies? What is
the secret? Our os umofeis is that we are Jews, and
that makes us stronger than the nations. They may slay the
father, but he has taught his son, who will continue in the
path his father charted for him. The Jew is linked to his
ovos, Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov. He is linked to
all of the former generations of the tanoim, the
amoro'im and to all of the tzadikim."
In 1390, the Jews were finally expelled from France. After
600 years of spiritual desolation, Torah has returned to the
heart of Paris and to the suburbs.
HaRav Malkiel Kotler, the rosh yeshiva of Lakewood and its
mashgiach HaRav Mattisyahu Salomon came especially to
strengthen the Yad Mordechai yeshivos and Jewry in Paris.
Before the gathering, HaRav Kotler delivered a shiur
in the Nishmas Yisroel yeshiva.
On the dais were prominent rabbonim from New York and France.
Among them were HaRav Yosef Kletzky, the head of the Yad
Avrohom beis medrash in New York, and roshei yeshiva
from France including HaRav Yehuda Toledano the rosh yeshiva
of Rancee; HaRav Schneiur, the rosh yeshiva of Boisierre;
HaRav Reuven Meir, the rosh yeshivas St. Louis; the chief
rabbi of Paris HaRav Dovid Mashash, as well as the ramim
of Nishmas Yisroel: HaRav Zev Kokis, HaRav Chaim Mann,
HaRav Yehoshua Salomons and the mashgiach HaRav Aryeh Leib
Shapira.
At the dinner, HaRav Kotler said: "Mah tovu oholecho
Yaakov, mishkenosecho Yisroel. This is the only one of
Bilaam's brochos which did not revert to a
kloloh. Why? When we are surrounded by botei
medrash and shuls and are immersed in Torah study,
no kloloh can penetrate. Here in Paris, botei
medrash that reinstate the former glory of Torah are
flourishing and they halt the tumah."
HaRav Salomon said, "We have all heard Maran HaRav Shach's
stirring words, in which he said that one who detaches
himself from Torah and does not merit that his sons and
family attach themselves to Torah is like a meis. You
have heard: "I am alive and you are meisim." Who wants
to be a meis when we have life before us, a life of
light, a life of happiness and life of deliverance for us and
for the entire family. Send your sons to study in the
institutions . . . More than the money, give me the
nefesh. Hakodosh Boruch Hu will help and your
sons who study those institutions will greet the Moshiach in
Paris."
The audience was moved and until late at night it brought
both nefesh and rechush to strengthen Torah in
Paris.
