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Thousands Attend Hespedim for HaRav Chaim zt"l Throughout the World
by Yisroel Rosner
HaRav Gershon Edelstein being maspid at Ponovezh Yeshiva
Many thousands from all the corners of Eretz Yisroel gathered to the numerous eulogy rallies in bereavement over the passing of the leader of all of Jewry, HaRav Shmaryahu Chaim Kanievsky zt"l, to weep over the tremendous loss of the Sar HaTorah veHayira, our master who was totally a vessel of study, who left us bereft of our master mentor and teacher, disseminator of Torah. And everywhere, our rabbonim, Torah leaders, arouse each community to follow in his ways, to emanate his supreme devotion to Torah study and attempt, somehow, to fill the huge void gaping before us with his loss.
The central hesped which took place this past Sunday in Yeshivas Ponevezh, was headed by the Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Gershon Edelstein, who bemoaned the loss and offered a vital message of strengthening.
The rally was opened by the yeshiva president, HaRav Kahaneman, who wept, "Torah, Torah, don your sackcloth." He explained this quote by pointing out how Yaakov Avinu donned sackcloth to lament his son, Yosef. We also find this act by penitents who don sackcloth.
Rabbonim at the hesped at Ponovezh Yeshiva
We here, need to do so on both points. The Torah world must mourn the passing of the unique personage of our generation, who was Torah personified, hoping that the passing of tzadikim is an atonement. But we must also be ever careful, for it is said that tzadikim are removed from our midst to forfend calamity, which behooves us to do teshuva, for the death of a tzaddik is a greater misfortune than the burning of our House of Hashem. We must contemplate and see how to improve ourselves so that the fact of the tzaddik's passing should truly atone. The entire world must mourn over the loss of the tzaddik.
"Here in Yeshivas Ponovezh, we must take the loss very individually, for he was very personally attached to this place. He sat here for years on Motzei Simchas Torah, not having been asked to come by anyone, but feeling impelled to come and strengthen us. He was so concerned for the yeshiva and did so much for it. I can testify that whenever I came to him to tell him that the learning was going fine, he would often ask what was going on, and declare that he was very pleased with that. Each one of the students fulfilled the teaching that one who brings a gift to a Torah scholar is considered as if he brought the bikkurim offering. What better gift could there be than the report that the study was going well at the yeshiva."
HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch being maspid at the Yeshivas Hagrish in Ramot, Jerusalem
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