A Synopsis of my Trip to the US and Canada
by Rabbi Yehuda Samet
My recent trip was triggered by the wedding of Reuven Cohen, a former Derech talmid who invited me to come to Toronto. I also combined it with a trip to Los Angeles where my son-in-law made a siyum hashas and a trip to Monsey to visit my son and his family.
Wherever I went I met Ohr Somayach talmidim. Where possible I gathered the talmidim together and shared some of the mussar that I have been giving over the years, especially the three principles of how to get along with other people. These three principles are:
- I was created to serve others and no one was created to serve me
- I wouldn’t do it to you, but if you do it to me it’s OK
- Whatever I do for you is never enough, and whatever you do for me is more than I deserve
Some of the talmidim who attended these shiurim were at Ohr Somayach 40 years ago and others had just returned home this summer. The alumni I met included Reb Moshe Parry and Reb Akiva Cohen in Los Angeles, sons of alumni Reb Shlomo Kinser and Reb Shmuel Steele in Monsey, Reb Yehuda Muldovsky, Menachem Brown, Ian Leibenthal, Chanoch Greenwood, Zecharia Adler and Yehuda Amoyal in Toronto, among many others.
During the course of my trip, I commented that the meraglim (spies) reported that wherever they went they saw funerals. I said that wherever I went I saw people learning Torah. This is a very special period in the current history of Klal Yisrael and it is a great privilege for us to be a part of it.
I always say about Ohr Somayach that much has been done, is being done but still needs to be done to prepare the world for the coming of the Moshiach bimheira beyameiynu.
I hope to have the privilege of meeting all of you in the near future in Eretz Yisrael.
News
Hoshana Rabba
Hoshana Rabba this year will host an all-night all-star learning program. Speakers include the Rosh Yeshvia Rav Nota Schiller, Rav Yitzchok Breitowitz, Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb, Rabbi Dovid Kaplan, Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky, Rabbi Avrohom Rockmill, Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair and Rabbi Reuven Lauffer. The program starts at 8:30pm on Tuesday Night 14th October and you can see a full schedule here.
Simchas Beis Hashoeva
The annual Ohr Somayach Simchas Beis HaShoeva will take place on Motzei Shabbat Chol Hamoed, 18th Tishrei, October 11th @ 10:15pm. With the fantastic music of ‘Simply Tsfat” this is the Simchas Beis HaShoeva to be at. Looking forward to seeing you.
Critical Acclaim for the First Ohr Lagolah Sefer
Baruch Hashem, the response to the first Ohr Lagolah Sefer “As Heard from Rav Mendel: A Resource Book for Rabbis and Educators” has been fantastic.
“I am amazed, overwhelmed and very humbled. What a magnificent work! Having tried my hand at transcribing from audio, I cannot begin to imagine how many hours of work went into the impressive resource book. It is so perfect, no frills but very comprehensive, just as Rav Weinbach would have wanted for this type of book, a real tribute to his genius in organizing and presenting structured material.” Rebbetzin Sheindel Weinbach
“Wow!!! An amazing production.” Rabbi Zvi Portnoy, Loughton Synagogue, UK
“Yishar kochacha on a beautiful, well-written and well-organized piece of work. I've already used it in preparation for my seudah shlishis shiur, and I expect to use it a lot, bez"H.” Rabbi Chaim Kornberg, Yakar Tel Aviv & Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim
“I am very impressed.” Rabbi Yaakov Fisch, Etz Chaim Synagogue, Jacksonville, Florida
“The Resource Book really hits a homer and endows us with a legacy of Reb Mendel as something concrete and extremely useful.” Rabbi Yehuda Moldofsky, Toronto
The sefer is available in Jewish bookstores in America and Israel, and available to order online. For more information see:
http://ohr.edu/web/weinbach-resource-guide.htm
And In Conclusion
On behalf of the Rosh Yeshiva and all of the Ohr Somayach Rebbeim – wishing you a kesiva vechasima tova.
