Dirshu rabbanim daven at Chofetz Chaim kever

Venerated Rabbonim and Poskim walked slowly, heads bent in hachnaah, as they approached the admas kodesh (holy soil) where the Chofetz Chaim is buried in the ancient Jewish cemetery Radin. 

They wept openly as the Mashgiach, HaGaon HaRav Chizkiyahu Yosef Mishkovsky, shlita, stood in front of the kever, hand raised to shomayim, eyes closed, saying, “How many tears have poured forth at this holy place begging Hashem that in your zechus, heiliger Rebbe, Yidden should experience yeshuos!”

Rav Mishkovsky, continued, “Heiliger Rebbe, may your zechus be a meilitz yosher on all Yidden and on all lomdei Dirshu and in your zechus may Dirshu continue to facilitate so much limud haTorah, please grant them the siyatta diShmaya to help so many Yidden learn the seforim of the Chofetz Chaim and spread his Torah. We beg Hashem, halevai!”

The visit to the kever also featured tefillos and Tehillim led by HaGaon HaRav Binyomin Finkel, shlita, Mashgiach of the Mir Yeshiva and a potent tefillah to be said at the Chofetz Chaim’s kever especially written for the occasion by the well-known mekubal and Rosh Yeshiva of Ahavat Shalom, HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Hillel, shlita. 

The Dirshu delegation arrived in Radin on 13 Shevat (Feb. 2). The trip was undertaken in advance of the siyum of the first machzor of Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program. Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha, the popular daily halacha program, features the learning of a daily Daf of Mishnah Berurah along with a short daily portion of mussar from one of the Chofetz Chaim’s numerous mussar seforim. 

“Rebbe,” Rav Mishkovsky exclaimed, “this is what you wanted! That Yidden across the world should live their daily lives in accordance with halacha by learning your Misnhah Berurah; that Yidden should live their lives in accordance with your Sefer Chofetz Chaim and Shmiras Halashon on the laws of Lashon Hara and your other mussar seforim. In this zechus, may Hashem grant all lomdei Daf HaYomi B’Halacha — those currently in the program and those who have undertaken to join the program — hatzlacha in all of their endeavors, nachas from their children, yeshuos, refuos and parnassah!” 

Upon arriving in Radin, the delegation entered the building that housed the great Radiner Yeshiva. After Shacharis, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Dirshu’s Nasi, delivered the daily Daf HaYomi B’Halacha shiur from the Sefer Mishnah Berurah written by the Chofetz Chaim in front of the beis medrash founded by the Chofetz Chaim. The symbolism was not lost on anyone. 

An ultimate purpose of the trip was on behalf of the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program. Over the last few weeks Dirshu presented an enticing offer to all of Klal Yisrael. The offer was that anyone currently learning the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha or anyone who accepts upon himself to start the program, whether this week as the program embarks on the relevant halachos of Purim or for the next machzor in the month of Nissan when the program will again begin Chelek Aleph, will be inscribed in a special sefer entitled Sefer HaGibborim. 

One of the moving moments at the kever was when the beautiful leather bound Sefer HaGibborim, was placed for posterity in a secure place in the special ohel built around the kever of the Chofetz Chaim. 

Then came the focal point of the trip - the visit to the kever of the Chofetz Chaim which aroused a heartfelt outpouring of tefillos accompanied by copious shedding of tears. 

As the group of talmidei chachomim finished saying the Tehillim something absolutely remarkable transpired. One of the Rabbonim started mentioning the names of the many people who had asked him to daven for them at the kever. This one desperately needed a refuah, another had difficulties with a wayward child, the other had not yet been blessed with children and the third desperately needed a shidduch. Within moments, the others joined in, mentioning the myriad Yidden who had begged them to daven for yeshuos and… the floodgates opened. 

Hot tears flowed, reflecting the pain and torment plaguing so many Yidden throughout the world. The fountains of tears poured straight from the hearts of each individual present as they unburdened Klal Yisrael’s pain onto the great oheiv Yisrael, the great defender and advocate of Klal Yisrael, the Chofetz Chaim. 

HaRav Aharon Toisig, one of the great mashpiim in Eretz Yisrael gave voice to the deep feelings that so many were feeling: “Rebbe, Yidden have started learning your Mishnah Berurah daily in great numbers. Yeshiva bachurim, kollel avreichim, baalei batim and even children in seventh and eighth grades are all en-masse learning the Mishnah Berurah.” 

Rav Toisig burst into tears, “Am Yisrael needs Rachmei Shomayim. Hashem from upon high look at us! In the zechus of the heilige Chofetz Chaim see how every house in Klal Yisrael is suffering, people are crying, the malach hamashchis is everywhere! The Mishnah Berurah tells us that if we properly observe Shabbos we will be saved from tzaros. If we learn Torah, the Chofetz Chaim tells us, the koach haTorah will help us. We beg Hashem give bracha to Klal Yisrael, both in ruchniyus and gashmiyus. Yidden need good health. So many are suffering! Yidden need parnassah, Yidden need hatzlacha in chinuch. So many are falling, R”L!”

Rabbi Avigdor Bernstein, a senior member of Dirshu’s hanhala, said, “No words could describe the depth of emotion felt by all. The silence reflected the emotion, an emotion so powerful, so tangible it could practically be cut it with a knife.”

That bracha and that special zechus of the Chofetz Chaim is available and ready to access for anyone who accepts upon himself to begin learning the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha. Yidden are joining by the thousands. It’s time you joined too!”

To join Daf HaYomi B’Halacha call 888- 5-Dirshu or e-mail, info@kollelDirshu.org