Happenings at the Yeshiva

This week, first and second year students learned sugyot dealing with the korban pesach and hametz. Third and fourth year students began their learning of Hilkhot Aveilut, starting with kriah and aninut, the period before burial. They will be learning the topics of kevurah, hesped and nichum aveilim up through the Pesach break, and then learn the topics of shiva, shloshim, the 12 months for parents until the end of our zman at the end of May.

On Monday, our musmach Rabbi Adam Scheier brought a small contingent of community members from his synagogue, Shaar Hashomayim in Montreal. Our Montreal guests spent the morning learning Pesach topics in the Beit Midrash, first with Rabbi Weiss and then with Rabbi Yamin Levy. They shared a nice lunch with the yeshiva, and had an opportunity to talk to the students and the rebbeim. During the lunch, Shmuly Yanklowitz, a fourth-year student, made a siyyum on the entire Tanakh in memory of his grandfather Mitchell Janowski z"l. Shmuly gave a short shiur on the book of Micha, and shared some memories of his grandfather from his youth. As Shmuly is the major force behind Uri L'Tzedek, he made sure to order the lunch from Mr. Bagel, an establishment which had just received Uri L'Tzedek's Tav certification.

And in other Tav news, on Wednesday the Tav HaYosher celebrated its expansion nationwide and reaching 30 restraints now under its auspices. The event was held a Café 76 (under the Tav, of course!), with Rabbi Joseph Telushkin as guest speaker. It was an amazing program, with a nice turnout from the community and the press.

As is our custom, we hold 2-3 yahrtzeit shiurim each year for Gedolim from the previous generations. On Wednesday, Rabbi Love gave this year's first yahrtzeit shiur, in memory of Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach, z"l, who passed away 15 years ago, on 20 Adar 5755 (1995). Rabbi Love spoke of his tremendous middot, and of his legendary Torah brilliance, sensitive and creative psak, and strong focus in psak on relevant real-world issues, such as technology, science, and medicine. Chaval al d'avdin vilo misthakhin.