The Kollel Chatzot Experience
The avreichim share their unique experience of midnight study in the special atmosphere of the Kollel Chatzot.
For the last 30 years I had b"h the merit to participate in many Kollel Chatzot, both in Benei Brak and Yerushalaim. The last of which is the wonderful Kollel Chatzot in Beitar headed by the dear Rav Yehoshua Meir Deursch.
This must be the only Kollel Chatzot in the world with over sixty avreychim studying through the night. A beis medresh filled with serious avreychim in the middle of the night is a wonderful feeling - "the night shall shine like daylight". It motivates and gives 'geshmack' for learning and tefilah and pushes sleep away. Especially with the taste of being awake at night out in the wilderness you can feel 'Me'eyn Oilom Hobo' (the world to come).
There's a special sweetness I never felt in any other Kollel, which must be attributed to our wonderful Rosh Kollel, who tries to give each avrech a special feeling by giving personal attention to each one, keeping in contact with everyone, always with a smile on his face. The 'hameshe' atmosphere makes you feel like you don't want to go home (Yaakov called it 'home') - in one word - 'geshmak'.
An example to the noblesse of our special Rosh Kollel is the fact that every holiday he makes sure not to forget the dear wives of the avreychim, who by messiruss nefesh dare to be left on their own through the night allowing their husbands to leave their homes to study Torah, taking upon their shoulders the burden of raising the children and caring for the household for the holly cause of bringing the light of Torah to the world. For this, the Rosh Kollel grants every avreych with a sum exclusively designated for a holiday gift to the wife, and not to be used for any other purpose as urgent as it may be. As Rabi Akiva said "mine and yours belong to her".
For all this we bless our Rosh Kollel that he shall merit to sit with us every night, undisturbed by financial concerns, that the 'Yisochor Zevulun" arrangements will allow the Kollel to function and grow further without worries. And also to see the longed for new building, with the sound of 200 avreychim filling its study hall throughout the nights.
With best wishes for Gefen - Gezundt, Parnoso and Nachas,
Shlomo Kornhoiser
