Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Rav Kenig's Curriculum

Rav Elazar Kenig, shlita
(Picture by Jack Klein)

Received via e-mail from Rabbi Dovid Sears:

I heard from one of the attendants of Rav Elazar Kenig, shlita, leader of the Tzefat Breslev community, that during the first year or two after the passing of his father, Reb Gedaliah Kenig, zatzal, he visited various Gedolei Yisrael to obtain letters of approbation (haskamos) for his Kollel. The reader should know that Rav Kenig is a very straightforward person, who as a rule does not "joke around." One day they met with a certain prominent Rosh Yeshivah, who asked the Rav about the matorah (purpose) of his Kollel. The expected answer would have been some field of halachah, or a certain special curriculum. Rav Kenig answered simply: "The purpose of our Kollel is to plant a deep, deep emunah in our talmidim!"

1 Comments:

At February 21, 2007 at 12:34:00 PM EST, Anonymous Anonymous said...

to plant emunah is of course the hardest task usually placed on the back burner by those istitutions that value learning erudition and scholarship over piety. true to the Rav's tradition of Breslov and Rebeinu he has continued to live up to the deepest truths of Reb Nachman. All ultimately is EMUNAH yet emunah is that most subtle of articles of faith defying us all on a daily basis. the Yid hakadosh once said he is megayer each day he wakes up (hence the name Der Yid?) and Rabeinu says each day we awaken our first thought should be al alma deasi.
Emunah is so mystifying and so fragile, it needs flexing like a muscle (see the Eish Kodesh for more on this muscle!)

A great picture and baruch hasem an ongoing refuah shleimah to the Rav!

Julian

 

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