Photos: A. Eisenbach

A historic gathering of leading roshei yeshiva and poskim from Eretz Yisroel, the United States, and Europe took place last week in Radin, Belarus, where a delegation organized by Dirshu inaugurated the newly restored beis medrash of the famed Radin Yeshiva, established by the Chofetz Chaim.

The gathering marked a remarkable moment in the history of the legendary institution, whose beis medrash has now been restored to reflect its appearance during the years when Radin was one of the great centers of Torah learning in prewar Europe. The renovated building has been named Heichal Dirshu in recognition of the international Torah organization’s role in the project.

The visit was particularly significant as it came 87 years after the destruction of European Jewry brought an end to the flourishing Torah community that had once surrounded the Chofetz Chaim’s yeshiva. The return of prominent gedolei Torah to its historic beis medrash was accompanied by a series of gatherings devoted to limud haTorah, tefillah, and strengthening the worldwide Torah community.

The delegation included Rav Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron; Rav Avraham Salim; Rav Masoud Ben Shimon; Rav Yechiel Michel Steinmetz, dayan of Skver; Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, Rosh Yeshivas Mir; Rav Shimon Galai; Rav Sariel Rosenberg; Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern; and Rav Ephraim Wachsman of Monsey.

Also participating were Rav Shmuel Eliezer Bedil, Rosh Yeshivas Prager; Rav Yehoshua Abba Busel, maggid shiur at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood; Rav Yitzchok Kolodetsky; Rav Nissan Kaplan; Rav Uri Deutsch of Lakewood; and French rabbonim Rav Yehuda Toledano and Rav Dovid Ohana.

The delegation’s visit began with Shacharis inside the restored Radin beis medrash, where the participating rabbonim and representatives of Dirshu from around the world gathered for the formal inauguration.

The restoration was undertaken through the initiative of Rav Moshe Fima, director of Yad Yisrael Institutions, who oversees the historic Radin Yeshiva complex and its preservation.

Considerable effort was invested in reconstructing the beis medrash in a manner faithful to its original appearance, allowing visitors to experience the setting in which generations of talmidim once immersed themselves in Torah under the influence of the Chofetz Chaim and the great roshei yeshiva of Radin.

The newly dedicated Heichal Dirshu is intended to preserve that heritage while serving as a lasting tribute to the continued growth of Torah learning throughout the world.

During the dedication, the assembled rabbonim heard addresses from Rav Ephraim Wachsman and Rav Avraham Salim, followed by a shiur klali delivered by Rav Dovid Cohen.

Rav Dovid Hofstedter, nasi of Dirshu, delivered the foundational address marking the establishment of the restored beis medrash and its dedication.

Following the ceremony, the delegation traveled to the Radin cemetery, where they gathered at the ohel of the Chofetz Chaim for an emotional maamad tefillah.

At the kever of the Chofetz Chaim, Rav Yechiel Michel Steinmetz and Rav Uri Deutsch delivered words of hisorerus, encouraging the assembled participants to draw inspiration from the Chofetz Chaim’s extraordinary legacy of Torah learning, halacha, and avodas Hashem.

Rav Shimon Galai and Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern led the recitation of Tehillim for the welfare and salvation of Klal Yisroel, as the gathered rabbonim joined in heartfelt tefillah.

One of the most moving moments of the visit came with the placement of Dirshu’s Sefer HaGiborim at the Chofetz Chaim’s kever.

The special volume contained more than 100,000 names of Dirshu participants and individuals who have joined its Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and Amud HaYomi learning programs.

The Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program is devoted to the daily study of halacha through the Chofetz Chaim’s monumental Mishnah Berurah, while Amud HaYomi provides a structured daily program of Gemara learning.

The placement of the names at the Chofetz Chaim’s kever symbolized the connection between the Torah being learned today by tens of thousands of participants around the world and the enduring teachings of the great posek whose life’s work continues to guide generations of Yidden.

A special tefillah, composed specifically for the rabbonim’s journey, was recited by Rav Masoud Ben Shimon, who davened for the success of all Dirshu participants and the entire Torah world.

After concluding the gathering in Radin, the delegation continued to Volozhin, another historic center of Torah learning whose influence shaped the development of the modern yeshiva world.

There, the rabbonim gathered for Mincha inside the historic Volozhin Yeshiva building, which has also undergone restoration and renovation in recent years through the efforts of regional authorities.

The Volozhin Yeshiva, founded by Rav Chaim Volozhiner, was one of the most influential Torah institutions in Jewish history, establishing a model of intensive, organized yeshiva learning that became the foundation for generations of Lithuanian yeshivos.

Following Mincha, the delegation proceeded on foot to the local cemetery, where they gathered at the kever of Rav Chaim Volozhiner, the author of Nefesh HaChaim.

At the kever, Rav Sariel Rosenberg delivered words of hisorerus and led the recitation of Tehillim, bringing the day of Torah gatherings and tefillos to a close.

The journey connected two of the most important centers of Torah learning in prewar Europe, Radin and Volozhin, as leading rabbonim from across the Jewish world gathered in the very places where the Chofetz Chaim and Rav Chaim Volozhiner left their enduring mark on Klal Yisroel.