There was a palpable sense of excitement in the halls of Torah learning with the announcement of the release of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch from the hospital after several days of hospitalization. The Rosh Yeshiva, who returned to his home last week, delivered a brief but impactful drasha at the Yeshiva of Slabodka in which he illuminated the reasons for the recent decrees that have befallen the Torah community.
In his shmuess, Rav Hirsch began with a poignant observation: “In truth, Hashem is punishing us severely, with a direct punishment on bnei Torah, who are deprived of the opportunity to learn. This is a punishment of reduced learning. It’s Hashem!” he stated.
He continued by asking, “Is it the government that’s causing this?” Before clarifying, “We need to remember, it’s not the government. They will receive what they deserve, but for us, it is Hashem.”
The Rosh Yeshiva emphasized the importance of viewing the situation in the way the great tzaddikim of the past have taught, quoting Rabbeinu Yonah, Rabbeinu Bechaye, the Chazon Ish, and the Vilna Gaon, who explained that this strike is indeed a blow, but one that comes from Hashem, conveyed through the reduction of financial resources. However, Rav Hirsch stressed that the punishment isn’t financial. “The punishment is that we will have less learning. They have reduced our learning,” he stated.
He expanded on this: “Why do they reduce our learning? After all, we want to learn, we’re eager to learn—how could this be? The answer, inevitably, is that if we had respected Hashem properly, we wouldn’t have been punished. We wouldn’t have had our learning reduced. On the contrary, if we had honored Hashem, He would have increased our learning. If Hashem has not done so, it’s a sign that we are lacking in respect for Him.”
The Rosh Yeshiva continued with a critical analysis: “What’s missing is ameilus, diligence! Yes, there are many, many yungeleit and bochurim  who learn with great diligence. But there are also many others who lack ameilus. There’s something missing, as it is written in Shaarei Teshuva that in every action, one should show that the purpose of life is solely the service of Hashem. But this is not always seen. And when this is missing, it’s a lack of respect for Hashem. And if there is a lack of respect for Hashem, then there will be less learning.”
He concluded by urging everyone to strengthen themselves: “Each one of us must individually work on showing respect for Hashem through our learning. We need to examine how we approach our learning, how we don’t neglect it, and how we maintain consistency in our learning schedules.”
The Rosh Yeshiva went on to offer guidance regarding the minimum required hours of learning: “For a yeshiva bochur, as we have said many times, the minimum, the absolute minimum, is ten hours of learning a day, and from there it can increase—eleven, twelve, or thirteen hours depending on one’s ability. But the absolute minimum is ten hours; otherwise, it’s entirely lacking.”
Regarding the yungeleit, Rav Hirsch emphasized: “Even an avreich should think before he cancels a learning seder. If through this we strengthen our respect for Hashem, that is what will be seen by Him, through our diligence in Torah—not only during learning but also by coming on time, valuing the Torah, showing Hashem how much we desire the Torah. We will see the sanctification of Hashem’s name, as Rabbeinu Yonah teaches, and all the decrees will be annulled, and we will be able to learn, learn with perseverance, and reach all the highest levels.”
At the end of his powerful words, Rav Hirsch offered a brocha: “May Hashem grant us the merit to honor Him completely and reach the highest levels of divine assistance in Torah and all aspects of our lives.”
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