‘The students leaving the Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva are Shomrei Torah and important Talmidei Chachamim’. Special and rare letter with Piskei Halachot, handwritten entirely by Maran the Steipler, Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky, about varied yeshivas that do not accept Sephardic students. Bnei Berak, 1958.
The letter was sent to the Gaon Rabbi Zvi Mertzbach, the son of the Gaon Rabbi Yonah, one of the heads of the Kol Torah Yeshiva and member of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. In it, he replies to Rabbi Mertzbach’s complaint about yeshivas that do not accept Sephardic students, writing that it is wrong: ‘שלא כדין הוא וה’ יכפר’.
The Steipler recommends sending Sephardic students to Sephardic yeshivas, noting the Mekor Chaim yeshiva near Jerusalem, which has most successful students.
A second option he mentions is the Porat Yosef Yeshiva, stating that it has important Ramim yet he is not familiar with the quality of its students and addidng that in any case, anyone studying Torah diligently will succeed.
The third option he mentins is the Rav Waldenberg Yeshiva.
Rabbi Mertzbach was concerned that not accepting Sephardic students might lead them astrey. To this, the Steipler responds: ‘המלמד תורה ושונה לתלמיד שאינו הגון, הכוונה למי שכעת איננו הגון. ועל כגון זה כתבו חז"ל בהדי כבשי דרחמנא למה לך. ובכל שעה שאיש ישראל לומד תורה"ק הוא נחת רוח להשי"ת.
Maran the Steipler then adds:
‘וראוי להתפלל שהתלמידים לא יתקלקלו אחר זמן וכן התפללו חז"ל שלא יצא ממנו תלמיד שמקדיח תבשילו כו’ תפילה מועלת הרבה והשי"ת יהא בעזרתינו’.
The Steipler then refers to the Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva, which accepts Sephardic students, stating that the students leaving it are Shomrei Torah and important Talmidei Chachamim: ואף שיסודו מהרב קוק, מכל מקום התלמידים היוצאים משם הם שומרי תורה ות"ח חשובים ובכל אופן הוא הצלה לעומת מקוה ישראל וכיו"ב.
[1] leaf. 26 lines handwritten and signed by the Steipler. Fold lines. Small tears and wear. Perforations not affecting the text. Good condition.
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