Rebbe Rebbe

When I came the next morning to the Yeshiva and noticed that the light in his classroom was on, it was the only light on in the building. I come in there and he’s learning; I wasn’t surprised. As we made our way down the steps, we could see through a window into the Beis Medrash. I no- ticed the beautiful sight of the Ner Tamid, as it lit up the en- tire Beis Medrash, and I was moved. I thought to myself “how many giants learned in this space...” and I told the Rav how I felt. But I also pointed out the well-used benches which were visibly worn-out. He looked to me and said “You understand. The Board wants to update the Beis Medrash, but you can understand. The beauty of the Beis Medrash is the used benches and the worn out books.” This was the beauty to him; a setting which testifies and screams out “I was used for Torah.” In fact, the benches stayed in the yeshiva until after he passed away. As long as he lived, he would not allow them to be updated.

BJL: Can you please define the function and importance of the Yeshiva and the Olam Hayeshivot (yeshiva world)?

Rav Walkin: The “Olam Hayeshivot” is a term and a title phrased by all the people who are in and are a part of this small world. It is a self-contained world, or better said, a world within a world. It is Hashem’s World, a sanctuary from the vast and emotionally turbulent world people term