This year, history was made at Oholei Torah Yeshiva when a record 38 students achieved their goal of memorizing Tanya’s 12 prokim. Full article, photos
History was made at Oholei Torah by 38 students.
Every year, sixth graders at Oholei Torah are motivated to learn Taniyah Baal Peh. The Friedika Rebbe and the Rebbe greatly encouraged the bokrim to memorize the first twelve perakim before their bar mitzvah.
But how many talmidim actually achieve that goal?
Past years: Average of 3 students.
This year, a record 38 students participated!
How did this happen?
The change began last summer when the sixth-grade faculty decided to launch a campaign to encourage and motivate more talmidim to study Taniyah Ba’al Peh. The talmidim were given a comprehensive calendar and curriculum, with a daily study portion to help them keep up with the rigorous schedule. Sixth-grade student Revi Dovvar Blau developed his own mnemonic device, memorizing the perakim through song and recording many of the perakim to practice with his talmidim.
How many more students, sixth-grade staff wondered, would accept the challenge? Would that number double — an average of three per year? Triple, or even quadruple?
It didn’t take long for the changes to become visible.
While riding the bus, during activities, or waiting to get out of school, the talmidim took every opportunity to practice, memorize, and review. They brightened the atmosphere around them, and their parents credited them with transforming their homes. They put in hours of dedicated effort and made the most of every moment of leisure time.
And now, at the end of the year, 38 dedicated talmidim have memorized all of Tanya’s first 12 perakim.
“We achieved a hatzracha that far exceeded our original expectations,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Lustig, principal of grades 6-7. “This was truly a historic milestone!”
The celebration of this great achievement was the highlight of Oholei Torah’s annual Mishnayos Baal Pe Charkas HaPrashim event.
Amidst the joy of their parents and applause of the audience, every talmid who achieved this incredible feat received a certificate, seforim and a cash prize from Nosson ben Moshe Ashkenazi, who generously sponsored them.
And then the surprise of the day came: Rabbi Lustig’s friend, Rabbi Yossi Katz, was so impressed by the accomplishments of these talmidim that he gave each of them a surprise gift: a set of Sefer Ma’amalim Merkat from the rabbi.
Other highlights of the event include:
All talmids with more than 400 points in Mishnayos Baal Peh were honored on stage.
Rabbi Mendel Levin, commander of Oholei Torah’s Tzivos Hashem base, conducted the promotion ceremony and distributed the many prizes that were won.
All talmids who participated in Sefer HaMitzvos Chidon’s Iyun track and scored 90% or above were presented with a special trophy.
Rabbi Lustig concluded the program by expressing his gratitude to Associate Principal Rabbi Yoni Lefkowitz, Tzivos Hashem Director Rabbi Mendel Levin, and all of the esteemed mechankim in grades 6 and 7. Rabbi Lustig extended special thanks to the sixth grade rabbis Rabbi Oshel Breau, Rabbi Gamiel Dorey, Rabbi Leibel Vogel, Rabbi Yitzchok Klein, and Rabbi Dober Blau for their tireless efforts, guidance, and support in helping the talmidim achieve this great goal.
Oholei Torah would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to these 38 students for making history.
