In the shadow of the economic decrees hovering over the Torah world and the ongoing damage to the budgets of yeshivahs and kollels: The righteous and devout Rabbi Dan Segal delivered a poignant speech to dozens of kollel leaders, who came to his home to thank him for his dedication and activity in the "Keren Olam HaTorah" campaign in the United States.
In his remarks, the supervisor sought to present the strengthening point inherent in the difficult reality, and said that it is possible that all the economic pressure is not accidental.
""They're pushing us from all sides, with money, and all these things," he said. "Their intentions are clear, but apparently, it's from heaven so that we - that our means are pure, that they are clean.".
Video: Shlomo Shapiro
To explain his words, the overseer recounted a personal incident that occurred in the early years of his leadership as Rosh Kollel.
""Many years ago, the financial situation of the kollel was very difficult," he said. "A man came to me and said he was willing to finance the entire kollel, on the condition that the kollel be named after him. I said to myself: What do I care about the name, the main thing is that there will be money for the avrechim." But that man was a member of Knesset, and I was afraid that the money might not be his personal, but rather coming from other places. I didn't want to make the decision alone, especially when it came to the livelihood of the avrechim.
""I went to the Maran Rosh Yeshiva, the Gaon Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman, zt"l, and presented the question to him.
""Rabbi Steinman told me in the name of the Gra about the words of the sages: If Torah is forgotten by Israel - he will sow flax, make nets, hunt deer, process the skins and write Torah scrolls. The Gra asked: What is the point of all the long journey? After all, one can buy ready-made parchment and write. However, if the beginning is not clean - the Torah is not complete. Everything must be clean from the beginning.".
Then he added a sentence that was etched in hearts: "Who knows if the reason the yeshivahs are not as successful as they should be is because they are taking money from places that are not worthy.".
