A Shiur in Eretz Yisroel

Rabbi Beane: This is Rabbi Avi Karp of Scranton who is going to give his impressions of the Rosh Yeshiva z”l. We started 41 years ago, right?

Rabbi Karp: Approximately, yes.

Rabbi Beane: In Tel Aviv.

Rabbi Karp: Yes.

Rabbi Beane: And you saw him in a shul where he gave a shiur.  Now, what was your impression of what you saw and how did it affect you?

Rabbi Karp: I was not zoche to learn on a regular basis by the Rosh Yeshiva, but this one time when I was learning in Eretz Yisroel, he gave a shiur in the shul. And the hashpo’ah – if you’re interested in the koach of the hashp’oah of the Rosh Yeshiva - you always remember important events, so I remember exactly where I was standing, the time of day, and the exact position of the Rosh Yeshiva. The hashpo’ah was – I’d compare it to an aish.

The shiur itself was difficult and maybe I didn’t chap it even b’shaas maaseh, but  I remember ad hayom[1] the sugya that I learned back at yeshiva the night after the shiur. That was the koach of the hashpo’ah of the Rosh Yeshiva.

Unfortunately, we don’t have the same hashpo’ah every day, but it was an immense influence, like an ignition - the koach of an aish. He was able to ignite talmidim. And Boruch Hashem, most people that were able to learn by him on a regular basis have a tremendous zchus.

Rabbi Beane: There’s nothing that you observed there that you recall?

Rabbi Karp: Nothing special, other than the general influence. I was a mile away from him. I wasn’t even close to him. I was standing way in back, kvetched in.

Rabbi Beane: Was it impressive that all these people came to hear him?

Rabbi Karp: Of course people came to hear him. He was the gadol hador.

Rabbi Beane: Thank you very much Rabbi Karp for your few words.