BY Shaul Sofer

A monumental and historic gathering was held in Bais Medrash Govoha’s Beren dining room on Sunday night as roshei yeshivah, yungerleit, bachurim, and young boys gathered to hear the first shmuess of the new mashgiach, Rav Reuven Hechster.

As the epicenter of the yeshivah world in the Diaspora, BMG holds large Torah gatherings and shmuessen regularly. Yet there was a palpable buzz in the air ever since the event was announced, as Rav Hechster was to be inaugurated as the heir to the legendary mashgichim Rav Nosson Wachtfogel—of whom he was a close talmid—and Rav Matisyahu Solomon, zichronam livrachah.

As Rav Hechster entered the yeshivah on Sunday, his first stop was the mashgiach’s room, which was once occupied by Rav Matisyahu and before that by Rav Nosson. This room—where Rav Hechster had, decades ago, heard va’adim from a mashgiach who would shape his own life as a gadol b’Torah—will now be his.

In that room, he met briefly with one of the yeshivah’s other current mashgichim, Rav Eliezer Stefansky, and other chavrei hahanhalah. He then went into Rav Malkiel’s office for a short meeting with the roshei yeshivah and mashgichim.

Then, Rav Hechster, flanked by the roshei yeshivah and chavrei hanhalas hayeshivah, entered the jammed dining room, and the standing-room-only crowd, which included dozens of chashuvei ha’ir, erupted into a lengthy “Ki Orech Yamim,” an expression of kavod haTorah and joy at this momentous occasion.

Rav Malkiel spoke first, articulating how a yeshivahman must internalize the concept that we’re a mamleches kohanim v’goy kadosh, and that the mission of a mashgiach is to meromem the oilam to this.

He quoted Rav Elya Svei, one of BMG’s most illustrious alumni, as saying that the largely American talmidim of the yeshivah could only understand Rav Aharon’s derech in avodas Hashem and limud haTorah through Rav Nosson being meromem them to that level.

Rav Malkiel noted that the new mashgiach is not only continuing a line of esteemed predecessors, but that he was mekabel from Rav Nosson himself and can give over that hadrachah to the current generation. He also acknowledged the current staff of mashgichim, who give shmuessen and offer counsel to the talmidei hayeshivah.

Then came the moment all had been waiting for as Rav Malkiel introduced Rav Hechster for his first shmuess as BMG mashgiach.

He fittingly opened with a ma’amar from Rav Nosson: Chazal say in Brachos, “Kol mi sheyesh bo yiras Shamayim, devarav nishma’im.” The words of someone who has yiras Shamayim are heard.

 

When Rav Nosson would quote this Chazal, he would add two words. “Sof sof devarav nishma’im,” he would say. In the end, his words will be heard. Sometimes not right away, sometimes years later, and at times only after 120.

Rav Hechster said that now, as he stands in the yeshivah where Rav Nosson delivered his shmuessen, he feels a shlichus to fulfill Rav Nosson’s words so the pearls of mussar that Rav Nosson taught will resonate even after his passing so many years ago.

The shmuess centered around the concept of how mussar and speeches must bring to concrete action, without which inspiration is of little value.

Rav Hechster brought this out with several questions related to the subject of last week’s parshah, Parshas Yisro.

Rashi brings the midrash that Moshe Rabbeinu went to greet Yisro with Aharon and the zekeinim, and whoever saw them followed, until all of Klal Yisrael accorded kavod to Yisro. What merit earned Yisro such unprecedented honor?

Also, the Gemara in Sanhedrin says it was a gnai that Moshe and the 600,000 Bnei Yisrael didn’t say “Baruch” until Yisro came and declared “Baruch Hashem asher hitzil eschem.”

Though Klal Yisrael sang shiras hayam, Yisro reached a higher madreigah of shirah. How could someone who wasn’t even present grasp the miracle more deeply than those who saw it with their own eyes?

Furthermore, Rashi says, “Vayishma Yisro.” And Yisro heard. What did he hear? Krias Yam Suf and Milchemes Amalek. Krias Yam Suf was an overwhelming gilui Shechinah, so it’s understood why that would inspire him. But what did Milchemes Amalek add?

The answer lies in Rabbeinu Yonah’s teaching that when a person hears mussar, it makes an impression, but the yetzer hara quickly causes him to forget. The only way the hisorerus remains is if “milibo yotzi milim,” he brings the words out from his heart—verbalizing, thinking, and internalizing them.

Chazal say that Parshas Nazir follows Parshas Sotah because whoever sees a sotah in her disgrace should undertake to abstain from drinking wine. One would think the scene of a sotah receiving her gruesome punishment would be enough of a deterrent. But no, he must act by foreswearing wine. Without effort, even the strongest inspiration disappears.

This explains Yisro. He heard about Krias Yam Suf like all the nations, and he was shaken. But then he heard about Amalek—that even after such a revelation, people could still cool off. He realized that inspiration alone isn’t enough; one must do something concrete. And that’s why he was megayer.

During Yetzias Mitzrayim, the pasuk says, “Lema’an tesaper…v’yedatem ki Ani Hashem,” so you will tell over…and you will know that I am Hashem. Not “v’yeidu,” and they will know, but “v’yidatem,” and you will know. Even those who saw the nissim must retell them—milibo yotzi milim, articulating them from within—so the knowledge becomes internal and lasting.

Hashem Himself testified about Yisro, “Adam zeh lo ba ela l’shem Shamayim,” this man came purely for the sake of Heaven. He was truly a ba litaher, someone seeking spiritual refinement. Therefore, he was zocheh to mesayin oso, reaching a madreigah even greater than those who merely witnessed the miracles, and he merited to say “Baruch” all because he acted to preserve the hisorerus instead of allowing it to fade.

Rav Heschster related that Rav Nosson would often say people mistakenly think yiras Shamayim contradicts simchas hachaim. The truth is the opposite. “Ivdu es Hashem b’yirah” and “Ivdu es Hashem b’simchah.” We must serve Hashem with awe and with joy, which complement each other. Yitzchak Avinu, known as the amud hayirah, the pillar of awe, is described with “Yitzchak yeranen.” Yitzchak will sing with joy.

At Har Sinai, it says “Vayecherad kol ha’am,” the nation trembled. Yet Chazal call it “Yom chasunaso,” the day of His wedding. The words of Torah were me’irim u’smeichim k’nsinasam miSinai—shining and joyous as when they were first given. Yirah and simchah are trein rei’in d’lo misparshin—two companions that never truly part.

Rav Nosson would say that yirah without simchah and simchah without yirah are equally dangerous. Eisav had fear without joy, as it says, “Hinei anochi holeich lamus,” I’m going to die anyway. Yishmael had joy without restraint, as it says, “metzachek,” indulging in frivolity.

Serving the Ribono Shel Olam with the inseparable pillars of joy and fear is what makes one a true eved Hashem.

Rav Hechster is assuming his new position after years as a highly popular mashgiach in Mir-Brachfeld. He will remain there as well and divide his time between the two yeshivos, spending 20 days each month in Eretz Yisroel and 10 days in Lakewood.