New Class Graduates With Semicha in Pretoria

Once again the Yeshiva LeRabbonus of Pretoria enjoyed the privilege and the nachas to see a class of temimim receiving their semicha. A compounded joy was to celebrate several bochrim’s success in both the pre-semicha and semicha years, as they invested two years in learning poskim.

The ceremony opened with a message from the menahel of the yeshiva, Dayan Rabbi Gidon Fox, highlighting the dichotomy of looking to the future without unravelling the past, and on a day as auspicious as the 15th of Elul, temimim moving out to their shlichus in life need to reflect on their being the bridge, the bridge between the accumulation of the past generations efforts and the future of generations in an ever-changing world.

Rabbi Chaim Finkelstein, Rosh yeshiva and Rav hamasmich, addressed the bochrim with a note of how to manage complexity within life, undergirded by the depth and integrity which comes from a life of Chassidus. Rabbi Finkelstein cited the Rebbe Rashab’s approach to learning poskim, outlined in the kuntress Eitz Chaim, with unbiased probity.

The ceremony concluded with a dvar Torah from one of the musmachim, Rabbi Mendy Forer, who first examined the parable of the King being in the field as a moment when the borders between the lowest of the peasantry and the loftiest of royalty are removed- to the point that the peasantry can remain in their natural space, without the need for adjusting to palace etiquette. Elul is that space where we can remain fastened to the mundane world, yet be connected to the Aibehster in the most profound way. In the same vein the class of 5782 should embark on their move into the world about them, with a sense that the most profound connection to the Aibeshter is very much available to them in any sphere of life.

“We second those sentiments and wish the new Rabbonim Hatemimim mazeltov,” said Rabbi Finkelstein.