This Kollel Keeps You And Torah Alive When Everyone Else Is Sleeping

15 years ago, Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael was formed when five�friends decided to follow the age old custom of arising at midnight�to learn Torah. Today, over eighty Talmidei Chachamim learn each�night at Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael.

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Midnight. A cold winter night. Relentless rain. Empty, silent streets. In the�surrounding fields, a jackal howls. A sudden lightning flash illuminates dozens�of figures rushing through the rain toward an impressive building. The tall�windows seem to diffuse not ordinary light but some higher, blissful radiance.�Within minutes, the sound of tefillah and limud HaTorah overpowers the�raging thunderstorm. This is Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael, and these are�the “anshei chatzos � the midnight men.”

An interview with Rabbi Yehoshua Meir Deutsch, shlita, the dynamic�Rosh Kollel of Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael.

What impelled you to create a Kollel Chatzos? I thought that arising�at midnight to learn Torah was only for the tzaddikim of old.

The truth is, 15 years ago when I first decided to open Kollel Chatzos,�Eretz Yisrael, people though I was crazy. The idea of arising at midnight to�learn Torah was unheard of, at least in this day and age. Yet so many of our�seforim speak about the importance of devoting the auspicious midnight�hours to limud haTorah and avodas Hashem. These hours are precious.�People who come to visit our Beis Medresh in the middle of the night, are�always amazed to find it crowded with lomdei haTorah. The kedushah there is�palpable – and it’s no wonder: chatzos is a time of brachah, a true eis ratzon.�The holy Zohar brings that at dawn, the Creator stretches forth his scepter of�kindness; whoever has merited standing and learning during the night may�stretch out his hand and touch it. The tefillos recited during those hours are�powerful and are m’sugal to bring down yeshuos.

The nighttime hours, and especially the hours of chatzos, are the times of�greatest clarity. The world is still and there are no distractions. The learning is�pure and untainted. The avreichim are able to really shteig in their learning.�Watch an inspirational video about the power of chatzos or see pictures of�Kollel Chatzos in action.

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Could you give us a glimpse into what goes on at Kollel Chatzos,�Eretz Yisrael?.

“At Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael, the night begins with the recital of�Tikkun Chatzos. The avlei Tzion � the mourners of Zion, remove their shoes�and lower themselves to sit on the ground. Bent over their Tikkun Chatzos,�they sob with pain as they mourn the churban of the Beis Hamikdash, the�Exile of the Shechinah and the sufferings of the Jewish People. Their eyes�flow with tears as they beseech Hashem to put an end to our bitter galus, and�pray for the individual suffering of each member of Am Yisrael. These tefillos�are precious, for according to our seforim hakedoshim, Mama Rochel brings�them directly to the Kisei Hakavod.

I often remind the avreichim at Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael, that when�we recite Tikkun Chatzos, we are not only mourning for the exile of Am�Yisrael. Rather, we are also mourning our own soul’s exile into evil desires,�sadness, depression, and materialism. We beseech Hashem to send the�Moshiach to redeem all of Klal Yisrael from this bitter galus, as well as each�individual Jew from his own private exile.

The moment we conclude the recital of Tikkun Chatzos, the “war of Torah”�begins. The entire Beis Medresh throbs with the vibrant song of limud�Hatorah. With chaburos, chavrusos and shiurim in both Gemara and Poskim,�as well as Kabalah and Chassidus, the melodious song of limud Hatorah blend�together into a beautiful symphony of avodas Hashem. The achdus is�amazing. Sefardim, Ashkenazim Chassidim and yeshivisheh ovdei Hashem all�learn together at Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael. The avreichim range in agefrom twenty to close to eighty! Working men who rush home from their jobs�to go to sleep early in order to come to Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael, learn�b’chevrusa with great talmidei chachamim who devote every moment of their�day – and their night – to Torah study.

Can you tell us about some of the avreichim who are learning at�Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael?

Rav Shlomo Aharon Gottleib, shlita, is one of the leaders of a prominent�Chassidic group on Eretz Yisrael. Although he is disabled and confined to a�wheel chair, he never, ever misses a night of limud Hatorah at Kollel�Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael. He is almost eighty years old, yet, in spirit, he is�more like a twenty year old. Every night, about ten minutes before the�minibus is scheduled to pick them up, he phones the ten avreichim who travel�with him from Beit Shemesh to Beitar to make sure that they don’t get up in�time! No matter what the weather, when the minibus arrives, he is already�outside and waiting, and then, during the 15 minute ride to Beitar, he delivers�a shiur to the other avreichim�

And then there’s Rav Moshe Shor, shlita. He’s been learning at Kollel�Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael for over twelve years, yet he’s never missed a night.�Even on the night of his son’s wedding, he arrived right after the mitzvah�tantz, wearing his streimel and bekesher!

We have real tzaddikim learning in our Kollel. Rav Y. K., shlita, for example,�remains standing the entire night in a corner of the Beis Medresh, learning�Gemara. Every year he makes a siyum HaShas. And then there’s Rav N. S. His�face literally radiates kedushah! When he davens shmonei esrei, the tears are�stream from his eyes. These simple looking avreichim are hidden tzaddikim ��if the world would know about them, they would run after them for brachos�

Among the men learning at Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael, there are�several who travel from Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh to Beitar each�night to learn at the Kollel. Isn’t there something similar available�for them there?

“Yes, there is, but Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael, is the ‘father of the kollel�chatzos network.’ Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael is special; there is an�incredible sense of kedushah and achdus that has yet to be duplicated�elsewhere. The feeling of growth and avodas Hashem is palpable.

In terms of gashmiyus, Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael has its own�magnificent Beis Medresh. Refreshments and drinks are available around the�clock. Although the Beis Medresh is fully air conditioned, after too many�occasions when the electricity was down due to inclement weather we�recently installed a wood burning stove. After all, I couldn’t allow the men of�Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael to continue learning in a freezing Beis�Medresh, and of course, despite the lack of heat, none of them would miss a�night of limud Hatorah, so they all showed up bundled in layers, and layers�(and more layers) of clothing! Now, thanks to our new wood burning stove,�baruch Hashem, no matter what the weather, the Beis Medresh remains�warm – both in gashmiyus as well as in ruchniyus.

You’re supporting some ninety avreichim, most of them heads of�large families. That’s a huge responsibility. How do you do it?

Siyata D’Shemaya. That’s the key. It takes a real miracle to support so many�chashuva avreichim. Each avreich receives a $700 monthly stipend, and�before a Yom Tov that amount is doubled. The nashei chayil of Kollel�Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael receive a $100 prior to each Yom Tov, a small token�of our appreciation for their mesirus nefesh in enabling their husbands devote�their nights to Torah.

Baruch Hashem there are wonderful people who want the zechus of�supporting talmidei chachamim who devote their nights to limud Hatorah with�tremendous mesirus nefesh. One of the most sought-after arrangements is�the Yissachar-Zevulon contract, approved by the greatest poskim. The donor�and the Torah learner sign a contract, meriting each with an equal portion in�the learning. Of course, for this I choose only the best learners, talmidei�chachamim, real masmidim who never miss a night. The two become true�partners; the Torah learner davens for his donor-partner and his family, every�night at chatzos.

People mamash see nissim in the zechus of these contracts, especially in the�area of parnassah. I am often astonished by the power of this segulah. One�of our supporters was so satisfied with the results that he added another�contract for his business! Dozens of times, I’ve seen how on days when�Yissachar has learned with exceptional spiritual elevation, Zevulon reports a�special success or a yeshuah.

We have a range of other possibilities for participation: hourly or daily,�through a standing bank order or a one-time donation, each according to his�ability. Oftentimes, in the middle of the night I will get an emergency phone�call from one of our supporters asking us to daven for someone who is�seriously ill. I stop the learning for a few minutes to ask everyone to daven�for that person’s refuah and dedicate their learning to his zechus. Sometimes,�we also conduct a pidyon nefesh. Baruch Hashem the results have been�amazing! But I really shouldn’t be surprised. After all, during the hours of�chatzos, the shaarei Shemayim are open to receive our tefillos, and they are�brought directly to the Kisei Hakavod. And of course all our donors are listed�in the Kollel’s kvittel. We daven for them each week at the Kosel and Kever�Rochel, and monthly in Meiron. Each name and request is mentioned slowly�and with concentration. Baruch Hashem we’ve seen incredible yeshuos!

I’d like to take this opportunity to invite anyone reading this to personally visit�Kollel Chatzos, Eretz Yisrael, next time you are in Eretz Yisrael.

Personally, I think it should be counted among the mekomos hakedoshim�there.

Rabbi Yehoshua Meir Deutsch is in New York until February 20. To arrange a meeting please call 646-4033750.

Israeli telephone: 972-2-5803545

American telephone: 646-4033750

Email [email protected]

Fax 972-2-5805123

For details about the kollel, videos, or to make a donation, please go online

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Or online: www.kollelchatzot.com

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Freedman Family

1540 40th St.