By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

We continue with the series, �Of Phil and Dovid.� As readers of the first episode know, ninety years ago, a deep friendship formed between Phil and Dovid.� They were both American Yeshiva students in America in the 1930�s.� They had both studied under Rav Dovid Leibowitz zt�l, then the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah V�Daas and soon to open his own Yeshiva � the Rabbinical Seminary of America, Chofetz Chaim.

Dovid had travelled across the Atlantic on the White Star Line and had taken some of their complimentary stationary.� He began his studies in the Mir Yeshiva in Poland.� Phil stayed in America. They exchanged letters.

It was November 8^th, 1933 and Dovid is writing to his friend, Phil.� It is his first letter.� In it he describes the schedule in the Mir Yeshiva in Poland.� Readers are invited to compare the schedule with that of their own Yeshiva experiences and/or that of their children.� The schedule found below has been reformatted for clarity, return to Yeshiva after supper has been approximated by this author.

8:00 AM ������������ ������������� -DAVENING (YH: pronounced �Davenen� as they are no longer in America)

9:10 AM-10:00 AM�������� -MISHNA BRURAH [YH: Some learned other things]

10:00 AM-10:30 AM������ -BREAKFAST

10:30 AM � 3:00 PM������ -FIRST SEDER

3:00 PM � 3:30 PM�������� -MINCHA

3:30 PM � 5:00 PM ������� -LUNCH (YH:� �Dinner�, perhaps because it was the biggest meal of the day)

5:00 PM -9:30 PM���������� -SECOND SEDER

9:30 PM -10:00 PM�������� -MUSSAR SEDER

10:30 PM������������������������� -MAARIV, THEN HOME FOR SUPPER.

11:00 PM������������������������� -DOVID STATES THAT THEY LEARN FOR AN HOUR OR TWO HOURS.

Dovid adds, �In addition to these sedarim, we have shiurim from the Rosh HaYeshiva (YH: Rav Leizer Yudel Finkel, 1879�1965) on Sunday and Thursday and on Tuesday from the Rav (YH: Rav Avrohom Tzvi Hirsch Kammai, 1860-1941).� Rav Yerucham gives us three shmuessin each week: One on Friday night before Maariv; the second one on Shabbos after davening and the third after shalosh seudos.� He sometimes gives us a shmuess during the week.�

Dovid is the future father of Rabbi Yaakov Bender, the Rosh Yeshiva and Dean of Yeshiva Darchei Torah.

More episodes to follow � b�Ezras Hashem.

To read episode #1 click here.

The Mir Yeshiva in Poland was one of the greatest Torah institution in all of Jewish European history.� It produced world class Gedolim.� In the 1930�s, many American Jews studied there.� This author was close to a number of Alter-Mirrers.� There are now none left.� The Mir in Poland was truly the �Golden Age of Yeshiva Study.�� This history is now slowly fading away.

The author is attempting to produce a video series entitled, �The Grandeur of the Mir Yeshiva in Poland.�� Anyone wishing to assist in this endeavor, please contact the author at [email protected]

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