In a shmuess delivered ahead of Shavuos, HaRav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Brisk, called upon his talmidim—particularly the newly arrived bochurim—not to daven in the nearby Zichron Moshe shtieblach, saying that it is inappropriate for yeshiva bochurim and often leads to bittul zman.
Rav Avrohom Yehoshua addressed the yeshiva following the inauguration of a new beis medrash building, which opened in time for the summer zman. The upper floor of the building now houses a spacious new beis medrash with over 350 seats.
During his remarks, the Rosh Yeshiva lamented the habit of bochurim leaving the yeshiva grounds to daven in Zichron Moshe. He said that such behavior is not befitting a ben Torah, and that these off-campus minyanim are at times exploited for idle wandering, particularly during the late-night hours.
To reinforce this standard, Rav Avrohom Yehoshua announced the opening of a third official minyan in the new building, led by his eldest son, Rav Mordechai Yaakov (Reb Yankel). This is in addition to the existing minyanim led by the Rosh Yeshiva himself and by his brother, Rav Moshe. The new minyan is meant to fully accommodate the tefillah needs of all bochurim within the yeshiva’s walls.
Going forward, all tefillos – Shacharis, Mincha, and Maariv – will be held within the new building, with an additional late Shacharis and a Maariv following night seder to ensure no talmid has any need to seek a minyan outside the yeshiva.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
4 Responses
Very important news
Translation: You must Daven in one of the officially sanctioned Yeshiva Minyanim, which are a competition on who can shlep the Davening longest, and cannot go Daven at a Minyan that goes at a moderate and normal pace. This is because the amount of time spent watching the other bochurim around you from the corner of your eye to see who broke first and took his three steps back, (so you aren’t the first one) is not considered Bittul Torah, but the few minutes of walking back and forth to the shteibel, and then returning to learn way before the official Minyan finished IS Bittul torah.
Kop fun a Lutvak…
🤣
Uncle Mo,
You got me cracking up. We obviously all care very much what this Rosh Yeshiva thinks or does.
[BTW, for the past 35-40 years (before he expanded the building , according to this report) he didn’t seem to mind where or if anyone davened].