There are perhaps no two words that invoke more feeling in the thousands upon thousands of Bochurim that have gone through and experienced that Shabbos before Purim. Camaraderie. Kedusha. Achdus. The feeling that started with the thunderous Kabbalos Shabbos in the Mechinah Beis Medrsash and culminated with the standing Kumzits on R’ Sheftel Neuberger’s front steps following Havdallah. And in between Beauty, Serenity, Purity. In almost every yeshiva in the world you’ll find that Purim has positive memories for bochurim. Words like geshmak, crazy, and unbelievable are associated with those feelings of Purim. In Ner Yisroel it was all that but so much more. Avodah and even Yirah. Not Yiras Haonesh or even Yiras Haromemus but fear of a squandered opportunity. There’s so much to gain all year round in yeshiva but Purim was a time to grab onto R’ Shftel’s coattails and ride them all through Purim. To grow. To rejoice. To become.
Avodah.
The famous vort of the Arizal comes to mind of Yom K’Purim. By R’ Sheftel it was mamash an Avodah. He treated his responsibility as a Kohein Gadol who goes Lifnay V’lifnim. Because that is where he went. To the innermost chambers of our hearts. He was indefatigable. Laining the Megillah for a Beis Medrash that had people spilling into the aisles. Bochurim, Yungerleit and community alumni would come with their children with that hopeful look of anticipation. Holding their breath. Waiting for that first booming Haman. Never the need to repeat it. The night would only end late into the night or early morning. Well after the musicians had packed their instruments away and left the Yeshiva mesibah, R’ Sheftel would be there leading a Kumzits until the bochurim had tired and gone to bed. Never he. He was tireless. Endless amounts of energy if only to inspire one more bochur.
Perhaps there is no more famous Nusach Hatefillah for the Yamim Noraim. The melodies and K’naitches of his nusach are heard annually in hundreds of shuls across the world but it was still only Yom K’Purim. The day of Purim had a seder to the Avodah. There were Divrei Torah that were repeated every year like a mantra. There were songs that needed to be sung before the Neilas Hayom. They were the prayer of our lips. Beseeching Hashem to give us the powerful gifts that can only be unlocked on that most auspicious day. They play in minds across the world this year. Young and old alike. To hear that beautifully deep tenor if only one more time.
Yehi Zichro Baruch
