On Motza’ei Shabbos, December 7, an overflow crowd of shul members of Khal Nachlas Yitzchok, along with community members and community rabbanim, gathered at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills to celebrate a 50th anniversary melaveh malkah for Khal Nachlas Yitzchok.
Rabbi Akiva Klein, Rav of the Melrose Community Beis Midrash, introduced his father-in-law, the Rav of Khal Nachlas Yitzchok, who is also a well-known speaker and posek, Rav Noach Isaac Oelbaum shlita. Rabbi Klein extolled the Rav’s virtues from both his own personal experience and as a well-known rav.
Rabbi Paysach Krohn, well-known mohel, author, and speaker, was originally supposed to speak, but due to illness was not able to come. So, Rav Oelbaum spoke, and this was the first time in 50 years that he spoke at the shul’s melaveh malkah.
He shared a beautiful drashah and shared his heartfelt hakaras ha’tov to the members of his congregation, the baalei batim, the baalei k’riah, the gabbaim, maggidei shiur, the long-time president of the shul and dinner chairman, Mr. Bernie Shafran, and the Queens community.
He shared a story about two brothers who purchased a house together, and then found out that it wasn’t proper for brothers to live in the same house. They asked the Ribnitzer Rebbe what to do. He wrote a brachah for them on a scroll. After he passed away, the brothers found out what the scroll said. It said: “Hinei mah tov u’mah na’im, sheves achim gam yachad.” Rabbi Oelbaum shared as the Rav of this shul for 50 years that it is a tremendous z’chus to give shiurim and drashos here. Baruch Hashem, he said, that he is zocheh to have maggidei shiur and baalei batim who are thirsty for Torah and always asking for more. It’s a tremendous responsibility for the Rav.
The baalei batim and the shul members have grown so much.
“Our beis midrash is a small transplant of the mesorah of Europe.” He said, “Your homes continue the line of your grandparents and great-grandparents, and we can be m’kadeish our families. If the beis midrash has the k’dushah of Yisrael, then when Mashiach comes, the shul will be transported to Israel. The homes where it is 24 hours of k’dushah going on will for sure be transported.”
He quoted the pasuk “Ner mitzvah, v’Torah or.” A candle burns as long as there are no winds coming in from the outside. Torah, on the other hand, is a fire. Flames are stronger than wind. Today, you have to be a Torah Yid; just being a mitzvah Yid is not enough. In our times, we are living in a bankrupt society. There is so much moral degradation. There used to be lines that were not crossed in the past by non-Jews. Today, there are no lines! Today, without Torah, you cannot be a mentch. Rav Ruderman said, “There is nothing greater than Torah.”
Rav Oelbaum said, “The pleasure of Torah is immeasurable. It’s a tremendous treasure trove. “You have to train your palette to appreciate it.
Our community is blessed to have such a choshuve rav and makom Torah in our midst.
By Susie Garber