ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 28TH, MAGEN DAVID YESHIVAH HIGH SCHOOL HAD THE ZECHUT AND HONOR TO HAVE CHIEF RABBI SHLOMO AMAR, THE FORMER SEPHARDIC CHIEF RABBI OF ISRAEL, ADDRESS THE YESHIVAH.
The Rabbi began by greeting the rabbis, teachers, and student body and telling them how happy he was to see the continued Torah growth of the community. He went on to speak about the importance of striving ever higher in terms of spiritual, Torah growth, and to never be satisfied with one’s current level. At the same time in terms of physical, material growth, one should work at being satisfied and appreciative, always remembering that there are those lower than themselves. He quoted from the Alenu prayer, “BaShamayim meema’al, ve’al ha’aretz meetachat….” (In matters of Shamayim, spirituality, one should always look up and strive, in matters of ha’aretz, physicality, one should look down and be satisfied.)
The Rabbi then tied that lesson into the greatness of Chacham Ovadiah Yosef zt’l, whose yahrzeit was that day, the 3rd of Cheshvan. He mentioned how Hacham Ovadiah began his life in extreme poverty, yet always strove to raise himself up higher and higher on the ladder of Torah, mitzvot, and yirat shamayim. Torah itself is what elevates the person, bringing out their true potential and greatness.
Rabbi Amar closed by giving the entire student body, rabbis, and staff a most beautiful, detailed, and heartfelt beracha, which was answered with a resounding Amen!
