Rav Shaul Alter’s Uplifting Message at His Grandson’s Hanochas Tefillin: “Harness the Material for Holiness”
A joyous event took place this week in the court of Rav Shaul Alter, Gerer Rosh Yeshiva, as he celebrated the hanachas tefillin of his grandson, the son of his son Rav Avrohom Mordechai Alter.
Following Shacharis, Rav Shaul held a tish lechaim in honor of the milestone. The gathering was held in the beautifully appointed Heichal HaTishin, generously dedicated by philanthropist Mr. Louie Scheiner.
During the tish, the Rosh Yeshiva delivered an inspiring address filled with depth and insight, centering on an unexpected question that captured everyone’s attention: “How did a donkey make its way into the topic of tefillin?”
Rav Shaul explained the fascinating connection with a masterful blend of lomdus and drush. He referenced the Gemara’s account of Rabbah’s dream, in which Rabbah saw a donkey and understood it as a sign that his tefillin had become invalid—a passage that raises puzzling questions discussed by the Aruch. He then tied it to the parsha of peter chamor (the redemption of the firstborn donkey), which is mentioned within the sections of tefillin, and linked it further to the Akeidah, where it says “Vayachavosh Avrohom es chamoro—Avrohom saddled his donkey.”
From this, the Rosh Yeshiva drew a profound lesson: “From Avrohom Avinu we learn that one must take the physical, the material—represented by the chamor, the donkey—and harness it in service of holiness.”
The audience listened intently as Rav Shaul’s words illuminated the symbolic depth of the mitzvah, merging the spiritual and physical in the service of Hashem.
Toward the close of his remarks, Rav Shaul turned to address his grandson’s chevraya, the young students from the yeshiva ketanah who had come early to participate in the morning prayers. These boys had awakened an hour before their regular time to learn seder fartugs before Shacharis.
Commending their enthusiasm, the Rosh Yeshiva told them, “This inspiration you felt today—take it with you every day, and carry it through the entire day.”
{Matzav.com}
