Rabbi Yosef Kahaneman Recounts Mother's Sacrifice in Founding Ponevezh Yeshiva
Rabbi Yosef Kahaneman, founder of the Ponevezh Yeshiva, shared a deeply moving story about his mother's extraordinary dedication to Torah study, which he cited as the true genesis of the institution. Speaking at the yeshiva's cornerstone-laying ceremony, Rabbi Kahaneman explained that the inspiration for building the yeshiva wasn't recent but stemmed from his childhood in Lithuania decades prior.
He recounted his family's extreme poverty in their small, dilapidated home in the town of 'Kol,' Lithuania. Despite the lack of material possessions, his parents instilled in their five sons a profound love for learning Torah. One particularly harsh winter night, with only one pair of boots and one coat for the five boys, a fierce debate erupted over who would brave the freezing snow to attend school the next day. Each son presented compelling reasons, highlighting the importance of the day's lessons in Talmud and Torah portions.
Unable to resolve the dispute and moved to tears by their plight, his mother took action. Around 4 a.m., she woke the eldest son, dressed him in the coat and boots, and led him through the blizzard to the nearby study hall, where a stove provided warmth and early students were already present. She then returned home, still in her thin clothing and worn shoes, to escort the next son, and so on, until all five boys were at school. She repeated this arduous journey in the afternoon to bring them home, enduring the severe cold and snow.
His mother later fell ill with a severe cold and high fever, but repeatedly told her children, "My children, listen to me! I do not regret for a moment what I did! It was all worth it so as not to miss a single day of cheder, so that my sons would study Torah!" Rabbi Kahaneman concluded that the cornerstone for the yeshiva was laid that very day, emphasizing that all sacrifices are worthwhile for the sake of Torah study. He then drew a parallel to the upcoming holidays, urging parents to demonstrate their reverence for prayer, elders, and religious observance, as children learn more from witnessing these actions than from direct instruction.
