Dayan Fuerst of Chicago Speaks at Kollel Tirtza Devorah
The 80 members of Yeshiva Darchei Torah ’ s Kollel Tirtza Devorah — both the full-day avreichim as well as the mechanchim who study in its afternoon Kollel — were privileged to be addressed by Rav Shmuel Fuerst , the dayan of Agudath Israel of Illinois .
Rav Fuerst , who is renowned as one of the preeminent poskim in all of North America , was in the Tristate area for family simchos . Before his arrival , he called Rav Dovid Bender , the Rosh Kollel of Kollel Tirtza Devorah and the posek for the Kollel and many Yeshiva Darchei Torah families . He explained that he had a few open hours on his schedule and was willing to visit the Kollel to give a public shiur in halacha or to answer sh ’ ailos . He made this offer even though his flight would be landing in Newark Liberty Airport , and traveling to Far Rockaway would take him well out of his way .
Delighted , Rav Dovid Bender immediately agreed . Over his career of learning and teaching , and particularly as he entered the world of hora ’ ah , Rav Dovid has developed a personal connection with many of this generation ’ s leading American poskim . Most recently , he was zocheh to have shimush and frequent consultation with Rav Gavriel Finkel of Lakewood . When Rav Finkel was niftar a few years ago , Rav Dovid reinforced his relationship with Dayan Fuerst of Chicago .
Dayan Fuerst took questions from the members of the Kollel in a session that lasted nearly one and a half hours . He addressed a range of halachic topics , from contemporary issues in Shabbos and Brachos to Yomtov and Hilchos Yichud . The room came alive as avreichim and rabbeim challenged the distinguished visitor in milchamta shel Torah . Rav Fuerst regaled the assembled with firsthand stories and unpublished psakim of gedolei haposkim of previous eras that he was privy to over the course of his career .
The avreichim of Kollel Tirtza Devorah , several of whom are already on course to become morei hora ’ ah in their own rights , came away from the shiur visibly enlightened and inspired by the encounter with true gadlus .
BEDARCHEI HATORAH WINTER 5782 / 2022 37