On Wednesday evening, December 25, the fourth night of Chanukah, Yeshiva Mercaz HaTorah of Belle Harbor held their Chanukah Mesiba. The annual mesiba is a highlight of the year, with talmidim, joined by their families and Rebbeim, enjoying an evening of chizuk and chashivus haTorah.

The program began with a siyum made by Binyomin Wulliger on Maseches Makkos, which was followed by spontaneous and spirited dancing as the bochurim rejoiced in the simchas haTorah.

In the weeks leading up to Chanukah, the bochurim were busy chazering and preparing for the Rosh Yeshiva’s bechina on the gemorah that they are learning. The bochurim who received an aleph were called up individually at the mesiba and given a sefer from the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shumel Zev Dicker, shlita. He mentioned that Chanukah is the appropriate time to be machaziek in learning, as the yevonim tried to destroy the kiyum haTorah of Klal Yisroel.

Rabbi Shlomo Pheiffer, shlita, Rebbi in Darchei Torah and formerly in Belle Harbor, then spoke about true simcha, limud haTorah and how that true simcha is what guides us through the choshech of today. He urged the bochurim to keep learning and chazering every daf gemorah as that is what will bring light into someone’s life.

The seudah that followed was enjoyed by everyone and the bochurim then joined in for leibidike dancing. The bochurim encircled their Rebbeim and danced with gusto late into the night. It was an uplifting and spirited mesiba.