Ohel Yaacob Event - Rabbi Eli Mansour

[Music] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's a very emotional speech and you have to know Aiki when you're crying the the the happy tears about Hakamaroo. All of the students share those happy tears with you. And we're all so excited about this groundbreaking ceremony that we're building a state-of-the-art Torah center that has not existed for sure in the Jersey Shore to this capacity. I believe that the day that we have come, the 28th of A is a very significant day for this dedication. I love to look at the days and look at the history of the day. It didn't start with it didn't start with it didn't start with Rabbi. It started with a great rabbi who was a Talmudist and he was born in Araman Halab at the end of the 1800s. His name was Rabbi Abraham Adis Shalom. The grandfather of Yehuda Adis. Today the Rosh called Yakov. Abraham Addis was a student of Rabbi Murai Abadi in Halab. And then he moved to Israel. And when he moved to Israel, he decided to devote his life to Kabala. and he became the Shiva of Yeshiva of the Mikubim. However, he took one student actually two students. One he taught the entire Talmud in depth that was Rabbi and the other student he taught all the Kabala in depth and that was Rabbi Jacob Escassen. and Rabbi Zahat would take the Talmud of Rabbi Adis and open up Parat Ysef and of course become the rabbi of our rabbi. I heard lessons from Akamaruk my whole life starting in eighth grade Magnan David and on I did not leave his side as some of you read in the book and there was not a lesson that he did not quote his rabbi on some sort of teaching but he also would mention Rabbi Abraham because that was his grand rabbi. Rabbi Jacob Escasser would go on to become a great cabalist, although he would use his cabala in private and become the great leader of our community. I don't think it's a coincidence that on the day where the grand rabbi of those two greats, the 28th of A is the y site of Hakam Abraham Addis. This is the day that he passed away. So I have no doubt that all the stars are lining up perfectly that the Grand Rabbi is giving us a blessing from heaven and that we make this dedication on the ground where Rabbi Isra student Hakamaruk lived and on the street called Jacob Lane named after Rabbi Jacob Escassen. the Gdoleim are all coming together from heaven and earth in order to give their blessings to this monumental and historical project and I believe yes it deserves a the cabalist right that the month of Av which we're in now is actually divided into two parts well The first half of the month is unlucky. You might say it's even cursed. Destruction of the temples and all of our black history. It all happened in the first 15 days of the month. But our rabbis tell us the second half of the month is blessed. From t we celebrate and it's joyous. We have parties again. There's weddings every night. And the cabalists write that's why the month is called a is two letters. Alf represents the word arur. Arur is the first half of the month. However, the second half of the month is alfboo. We are now in the section of and therefore I think it's appropriate in this section of the month of a we dedicate the ham benim Torah center of our holy synagogue. [Applause] So all the signs are there but I want to tell you the real merit. Our rabbi amongst all the things that he did he was a teacher. That's the connection that drew all of us to him. He taught Torah but he taught it in a very unique way. He taught it with a lot of energy and passion. He taught it with love. He had a warmth and a humility. He taught it according to the tradition. He had a certain way where he wasn't too much this way or too much that way. It made sense to everybody. And thank God. I hope the rabbi would be proud of us because we learned from him the method, not only what to teach, but how to teach it. And I think that our great synagogue with all its rabbis without exception is continuing in that. Not only curriculum because curriculum is only half of it but it's the methodology of dispensing it of giving it over. Our shul is known for a shul of warmth a shul of love very little politics. People feel comfortable when they come to the shul. There's no pulling and tugging and all sorts of undercurrens. Just a a fun place to be. That's the way the rabbi established it. I have no doubt that the rabbi is going to be exceptionally happy because now our synagogue has partnered with his yeshiva taught and Mag and David for 30 years and our synagogue has partnered with the yeshiva that all their boys come every night with the help of Rabbi Alex and Rabbi Baraja and all the rabbis that are working for the synagogue. that partnership with Mag and David. They don't know how lucky they are. We're spending all the money and they're getting all the benefits. We built them a $3 million Madrid in Brooklyn and now we're going to build them a $6 million project at least here in deal. And what are we doing it for? We're doing it for the kids, for the boys and girls. So they can come and study study the ways of the Torah according to our tradition according to that taught Rabbi that taught and now landed on my lap as well. Well, it's a great day for the community. I have no doubt is very happy in Shamayim. I'm sure he's blessing the project. The fact that it's on his lot. Probably that was the that was the seeds that planted this project. All the years that he lived with Kadusha, with the Rebbits in Charlotte, may she live and be well. when we when we wanted to knock down the house. You can't just knock down a rabbi's house without asking somebody. Although I'm sure it's been done, but we went to the Rebbitson and we asked the Rebbitson, it's the Rebbitson's house, could you believe what a synagogue we have? They built a house. I remember the days of Lawrence Avenue, the old days before Torah Center. We didn't have a shas. You understand? We didn't have a shas until Jack Kassen came. I think it was Isaac's bitzvah and he said, "Rabbi, I'm inviting people. I'm inviting rabbis in the sh where's the books?" He loves the books like his grandfather. I said, "We don't have any books, Jack. We have we have Israel and in the rabbis or office that's locked." Isaac Yadid will tell you it's locked 98% of the time. There's a shasin shas and 98% of it's missing. And guess what? Nobody cared because nobody ever asked for a shas. So Jack, God bless him, bought, he said, "What's the best shas we could get for the I said get the Shaenstein." He bought five sets of shas. That's the first time. But even then, we only bought it for decorative reasons. Nobody was learning anything. I remember at 7:00 when the minan was over, he would stand by the door with a key in his hand. When the last guy would leave, he would lock the door and the shul would not be opened until 5:00 the next morning when him and Dr. Ballas would come and learn. Those days are over. Our sh is open from 4:00 a.m. and it's open well past midnight. Nobody's locking the doors today. Today there's access to the synagogue 24 hours a day. And as our building chairman said, boys, girls, all ages, I will say publicly, there's no question we have the most robust ladies program in the community. Every single day, not one class, three classes, we are the industry leader. Thank God because of all the talent that we have. And to the credit of Mr. Jack A and Ike, we said we got lucky. So many things have to come about. Our leadership, Mr. Cassid, Mr. Franco, they loved Rabbi Baruk. So without that ingredient of people that are loyal to Rabbi Baruk and Akov doesn't work. Jack is following his father who also was a loyal brother-in-law to Aiki's following his father that was a loyal Shabel Franco before he passed away told Akamaruk take care of my children like they're yours and that's why they're so emotional. So we all share the love of our rabbi and we share this perpetuation of his values and his d. So congratulations to the to the congregation is a beautiful place not only aesthetically the talks about however sometimes you have glorious but in not such a nice vessel. However in our synagogue it's It's glorious wisdom in a glorious vessel. And now that vessel is only going to become even bigger and more beautiful and more special. So again, what is the obligation of the congregation? Easy. I'm doing all the work. I got to open the books. I have to teach. I have to come here 4 in the morning. I accept the job. Rabbi Mala and all the rabbis here, they accept. They're all workaholics. You think Jack A and Ike are going to hire anybody that's not a workaholic like them in their prime. Somebody doesn't have a work ethic that's cares about the community. We were hired not because of our good looks. We were hired because we're committed to work and we follow the tradition. So we're committed the staff to do our job. Now we're asking the congregation, you got to do the easy job. How long does it take to write a check for a million dollars? Takes a second to write the check and just give it over. But it's a good investment. Buy now when it's still cheap. Everything's going up. This Torah center when it's finally built, people going to become running. I want to buy something. What can I buy? I know it from Brooklyn. When we're building this, we're pulling a guy. Give us money. N Safra. Safra. You don't need the money. It's not. Now they're coming. Give me something. I want the rabbi's office. We sold the rabbi. I'll give sell me the rabbi the doororknob. Okay. Well, I we put a a plaque on the doororknob because the guy wants to be part of it. People like success, but they don't understand success until it's materialized. We have proven, our board of directors has proven we know how to succeed with the help of Hashem. We built this place, but okay, look how beautiful it is. Now people are coming. We want dedications. Same thing's going to happen there. So don't wait until it's put up and then what you wanted is going to be sold. We're going to have to give you some uh some, you know, secondary item. Please support the project. You're supporting the community and you're supporting the future of our boys and girls education and it's what Hakamaruk would like and I have no doubt he'll give you his blessings from the upper worlds him his rabbi rabbi and the grand rabbi Rabbi Adis that's your site is today may the blessings of this sadikim be upon us and may our board of directors committee succeed like Edmund Safra would say before every meeting he went to Amen.