Shavuos: The Saga of the Ger Tzedek of Vilna, Avraham ben Avraham

Okay, good afternoon everyone. Welcome everyone to the Monday afternoon national perico show, the final show before the Yom Tov of Shavuos. How about we know the Torah? We have spectacular topic for Erev Shavuos 5782. We're going to speak about the saga of the righteous convert of Vilna, Avraham ben Avraham. And you'll see what this uh why this is such an important topic and why it's so inherently connected to the Yom Tov of Shavuos. The flight couple of us are tough. If anybody would like to participate in helping publish the upcoming sefer, there are many in the queue in English, safer Avos Yisrael of the Chofetz Chaim with translation, elucidation, stirring essays. If anybody wants to participate in Chinuch Habonim in English for ArtScroll, in Ben Ish Chai translated in English, or in upcoming sefer of Lashon Hakodesh, Dover Yosher of the Eitzah, original insights on the parsha. There are uh many others um in the queue. Please let us know if you'd like to be mishtatef. We have an amazing topic today. We begin with the Gemara in Yevamos. The Gemara in Yevamos says on daf mem ches amud beis, Tanya Reb Chananya ben Akasha ben Gamliel omer, "Mibnei ma geirim bizman hazeh me'unin vi'isurin ba'in aleihem?" Rebbi Chananya, the son of Rabban Gamliel, made an observation, "Why is it that converts nowadays are afflicted and yisurim come upon them?" Why? Various reasons are given. Number one, the reason Rebbi Chananya, the son of Rabban Gamliel, said is because they did not fulfill the sheva mitzvos bnei Noach before their conversion. >> [snorts] >> Rebbi Yosi challenges that. Rebbi Yosi asks on that, "That can't be. They would not be liable. Once they convert, they're k'katan So then what is the reason? The reason given by Rab Yosi is because they're not learned, and therefore they don't they're not careful in the minutia of the halacha. Aba Chanan says in the name of Rab Elazar, because they don't do mitzvahs out of love, rather out of fear. And then finally, they delayed coming under the the wings of the Sh'china. Amar Rab Yavo, v'item Rab Chanina, what's the pasuk that shows that a ger needs to hasten to convert and not delay? That Bayas tells Rus, "Hashem should reward you that you came to convert, that you came and you didn't delay." That's the Gemara in Yevamos, where the final reason given why gerim are have hardships and are afflicted and have a difficult life is because they delayed becoming gerim. One of the commentaries on the Agadata Gemara that is brought in the Ein Yaakov is a perush called Ahavas Eisan. I remember we learned this kasha when I was in 11th grade, and our rebbe was Harav Dovid Harris, shlita, who now is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yisrael Meir HaKohen, Baal Chofetz Chaim. Uh, we had the following question. M'nai ma gerim b'zman hazeh m'unim? M'nai sh'shoo atzman l'hikanes tachas kanfei HaSh'china? Asked the Ahavas Eisan. Ul'chora in b'zman tam, this is not a logical reason. This is a reason why Gerim are punished cuz they delayed which one you who? It's like Hashem is trying to bust their chops. The in the suvin baza. Gentiles are not commanded to convert. The dive imagine if this was awesome. Isn't it enough that they converted now? But they're being punished because they delayed. Why would they be punished for delaying coming to come face arena? Isn't it good enough that they at the end of the day that they came? In fact, when Gentile comes to convert, we push them away. We discourage them. We tell them, "What do you need this for? You can't go to McDonald's. You're not going to be able There are a lot of things you won't be able to do. You're not going to be able to talk by Hazaras anymore." I can't Not only that, you won't be able to learn by Hazaras. I won't be able to learn Really? Nobody's allowed to learn No, once you convert, you can't learn anymore by Hazaras. And you can't bring your phone into the shul. So, if the Ger says, "You know what? I'm going to accept the mitzvahs of the Torah anyway." So, then we accept them. But now we're saying they're being punished for delaying coming to come face arena. The kissav sofer in kissav sofer and parshas yes right also brings this question. He says it's a tamua. Then all If you're going to say that Gerim are punished >> [clears throat] >> If you're going to say that Gerim are punished because they delayed converting, so then all Gentiles should be punished for not converting in the first place. If you're going to say that Gerim are punished and they have hardship and they have a hard life because they delayed coming to come face arena, then all Gentiles should be punished for not converting. So, this This us to an amazing historical account that happened in the 17th century in the times of the Vilna Gaon. The story that is known as the righteous convert of Vilna and >> [clears throat] >> the righteous convert of of Vilna and his story is very connected to the Yom Tov of Shavuot. In fact, this righteous convert was killed on the second day of Shavuot. His yardzeit is the second day of Shavuot. And Rabbi Yisrael Levinson, the son-in-law of the Chofetz Chaim, would recount the story every year on the second day of Shavuot. And the Chofetz Chaim himself would talk about this. The story happened in 1749. But we begin in the year 1660 where there was a a wealthy duke named Duth Duke Potocki who was somewhat of an eccentric personality. He uh intentionally bought 999 properties so that people would discuss it. His name became a household word and the name Potocki in the 17th century was synonymous with fabulous wealth. This duke sent his son Valentine or Valentine to a Catholic seminary and they were going to groom him uh assisted by the family money to become a bishop. Valentine showed promise and the school headmaster sent him to France to study uh for advanced studies. But Valentine began to study Tanakh and he started to question the his the religious teachings that he was offered and with his inquisitive mind he recognized that the truth did did not lay in the New Testament, but there was something very compelling about the Old Testament. He ran away from France, he ran to Amsterdam and he converted to Judaism. This is all reported in many sfarim we have it here in the safer Hagoin HaKhasid MiVilna. And the word reached Valentine's parents, they began to search for him and they were completely anguished that he became a Jew. And when Avraham ben Avraham, this righteous convert, heard his parents were searching for him he um, fled from Amsterdam, he came to Vilna. He started to look like one of the prushim with a long beard and he stayed in a small shul in Vilna where the women of the community provided for him with the beggars who live there. When the Vilna Gaon found out that this convert was studying in the nearby shul, he suggested that he run to a small town the small town of Ilya so that it would be less likely that he would be discovered. Now, in Ilya, there was a Jewish tailor who made uh, uniforms for high-ranking Polish bureaucrats and he overheard Polish officers talking about how Duke Potocki and their wife were searching for their son who was a fugitive from the French divinity school, converted to Judaism and the tailor suspected that the stranger who was studying in the shul may be that very person because even though the stranger spoke Yiddish, he spoke Yiddish with a very unusual accent. Now, the tailor had a unruly son who caused a lot of disturbances. And the Ger Tzedek spoke to gave him very harsh criticism. Some say even the Ger Tzedek, you know, pulled him out of the base medresh to stop disturbing. Well, this tailor was enraged. He went to the bishop of Vilna and he reported the stranger who was staying in Ilya. And this Ger Tzedek was promptly arrested. They called the duke and his wife to meet this uh escapee. And yes, indeed, this was their son. And they pleaded with him. They cried. They begged him, "You know what? All you need to do is renounce your Judaism publicly. And we'll provide you in a castle with everything you need and you'll still be able to practice silently." One of the Maggid Tzedek of Vilna said that the Ger Tzedek told his mother, "Ma, I love you dearly, but I love the truth even more." The church authorities uh pronounced that he should be burnt to death, uh which was the punishment of a Christian apostate. Avraham ben Avraham was imprisoned. He was tortured until his final day. His mother ran to secure a pardon for him. She was successful, but the the church realized she would be successful, so they preempted his his death a day early, so she came back a day too late. Now, we're going to see about what uh the attitude of this Ger Tzedek was in his final days. And we're going to learn uh the through this narrative many important lessons in hashkafah, history, halacha, and Jewish thought. First, we come to an amazing comment of Rav Avraham Breida. There's a midrash on the words Vayoymer Yisro, "Baruch Hashem." Yisro said, "Blessed is God." Says the midrash, "Chavivim geirim lifnei Hakadosh Baruch Hu yoiser miYisrael." That converts are more beloved to Hakadosh Baruch Hu more than a native Jew. What is the What do What does this midrash mean? How could that be that a convert is more beloved to Hashem than a a native Jew? Says Rav Avraham Breida, the Gemara in Chullin says that the Jewish people are more beloved than the heavenly angels. Because a Jew, when he mentions Hashem's name, he mentions Hashem's name after two words. Shema Yisrael, Hashem. But the Malachei Hashareis only mention Hashem's name after three words. Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh. So, the Jewish people are more beloved than the heavenly angels. Comes Yisro, and Yisro says, "Baruch Hashem." He mentions Hashem's name even after one word. So, we see the angels only say Hashem's name after three words. The Jew mentions Hashem after two words. Shema Yisrael. The converts could mention God's name even after one word. Baruch Hashem. Now, it's amazing that in the Sefer Shem MiShmuel, a beautiful sefer of Torah, he says on the pasuk, "Vihinei Boaz ba miBeis Lechem." "Vayoymer laKoytzrim, 'Hashem imachem.'" Boaz said, "Hashem imachem" right away. So, says the Shem MiShmuel, we know the Gemara in Chullin says that Klal Yisrael are beloved more than the angels because the angels say Hashem's name after three words. And >> [clears throat] >> Klal Yisrael says it after two words. The Shemen HaRosh quotes the Gra that Gerim in a certain sense are even greater than Klal Yisrael because the Ger can mention Hashem even after one word. So when Byas came to the field and he realized the greatness of Rus, that Rus is coming to convert, he said Hashem imakhim. You're going to mention Hashem even earlier than Yisrael. Yisrael has to say two words. You're going to say Hashem's name even earlier. And perhaps says the Shemen Reish, that if regular Gerim can mention Hashem's name after one word, perhaps then it's reasonable to assume that a Moavite convert, who she's giving up in her Gerus all the royalty, and at the same time she is putting herself in a situation where her family will not be able to marry into the Klal Hashem, the Moavite convert can even mention Hashem's name immediately. That's why Byas says Hashem imakhim. He says Hashem's name right away. And this greatness of a Ger is certainly reflected in the life and in the sacrifice of the son of Count Potocki, Valentin Potocki, Avraham ben Avraham. >> [clears throat] >> Now, the Catholic Church pronounced that he was going to be burnt to death. Before he was killed, as reported in the Sefer Kitzes Hashem Biglulasai, also in the biography Hagona Chasam Vilna, They say that some of his torturers begged him for forgiveness. They said, "Are you going to take revenge against us in the next world?" And the Valentine said as follows. He says, "Once when I was a young boy and I was playing in the sand, those children of the farmers came along with their toys and they broke my sand castle. And I went crying to my father. I said, 'Dad, punish them, imprison them, torture them, kill them.' And my father, instead of taking up my cause, got angry at me. He says, 'Why are you occupying yourself with such pettiness? Why are you being so small-minded?' But um so the the boy said, this Valentine said that I said to myself, 'You know what? When I grow up, I am going to surely uh take revenge against them. I'm going to punish them severely.' "What do you think I did?" says Valentine, "when I grew up. Do you think I punished those children who broke my sand castle? No. Once I grew up, my sand castle didn't mean anything to me anymore. It was not relevant to me. It was not important to me. So says the count, says Valentine, 'You think when I get to the world of truth and everything will become crystal clear, you think I'm going to be bothered with taking revenge about what you did to my flesh and blood? My flesh and blood is only offal and hardama." And the torturers were shocked. He says, "If I am so excited even any great madrigal in the world to come, I will not rest until I take my murderer and I bring him to the world to come because he was miscalculated to the highest levels of Gan Eden. And the Chofetz Chaim would say over these words in astonishment. And the Chofetz Chaim would say, "Where does a ger get such an ashama from? Where can How can a ger be catapulted to such great heights where they don't even in this world plan on taking revenge against their torturer and murderer in the next world? Where does such a power come from?" We're going to come back to the answer that the Chofetz Chaim gave. By the way, this story is quoted in the safer K'tav Sofer Bigrot Osei, that sometimes in important relationships in life between man and wife, between man and a brother, sometimes we say, "You know, we're going to take revenge." And the point being, look at the purity of heart even of the Ger Tzedek of Vilna, who had no aspiration of avenging even his murderer. I will say a very important in the safer Toldos Beis Hashem of Volozhin, Reb Baruch Ber Leibowitz would say that the Gra visited the Ger Tzedek of Vilna in jail, Graf Potocki, and he found him crying. And the Vilna Gaon said, "Why are you crying? Why are you crying? Other Raba, you should rejoice that you're being zocheh to be mekadesh shem shamayim. Why are you crying? Why are you crying? Listen to this." Says Graf Potocki, "I'm not crying about what's going to happen to me. I'll tell you why I'm crying. I'm crying that I never took root in the Jewish people. I'm crying cuz I have no father. I have no mother. I have no children. I have no brothers. I have no one in this world. Not parents and not children. Says the going, the madras says, "I need re shine by the way and I am first and I am last." What that means is I am first, I have no father and I am last. Re bond says I have no children. Meaning I am first to those who don't have a father and I am last to those who don't have a child. Says the says the grow, the re bond says your father, the re bond says your child. Now, I had this a year ago in May. To be at the site of the ashes of the Garrett said it of Vilna. By the way, after [clears throat] the Garrett said it was killed, the town that supplied the wood to kill and burn down. In Vilna, an extraordinary number of fires ravaged out of control. Opposite the site of execution, the building was stained black from the smoke. People tried to paint the stain each time the blotch reappeared. It was taken as a sign of divine anger to remind the people of Vilna of the terrible crime they committed. Finally, the whole building was demolished. Now, for many years they didn't allow a monument to be put up where the ashes of the Garrett said it were buried. But a strange tree grew over the place to protect the ashes. There are many legends about what happened to those who tried to chop down the tree and in 1919 a tomb was placed over the ashes and people would come and pray there. When the old cemetery was destroyed, the ashes along with the remains of the Vilna Gaon, were reburied in the new cemetery, and today near the tomb of the Vilna Gaon lie the ashes of the Ger Tzedek. For over 200 years, people would pray at the ashes of the Ger Tzedek. When Vilna was destroyed, that stopped. But I standing there in the cemetery in Vilna, I wondered, what did the Vilna Gaon mean when he told the Ger Tzedek, "Hashem will be your children." I understand Hashem could be your father. Hashem is Avinu Shebashamayim. What does it mean the Ribono shel Olam will be your child? What does that mean the Ribono shel Olam will be your child? So, I want to share with you the following thought. This thought comes from none other than Rav Chaim Volozhiner, and I think it's very significant that it comes from Rav Chaim Volozhiner, because did you know that on the day that they killed the Ger Tzedek of Vilna in 1749, Rav Chaim Volozhiner was born. Rav Chaim Volozhiner was born on that day. V'zara Hashem esh u'va on that day. Ein tzaddik niftar min ha'olam ad she'yivra tzaddik k'motzei. By the way, tell you an amazing thing. On the 7th day of Sivan, Tav kuf tet, 1749, Rav Chaim Volozhiner was born. That was the day that shook the Jewish community in Lithuania, because they burnt at the stake Avraham ben Avraham. By the way, when Rav Chaim Volozhiner passed away, Rav Dovid Tevel, the Nachalas Dovid, eulogized Rav Chaim Volozhiner, and he asked, "How is it that Rav Chaim Volozhiner was born on the second day of Shavuos, but he didn't pass away on that day. He passed away 14 seven days later. He passed away on Yud Daled Sivan. Usually don't tzadikim pass on the day they were born? So, the Nachlas Dovid said that when a person has their bris milah, that is their spiritual birth. So, the Chaim Volozhin was born on Zion Sivan, but his bris was Yud Daled Sivan. So, in fact, he did pass away on the day he was born. So, asked the Rav Dovid Tevel, "What about Moshe Rabbeinu? What about Moshe Rabbeinu? Moshe Rabbeinu what He was born on Zion Adar. He was nifter on the same day. He should have been nifter on Yud Daled Adar." No, Moshe Rabbeinu was born circumcised. So, he didn't need to pass away seven days later. And the same thing with Dovid Hamelech. Dovid Hamelech was born and passed away on Shavuos, cuz Dovid Hamelech was also noilad mahal. So, I want to share with you perhaps what the Vilna Gaon meant when he told Graf Potocki that Hashem will be your child. The Nefesh Hachaim in Shaar Aleph, perek gimmel through daled advances the following very stirring idea. We say that one of Hashem's name is Elokim. We also say that we're created betzelem Elokim. Specifically of all Hashem's name, we don't say betzelem Havaya, betzelem Elokim. Elokim means Hashem is baal hakochos kulam. Baal hakochos kulam means all the various energies in the various worlds, Hashem arranges them and controls them and activates them. Hashem is the controller and the mastermind of all the various powers, forces, and energies in all the worlds. Now, when Klaal Yisrael does the will of Hashem, it says in Eicha, "Moisifin bigvura shel mala." We increase the strength of God. Like it says, "Be'Eloikeem na'aseh chayil." When we don't do the will of Hashem, kivyachol, Hashem accords himself as if we weaken him. Like it says, "Tzureinu l'hadcha tashi." In many places in Zohar Hakadosh, it says that our behavior controls how Hashem is manifest. If we do the will of Hashem, "Tenu oz li l'keim." So, we through our actions, we either strengthen Hashem or weaken him. Says Rav Chaim Volozhiner, amazing words, "V'zois Toras ha'adam." If I'm not mistaken, these words appear on the wall of the Volozhin Yeshiva today, on the inside. "V'zois Toras ha'adam. Kol ish Yisrael, every Jewish man, al yomar b'libo, he should not say, 'Mah ani, what am I? U'mah koichi l'foel b'ma'aseh hashveilim sh've'olam, what can I achieve in this world?' No, you should know, you should understand, you should recognize, you should appreciate that through your mitzvahs, through your ma'asim tovim, through your tfilos, you activate, harness, and send energy and spiritual power throughout all the various worlds. In that sense, you're Elohim. You're in the image of God, just like Elohim, just like God controls all the spiritual energy and all the likewise through our massim, we control all the various energy in the world. Basically, what we are the determining factor of whether the is empowered or weakened. This is what it means we usually interpret it to mean know what's above you. No God is above you. No, it means know that whatever occurs above you is from you. When the told Abraham Abraham that Hashem is your child, that means through your Hashem. You're in a sense creating the you're empowering that's a contribution. That's something you produce. That's your progeny. You're creating something. You're creating and empowering the to act in this world. That's greater than that that's greater than actual children. That's your product. That's your contribution. That's what you're going to even if you're no longer in this world, what in the way you influenced Hashem to accord himself to be empowered, that's your legacy. In any event, when they were taking Count Potocki out to be killed, they were leading him through the streets of Vilna, and the Jews who were afraid of reprisal and and revenge locked themselves up in their homes and closed the shutters. And when the Count Potocki was passing the home of the Vilna Gaon, the Gra peered open his window. He opened up his window and he cried out, "Avraham, Avraham, shnel, shnel." So, they explain as follows. Avraham ben Avraham had a had a halachic dilemma. His halachic dilemma was should he drag his feet in the mud and stall to be able to delay and gain precious moments of life because every moment of life is invaluable. Should he delay being taken to be killed or should he run bizrizos? And the Vilna Gaon issued the following ruling, "Shnel, go quickly. This is Kiddush Hashem. You should do it quickly. The You should You should go to your death speedily." Our Reb Braverman is medayek in the slichos. We say, "Asei lemaan boi, boi, shuvamaiyim al Kiddush Shemecha." And he brings from that Abarbanel that in the times of the Inquisition Jews jumped in the fire. Like this ruling of the Vilna Gaon that it since it's a mitzvah, we apply zrizos. By the way, everybody was afraid to be near Avraham ben Avraham when he was taken out to be burnt at the stake except for the Baal Shoresh Yesod v'Shoresh HaAvodah. He was in the vicinity. He made sure to be there at the moment that Avraham ben Avraham was taken out to be killed and he with Alexander Ziskind Lapidos and he heard Avraham ben Avraham say the following words. He said Baruch atah Hashem Eloheinu Melech ha'olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'kadesh shimcha b'rabim. And the Yesod v'Shoresh ha'Avodah was there listening and he answered Amen. He was the one who stood there to hear the bracha and to respond Amen. Now, ready for this? We have a tradition that when the Gaon of Vilna was killed, it had halachic ramifications. If you look in the Acharonim, the Acharonim talk about that one should not walk dalet amos in the morning before they wash negel vasser. It's halacha. One should not walk four cubits before removing the ruach hatumah. In our time, many are lenient about this. Many people they'll wash negel vasser, but they don't have it right next to them. Maybe they'll go to the sink or they'll go to the restroom and they're not careful necessarily not to walk dalet amos. We have a tradition that when Avraham ben Avraham gave up his life al Kiddush Hashem, it nullified the ruach hatumah of netilat yadayim shacharit. In other words, the ruach hatumah that rests up on her hand in the morning is not as severe and strong and powerful as before 1749. The Kadusha that came to the world through Avraham ben Avraham drastically and radically and dramatically lowered the intensity of the tumas hayadayim v'aser. Ad k'dei kach the Rav Zalman Auerbach says that he heard from Ziknei Yerushalayim that they have a kabbalah from Rav Chaim Volozhiner who heard from the Gra that when they burnt the Ger Tzedek Avraham ben Avraham on the second day of Shavuos in 1749 a fire broke forth from the מערת המכפלה and it destroyed the sitra achra and tumas hayadayim shel shacharis was weakened. So they asked Rav Zalman, "Does that mean you don't have to wash negel vasser anymore?" He says, "No, of course not." The poskim say in the Mishna Berurah it says, "You still, of course, have to wash negel vasser." And one, of cour- one should try to wash within their dalet amos, but it's not as chamur as it once was. It's a factor in the severity of this halacha. We have a tradition from the Vilna Gaon. Unbelievable. So the Chofetz Chaim once wondered where does a Ger have this spiritual power from where he gave up a life of prestige, a life of wealth, and he willingly went to his death b'simcha b'ahava Ad k'dei kach he made a bracha and what the only thing that bothered him is he doesn't have a father and a mother, he doesn't have children, and he was consoled when the girl said Hashem will be your child. By the way, one time on the second day of Shavuos, while they were dancing, Reb Zvi Hirsch Levinson told them the story of the Gartz of Vilna. And the Chofetz Chaim explained the phenomenon as follows. At Matan Torah, the Ribbono shel Olam k'viyachol went around to every single nation. And we know Esau said no, and Ishmael said no, but Klal Yisrael said yes. Says the Chofetz Chaim, you think every single descendant of Esau said no? You think every descendant of Ishmael said no? You think every single Yid said yes? No. You could be sure that when Hashem offered the Torah to Esau and Ishmael, there were yechidim who said na'aseh v'nishmah also. And there were also yiddin who said, "Thanks, but no thanks." The yiddin, the the gentiles that said na'aseh v'nishmah, those are the geirim that you see in every generation. And the meshumadim that you see unfortunately in every generation, those were the yiddin who they said, "I know my brother and sister said na'aseh v'nishmah, I say thanks, but no thanks." There were always exceptions to the rule both by the Esau and Ishmael and by Yisrael. Says the Chofetz Chaim, "Where does a ger have the spiritual strength to be moser nefesh al kiddush Hashem? It's because his soul at Sinai, together with the rest of the Jewish people, responded with the resounding na'aseh v'nishmah." Moreh raboisai, isn't it amazing that the power of this Gar Avraham ben Avraham was revealed and came out to the world on the day that he originally gained his koach on the day the Ribono shel Olam gave the Torah to Klal Yisrael. As we know, the main Kabbalas HaTorah is the second day of Shavuos. And on that day, when his soul at Har Sinai exclaimed, "Na'aseh v'nishma." How many hundreds of years later, that koach was manifest in his self-sacrifice to give up his life al Kiddush Hashem. Friends, comes the Kesav Sofer and he says the Arizal reveals the same idea that the Chofetz Chaim taught. That at Kabbalas HaTorah, when Ribono shel Olam brought the Torah to all the nations, there were gentiles, even though they were the mi'ut, they said also na'aseh v'nishma. They're the neshamos of the geirim. And maybe in a certain sense, they have an advantage over a native Jew. And those sparks of kedusha remained in their soul. And they should are ready to come tachas kanfei HaShchinah. Says the Kesav Sofer, "You know, our geirim have a hard life." Well, if it's because they delayed coming tachas kanfei HaShchinah, then all should be punished. No, are not punished. They never committed themselves to this. They never said na'aseh v'nishma. But if somebody does convert, that means 3,300 years ago, they stood at Sinai and they said na'aseh v'nishma. So, we tell them, "What were you waiting for? What took you so long? You should have done it sooner. You've You already established your desire, your connection, and your inherent right to the Torah. So, you should have done so sooner." Says the Ahavas Eison, as well as the Kesav Sofer, that anyone who ultimately converts, it's because when they were offered the Torah on Har Sinai, they said na'aseh v'nishma. I think it's quite amazing that the yard site of Avraham ben Avraham one of the great gayres tzedek in our history who was moser nefesh al kiddush Hashem where his death created such a kiddush Hashem, it we have a tradition and abolished the sitra achra and tumas hayoda'im. This event, this momentous event happened on the second day of Shavuos, the day of kabbalas haTorah. Now, I want to conclude with the following. We have a tradition that when the geres tzedek of Vilna Valentin Potocki was captured by the Poles and he was brought l'sreifa in Vilna as he was b'sreasous going to his death b'dveikus nifla he said the t'fila that we say every morning aval anachnu amcha b'nei v'nei Avraham avicha b'nei Avraham ohavcha shenishbata lo b'har hamoriah zera Yitzchak yechidi shenikra agavav mizbeach >> [snorts] >> Moreover we even have the musical notes of the tune that he sang. Moreover we still have a tradition of the tune that he sang when he was being taken to his death. With your permission we'll end the shiur, we'll sing the the tune together. I'm going to I'm going to do my best to share the tune that Avraham ben Avraham sang when he was being taken l'kiddush shemcha b'rabim. >> [clears throat] >> Avol anachnu amcha bnei brisacha bnei Avraham ohevecha shenishbata lo b'har hamoriah zera Yitzchak yechidi shenikra al gabai hamizbeach. Avol anachnu amcha bnei brisacha bnei Avraham ohevecha shenishbata lo b'har hamoriah zera Yitzchak yechidi shenikra al gabai hamizbeach. And then it gets faster. Avol anachnu amcha bnei brisacha bnei Avraham ohevecha shenishbata lo b'har hamoriah zera Yitzchak yechidi shenikra al gabai hamizbeach. Avol anachnu amcha bnei So that Avraham ben Avraham went up in joyous deveikus takadosh baruchu and it made such a spiritual commotion it dramatically weakened the sitra achra and the in this world. And the day he passed the day he was murdered was the day of the birth of Reb Chaim Volozhiner. And even though he didn't have biological progeny as the Vilna Gaon told him, "Ani rishon v'ani acharon." What he contributed to the destiny of the Jewish people, that those are his children. Yehi zichro baruch. Yehi sifsoisav divrei >> I wish everybody a this week the Wednesday night share will be Tuesday night. Tomorrow night you can join us at 8:30 p.m. And uh wishing everybody a that should infuse your throughout the whole year with the reverberations of our Sinai. Have a wonderful day. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.