Simchas Torah in Mir

Rav Wolff Rosengarten zt"l of Zurich spent a short time learning in the Mir Yeshiva, where the Mashgiach, Rav Yeruchem, drew him close. He honored the young man with an aliyah on Yom Kippur, and seated him at the table for his va'adim.

The va'adim were informal mussar talks that the Mashgiach gave in his home. The outstanding and senior bochurim sat around the table, while the other bochurim stood around it.

On Simchas Torah, Rav Yeruchem gave a shmuess (mussar talk) before the hakofos began, and spoke again briefly between each hakofah. The rejoicing in the yeshiva was extremely spirited, and it lifted the bnei hayeshiva to sublime spiritual heights. Years later, Rav Wolff would repeat some of the short thoughts he had heard from Rav Yeruchem on the Simchas Torah he spent in Mir.

One was on the posuk, "Hashem, remember us, may He bless; may He bless Beis Yisroel." Rav Yeruchem asked why the words "may He bless" appear twice. He explained that when Hashem remembers us, that is already a blessing, and this is the first "may He bless." Then we go on to ask for more: "May He bless Beis Yisroel."