יוונים I ברי וובר I מתנה טובה Yevonim I Beri Weber I Shi"r I

האלבום 'מתנה טובה' מלחניו של ר' שלמה יהודה רכניץ, יוצא לרגל שמחת נישואי בתו חנה עב"ל נפתלי שוסס הי"ו.
באלבום 12 לחנים חדשים, ומשתתפים בו הזמרים: אברהם פריד, אוהד מושקוביץ, משה מנדלוביץ, איציק דדיה, שלוימי דסקל, בני פרידמן, ברוך לוין, ברי וובר, שמחה ליינר, קינדרלעך, משה טישלר, הילד א.ח. גרין וקהלת שירה.
הפקה: דוד פדידה
עיבודים: אלי קליין & איצי ברי
יונים נקבצו עלי - אזי בימי חשמנים
ופרצו חומות מגדלי - וטמאו כל השמנים
ומנותר קנקנים - נעשה נס לשושנים
בני בינה ימי שמונה קבעו שיר ורננים
Although the story of the Chashmonaim's battle against the Yevanim occurred so many years ago, the story of light versus darkness continues to this very day, and not just on Chanukah. Throughout our history, there have been many dark times, but the spark inside of the Jewish soul is strong. The pintele Yid continues to shine, no matter what.
Rav Tuviah Wein told a story in the name of the Chofetz Chaim, which gives us insight into what our efforts can accomplish and how we must never give up, not on ourselves and not on any Jew.
Outside of Vilna was situated a small shtetl, where there lived a small cluster of families. While they were all well-meaning individuals, there were very few learned men among them. Nevertheless, they enjoyed attending a small shiur on Mishnah between Minchah and Maariv.
At the time of our story, they were learning Maseches Yevamos. Those sitting in the shiur listened and tried to follow. Among those in attendance was a Cantonist. Snatched away from his home at the tender age of 5, he spent the next 38 years of his life under the influence of the government: first he was brainwashed to forget his religion, and then he was forced to spend the best years of his life serving in the Czar’s army. Unfortunately, the people in the town were insensitive and they called him Yavan, since he knew less than the Yevanim, the Greeks. Although this bothered him, he never said anything about it.
As he sat through the shiur, he kept hearing the word yavam (one who marries his deceased brother’s wife). After it was repeated over and over, he stood up and began to yell. "I don't know what you people want from me. I was taken away from my home when I was a small boy, and I didn't have the opportunity to learn anything. Do you really have to make fun of me? I don't forgive any of you for your despicable behavior.”
The others were shocked at his outburst. He had clearly mistaken the word Yavan for yavam. He obviously didn't realize that the one who was giving the class was merely reading and explaining the Mishnah. It was an innocent misunderstanding, and it was unfortunate that he was hurt. They tried to explain the difference: one is יון and the other is יבם; but nothing they said registered. Finally, they asked, "What can we do to make it up to you?”
He looked around at the group and said, "There is only one way you can make it up to me. Teach me the aleph-beis."And they did. When they finished, they continued to teach him: first siddur, then Chumash, then Mishnah, then Gemara. Like a famished individual, he devoured everything he learned. He learned and learned and never stopped, until he had made up much of the material he had missed and surpassed most of the townspeople in his studies. It was a long and arduous journey. Eventually, he developed into a great talmid chacham, and became known as the Gaon of Lepnishok.
As we say in Ma'oz Tzur: "Yevanim nikbetzu alai azai bi'mei Chashmanim u'fartzu chomos migdalai ve'timu kol hashmanim. U'mi'nosar kankanim naasah neis la'shoshanim bnei vinah yemei shemonah kavu shir u'renanim — Greeks gathered against me, then in the days of the Chashmona'im. They breached the walls of my towers and they defiled the oils; and from the remnants of the flasks a miracle was wrought for the roses. Men of insight — eight days established for song and jubilation."
Indeed, we have accomplished much in terms of Torah and chesed in our days. But as we can learn from the story of the Chashmona'im, there is always more to do, more Yidden to bring closer, more ways to spread Hashem's light…