Yeshiva Ahron Yaakov/Ohr Eliyahu was honored to have the Rosh HaYeshiva HoRav Akiva Grunblatt Shlit’a of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim visit our YAYOE on August 31st.

 Rav Grunblatt davened shachris with the middle school talmidim and after davening delivered a shmuez to the boys.

 Rav Grunblatt spoke about the importance of the realization of each and every person’s greatness and abilities, and the dangers that one may face if he does not have that realization. 

 The Rosh HaYeshiva then mentioned a story about HoRav Moshe Chait ZT”L the Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim in Yerushalayim. Rav Chait was once walking many years ago as a young child in the Philadelphia zoo. He saw many animals in cages. One of the animals that the young Rav Chait saw was a ferocious lion. Rav Chait went over to a zoo keeper and asked him “excuse me sir, can that lion break through the bars of his cage?”

 The zoo keeper responded “Yes! However the lion does not know it.” 

 The lion underestimated his abilities and therefore did not try to break out.

 Rav Grunblatt concluded by saying that as human beings at times we underestimate our abilities that Hashem gave to us and erroneously think that we cannot accomplish and therefore we do not even try to do our proper avodas Hasem – however we must realize that Hashem gave greatness and immense abilities to each and every one of us.

 Rav Grunblatt commented how impressed he was davening with the boys at Yeshiva and how the talmidim themselves ran the tefilos. He then ended by giving a bracha to all the boys, rabbeim and yeshiva.

 After Rav Grunblatt finished, the middle school talmidim then went to say shalom aleichem to the Rosh HaYeshiva.