Is there a rebbi or morah who gave you the lesson of a lifetime? Readers share those life-altering interactions

You Can Do It

Rabbi Yaakov Wehl was the “frum” rebbi from Boro Park in a day school in Long Island, New York. He tried to open the eyes of the teens in his care to a greater vista of what Torah learning and Torah observance could be.

Every Purim, he and his rebbetzin hosted dozens of Long Island high school boys in their Boro Park home, where he made a real impression of how a Purim seudah could be a place for growth. Each year, he led us in singing a song he wrote:

“I want to be a ben Torah. I want to be a ben Toraaaaaah. Anyone who wants to be can be a ben Torah.”

That’s it. Those were all the words.

My first Purim after high school, I was in Yeshiva University. Still, I made my way back to Rabbi Wehl’s house for the seudah. Rebbi started his song, but then he said, “This year, we have people here who are already a ben Torah. So this year, we’ll change the song.” And he led us in singing, “I want to know Shas. I want to know Shaaaaaas. Anyone who wants to can know Shas.”

That’s the first time the thought entered my head: I could learn the whole Talmud Bavli.

About two decades later, I mentioned this story at my first siyum on Shas.

I plan to mention it again in a few months, at my second siyum on Shas. Because anyone who wants to can know Shas. Rebbi said so.

Rabbi Mordechai Soskil

Baltimore, Maryland