Kollel Chatzot

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[edit] The Founder - Rosh Kollel

Rabbi Rabbi Yehoshua Meir Deutsch Rosh Bait Midrash Kollel Chatzot The Kollel (כולל) was founded in 5761 (2001) by HaRav Yehoshua Meir Deutsch. Today, the Kollel is an illustrious group of more than 60 righteous scholars who reduce their sleep and their comfort to give nachas ruach to H-shem on behalf of Am Yisrael.

[edit] The Community

The Avreichim of the Kollel Chatzot (כולל חצות) of Beitar Illit, Israel, learn from midnight, through the night, all year long. They push sleep away from their eyes to take advantage of these precious hours. Torah learning at this opportune time has the merit of drawing heavenly mercy and annulling evil decrees from Klal Yisroel and particularly from those toiling in the holy Torah during this time. This we learn from Kabbalistic and Chassidic teachings as well as Mussar thought; yet seems to have been already well known to David Ha-Melech, whose fiddle used to be hanging over his bed to wake him up at midnight to study Torah as the northern wind played through its strings (Talmud/Brochos 3b). The many Yeshuos (miraculous salvations - ישועות) stories, from Zara Chaya V'Kayama (fertility) to Refuah (health - רפואה), from Shidduchim (matching - שידוכים) to Parnoso (livelihood - פרנסה) heard again and again from the Avreichim and those for whom the study was dedicated, are living testimonies to the blessing drawn from the Torah learning at midnight.

[edit] The Kollel Schedule

Every Night

  • 12:00 a.m. The scholars rise for a night of Torah learning, prayer, and service of G-d during the hours which are most desirable to Him.
  • 12:25 a.m. The Kollel's van picks up all the scholars from their homes in Beitar.
  • 12:40 a.m. The Kollel reads together the Tikkun Chatzot, in which we mourn the exile of the Shechinah (the Divine Presence) and the destruction of the Temple. Traditionally, it is recited while sitting on the floor, since Am Yisrael is still in exile and we feel a distance from our Source.
  • 1:25 a.m. Until the morning, Learning of the Holy Torah with partners; each pair of scholars choose the type of learning that is dearest to them. They learn through the night, with great enthusiasm and effort without a break.

The scholars state and understand they are learning for the merit of the donor who sponsored that evening and whose name is posted on the dedication board. In addition, whoever has a Yissachar/Zevulun arrangement dedicates his learning to the merit of his own private sponsor. Before sunrise, the scholars go to the Mikveh to prepare for the early morning Vasikin minyan. They daven an exalted Shacharis with a great outpouring of their souls. After the Tefillos are completed, the head of the Kollel gives a twenty minute talk to strengthen the scholars' dedication to service.

Once a Week

  • Tuesday at Chatzos 12:45 a.m. The Kollel members travel to the Kosel HaMa'aravi Western Wall for an hour of prayer (Tikkun Chatzot) and heartfelt conversation with The Creator in this holiest of places at that most auspicious of hours.

Onec A Month

  • Erev Rosh Chodesh, The Kollel travels to the north of Israel. They daven to H-shem at the burial site of the Tanna and author of the Zohar HaKodesh, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meiron. Our holy books state that Erev Rosh Chodesh is a favorable time for davening at Kivrei Tzaddikim, a time when prayers are readily received On High.

The scholars also read out the names of the donors and their entire families whose generosity has entitled them to be listed on a special davening list called the "Kvittel of the Kollel." The names of these donors are recalled for blessing, each week at Chatzos at the Kosel as well.

Many of the donors on this list have merited great salvations, as their letters to Rav Deutsch show. This is not surprising, for it is written in holy sources that at the hour of Chatzos all the Heavenly Gates of Mercy are open and the prayers of those who learn Torah during those hours will be heard and answered.

[edit] The Kvittel of the Kollel

The Kvittel of the Kollel is basically a list of the names of sponsors and friends of the Kollel Chatzos, their names, and their mother's name, and the name of all the family members. The avreichim of the Kollel read the names and daven for them every week at the Kosel HaMaravi (the Western Wall) at midnight every Tuesday night, at midnight, the Kollel travels to the Jerusalem Kosel HaMaravi to daven and learn there for an hour, and then they return to the Kollel On every Erev Rosh Chodesh, in Meiron, by the burial place of the Tana, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, as it is known that this spot is very opportune for bringing about yeshuos. Any donor who supports at least one night enters into the Kvittel of the Kollel. Many people have experienced yeshuos in the merit of the avreichim davening for them.

[edit] Support programs

Kollel Chatzot has a unique partnership program that by sponsoring their learning, you become a full partner with them, gaining the merit of having learned during the holy nighttime hours. Your donation can sponsor their learning for a night, a week, a month or a year, sharing in their reward, and bringing increased Kedushah to the world. As we learn in Chutzos Damesek, "He who cannot rise at midnight should support one who does rise, and he will have a share in the learning." Our supporters are our partners. They receive ample portions of the merit of the Kollel's learning. It is written that the merit of one who learns during the hours of chatzos, applies equally to those who support such learning, as in a Yissachar/Zevulun arrangement.

[edit] External links

  • Kollel Chatzot [1]
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