History of the Yeshivah
Its Inception
Yeshivas Ohr Torah, located above the gravesite of the Tana Rabi Meir Baal Haness, was established 120 years ago, and ever since then the sound of Torah study has not ceased to reverberate within its walls, through the burial place of the tzaddik, and directly to the Gates of Heaven…
Some milestones in the yeshivah’s history:
5660 / 1900
The Ohr Torah Institutions, located above the kever of the holy Tana, Rabi Meir Baal Haness, were established in 5660 by the gaon hatzaddik Rav Moshe Klirs ztk"l – the rav of Tveriah, president of the mosdos and rosh yeshviah of Yeshivas Ohr Torah located over the gravesite of Rabi Meir Baal Haness. Founding the yeshivah over the Tana's kever was a fulfillment of "placing a yeshivah over his burial place" [Bava Kama], with the goal of producing generations of talmidei chachamim and bnei aliyah at this holy site. Chazal note that in Rabi Meir's Torah teachings, he uses the term "kosnos ohr" – written with an aleph instead of an ayin to mean "garments of light" (instead of the literal translation, "garments of leather"). No doubt, at this holy site it is possible to get a small taste of the light that is Rabi Meir's Torah, and to succeed in elevating one's Torah lishmah.
In its first years, the rosh yeshivah, Moshe Klirs ztk"l, led the residents of Tveriah and instructed them how to live a life of Torah and avodas Hashem in all areas. The crowning glory of the bustling yishuv was the newly-establisehd yeshivah, Ohr Torah, under the management of Rav Klirs as well as its other leaders, Rav Yitzchak Matisyahu Sandberg and Rav Noach Weinberg. From the very start, Yeshivas Ohr Torah birthed many famous gedolim, talmidei chachamim and leaders, imbued Torah and dveikus and served as a lighthouse of kedushah for Tveriah and the Galilee.
5693 / 1933
As Rav Moshe Klirs became older and weaker, he wrote a letter to the tzaddik Rav Asher Zev Werner, asking him to come and take his place. At the time, Rav Asher Zev served as a rav in the United States but was nevertheless active in assisting the yeshivah from abroad in many ways. Rav Moshe Klirs wrote to him, asking that he take his place at the helm of the mosdos and the yeshivah, explaining that he is the only person he sees fit for this task.
5693-5718 / 1933-1958
Indeed, after the passing of Rav Moshe Klirs in 5694, Rav Asher Zev Werner moved to Eretz Yisrael to serve as the new rav of Tveriah and to stand at the helm of Mosdos Ohr Torah.
As the rav, Rav Asher Zev Werner led his community in Tveriah and cultivated its physical and spiritual blossoming, expanding it and continuing its path of teaching Torah, avodah and gemilus chassadim until his passing on 7 Teves, 5718.
The Austerity period and the new State of Israel:
In the years following the terrible destruction of Jewish life in Europe in the two World Wars, and especially in the years immediately after the establishment of the State of Israel, the main nuclei of Torah moved to the center of the country and to larger cities such as Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak. The more "remote" settlements diminished, and the religious and Charedi populations in the Galilee decreased. But even then, Mosdos Ohr Torah continued to thrive and to spread Torah.
Currently
Today, Mosdos Ohr Torah are under the leadership of Rav Asher Zev Wener's illustrious son, the gaon Rav Simcha Bunim Werner shlita, who continues to guide the mosdos and the community on the same path that his forefathers paved – increasing Torah in Yeshivas Ohr Torah and glorifying the great Tana's resting place.
5660-5780 / 1900-2022
Leader of the Slonimer chassidus, Rav Mordechai Chaim Slonim
The rebbe of Slonim, Rav Avraham Weinberg – the "Bircas Avraham"
The rebbe of Slonim, Rav Shalom Noach Barezovsky – the "Nesivos Shalom"
Rav Aharon Yosef Luria – author of Avodas Panim
Rav Yitzchak Matisyahu Luria – author of Shaarei Limud
Rav Asher Meir Shulman
Rav Yoel Ashkenazi
Rav Menachem Mendel Veig
Rav Chizkiyah Chadad
Rav Yichya Peretz
These gedolim and more studied under the great rashei yeshivah Rav Moshe Klirs and Rav Asher Zev Werner who, with their brilliant and awe-inspiring shiurim in the yeshivah and the clear piskei halachah they issued, created a powerful impact on Am Yisrael everywhere.
The rebbe of Slonim, Rav Avraham Weinberg – the "Bircas Avraham"
The rebbe of Slonim, Rav Shalom Noach Barezovsky – the "Nesivos Shalom"
Rav Aharon Yosef Luria – author of Avodas Panim
Rav Yitzchak Matisyahu Luria – author of Shaarei Limud
Rav Asher Meir Shulman
Rav Yoel Ashkenazi
Rav Menachem Mendel Veig
Rav Chizkiyah Chadad
Rav Yichya Peretz
These gedolim and more studied under the great rashei yeshivah Rav Moshe Klirs and Rav Asher Zev Werner who, with their brilliant and awe-inspiring shiurim in the yeshivah and the clear piskei halachah they issued, created a powerful impact on Am Yisrael everywhere.