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The shiur in English
The Yanuka’s own words in this shiur, translated into English by Lehallel · 1,055 words · 8:03. Press a time to hear it said.
0:01 Would you like more privacy? That's how it begins. Peace and blessing. Basically, I already wanted to come to the Rav a long time ago. I mean, I wanted to come even before that. And, baruch Hashem, now I managed to come. Basically, I didn't want to trouble the Rav.
0:25 - Sweetie, of course not, it is my privilege. Maybe I can tell the Rav a little history about myself. Does the Rav have time? - Yes, yes, of course. I was born in the year 5770 with a very rare disease.
0:53 The doctors did not know how to say the name of the disease. It was so rare that they did not know the name of the disease, or its consequences, or any of it. And the worries grew greater and greater from day to day. The doctors said it was a matter of days.
1:17 The very fact that I am alive today is through miracles upon miracles. Every person is alive through miracles on his own. But in my case it is more... The doctors did not expect at all that I would reach such an age. They said it was a matter of hours, days, and at most weeks. Then a doctor came who gave more background on the disease.
1:48 At first they only said: do not touch, do not touch. And they knew it was a disease that breaks bones. Now this doctor came, and he also did not predict... He did not foresee a nice future for me. Then he explained that my disease is actually in the bones, that I lack the material of the covering of the bones.
2:18 As if all the calcium escapes from me, and I get fractures very, very fast. I am twelve, and on Sukkos I am having my bar mitzvah.
Read the whole shiur in English (12 more parts)
2:50 I just wanted to invite the Rav. It would be a very big gift for me and for the Holy One, blessed be He, if the Rav would come to the bar mitzvah on the sixteenth of Tishrei in Jerusalem. It would greatly honor the Holy One, blessed be He, and make me very happy. - Really, that would make you happy? - If the Rav could trouble himself to come, it would make me very happy.
3:19 - Then, bli neder, I will try to do it, to make you happy, gladly. - And I also want you to bless me. Can you bless me? I need the Rav to give me a blessing. - I do not have the merit to give the Rav a blessing. You have a much greater merit than mine. I have no merit to bless you. Who am I before you... You are much more of a tzaddik than I am.
3:43 I am not a tzaddik at all. But you know, maybe I do a little good here, pray a little... But you are much more than what I do, because your level is greater. The more difficulty there is, the greater is the level of what you do. That you bring the King the gift, you bring Him... The King is much happier with the gift that you bring, because you also strengthen the Jewish people.
4:09 Right? You encourage them. - In general, many people tell me that they only grow stronger from this, that they see me, even with all the... Does the Rav see? It is not like all the people who stand here and take up only one meter by one meter. That I have a lot of equipment behind me here.
4:35 Because the very fact that they see such a person succeeding and getting around with joy of life, this alone gives them strength. - Right, that is why you are called Chezki, because you are full of strengthening. Can you give me a small blessing? Give me a blessing. - May Hashem help that the Rav live for long days and good years, amen.
5:01 And may he succeed in delving into the Torah day and night, amen. And may the Rav spread his light to all the Children of Israel who await salvation, amen. May the Rav also merit to lead all the Children of Israel before Mashiach, amen. I also want a blessing.
5:27 - You are a tzaddik, you are truly a tzaddik, you are truly, truly a tzaddik. - I want a blessing that I should succeed after the bar mitzvah. - May the Holy One, blessed be He, give you blessing and success, and a long, good and sweet life, amen. And may you succeed in everything, and may Hashem, blessed be He, bless you, that you continue to strengthen the Jewish people. And may you have no pain at all.
5:51 And may you always be happy, and continue to make the Jewish people happy. And may everything go easily for you, may everything, everything go easily for you. Everything, everything, the learning and the health, and may you always be happy. And may the Holy One, blessed be He, make you happy for a good year. And may we be happy to meet at the bar mitzvah, amen, with Hashem's help, in joy and gladness of heart, on the sixteenth of Tishrei. May you have a good and sweet year. Come on. Start with the history.
6:19 Short, for example, about the lecture they asked you for. What gives me the strength to survive and go on?
6:49 Because, as you know, when I was born the doctors did not give much chance. They said it was a matter of days, and at most weeks, but not beyond that. So people ask me how I reached such an age already, and with such joy of life.
7:15 What is the strength that brought me to this? So I will answer. That I am disabled - I made a simple reckoning with myself. The very fact that I am disabled is a fact that cannot change. The Holy One, blessed be He, decided this, and it is in the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He, and it is a reality that cannot change.
7:45 Now, whether to be disabled and happy or disabled and sad is in my hands. And it is better for me to be disabled and happy than disabled and sad, and just wreck my whole life.
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