I met Rabbi Singer the first time when I joined his Sunday shiur at the recommendation of Rabbi Bodenheim, soon after moving to Clifton in the summer of 2013. Rabbi Singer told me that the reason I moved was to join his shiur. It took me a long time to appreciate that statement. I only remained in his shiur for a few months at that time partially because I had started learning with Rabbi Bodenheim earlier on Sunday morning. I decided to return to Rabbi Singer's shiur in 2016 after Rav Belsky zt"l passed away, feeling that I needed to take the opportunity while still possible. I stayed in the shiur for about a year but left because things weren't clicking for me with the shiur. Rabbi Singer talked with me about my leaving. I could see that it pained him but I just wasn't ready for his shiur at that point.
In spring 2020, at the height of Covid, on a whim, I decided to rejoin Rabbi Singer's shiur which was being given remotely. What was it that got me to decide, bli neder, to never leave Rabbi Singer's shiur again? I received an email from the pti address with the subject "Rabbi Singer requests your Chaburos" which said, "Rabbi Singer asks that you please email in a chabura to ptitorah@gmail.com and call him at 973-472-8015. Thank you." After a few days, I sent in a chabura and called Rabbi Singer who was happy to hear from me. After that, things started to click with me and Rabbi Singer's shiur. Rabbi Singer encouraged me to keep writing and sending him my chaburos and I developed a certain touch for the writing. Over the last few years, he also encouraged me to become more involved by reviewing his shiurim with others. Since I was a more reseved person, Rabbi Singer also pushed me to speak up more in his shiurim. I'm forever grateful to Hashem for opening up my eyes to the treasure of Rabbi Singer that I almost passed over.
The Sunday after his levaya, I walked into PTI for the 11am shiur. I walked past Rabbi Singer's shtender and amazingly noticed the chabura I wrote from Rabbi Singer's final shiur (May 12, 2024) that I had emailed in as a zechus for a refua shleima. I inaudibly gasped, shocked, and later found out that the chabura had been on his shtender since I sent it in 7 months earlier. Now each time that I pass the shtender and see the chabura, I feel like Hashem and Rabbi Singer are giving me a hug and saying, "Keep up the good work!"
Sat, February 1 2025 3 Shevat 5785