In the yeshiva of Chachmei Yerusahlayim, led by Rabbi Potash, the bidding for one of the aliyot went as high as $30,000 (true? exaggerated? does it cast doubts on the entire story?), with the bid being offered by an alumnus from the yeshiva.
One of the students offered a counter-bid with a different currency - he offered to learn 1400 pages of gemara for the honor of getting that aliya.
Unsure what to do with the two bids being offered in different currencies, the gabbai turned to Rav Potash for a decision. Rav Potash decided the victor was the student offering to learn 1400 pages of gemara, referring to the passuk of "your words of torah are more valuable than gold and silver"...
source: Kikar
1. beautiful story. The rosh yeshiva set a nice example for his students
2. from what I hear, bidding from now on will only take place in pages of gemara and the yeshiva has basically ended its fundraising forever.
3. It is not really new, as many yeahivas and some shuls have been selling aliyas and honors on Simchas Torah for pages learned for a long time already. The chiddush here would be this was on Yom Kippur, not Simchas Torah, and that it was pages learned competing against money.
4. when they come fundraising, will baalebatim say they prefer to give 8 pages of gemara rather than a check for $180 (a rough calculation of the ration from 1400 pages to $30k)?
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