The following is a rough English translation: “Mori V’Rabbosai: Baruch Hashem, our Yeshiva was zoche (had the merit) during its years of existence to rear prominent Torah scholars, fearers of Heaven; Baruch Hashem. HaKadosh Baruch Hu should help us further; so He should add to increase Torah and fear of Heaven. And we will say a few words:
“As we know, in the Midrash [to] Parshas Vayikra, in the parsha that we are reading, it is written that Agrippas the king wanted to bring many Karbanos (Offerings) -- a thousand Karbanos on one day! A thousand Karbanos! But he requested one thing: That even one should not precede him. What is the simple meaning of ‘should not precede’? It should not be more accepted (alt. favorable). The intention was not [regarding] to precede in time; only that it should not be more accepted (/favorable).
“However, a poor person came and he said, “My master, Kohen Gadol! Bring close for me two turtledoves or two young doves to offer them.” He [the Kohen Gadol] said to him, “The king commanded me that I was not to offer [anything] outside from his.” He [the poor man] said to him, “My master, Kohen! If you do not offer them, you are ruining me (my livelihood), that I will not be zoche (have the merit) to anything.” And when he [the Kohen Gadol] heard this, he went and offered them.
“At night, Agrippas the king dreamed; one poor person preceded you -- he did not precede in time -- he preceded [in the fact that] he was more accepted (/favorable). And he [Agrippas] had pain [because of this], and he called to the Kohen Gadol and asked him, “Why did you offer for anybody else? Behold, I said to you to not offer [aside from my sacrifices]!” He said [i.e. replied] to him [and told him what happened, with details that were not mentioned before], “My master the king, one person came to me and said ‘offer for me two turtledoves. I trap four every day; two of them I offer, and two I eat. If you do not take [these two and offer them], you will be ruining me, that I will not be zoche to anything.’ Thus did he [the poor man] say to him [the Kohen Gadol]. He took and offered.
“And the king asked him, “Why did you offer? I said to you to not offer [anything besides my sacrifices]!” He said to him: “It is correct that you with the thousand Korbanos of yours… but this man that his entire life is Torah and Mitzvos, it is impossible to compare to him any man.” Thus did he say to him. And he [Agrippas] answered him, “You are right in what you say.”
“Thus it is written in Midrash Rabbah Parshas Vayikra upon the verse [2:1] ‘And a Soul that will bring’. The main thing to see in this… only what is more pure, more pure! This will be accepted. This poor man said to him, his entire life is Torah and Mitzvos; if so, not anything can compare to him: A thousand Korbanos, and even two thousand Korbanos, is not able to compare to this man, that his intention was so desirable.
“And this we want to learn… but the pureness, what is more pure, is more accepted (/favorable), and this we need.
“HaKadosh Baruch Hu should help that everyone be zoche to raise himself in Torah and fear of Heaven. Although we are on a level not so great, far from being great, but we will aspire to this [greatness, it would seem, or pureness], perhaps with all this we will get a bit better, and we will be zoche to rise until we are zoche speedily in our days to the true Geulah (Redemption) speedily in our days, Amein Selah.”
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