Once the Rosh Yeshiva related in a sermon the fascinating story of how the Yeshiva was built.  Anyone who visits ‘Pardes Katz’ and sees the impressive “Ohr David” Yeshiva building will probably think that a charismatic businessman possessing remarkable architectural abilities established this institution using a large amount of money.

Whoever comes to the Yeshiva on Wednesdays and sees the multitudes of people disappearing into the building to hear the mussar schmuzen (ethics sermon) of the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Daniel Zer Sh’lita, will discover the reason that so many people are drawn like magnets after this great man.  Can anyone imagine what it takes to run such a Yeshiva?  Such institutions? The Rabbi announces with his booming voice, as he tried to describe the struggles and complexities he encountered in maintaining the Yeshiva.  Maybe it seems easy, but how do we bring people back to Hashem, pay the wages and bills of the Yeshiva, along with the countless monthly expenses?  When the bank account is empty we face a real lesson in emuna (faith).  Even if someone far from keeping Torah and mitsvot came to the Yeshiva and saw how we endure such a test of faith would undoubtedly return to Hashem completely, when he witnesses all the open miracles.

Rav Zer was faced with a real test when he first established the Yeshiva, naming it after King David a”h.  The Rav recounts in one of his sermons that a Bukharian Jew once arrived from Tel Aviv and offered the Rav one million lirot, a substantial sum at the time, provided that the Rabbi call the yeshiva "Or Mordechai.”   This was a very difficult test.  On the one hand one can build a very large Yeshiva building with such a large sum, however, it would not be named after King David.  What do I do?  A determined man like Rabbi Zer does not get confused. He said to the Jew from Tel Aviv: "Or David" is named after King David a”h and I will not change the name!  The Rabbi offered to name the Bet Midrash “Or Mordechai” however the institutions will remain named after King David.

The Jew from Tel Aviv declined the offer.  Nevertheless, Rabbi Zer did not get nervous. He had complete faith that the Creator would help him fulfill his wish to establish prestigious religious institution named after King David. A week had passed and Rabbi Daniel came to deliver a sermon in one of the main Synagogues in Bnei Brak.   Rabbi Moshe Pardo who established the prestigious institution “Ohr HaChaim” in Bnei Brak, including other institutions in the city, “happened” to arrive at the sermon.  As he entered, the synagogue was packed and he almost could not find a place to sit. Rabbi Pardo was thrilled by the sermon delivered by Rav Zer and told him: “I will provide you a yeshiva building! I heard your sermon and was very impressed.  As a good businessman, I know that it is worthy for me to invest in you.”  And this is how the prestigious building was built.