It's been a few weeks since I posted an update, and I've hardly had the time or presence of mind to write an update since then. There hasn't really been an interesting story line to my visit beyond learning over the past couple weeks. I helped participate in a siyum mishnayot in honor of a shloshim. (I learned Mishnayot Yoma). I don't know if that counts as a siyum of my own, but if it doesn't then I'm on track to make ב״ה a siyum on Chagiga before the end of the summer.

I've been going to R' Yaakov Hillel's shiur on Tefillah on Monday nights, at his yeshiva in Meah She'arim. They're recording the shiur with the intention of eventually transcribing it into a book. This is how Ascending the Path on Mesilat Yesharim was written, and I've actually been thinking that it would be nice to pull together the resources somehow to do this with Rabbi Raccah's shiurim.

To get to the shiur, we walk across Arzei HaBira, along Rechov Yoel, through the Bukkhairian shuk, then down Meah She'arim. David Luna has described Arzei HaBira as "the park that makes you want to get married" when he sees all of the young couples with little kids playing there in the evenings. (Next time I upload photos, there will be some photos of this park at its peak.) Along Rechov Yoel, there's a Sephardic minyan factory that I daven at a few mornings a week, and also on the off chance that I miss mincha at the yeshiva for some reason. I've also gone there a few times to buy seforim from what is literally a hole in the wall bookseller. Seforim are really cheap here. I was able to get Mesilat Yesharim for 15 shekels (about $4.50), and the first volume of the Halacha Berura Kitzur for 35 shekels.

For those keeping score at home (Rabbi Raccah and Rabbi Azose), I've seen two volumes of Chazon Ovadia on Shabbat in stores, as well as the 9th volume of Halacha Berura, but haven't bought them. I may consider a purchase before I return depending on how full my luggage is.