Students and teachers of the exiled Mir yeshiva study in the sanctuary of the Beth Aharon synagogue on Museum Road in Shanghai (Year 1942). [Photograph #40211]
The Mir Yeshiva was the only European yeshiva to survive WWII intact. Its students had reputations as being "lions" in torah (heard from Rav Nachman Bulman zt'l). Today it is the biggest yeshiva in the world.
PICTURE OF EXILED MIR YESHIVA ON MUSEUM ROAD IN SHANGHAI

Sparks from the Mir

Free Audio from the Gaon, Rabbi Nissan Kaplan.  

Rabbi Nissan Kaplan, shlita studied at the Ponevezh yeshiva in Bnei Brak where he became recognized as the top student and the "lion of the group". He married the daughter of Rabbi Avraham Gurwitz, rosh yeshiva of Gateshead and a descendant of the Vilna Gaon.
He currently gives a daily (sunday-thursday) in-depth gemora shiur to about 200 people (the biggest english shiur in Israel) at the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem. The following were short mussar talks he gave to the group.

The King and the Tower - interesting story. (6.23 megs - ~25 minutes)
Download (right click->save as)

The Secret of Kabalas HaTorah (20 minutes) - Pre-Shavuos fiery mussar on the greatness of torah and the "secret" of success in learning. Very important shiur. (I've heard this shiur at least 40 times)
[ high quality (13megs) ]   [ lower quality (6.5megs) ]
If anyone is interested, I posted a Q&A session I had with Rabbi Kaplan about this shiur.

 

Pre Bein Hazmanim Mussar (11 minutes) - maintaining your level and how R. Chaim Kanievsky became a "gadol hador with no equal".
[ High Quality (7.5 megs) ]  [ lower quality (3.7megs)
Pre Bein Hazmanim Mussar part 2 + the War in Lebanon (18 minutes) (see part 1 above first)
[ High Quality (13 megs) ]  [ lower quality (7.5 megs)

  Maalos HaTorah - greatness of torah study (~30 minutes-advanced)
download (right click->save as)

 
High Holidays Special:
Pre Rosh Hashana Mussar (2006) (17 minutes) - a perspective on life
[ high quality (16 megs) ]  [ lower quality (6megs)

Pre Yom Kippur Mussar (2005) (30 minutes, 7megs) - how to take on resolutions. (best piece on this site)
there is also a shorter 2006 version which is well-worth hearing afterwards. download 2006 version: high or [low q.]
for a brief overview of the method click here.

   
Chanuka 2006 (12 minutes, 3meg) - Our era in Jewish history + Chanuka Party Excerpt (powerhouse mussar)
 
 

to download, right click->save as
Vayechi-form_of_a_yeshiva.mp3
02-shmos-purpose_of_suffering.mp3

The_Holy_Ark.mp3

The Yetzer Hara.mp3
5768-Mussar/33-machlokes_handling_disputes.mp3

 


More Sparks from the Mir (article):
Everything Depends on One's Starting Point
A Mussar Talk of the Mashgiach HaRav Yechezkel Levenstein zt'l, delivered Lag BaOmer 5702 (1942) in Shanghai.
Transcribed by his talmid, Rav Moshe Binyamin Bernstein zt"l

In the Darkest Hour - eyewitness account of the last day of the Rav of Mir, Poland

update: for many more shiurim, click here