The Gemara (Sanhedrin 99b) includes among those who have no share in the World to Come one who demeans a talmid chacham. Rabbeinu Yonah in Shaarei Teshuvah explains the severity of the punishment: One who embarrasses a talmid chacham causes a chillul haTorah by reducing the light of the Torah descending to the world.
Rav Chaim Volozhin in Nefesh HaChaim adds an astounding chiddush based on Rabbeinu Yonah: Even someone who speaks derogatorily of a student learning Torah lo lishmah is in the category of mevazeh talmid chacham because he makes it less likely for that student of Torah to develop into a genuine talmid chacham and thereby potentially reduces the light of Torah.
If so then one who makes it more likely that others will become talmidei chachamim constitutes a kiddush haTorah.
By that measure HaRav HaGaon Rav Ovadiah Yosef ztz”l was the greatest kiddush haTorah in recent centuries. No Torah giant in recent memory inspired so many to aspire to greatness in Torah by his example alone.
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