The event will coincide with the 90th yahrzeit of the Chofetz Chaim.
Multitudes of Jews across the globe will gather together on 24 Elul, the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrzeit, to learn the Chofetz Chaim’s seforim, learn inspirational lessons from his life, and daven to Hashem to have rachmanus on Klal Yisroel in advance of the Yamim Noraim.
The fact that the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrzeit falls on 24 Elul, a week before Rosh Hashanah, offers a special, auspicious eis ratzon for tefillah at the time when we need it most.
There is perhaps no one in recent generations who did so much to help and enrich Klal Yisrael—both in sur mei’rah and asei tov. Whether it is the sefer Chofetz Chaim that brought to the forefront of Klal Yisrael’s agenda the importance of being careful with one’s speech, or Ahavas Chessed that codified all the halachos of chesed or, of course, the Chofetz Chaim’s magnum opus sefer Mishnah Berurah that continues to be the foundational daily halacha sefer in Klal Yisrael, we are still today being spiritually enriched by the Chofetz Chaim. Certainly, the Chofetz Chaim, through his sefer Likutei Halachos on hilchos korbanos in the Beis Hamikdosh also brought the concept of tzipisa l’yeshua, longing for the ultimate redemption to the forefront of public consciousness. Thus, there is no doubt that the day of his yahrzeit is a tremendous eis ratzon, an opportune time for tefillah and for invoking rachmei shomayim on behalf of all of Klal Yisrael.
Indeed, if there was ever a time that Klal Yisrael needed to unite in a massive outpouring of tefillah and achdus; if there was ever a time when tens of thousands of tinokos shel beis rabban needed to come together to invoke rachmei shomayim, that time is now!
That is why Dirshu’s Ninth Annual International Yom Limud and Tefillah, to be held on Sunday, 24 Elul/September 10, the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrzeit, can’t come soon enough.
This year’s Yom Limud and Tefillah will also showcase a special videocast with divrei chizuk by leading Gedolei Yisrael including, HaGaon HaRav Shimon Galei, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Yissocher Frand, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva Ner Yisrael of Baltimore, HaGaon HaRav Reuven Elbaz, shlita, Rosh Yeshivat Ohr Hachaim, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Berkovitz, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva Aish HaTorah, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, Nasi Dirshu and Rav Zev Smith, shlita, Maggid Shiur, Dirshu Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and Irgun Shiurei Torah. The videocast will also feature inspirational Yamim Noraim niggunim.
One of the highlights of the videocast promises to be historical footage of HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Scheiner, zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of the Kamenitz Yeshiva.
The videocast will be available to hear on a dedicated audio line, via USB that will be available for viewing by contacting Dirshu’s offices and several other platforms.
Undoubtedly, the video and divrei chizuk from the Gedolim in honor of the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrzeit and in advance of the upcoming Yamim Noraim will serve as an ideal way to prepare and derive chizuk for the Yom Hadin.
An even greater zechus is the remarkable achdus that will be seen on that day! Klal Yisrael in six continents, across various countries will be united by learning the same page of Mishnah Berurah, from siman 162 in hilchos netilas yadayim, the page learned in the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program for 24 Elul, and the same page in the Chofetz Chaim’s sefer Ahavas Chessed, chapter 10.
Klal Yisrael will also come together to recite chapters 20 and 130 of Tehillim followed by the tefillah of Acheinu Beis Yisrael. From Melbourne, Australia to Bnei Brak, from Lakewood, New Jersey to Johannesburg, South Africa, from Cleveland, Ohio, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Phoenix, Arizona, to Toronto, Canada, from Antwerp to Pinsk, Klal Yisrael will come together to daven and invoke rachmei shomayim in advance of the Yamim Noraim.
Schools Learning From the Ways of The Chofetz Chaim the World Over
Simultaneously, a unique program for schools will take place in more than 300 cities across the world with many hundreds of yeshivos, chadorim and Bais Yaakovs participating. In Eretz Yisroel alone over a half million boys and girls will be participating in the special programing.
The remarkable, school-age program designed by Dirshu is sure to have a tremendous impact on multitudes of children both in major Jewish centers and in places far from Yiddishkeit hubs. Created with the singular goal of connecting children to the teachings and life of the Chofetz Chaim, the program offers some hilchos Rosh Hashanah together with hashkafa and mussar as taught by the Chofetz Chaim and compiled into an age-appropriate, user-friendly, easy-to-understand booklet replete with magnificent illustrations and rare stories of the Chofetz Chaim.
Dirshu has made extremely compelling, artfully designed booklets for three different age groups: grades 1-3, 4-5 and 6-8.
The captivating stories and graphics are sure to motivate the children in each age group to read and be inspired. In addition, the combination of riveting graphics and clarity of the lessons has been hailed by leading menahelim and mechanchim as a tremendously successful way of bringing alive the lessons of the Chofetz Chaim.
This is aside from schools, chadorim and Bais Yaakovs across the length and breadth of Eretz Yisrael and Europe who will also participate in the Yom Limud and Tefillah. According to Rabbi Gershon Kroizer of Dirshu, “Hundreds of schools in Eretz Yisrael, North America and Europe that together encompasses hundreds of thousands of children will participate in the Yom Limud and Tefillah utilizing the unique content provided to commemorate the auspicious day. The impact on young boys and girls learning about the Chofetz Chaim will be huge,” he exclaimed.
There will also be tens of schools in the former Soviet Union, schools in South Africa, Australia, and South America participating in this momentous day, making it truly worldwide.
With Rosh Hashanah nearly upon us, we realize what a monumental Yom Hadin we are facing. The world is an extremely unstable place. Klal Yisrael needs you to daven together with hundreds of thousands throughout the world on Dirshu’s Yom Limud and Tefillah.
Join with Klal Yisrael in the Yom Limud and Tefillah on Sunday, 24 Elul/September 10, 2023—along with the guidance and chizuk from our Gedolim in advance of the New Year—and tap into this unique eis ratzon!