Pivotal pesichah shiurim are delivered by gedolei Yisrael.

It is barely two weeks since the launch of the global Amud HaYomi program and the Amud HaYomi is spreading across the world!

Hundreds of shiurim and night kollelim began learning the Amud HaYomi this past Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan starting Masechta Brachos, daf beis, amud aleph. Thousands of chavrusos began learning the amud (page) together across the world from Melbourne to Buenos Aires, from Lakewood to Bnei Brak, from Antwerp to Texas, and from Johannesburg to Caracas, Venezuela.

Rav Hillel David: The Unique Maalos of Amud HaYomi

In addition, pesicha shiurim (opening classes) were delivered on the first amud in Brachos by gedolei Yisrael from all over. HaGaon HaRav Hillel David, shlita, yoshev rosh of the Vaad Roshei Yeshiva of Torah Umesorah, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and rav of Kehillas Yeshiva Shaarei Torah, gave a live, practical lesson on how one can learn the amud and simultaneously cite wonderful chiddushim from the rishonim and acharonim and seamlessly weave them into the amud.

At the conclusion of his shiur, Rav Hillel spoke about the unique maalos (merits) of Amud HaYomi. He explained that it goes without saying that an Amud HaYomi shiur should be given for the same amount of time as a Daf Yomi shiur. “A maggid shiur,” he explained, “can have the opportunity to point out the way Rashi learns the Gemara and cite the opinion of Tosafos that differs with Rashi. He has the luxury of being able to explain why Tosafos argues on Rashi. If he prepares well, he can truly convey the underpinnings of the sugya (topic).

During the first two weeks since the start of the Amud HaYomi, Dirshu’s offices both in America and Eretz Yisrael have been bombarded with phone calls. Many, many people have called to ask that a shiur be set up in their shul or neighborhood. Many maggidei shiur (teachers) have called with offers to deliver shiurim. Thousands upon thousands of Yidden have signed up to join the program and receive the Iyun Ha’amud Kuntres that offers interesting maareh mekomos (sources) and chiddushim on the Gemara, Rashi and Tosafos on every amud.

The Skverer Rebbe: More Torah, More Light

Recently, a Dirshu delegation came to Shikun Skver to receive a bracha from the Skverer Rebbe shlita, for this new transformative undertaking. The Rebbe was extremely pleased to hear about the new Amud HaYomi program, and he told them, “The truth is that in Skver we also have an Amud HaYomi program with a different schedule. I remember when our program was originally proposed, I was a bit hesitant and didn’t immediately give it my blessing. I was afraid,” the Rebbe said, “that perhaps limiting the learning to an amud would make some people learn less, not more. We know that when it comes to kedusha, to anything holy, we always go up and we can never go down. In the end, however, I did agree, and I realized that any apprehension that I had was unfounded. The Torah learning in the kehillah just became stronger. Torah is like a candle. When you light one candle from another, the second candle begins to give light without minimizing the first one’s light. It is the same thing with Torah. Another shiur, another program doesn’t take away from existing programs, it just adds more and more light…

Rav Shlomo Eisenberger: “The Last Amud Hayomi Shiur That I Attended Was Given by Rav Shach!”

Another pesicha shiur on Masechta Brachos was given by the venerated Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe, HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Eisenberger, shlita. Rav Eisenberger reminisced that the last time he attended an Amud HaYomi shiur was in the Ponovezh Yeshiva and the maggid shiur was the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shach! He said, “When I learned in Ponovezh many decades ago, Rav Shach delivered a blatt shiur. That zman we were learning Masechta Kesubos. When the Ponovezher Rav, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman suggested to Rav Shach that he learn five blatt a week in the blatt shiur, Rav Shach protested that it was too much. In the end they each compromised, and Rav Shach began delivering shiur on one amud a day.

“I think the Amud HaYomi is an amazing idea! Not everyone can do a full blatt. In an amud, there is so much more that the maggid shiur can speak about. I remember how much Rav Shach spoke about on each amud. It is a real toeles…”

Rav Dovid Hofstedter: “Without Torah The World Is Suspended in Limbo”

Rav Dovid Hofstedter, nasi of Dirshu, also delivered a pesicha shiur, during which he explained in great depth many of the foundational sevaros related to the first amud of the masechta. The shiur, given in Toronto, was broadcast to chavrei Dirshu around the world.

At the end, Rav Dovid gave divrei chizuk for a few minutes regarding the situation in which we currently find ourselves. He noted that Shas begins with the halachos of Kriyas Shema to teach us that first and foremost, before anything, we must have emunah, we must accept upon ourselves the ol malchus shamayim.

With great passion, Rav Hofstedter exclaimed, “The entire world saw what happened on Simchas Torah in Eretz Yisrael. The entire world shuddered and was shocked by the barbaric acts perpetrated against Yidden in Eretz Yisrael. It seemed almost as if the kiyum ha’olam, the continuation of the world as we know it, was in doubt. Chazal tell us that for 26 generations until Hashem gave the bris of the Torah, the world was hanging in limbo, as it were. When we accepted the Torah and mitzvos upon ourselves, the foundation of the world solidified. It was no longer suspended in limbo.

“When we see today how it appears that the foundation of the sustenance of the world as we know it, is in doubt, we are doubly obligated to strengthen ourselves in the bris of Torah, because only Torah puts the world on a solid foundation. When we strengthen ourselves in Torah, that shields us and saves the world as Chazal tell us, “‘Im lo brisi yomam v’layla chukos shamayim v’aretz lo samti, were it not for Klal Yisrael observing My Torah and mitzvos, the laws governing heaven and earth would have never been established.’”

“What we must do is accept upon ourselves the ol (yoke of) Torah and increase our learning both in quantity and even more so in quality.”

The Rachmastrivka Rebbe: “The Amud HaYomi Is a Wonderful Opportunity!”

The Rachmastrivka Rebbe, shlita, of Yerushalayim, was extremely pleased when informed of the establishment of the worldwide Amud HaYomi program. He said, “The fact that Dirshu has established a new daily learning program, the Amud HaYomi, is a wonderful opportunity.”

There are many who find it difficult to learn the Daf Yomi. There are others who would rather learn less every day but want to still have time to review the previous days’ learning.

A New Kevius, a New Zechus

The message of the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok Rebbe delivered through his son, was a message that was extremely appropriate for today’s precarious times. He said, “During this difficult period in which we live, there is a special zechus that comes with spreading Torah and facilitating more Torah learning all over the world. The Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh says that Moshe Rabbeinu did not want to redeem batlanim min haTorah, those that do not sit and learn Torah. The new Amud HaYomi program that will exponentially increase Torah learning, should serve as a zechus to finally bring Moshiach, whom we are so awaiting!”

To join Amud HaYomi or to find a shiur near you, please contact Dirshu at 1888-5Dirshu or [email protected]