There will be special programming in schools and chizuk from gedolei Yisrael and prominent rabbanim on videocast.
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! The world is on fire. Eretz Yisrael is under attack from multiple enemies, surrounded by ruthless adversaries who seek to destroy all Jews. Antisemitism is running rampant in ways that have not been seen since the Holocaust. The stability of the world order is under threat and the fingers of Jew haters are being pointed at us. They have come out of the shadows and they are unabashedly in the open.
That is why Dirshu’s 10th Annual International Yom Limud and Tefillah, to be held on 24 Elul/September 27, the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrzeit, can’t come sooner.
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 as the Chofetz Chaim. 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, Ahavas Chesed that codified all the halachos of chesed or the Chofetz Chaim’s magnum opus the sefer Mishnah Berurah that continues to be the foundational daily halacha sefer in Klal Yisrael, still today we are 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’yeshuah, longing for the ultimate redemption to the forefront of public consciousness. Thus, there is no doubt that the day of his yahrtzeit is a tremendous eis ratzon, an opportune time for tefilla and for invoking rachmei shomayim on behalf of all Klal Yisrael.
For this reason, Dirshu in a remarkable global effort to invoke rachmei shomayim, is holding a multifaceted Yom Limud and Tefillah that will encompass all of Klal Yisrael the world over, including tinokos shel beis rabban, bnei yeshiva, Bais Yaakov schools, baalei batim and any caring Jew.
This year’s Yom Limud and Tefillah will also showcase a special videocast on Motzei Shabbos, 25 Elul, at 9 p.m., running throughout Sunday. The videocast will feature unique chizuk by leading gedolei Yisrael, including HaGaon HaRav Shimon Galei, shlita, Mashpia and Rosh Kollel; HaGaon Harav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, shlita, Av Beis Din Shaarei Horaah; Rav David Ozeri, Rav of Congregation Yad Yosef of Brooklyn; Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi Dirshu; Rav Daniel Glatstein, Rav of Kehilas Tiferes Mordechai of Cedarhurst; and Rav Zev Smith, Maggid Shiur Dirshu, Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and Irgun Shiurei Torah. One of the highlights of the videocast promises to be historical footage of HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein, zt”l, wherein he gives detailed hadracha for bnei Torah on how to succeed in learning.
Making a Big Deal of the Chofetz Chaim’s Yahrzeit
The great tzaddik Rav Nosson Wachtfogel, zt”l, mashgiach of Lakewood, would often say, “We cannot forget that the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrzeit is at this time of year right before Rosh Hashanah. For some reason, no one makes a big deal out of it, but they should.”
This was said by Rav Wachtfogel more than two decades ago, but over the last 10 years, Dirshu, the organization that promotes accountable Torah study and mussar, has been making a big deal about the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrzeit and its juxtaposition right before Rosh Hashanah.
Undoubtedly, the videocast with divrei chizuk from the Gedolim in honor of the Chofetz Chaim’s yahrzeit serve as an ideal way to prepare 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 266 in hilchos Shabbos, the page learned in the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program for 24 Elul, and chapter 11 in the sefer Chomas Hadas, written by the Chofetz Chaim.
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, from Buenos Aries, Argentina, and Phoenix, Arizona, to Toronto, Canada, from Antwerp, Belgium to Pinsk, Poland… Klal Yisrael will come together to daven and invoke rachmei shomayim in advance of the Yamim Noraim.
Chadorim and Schools World Over Learning From the Ways Of the Chofetz Chaim
Simultaneously, a unique program for schools will take place in more than 300 cities across the world with many hundreds of participating yeshivos, chadorim and Bais Yaakovs. In Eretz Yisrael 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 36-page booklet features beautiful stories about the Chofetz Chaim together with hashkafa and mussar as taught by the Chofetz Chaim all compiled into an age-appropriate, user-friendly, easy-to-understand booklet, replete with magnificent illustrations. There is also a section that teaches children about the sefarim that the Chofetz Chaim wrote and their purpose.
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 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 comprises 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!
In Eretz Yisrael, an asifas tefillah will also be held the night of the yahrzeit at the kever of the Chazon Ish and the Steipler in Bnei Brak and at the Kosel Hamaaravi on the morning of the yahrzeit, attended by lomdei Dirshu and graced by Dirshu’s nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter.
With Rosh Hashanah nearly upon us, everyone recognizes 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, and we ALL need the words of the Gedolim broadcast on the videocast for guidance and chizuk in advance of the New Year. We ALL need the tefillos of tinokos shel beis rabban on this auspicious day.
Join with Klal Yisrael in the Yom Limud and Tefillah on Friday, 24 Elul/September 27 and tap into this unique eis ratzon!
