As Dirshu’s World Siyum approaches, it is important to highlight the ultimate heroes of the Siyum HaShas, those lomdei Torah who learn the daf, chazer the daf and take monthly tests on 30 blatt as part of the Dirshu Kinyan Torah program. Some take tests on Gemara with Rashi, others add Tosafos. No matter what is going on in their lives, they manage to carve out time each and every day so that they can truly become Shas Yidden.
In the wake of previous siyumim, thousands of new learners have joined Kinyan Torah and decided that they want to do everything in their power to take their learning to the next level.
The following letter from a woman in Monsey, received by Dirshu’s American office, offers an inkling of the lifelong impact that Kinyan Torah can have on a family.
My husband is currently involved in the Kinyan Torah 30 blatt, 120 blatt and Kinyan Shas programs. He grew tremendously since he joined Dirshu and feels this program really taught him the right derech halimud.
As bein hazemanim comes along (Sukkos and Pesach), when most men get ready for vacation, my husband sits down with a calendar and figures out how many blatt he needs to cover in a day to complete chazarah of b’erech 2,000 blatt… My husband’s heart and soul is devoted to the Dirshu programs.
Once again, I would like to thank you for all that you do. My husband became who he is today only because of you!
Rav Avrohom Schorr, rav of Khal Nezer Gedalyahu of Brooklyn, similarly highlighted the impact Dirshu has on the entire family. He asked, “How do kids in today’s world know what is really important and what isn’t? The school may be able to impart book knowledge, but seeing how their parents conduct themselves is the ultimate teacher. When a child sees that the entire home is focused around the husband’s and father’s learning seder, chazara and preparation for tests, the entire home becomes a manifestation of Torah.”
Dirshu’s Kinyan Torah program has transformed the limud of Daf HaYomi among klal Yisrael, immeasurably enriching the limud haTorah of tens of thousands the world over. It has raised the bar in ensuring accountability in learning and has endowed klal Yisrael with great talmidei chachamim.
Perhaps the words of the venerated rosh yeshiva and posek HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Wosner, zt”l, expressed it best. When he visited the testing site in Bnei Brak, he remarked, “Baruch Hashem, [in the course of my life] I have merited to know numerous Torah giants from many countries. Some of them were great at in-depth learning, others had profound logic. Still, the foundation of them all was yedias haTorah, vast Torah knowledge….
“It is for this reason that I give song and praise to Hashem that I have merited to come here to witness this fantastic sight…talmidei chachamim sitting and learning the Word of Hashem in order that they merit a kinyan in Shas.”
Rav Dovid Tzvi Ordentlich, zt”l, who passed away earlier this month, served as the rav of Beitar Illit for more than 20 years. He saw the transformative impact that taking Dirshu tests and especially the Kinyan Torah program has had on lomdei Torah and their families. At a Dirshu siyum in Beitar approximately two years ago, Rav Ordentlich, who was already unwell but was moser nefesh to attend, said, “Dirshu has accomplished regarding limud haTorah and especially Daf Yomi. When the Daf Yomi was established by Rav Meir Shapiro it had a transformative effect on klal Yisrael. I think we can say the same with regard to Dirshu. Just as the institution of Daf Yomi was a chiddush, so too was the establishment of Dirshu. Dirshu has reintroduced Daf Yomi to klal Yisrael in a profound way. It has ensured that untold thousands are learning masechtos, finishing masechtos, starting new masechtos and knowing them. Just like Rav Meir Shapiro’s Daf Yomi spread to all of klal Yisrael, so too Dirshu’s method of learning the daf and being tested on it has increasingly spread among numerous segments of klal Yisrael!”
Rabbi Moshe Fisher, a veteran test-taker living in Lakewood, explained eloquently how he managed to retain such vast amounts of material: “It becomes part of your life. Every time I say krias Shema at night I think of the Gemaras about krias Shema. Every time something comes up on Shabbos, I think of the related sugya in Shabbos…. Once you’re into Dirshu, it’s hard to be meisiach daas, to take one’s mind off of Shas. You simply become attached!”
At the Dirshu World Siyum in 2012, Rav Wosner said something that encapsulates what he saw as the unique power of limud haTorah and what embodies those who learn in the Kinyan Torah program, “The klaf, the parchment of Torah Shebiksav, is made from the hide of an animal. The klaf of Torah Shebaal Peh is the hearts of those who learn Torah! He who learns Torah Shebaal Peh is full of Torah, full of yirah, full of kedusha.”
A most eloquent testimony, however, to what it means to be part of Kinyan Torah, can be gleaned from this remarkable poem written by the wife of a long time Dirshu member and sent to Dirshu’s offices:
It seemed like just yesterday
When the news came out of the blue
There was an organization testing people on Shas
It’s called Kollel Dirshu.
Abba came home all excited
With a smile and spark in his eyes
“This sounds like something I’d enjoy,
I’d really like to give it a try.”
So as Test #1 came and Abba was chazering
We all could feel the heat
A test on the first 30 blatt of Shas
Was really no small feat!
Test after test came and went
With Abba doing well time and time again
Then the cumulative tests started
And the chazerin began with a bren.
All of us pitched in before each Yom Tov
And on most trips, Abba was absent
When Abba stayed up to learn after the Seder
We saw what real ameilus baTorah meant!
Three bar mitzvos we celebrated
Baruch Hashem, four more births brought no rest
Through simchos and challenges the Daf was there
Abba didn’t miss even one test!
The night after each cumulative test
Our family enjoyed steak for dinner
It didn’t matter that we didn’t know Abba’s grade yet
Because in our eyes our Abba’s a winner!
We’ve come a long way since that first 30 blatt test
That seemed so overwhelming
But this past test on 2,711 blatt
Was truly exhilarating!
As we sat back and enjoyed the Siyum HaShas
And Abba said the Hadran
We felt such a pride at what our family accomplished
But no! We’re definitely not done!
Because Abba has already started Shas again
Being tested this time on Tosafos, too.
So we’ve all come together, the whole…clan
To say thank you! Thank you, Dirshu!
By Chaim Gold
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