As Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha completes the Mishna Berurah’s fifth volume, and embarks on the sixth, final one, now is the time to join and increase limud halacha. The Gemara teaches that Hashem has nothing in His universe other than the four amos of halacha!

HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Akiva Schlessinger, Shlita, delivered passionate remarks at London’s Finchley Synagogue to a crowd of nearly 1,000, celebrating Dirshu’s Siyum on Mishna Berurah Chelek Hei. There were powerful addresses from Dirshu’s Nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, and the well-known Maggid and author, Rabbi Paysach Krohn. The massive Finchely Synagogue turnout was especially notable in light of the very inclement weather.

The European siyum came shortly after Dirshu’s major North American Shabbos Kinnus Olam HaTorah, celebrating accomplishments of many hundreds of members. The London siyum featured delegations from Manchester and Gateshead, as well as France, Belgium and Switzerland. While the London siyum was the most prominent, siyumim took place in Brooklyn, Lakewood, Chicago, and throughout Eretz Yisrael.

The keynote speaker, Rav Schlessinger, recounted how after Rav Meir Shapiro, zt”l, instituted the Daf HaYomi, the Chofetz Chaim praised him. “In the celestial world every Masechta has a chair. Tragically, until Daf HaYomi, there were many empty chairs, representing Masechtos that virtually no one learned. Now all are full.”

He cited Brachos 8, “Since the day the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed, Hashem has nothing in His universe beyond the four amos of halacha. There is so much in Hashem’s world, so beautiful, rich, massive. But all Hashem cares about is the four amos of halacha. Can we understand its magnitude?!”

Dirshu has added tens of thousands of learners world-over who learn Mishna Berurah, attend daily Daf HaYomi B’Halacha shiurim and review and take tests on halacha.

By Chaim Gold