Sefer Hagibborim with names of each Daf HaYomi B’Halacha learner and family to be placed by the kever of the Chofetz Chaim.
When a large contingent of gedolei Yisrael comes together from throughout the world to undertake a chizuk journey on behalf of klal Yisrael, it is a major event, a major breakthrough! Those familiar with the full, overwhelming schedules of our gedolim, whether they are roshei yeshiva, rabbanim, dayanim or mashgichim, know that every day is full to the utmost, with learning, teaching, imparting chizuk, attending simchos, and the list goes on.
The fact that tens of prominent rabbanim, among them a large group of senior gedolei Yisrael, have undertaken a mission to strengthen the learning of halacha in klal Yisrael, speaks volumes.
That is the background behind the major Dirshu mission to Eastern Europe where gedolim will visit Radin, Vilna and Kovno to daven at the mekomos hakedoshim and invoke rachamei shamayim on behalf of klal Yisrael and especially on behalf of those who incorporate the learning of daily halacha into their lives.
The mission is being taken as the Dirshu Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program is on the cusp of completing chelek vav of the Mishnah Berurah, signifying the milestone completion of the second machzor of the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha’s daily learning of six chalakim of Mishnah Berurah.
Chasan Torah Versus Chasan Bereishis
Perhaps just as important is the fact that this will mark the beginning of the third machzor, beginning once again with chelek aleph of the Mishnah Berurah. This will give klal Yisrael the opportunity to jump in and bring Hashem into their lives by just learning one page of Mishnah Berurah per day.
A gadol once remarked that chasan Torah is a remarkable honor and achievement that signifies the completion of the entire Torah, but in a way chasan Bereishis is even more momentous. Why? Because it signifies the renewed commitment to learning Torah again from the very beginning. That concept of chasan Bereishis is one of the major reasons why so many gedolim agreed to take time from their ultra-busy schedules to make the journey: to encourage more and more Yidden to join the more than 100,000 Yidden already learning Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and thereby receive the ultimate bracha and siyata dishmaya emanating from the author of the Mishnah Berurah, the Chofetz Chaim himself, whose sefarim are learned in the program.
Indeed, Rabbi Shlomo Rozenstein, director of Dirshu’s public relations, commented, “When gedolim such as the rosh yeshiva of Chevron, HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, take time to travel to Europe in the middle of the zman to daven for klal Yisrael, that says a lot!
“The contingent includes gedolim such as HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Meir Stern, shlita, dayan in Zichron Meir and Vizhnitz, Hagaon HaRav Shimon Galei, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Meir Markowitz, dayan, shlita, Satmar London, HaGaon HaRav Nissan Kaplan, shlita, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Daas Aharon, HaGaon HaRav Binyomin Finkel, shlita, mashgiach, Yeshivas Mir Yerushlayim, HaGaon HaRav Sariel Rosenberg, shlita, av beis din of the beis din established by HaGaon HaRav Nissim Karelitz, zt”l, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Koledetzky, shlita, son-in-law of the Sar HaTorah, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, and so many other dayanim from all over Eretz Yisrael as well as from Gateshead, Zurich, London and even Aix- Les-Bains, France! They will be joined by the nasi of Dirshu, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, and other senior members of Dirshu’s hanhala.”
Why? Why are they all coming? The answer is because they deeply believe in the ideal that every Yid should bring the learning of daily halacha into their lives, and they are going to hallowed mekomos hakedoshim in Radin, Vilna and Kovno to daven for those people.
The Source Behind the Sefer Hagibborim
One of the major highlights of the trip will be the placing of the Sefer Haggiborim at the kever of the Chofetz Chaim to serve as an ongoing source of rachamei shamayim and siyata dishmaya for lomdei Dirshu and their families.
The Sefer Hagibborim, a sefer with every lomed inscribed from which the gedolim will daven and that will then be placed in a special weather-sealed, locked receptacle next to the Chofetz Chaim’s kever, has been making waves among Yidden the world over.
What exactly is the Sefer Hagibborim? The idea is based on the Gemara (Bava Metzia 85) that teaches about one of the Amoraim who was ill and prostrated himself at the kever of his rebbi, saying, “I learn your Torah!” In that merit he was healed.
Acting on that lesson, the hanhala of Dirshu came up with the thought of compiling a sefer containing the names of all present Daf HaYomi B’Halacha learners and their families, as well as the name and family names of any person who accepts upon himself to learn daily halacha with Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and mussar. The sefer of names will be placed in a special place at the Chofetz Chaim’s kever and remain there as an eternal merit for those inscribed in it.
Anyone who accepts upon himself to start learning Daf Yomi B’Halacha of Mishnah Berurah with the mussar portion of the learning schedule, anyone who accepted and actually started learning Daf Yomi B’Halacha, even if, chalilah, he is unable to continue, will still be worthy of entry in the sefer. Understandably, the kabbalah is to be made bli neder.
Having your name placed in the Sefer Hagibborim at this special maamad as an eternal zechus does not cost money. On the contrary, those who take the tests will be rewarded monetarily!
“Rebbe! This Is What You Wanted!”
What an opportunity! To be empowered to bring the greatest zechus and bracha into your life by bringing daily Mishnah Berurah and mussar learning into your day and being saved from countless issurim. In addition, you will earn the zechus of the Chofetz Chaim who will undoubtedly be the greatest meilitz yosher for those earnestly learning his sefarim daily!
Who can forget the powerful words that HaGaon HaRav Chizkiyahu Yosef Mishkovsky, shlita, mashgiach of Yeshiva Orchos Torah, said in 5775 (2015) at the kever of the Chofetz Chaim? They are so applicable today as well. “Rebbe,” Rav Mishkovsky exclaimed, “this is what you wanted! That Yidden across the world should live their daily lives in accordance with halacha by learning your Mishnah Berurah; that Yidden should live their lives in accordance with your sefer Chofetz Chaim and Shemiras Halashon on the laws of lashon hara and your other mussar sefarim. In this zechus, please may Hashem grant all lomdei Daf HaYomi B’Halacha—those currently in the program and those who have undertaken to join the program—hatzlacha in all their endeavors, nachas from their children, yeshuos, refuos and parnassah!”
By Chaim Gold