Leading gedolim deliver pesicha shiurim as over 500 new shiurim open in 22 countries throughout the world.

“Amud HaYomi is phenomenal! It is a manifestation of ribui Torah, increasing Torah, not only in quantity but even more importantly, in quality. The fact that thousands upon thousands are beginning this new limud (learning) and gaining a better, deeper understanding of what they learn is a tremendous tikkun,” exclaimed HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, venerated Rosh Yeshiva of Chevron in a unique shiur pesicha that he gave to Masechta Brachos in honor of Klal Yisrael’s new Amud HaYomi program that began this past Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan with daf beis amud aleph of Masechta Brachos.

Rav Dovid Cohen was not the only gadol to deliver a pesicha shiur. In light of the precarious security situation in Eretz Yisrael precipitated by the ongoing war with Hamas, large gatherings to mark the momentous beginning of a new, transformative limud were not feasible. Rather, small shiurei pesicha were given by numerous Gedolei Yisroel.

Attendees and speakers at the pesicha given by Rav Dovid Cohen included HaGaon HaRav HaRav Nisson Kaplan, shlita, and Hagaon HaRav Yisroel Yitzchok Zilberman, shlita.

Other pesicha shiurim were given by HaGaon HaRav Avigdor Nebenzahl, shlita, venerated Rav of the Old City of Yerushalayim; the Rachmastrivka Rebbe, shlita; the Boyaner Rebbe, shlita; HaGaon HaRav Messoud Ben Shimon, shlita, Sefardic Rav of Bnei Brak; HaGaon HaRav Avrohom Salim, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Meor HaTorah; HaGaon HaRav Shraga Shteinman, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Orchos Torah; HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Meir Stern, shlita, talmid muvhak of Rav Shmuel Wosner, zt”l; HaGaon HaRav Chaim Peretz Berman, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva at the Ponovezh Yeshiva and numerous others.

Shiurei pesicha were also held in America with prominent speakers such as 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; HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Eisenberger, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Telshe; and Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, Nasi Dirshu.

A New Level of Success!

The Amud HaYomi has taken off successfully at a level that even surprised the hanhala (leadership) of Dirshu, the organization that has established and organized this new limud for Klal Yisrael.

Nearly 600 new shiurim have opened across the world, with more than 100 new shiurim in America alone. Well over 50,000 people worldwide have joined and started Shas with this new Amud HaYomi cycle. Approximately 187 chaburos and kollelei erev (learning groups) have already adopted the new Amud HaYomi as their limud. Access to world renowned Amud HaYomi maggidei shiur (teachers) is available on major platforms such as Kol Halashon, All Daf, Torah Anytime, Dirshu Global and Dirshu’s dedicated Amud HaYomi hotline.

Another important aspect of the Amud HaYomi launch is the fact that it took place at a very precarious time for Klal Yisrael. Numerous Gedolei Yisrael pointed out that it is certainly not a coincidence that at this difficult time for Klal Yisrael when we so desperately need the zechusim (merits) and koach (strength) of Torah, so many tens of thousands of Yidden are accepting to immerse themselves in a new daily limud. Undoubtedly, the zechus of Torah has the power to save us at this perilous time.

Three Shuls, Three Times Of Day … One Limud!

The amazing outpouring of enthusiasm for the new Amud HaYomi has been astounding. One of the important members of Dirshu in America, relates, “I received a phone call from a friend today, saying, ‘This morning when I went to Shacharis in my shul in Flatbush, there was an Amud HaYomi shiur beginning right after Shacharis. Later in the day, I went to a different shul for Mincha and I saw that they too had a new Amud HaYomi shiur. When I went to yet a third shul for Maariv, I again found a new Amud HaYomi shiur that was slated to finish just before Maariv. I realized that if Hashem sent me to three shuls in one day, each of which had an Amud HaYomi shiur, it is time that I too join the Amud HaYomi!”

Amud HaYomi Complements Daf HaYomi

Upon conclusion of his intricate shiur pesicha on the first blatt in Masechta Brachos, Rav Dovid Cohen remarked, “I want to clarify one thing, the Amud HaYomi is not necessarily a limud that comes in place of the Daf HaYomi. Rather, it is a track for those who find the Daf HaYomi difficult. The Daf HaYomi is something that remains the eternal inheritance of Klal Yisrael. It is a great matana that Rav Meir Shapiro gave to Klal Yisrael. Fortunate is the one who is able to learn the daf! Unfortunately, however, there are many who cannot learn the daf for various reasons. The Amud HaYomi is not, in any way, coming to infringe on that legacy.

People who are learning the Daf HaYomi properly, the Amud HaYomi can be a great chazara (review) tool to review and retain what one learns. Thus, in a way, the Amud HaYomi is also a continuation of the legacy of Rav Meir Shapiro. It enables people to learn a certain amount every day, weekday, Shabbos and Yom Tov and complete Shas. Yes, it will take 14 years, but for those who need the time to properly understand and retain, it is an amazing gift to Klal Yisrael,” Rav Cohen concluded.

Rav Messoud Ben Shimon instituted the learning of Amud HaYomi in his yeshiva, as the bekius learning for night seder. “If we learn the amud properly,” he said, “and institute both a chazara and testing schedule I think there will be an amazing toeles in the learning.”

Indeed, Rav Avrohom Salim, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Meor HaTorah and a member of the Shas Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah said, “Now Klal Yisrael finds itself in a great tzara (crisis). We all know that Torah protects and saves. There are two components needed at a time like this. The component of Torah, learning Torah and the component of tefillah, davening and crying out to Hashem to save us. We need so much tefillah now, but one of the difficulties that we encounter is that it is difficult to daven or say Tehillim all day. It is difficult to maintain the hisorerus even when we are supposed to daven. The Amud HaYomi can be the Torah that is in place of tefillah.”

“A Kabbalah Tova Is Considered Complete by Hashem”

HaGaon HaRav Binyomin Finkel, shlita, mashigach of the Mir Yeshiva of Yerushalayim, encapsulated the importance and beauty of the Amud HaYomi especially during this difficult time for Klal Yisrael when he said, “It is important to note that Mashiach is coming very soon. When he comes, Hashem will test us on the entire Torah. I don’t know what mark we are going to get … We have started the Amud HaYomi today. I know the first Mishna, the first amud, but what will come after that…? I will tell you. The Amud HaYomi is our hatzalah. Even if Mashiach will come tomorrow, the very fact that we have started, that we have accepted upon ourselves to learn an amud every day, not just superficially but to really invest time and effort to understand, that kabbalah tova is considered by Hashem as if we have completed it. Mashiach can come tomorrow, and he will greet every one of us as Shas Yidden! Hashem knows we started because we want to know Shas.

“Yes! In one second, we can transcend from afeilah l’orah, from the great darkness that we see in the world today to great light! May it come soon!”