Nesius of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha calls on Jews to learn daily daf of Hilchos Shabbos.

Last week in Eretz Yisrael, two rare meetings took place where senior gedolei Yisrael issued a unified call to all Jews to undertake the study of the laws of Shabbos. The first meeting was a meeting of the nesius of the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program, Dirshu’s daily worldwide Halacha program of learning one page of Mishnah Berurah daily. Last week, in honor of the program’s commencement on the laws of Shabbos in the third volume of the Mishna Berura, the nesius, the rabbinical body that guides the organization, met at the home of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, to encourage the learning of hilchos Shabbos.

“In this generation of ikvesa d’Meshicha, the footsteps of Mashiach, there is great impurity permeating the world. The power of the evil inclination in this world is greater than ever. That is why we must flee ‘this world’ and enter ‘the world of Hashem.’ What is the ‘world of Hashem’? The ‘world of Hashem’ is the four cubits of Halacha,” said HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita.

Rav Chaim’s close talmid, HaRav Eliyahu Mann, shlita, delivered those words on behalf of Rav Chaim, and in his presence, at last week’s August gathering of the nesius of Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha.

The gathering was both to celebrate the completion of Chelek Beis of Mishna Berura in the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program and to urge Jews the world over to join the program for the vitally important Chelek Gimel, the section of the Mishna Berura on hilchos Shabbos, which begins on 17 Tammuz/July 11.

The climactic meeting of the nesius was a deeply inspiring manifestation of unity, showing perhaps more than anything else the degree of importance that the gedolei Yisrael attach to urging every individual to bring daily halacha into their lives, especially the learning of hilchos Shabbos.

In attendance were HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Ponovezh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Boruch Dov Povarsky, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Ponovezh Yeshiva, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Yisroel Hager, shlita, the Boyaner Rebbe, shlita, the Seret-Vizhnitzer Rebbe, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Chevron Yeshiva, the Modzhitzer Rebbe, shlita and the Alexander Rebbe, shlita.

This was the third meeting of the Nesius of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha. The first one was held at the home of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, shlita, in advance of beginning the second machzor of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha; the second was held at the home of HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, shlita, upon the completion of Chelek Alef just over a year ago, and now the nesius gathered once again. The primary purpose of this meeting was to issue a public and unified clarion call to Jews the world over, highlighting the importance of learning hilchos Shabbos and indicating the tremendous opportunity that now exists to join the learning of hilchos Shabbos.

The remarks of the senior Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein, at the meeting, addressed specifically that point. Rav Edelstein said, “Hilchos Shabbos is unique. The Mishna Berura wrote only two introductions. One is his introduction to the first volume, and the second introduction that he wrote is a special introduction to hilchos Shabbos. The fact that the Mishna Berura saw fit to make a special introduction to the laws of Shabbos shows just how important it is to know hilchos Shabbos. In that introduction, the Mishnah Berurah brings in the name of Rav Yonason Eibschitz that it is not possible for a person who doesn’t learn and know hilchos Shabbos to avoid transgressing even Torah-mandated prohibitions. A person who doesn’t have knowledge of hilchos Shabbos truly can’t be saved from transgressing. Therefore, it is an obligation to know hilchos Shabbos.”

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe, shlita, spoke with tremendous enthusiasm about the importance of every person learning and becoming familiar with the halachos of Shabbos.

The Rebbe quoted the profound words of the Taz at the beginning of his commentary on hilchos Shabbos. “The Taz brings the well-known Gemara that ‘Whoever keeps Shabbos in accordance with Halacha, even if he worships avoda zara like the generation of Enosh will be forgiven. From here we learn,’ the Taz says, ‘that Shabbos has an even greater power than Yom Kippur to arouse forgiveness. With regard to Yom Kippur there are transgressions that are not even forgiven on Yom Kippur, but require a person to undergo additional pain and suffering and even death to achieve forgiveness. However, keeping Shabbos according to Halacha can engender complete kapara without suffering and without death.’” The Rebbe then passionately exclaimed, “Who doesn’t want that?! God-fearing Jews are always seeking ways to achieve selicha and kapara. All they have to do is learn hilchos Shabbos and merit to keep Shabbos according to Halacha!”

The evening was opened by Dirshu’s nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter. With great feeling, Rav Hofstedter said, “Ashreinu! How fortunate we are that we have leaders who are moser nefesh for klal Yisrael and guide us. They have expressed the fact that it is every Jew’s obligation to learn and know Halacha, they have placed the sweet yoke upon us to try to spread the learning and observance of Halacha to klal Yisrael.”

The words of Rav Hofstedter gave insight into the tremendous importance that the senior leaders of our generation attach to learning Halacha and especially hilchos Shabbos. Dirshu’s Rav Avigdor Berenstein related, “We all know how every second is so precious to the gedolei Yisrael. Rav Chaim Kanievsky values time so much that he is extremely frugal with his words in order to save a few seconds. Nevertheless, Rav Chaim, Rav Gershon Edelstein and the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, as well as all of the other gedolim, all cleared their schedules, taking the time to attend the asifa of the nesius because they see a tremendous need in our time to strengthen the learning and observance of halacha l’ma’aseh… despite the oppressive heatwave in Eretz Yisrael that made travel for the elderly gedolim difficult.”

The Sephardic Torah giant, HaGaon HaRav Shimon Baadani, shlita, rosh yeshivas Torah V’Chaim, a member of the nesius who was unable to attend due to the heat and his weakness, sent a letter calling on “every person to strengthen themselves in Daf HaYomi B’Halacha especially now as we are about to commence hilchos Shabbos.”

Another highlight among the events leading to the commencement of learning hilchos Shabbos in the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha was an important gathering of many of Eretz Yisrael’s leading poskim held at the home of the senior rosh yeshiva of the Slabodka Yeshiva of Bnei Brak, HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, shlita.

Rav Landau addressed the gathering, “The entire edifice of shemiras hamitzvos is dependent on learning hilchos Shabbos and knowing those halachos. A person cannot accomplish anything without the knowledge of hilchos Shabbos. Those who understand the importance of hilchos Shabbos and encourage the learning of hilchos Shabbos should be blessed.”

To join Daf HaYomi B’Halacha or access a shiur near you in North America, please call 888-5-Dirshu or e-mail [email protected].

By Chaim Gold