“Tonight’s siyum is special. It is a historic event,” said HaGaon HaRav Yerucham Olshin, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood. “Although we celebrate many siyumim, baruch Hashem a siyum by so many thousands upon thousands of Yidden on a chelek of Mishnah Berurah, having learned one daf after another on a daily basis, is truly remarkable!” The rosh yeshiva then made a candid admission that deeply inspired the crowd of well over a thousand people. “I myself have enjoyed tremendous chizuk since joining the daily limud of Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha!”
The Rosh Yeshiva’s heartfelt address was said at the National Siyum on Chelek Aleph of Mishnah Berurah in Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program held at the Ohel Rivka Hall in Passaic, NJ. The siyum attracted a large local crowd along with contingents from Brooklyn, Lakewood and even locales as far as Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Scranton and Philadelphia.
The National Siyum in Passaic was one of many worldwide siyumim celebrating the completion of Chelek Aleph including numerous siyumim in Eretz Yisrael, the most prominent of which was attended by the venerated senior Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, shlita; the United Kingdom siyum held in Gateshead, England; siyumim in Paris, France, and Amsterdam, Holland.
A Personal Guarantee
At the outset of his remarks, Rav Frand paid deference to Dirshu’s Nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, commenting that the title Nasi is “Somewhat of a misnomer. The more appropriate appellation would be ‘revolutionary,’ because he has made a revolution in klal Yisrael. He is truly the revolutionary Torah personality of our generation!”
Rav Frand pointed out that “although a siyum is made to celebrate past accomplishments, this siyum is as much about the future as it is about the past. It is not only about the tremendous feat of completing Chelek Aleph of Mishnah Berurah but it is also about looking forward to what we can accomplish in the future. When making a siyum one is declaring that he has tasted the sweetness of Torah and is enthused to go further. This is the essence of a siyum, to inspire us to do more.
Rav Yerucham Olshin, Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood, cited the Mishnah Berurah that “Although every word of limud haTorah is pivotal there is special importance to learning practical halacha that one can implement into daily life. Therefore, today’s Yom Tov is really a special Yom Tov that calls for a celebration of all of klal Yisrael. It is a Yom Tov that not only celebrates increased Torah learning but also increased Torah learning of practical halacha!”
In his powerful, prescient remarks at the siyum, Rav Dovid Hofstedter remarked about the tremendous zechus it had been to visit HaGaon HaRav Meir Stern, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Passaic Yeshiva, a yeshiva which has served as a springboard for the remarkable spiritual growth of Passaic as an ihr v’eim b’Yisrael!
Rav Dovid hailed the profound achdus in klal Yisrael that Daf HaYomi B’Halacha facilitates as Yidden spanning the entire spectrum of Torah-observant Jewry join daily to learn the same daf of Mishnah Berurah. Rav Yonason Sacks, shlita, rav of the Agudas Yisrael of Passaic, represented the rabbanim of Passaic. In his powerful address, he spoke about the greatness of the period between Pesach and Shavuos which the Ramban compares to a Chol Hamoed. Simultaneously, it is a period marred by mourning the passing of the talmidei Rabbi Akiva. “Achdus,” he thundered, “is the antidote to this aveirah. Dirshu brings together all of klal Yisrael through Torah learning! It is a tremendous zechus for our kehillah to have a chelek in this siyum!”
Rav Shmuel Choeuka, Rav of Congregation Ohel Simcha of Deal, was honored with making the siyum.
Massive Citywide Siyum in Gateshead, England
One of the most invigorating siyumim on Chelek Aleph was held in Gateshead, England. Over 600 people led by virtually every one of Gateshead’s rabbanim packed the largest communal hall to celebrate the siyum. Powerful drashos were delivered by HaGaon HaRav Shraga Feivel Zimmerman, shlita, Rav of Gateshead, HaGaon HaRav Pesach Eliyahu Falk, renowned posek and mechaber sefarim, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi Dirshu and the special guest speaker, Rav Aharon Lopiansky, Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington.
Rav Falk related a vort in the name of Rav Yitzchok Hutner that “the word modeh can mean both recognition and thanks. A person must first recognize the magnitude of the favor done for him. Only then can he properly give thanks for it. Indeed, the reason the entire congregation says Modim D’Rabbanan during chazaras hashatz is because when it comes to expressing thanks one can’t be yotzeh with someone else. One must express it himself! Similarly,” exclaimed Rav Falk, “we have come out en masse because we recognize Dirshu and Daf HaYomi B’Halacha’s pivotal role in facilitating limud haTorah and yedias halacha.”
Amsterdam and Paris
Daf HaYomi B’Halacha has also become very popular in Amsterdam, Holland. Rav Dovid Hofstedter and other senior members of Dirshu’s hanhala visited the kehillah, injecting it with profound chizuk. They met with Rav Segal, who gives three Daf HaYomi B’Halacha shiurim daily in three different locales. The hanhala of Dirshu was amazed by the diversity of the attendees. Another deeply inspiring moment was the visit to the local frum school. The 6th, 7th and 8th grades are all learning Daf HaYomi B’Halacha in class as their halachic limud. Providentially, the hanhala of Dirshu arrived during the halacha period and had the privilege of seeing the talmidim learning and absorbing the daily limud.
There was also a stimulating siyum in Paris, held at Rav Frankfurter’s shul. Drashos were given by Rav Mordechai Rottenberg and Rav Toledano.
Chizuk From Members of American Nesius
In honor of the completion of Chelek Aleph, Rav Hofstedter met with members of the American Nesius of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha to hear divrei chizuk. He met with the Skulener Rebbe, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha, Lakewood, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, shlita and HaGaon HaRav Yerucham Olshin, shlita.
The Skulener Rebbe blessed Rav Hofstedter that he should merit to bring all of his plans to increase Torah to fruition. “The world is full of darkness but you are bringing light into the world,” the Rebbe said emotionally.
As Daf HaYomi B’Halacha embarks on Chelek Beis, thousands upon thousands are embarking on transformation, as Rav Frand exclaimed, “When you learn the halachos of brachos and the other myriad halachos in Chelek Beis, I can guarantee you will never be the same!”
By Chaim Gold
