Over 10,000 men gathered at Binyanei Ha'Uma in Jerusalem last
week to commemorate the completion of the 11th Daf Yomi cycle
and the start of the 12th cycle. In attendance were Maran
HaRav Eliashiv shlita, members of Moetzes Gedolei
HaTorah, roshei yeshivos, admorim, rabbonim,
dayonim, maggidei shiurim, Daf Yomi learners and
public figures.
Long before the spectacular event was scheduled to begin,
thousands of participants started streaming in through the
gates dressed in festive attire, eagerly anticipating the
opportunity to hear a long list of leading rabbonim speak.
The gala affair marked the end of the various siyumim
held over the course of a week in different locations around
the world for hundreds of thousands of gratified Jews who had
the merit to complete all 2,711 blat of the Talmud
Bavli.
The Organizing Committee—headed by MK Rabbi Moshe
Gafni, MK Rabbi Meir Porush, Deputy Mayor Rabbi Uri Maklev,
Event Directors Rabbi Chaim Lang and Rabbi Yosef Deutsch,
Event Spokesmen Rabbi Binyomin Rabinowitz and Rabbi Menachem
Gasheid—was hard at work long before the event, which
was organized in cooperation with the City of Jerusalem's
Department for Torah Culture, Dirshu and various commercial
sponsors.
In addition to the main hall where the siyum was held,
thousands of other participants watched the happenings on
closed-circuit video in adjacent halls and via live satellite
showings held at dozens of locations around the country.
Before the event began the audience was treated to a fabulous
video showing the various events held during the preceding
week, followed by a musical performance by the Ranenu
Chassidim Choir and the Chaim Bennet Band.
Before the speeches began, HaRav Tzvi Weissfish, rosh yeshiva
of Yeshivas HaRan, led tefillas Ma'ariv.
As the audience stood and sang "Se'u She'orim
Rosheichem" the members of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah,
roshei yeshivos and admorim filed in and took their
seats on the stage. Then MK Rabbi Meir Porush, who emceed the
first part of the evening, invited HaRav Shmuel Yaakov
Bournstein, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Kiryas Melech, to lead
the recitation of Tehillim.
Before introducing the speakers, Rabbi Porush, the chairman
of Agudas Yisroel of Jerusalem, said, "This is an event for .
. . maranan verabonon gedolei hador, hundreds of
maggidei shiurim and thousands of Daf Yomi learners
participating in events everywhere. The Holy Zohar
says of this generation, the generation before the
arrival of Moshiach, woe be this generation for what it must
undergo and what it will merit. We are the generation that
experienced the terrible Holocaust, we are the generation
that was witness to the furnaces at the concentration camps.
One land after the next, don't let their blood be covered up.
Keil nekomos Hashem, Kel nekomos hofi'a. Please
Hashem, take pity on us and give us the merit to see the
speedy arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu. We merited a
spiritual elevation during these past seven days at the large
events that began last week at Yad Eliyahu and continued
around the country, and in the Diaspora as well, and which
are coming to a conclusion tonight at this lofty event."
The first address was given by the Admor of Seret Vishnitz.
"When finishing the Shas we conclude with the words,
`Kol hashoneh halochos bechol yom muvtach lo shehu ben
Olom Habo.' Says the Tosafos, we finish with this
in order to finish with a halochoh, just as one should always
part from a friend with words of halochoh. If one must finish
with a halochoh, then why does [the Shas] end with
`Kol hashoneh halochos . . . ?' It seems to me that in
this statement lies the matter of the Oral Torah, for only he
who loves HaKodosh Boruch Hu with all his might
studies it, as is written, `Ve'ohavto es Hashem Elokecho
bechol levovcho uvechol nafshecho.' The words `Shoneh
halochos' refer to shinun, which is `Ve'ohavto
es Hashem Elokecho,' for this learning is not mere
learning but learning out of love. If one learns out of love
then he is fulfilling [the precept of] Torah study. If one
yearns for Toras Hashem then he can fulfill `Vehogiso bo
yomom voloyloh.'
"The Chasam Sofer writes about joy in honor of Torah that the
fundamental form of simchah is simchah shel
mitzvoh and when the simchah comes to an end the
mitzvah ends. But at the completion of the holy Torah we do
not come to an end, for the end is a new beginning. This is
joy in honor of Torah. When fulfilling the mitzvah of Torah
study, veshinantom levonecho, this is out of love,
love for the `bonim,' i.e. teaching them Torah. When
completing the learning one starts and continues right
away.
"On `Elu devorim she'odom ochel peiroseihem be'olom hazeh
vehakeren kayemes lo le'olom Habo . . . vesalmud Torah
keneged kulom' the Rambam writes that regarding mitzvas
of bein odom leMokom the wages are in the World to
Come, but in the case of bein odom lechavero the wages
are in This World. When one learns out of love,
`Veshinantom levonecho,' one teaches other Jews and
then his wages are in the World to Come and he is guaranteed
a place in the World to Come. Dear Jews, we see what a great
merit Torah study is. These events lead to ahavas HaKodosh
Boruch Hu and ahavas haTorah."
The blessings of the Admor of Vishnitz were related by his
son-in-law, HaRav Menachem Ernster. "I am very happy when
Jews gather in honor of Torah and the completion of the
Shas. In the merit of the holy Torah and the power of
the masses, `a single man with a single heart,' we can bring
yeshuos and refuos and lives of light," he
said.
At 8:40 a distinct stir passed through the hall as the emcee,
Rabbi Binyomin Cohen, the director of the City of Jerusalem's
Department of Chareidi Education, announced, "With cherdas
kodesh we welcome the arrival of Sar HaTorah and Amud
Hahoro'oh, Rabbenu Maran HaGaon R' Yosef Sholom Eliashiv
shlita, together with Maran the Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon
Hagodol R' Aharon Leib Shteinman shlita, and Maran
HaGaon Hagodol R' Shmuel Auerbach shlita." The
enormous audience rose to its feet with a great surge of
excitement and burst out in long rounds of "Yomim Al Yemei
Melech" and "Ki orech yomim ushnos chaim yosifu
loch."
In his address, HaRav Auerbach stressed the importance of
maintaining the traditional form of education handed down
through the generations. Then the Admor of Erlau, who was
completing his fourth Daf Yomi cycle, conducted the
siyum of Maseches Nidoh and recited Hadron
Aloch in a voice charged with emotion. He then delivered
a speech focusing on the sweetness of Torah study and the
pleasure of being granted the opportunity to complete the
Talmud Bavli.
After the chazan R' Tzvi Horowitz sang Kel Molei
Rachamim the band struck up the music, bringing the whole
audience to its feet along with the gedolei Yisroel
seated on the stage, who danced hand-in-hand as well.
MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni was given the honor of reading a message
from HaRav Moshe Shmuel Shapira, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas
Be'er Yaakov, who was not feeling well enough to participate
in the event. Silence then fell in the hall as HaRav Yosef
Efrati delivered a speech for Maran HaRav Eliashiv.
The central address was delivered by HaRav Shteinman, who
spoke about how everyone shares in the joy of those who
completed the Shas. "HaKodosh Boruch Hu created the
world for the final purpose, the World to Come. This World is
merely a corridor leading to the World to Come. HaKodosh
Boruch Hu created us for the purpose of taking pleasure
in Hashem—not just to eat and drink and then die. A
person cannot eat or sleep for someone else, and just as all
physical matters cannot be done for someone else, the same
applies to Torah study.
"But when one makes a siyum, another person taking
part shares in the mitzvah. And this is because of the
connection that lies in ruchniyus.
"Man has essential needs, such as air, and without air one
cannot live. Anywhere people are found there is air. This is
how HaKodosh Boruch Hu created His world.
"In ruchniyus the main thing that gives eternity for
the World to Come is the Torah, and therefore every
individual must engage in Torah. And those who cannot study
all day must set fixed times for Torah. We can see to what
extent the Torah is the essence. All of Klal Yisroel
needs it. And in the merit of our study of the Oral
Torah, may HaKodosh Boruch Hu help us to increase the
number of Torah-learners and mitzvah-doers and may the entire
Torah world grow."
Closing remarks were made by Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri
Lupoliansky, who concluded, "Happy is this city that sees
with pride and joy its thousands of lomdim coming to
this spectacular celebration in honor of Torah, headed by the
roshei yeshivos, the admorim and the geonim
shlita, and at their head, Maran shlita.
`Tzahali voroni yosheves Tzion, ki godol bekirbeich kedosh
Yisroel'" (Yeshayohu 12:6).
Following the Mayor's remarks Maran HaRav Eliashiv and the
other gedolei Yisroel left the hall to the sounds of
music and singing. Outside thousands of yaldei Yisroel
and their parents escorted maranan verabonon with
burning torches in hand. The festive procession continued in
the rain all the way to Kikar Shabbat before dispersing late
into the night.
