HaRav Shteinman speaking at the siyum. HaRav Gershon Edelstein is to the left in the picture.
"Fortunate and happy is the man who, in this world, utilizes his time for Torah study, an occupation which one can only do here on hearth. One, however, must have the good sense to want this."
These were the words of HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman at a very exalted ceremony of siyum masechta of Horayos by the avreichim of the Ponovezh kollel which took place in his home with the participation of HaRav Gershon Edelstein, Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh.
The Rosh Hayeshiva honored the event with a talk in which he said:
"Fortunate is the one who can sit and study Torah. Hashem will surely help each one to succeed both spiritually and materially. The main thing is spiritually, though success in the material is also necessary since the former is impossible without the latter. Boruch Hashem, the avreichim present here have probably already gone through the entire Shas and know it well, for whoever studies does not lose out, and when one studies another masechta and yet another masechta, there can be no loss from this.
"What could he be losing out on? Nothing more than unnecessary or foolish things. But one who devotes his time to diligent study surely realizes that this can be done only in this world. A person should have the good sense to do so. Throughout the generations, only a few people were wise enough to fully exploit their time for the good."
He added, regarding the text of the prayer said at a siyum masechta:
"We say here in this payer that `may we all be knowledgeable of Your Name.' What does this actually mean, "knowledgeable of Your Name"? The Gaon in Imrei Noam explains: `Knowledgeable of Your Name refers to the fact that the entire Torah consists of names of Hakodosh Boruch Hu. The Eitz Yosef comments that [the prayer is a request] that Hashem transmit to us the reasons and secrets of the Torah, for the entire Torah consists and is made up of the Names of Hashem. We, however, are far removed from such a level."
HaRav Gershon Edelstein and HaRav Shteinman at the siyum.
The event closed with the words of HaRav Gershon Edelstein who also related to the concept of the Torah being made up of the names of Hashem. He blessed all of the avreichim who made the siyum that their prayer wishes be realized as well as all the blessings uttered upon that occasion so that Torah be increased and enhanced.
Also participating in this momentous occasion were HaRav Eliezer Kahaneman (left), president of Yeshivas Ponovezh, and HaRav Isomor Garbuz (right), Rosh Yeshivas Orchos Torah and the one who said the shiur in Horayos.
