by A. Auster. Over 300 people from as far away as Seattle, Baltimore, Philadelphia, The Catskills, Lakewood, Brooklyn, Teaneck and Monsey gathered together in Passaic this past Sunday night, to celebrate the completion of Maseches Beitzah with the International Daf Hashovua program.
Other siyumim were celebrated in cities around the world including Los Angeles, Toronto, Gibraltar, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Passaic, Kansas City, Cedarhurst, Monsey, Brooklyn, Ramat Bet Shemesh, Teaneck, Baltimore, Philadelphia & here in Lakewood with the participation of Rav Uren Reich, Shlita.
A mini-Yarchei Kallah preceded the National siyum, with shiurim for men by Rabbis Chaim Krause, Schachne Weinberger & Shlomo Gottesman, and for women by Mrs. Shanny Gejerman.
With his trademark blend of humor and inspiration, Rabbi Fishel Shachter captivated the crowd with his stories and moved them with his divrei chizuk, stressing that real simchas hachaim comes only from learning Torah in a meaningful way. Rabbi Eliezer Rothwachs, Rav of Cong. Beth Aaron in Teaneck, led the siyum, praising the benefits of the Daf Hashovuah program and relating them to concepts raised in the masechta. He proudly shared the news that 25 men from his shul were among the misayemim.
After the hadran and kaddish, and despite the lack of live music, the men danced with obvious simchah at having completed such a difficult masechta with significant clarity. The proceedings were broadcast around the world by Torah Anytime.
At the Seudas Mitzvah, Rabbi Yaakov Glasser, Rav of Young Israel of Passaic Clifton, led the haschalah of Maseches Rosh Hashanah. He spoke joyously of the 15 mispallelim who had just completed the masechta with him, and related that the first shiur on Maseches Rosh Hashana had drawn double the number of participants.
Daf Hashovua began in Passaic in March 2005, starting Brachos the same day that Daf Yomi started its 12th cycle. The programs share a fixed schedule that provides participants an organizing and obligating structure within which to learn Gemara. Daf Hashovua’s slower pace affords participants the deep satisfaction that comes from being able to gain a good understanding of even the most difficult sugyos, and from having time for the chazarah that helps with retention.
To join us for Maseches Rosh Hashana, which just began; for help with finding a chavrusah, chaburah, or shiur; or for more information about our optional weekly bechinos and our wide array of shiurim and marei m’komos, visit www.dafaweek.org or email [email protected].
Video coverage from the siyum is available via Torah Anytime: https://www.torahanytime.com/#/lectures?v=45385
