Demonstration
Of Torah And Yiras Shamayim In London
Dozens
of students learned the entire Maseches, one of the longest in Shas, by
heart.
This
past month, the students of Tomchei Tmimim of London completed Maseches
Bava Basra and celebrated a siyum in the magnificent
auditorium in Golders Green, London. In addition, dozens of students
learned the entire Maseches, one of the longest in Shas,
by heart.
The
Tmimim, who had worked on this maseches all year, joyfully
attended the evening’s program and celebration. Their parents, maggidei
shiur, mashpiim, rosh yeshiva Rabbi Yitzchok Meir Hertz, as well as
other rabbanim and gedolei Torah, such as the Rebbe of
Sassov and Rabbi Elchonon Halperin, were in attendance.
The
yeshiva’s mashpia, Rabbi Mendel Gordon, emceed the
event. He described the learning program as well as the boys’
diligence. He emphasized that although learning such a long masechta
requires a tremendous amount of time, the boys did not neglect their
other studies. On the contrary, their study of nigleh actually
gave them a greater chayus in their study of Chassidus,
and vice versa.
The
talmidim were tested on the maseches by outstanding talmidei
chachomim such as Rabbi Halperin, gaon and distinguished
philanthropist Rabbi Shlomo Frishwasser, the rosh yeshiva of
Chayei Olam, and dayan Rabbi Yitzchok Berger, who all expressed
their amazement at the boys’ wide-ranging knowledge and depth of
understanding. The rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Hertz, mentioned, to their
credit, the students’ heavy learning schedule as well as their work in
summer camps and mivtzaim.
Hundreds
of local residents of Golders Green attended the event. A memorial was
held the same evening for the Bobover Rebbe, zt’l, yet hundreds
made the effort to participate in the siyum. Rabbi Halperin noted
the varied affiliations of the people in attendance, which demonstrated
each groups’ ahavas Yisroel. The Rebbe of Sassov spoke about
the necessity of combining Torah study with yiras Shamayim, which
he said was readily apparent on the Tmimim’s faces.
The
guest of honor was Rabbi Dovid Moshe Lieberman, rav in Antwerp.
He said that he had previously attended the siyum the Tmimim had
made on maseches Shabbos, the second largest masechta in Shas.
Now he was participating in the siyum of the largest maseches in
Shas. He expressed his hope that the next time he would
participate in the siyum of all of Shas! (Incidentally,
next year, Chabad yeshivos will be learning K’subos, which
is known as the “little Shas.”)
All
in all, the evening was a kiddush sheim Shamayim, kavod Lubavitch,
and kavod to the Rebbe MH”M.
|