W W W.T H E B J H . C O M
THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
66
A Night of Deep Emotion, Simcha and Kabbolas Ol Torah at Dirshu World Siyum in France European Jewry Comes out on En Masse to Celebrate Torah and Undertake Daily Limud HaTorah Major Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Siyumim in England, Belgium South Africa and Australia By Chaim Gold “Rabbosai, THIS is the time!” said the venerable Rosh Yeshiva of Mir, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Ezrachi, shlita, his voice shaking with passion and emotion. “We all have to make a decision, a decision that will impact the rest of our lives! We have to decide, now, at this exalted maamad that we will learn Torah EVERY DAY. EVERY DAY!” And then Rav Ezrachi switched to French, “Tout Les Jour Every Day!” “YES!” the crowd erupted in unison. The octogenarian Rav Ezrachi, so energized by the enthusiasm of the crowd, then exclaimed, “I want all of you to repeat after me and say: ‘I WANT TO LEARN TORAH!’” The powerful response, three times, over and over and over again shook the rafters at the Les Dock De Paris Auditorium in downtown Paris. That part of Rav Ezrachi’s drasha was one of the emotional highlights in a night full of climaxes and crescendos at the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha Siyum on the machzor sheini and the siyum on Seder Moed of Daf HaYomi held last week in Paris. There was something very unique about French Jewry that was very clear at the Dirshu Siyum where thousands came to participate. It was the sense of achdus, the unity of purpose and the true feelings of simcha and emotional joy at being part of the global Torah community and celebrating Torah accomplishments. There was, however, another component. Not only was the gala siyum in France a manifestation of Chosson Torah, of celebrating the completion of a Torah milestone, but even more so, it was. Chosson Bereishis, a celebration of the many, many thousands of Jews from all over France to accept upon themselves the ol Torah of daily learning whether it be halacha or Gemara. That was a constant theme, not only in Rav Ezrachi’s keynote address but also very prominently in that of
Dancing at the Dirshu Siyum in Australia
Dirshu’s Nasi Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, and the many French Rabbanim who hailed from a multitude of communities including the larger communities of Paris, Marseille, Strasbourg and Nice. The evening was also beautifully complimented by a multi-piece orchestra and the beautiful zemiros sung by Shlomo Cohen and Naftali Kempa. Indeed, Shlomo Cohen remarked that he cannot remember an event that possessed so much energy and enthusiasm as this Dirshu World Siyum in Paris. Dirshu an Integral Component in the French Torah Revolution For more than a decade, Dirshu has been investing tremendous effort in spreading Torah all over France. Hundreds of shiurim in halacha and Gemara have been established all over the country. Dirshu’s efforts are led, the menahel Rav Naftali Levi whom together with his staff were described by Rav Hofstedter as Dirshu’s faithful soldiers. Among the leading Rabbanim of France who addressed the event was Rav Yechieh Tubal, Av Beis Din of Lyon; Rav Michoel Schmerla, Av Beis Din of Strasbourg; Rav Yehuda Toledano, Rosh Yeshiva Chazon Baruch; Rav Yitzchok Katz, Rosh Yeshivas Yad Mordechai; Rav Dovid Benisho, Rosh Yeshivas Nishmas Yisroel; Rav Michoel Benita, Av Beis Din Kehal Yereim of Paris; Rav Boruch Pargi, Rosh Yeshivas Ohr Torah; and tens of other distinguished Rabbanim. Rav Hofstedter’s Pointed Questions and the Resounding Answers that are Still Reverberating With that in mind we can under-
Dancing at the dais, Dirshu World Siyum, Antwerp, Belgium
stand why one of the remarakble emotional high points of the evening was when Rav Dovid Hofstedter, at the end of his speech which was given partially in French and partially in Hebrew, said in French to the thousands assembled, “I would like to ask you a number of questions and I would like you to answer out loud: “Are we going to give in to the difficulties of the [Corona] period in which we find ourselves and neglect our ruchniyus?” “NO!” reverberated the resounding answer of the crowd throughout the auditorium. “Will we continue to neglect chayei Olam, eternal life, in favor of chayei shaah, temporal life?” “NO!” “Do we agree to continue in our old ways and forgo trying to change our ways?” “NO!” “Now,” Rav Dovid continued, “I would like to ask you some even more difficult questions. “Do we REALLY want to live lives of holiness, lives of true attachment to Hashem?” “YES!” was the resounding answer crowd that reverberated throughout the auditorium. “Do we REALLY want to learn a daf of Mishnah Berurah every day and make sure to be careful about never missing a day?” “YES!” “Are we ready to accept upon ourselves the ol Torah b’emes? Are we ready to declare from the depth of our hearts, ‘Ki heim chayeinu v’orech yameinu u’bahem nehegeh yomam
va’lailah’?!” “YES! YES! YES, Oui, Oui, Oui!” was the answer that blew the roof off! That unified kabbolas ol Torah was another one of the emotional moments of the evening. When one looked at the elder Rabbanim on the dais at that moment, one saw tears shining in their eyes. It was clear that the efforts they have been investing for so many years to elevate the ideal of Torah learning was reaping the sweetest of fruits. From a Small Beginning 14 Years Ago to a Countrywide Movement According to Dirshu’s Director of Public Relations, Rabbi Shlomo Rozenstein, the enthusiasm of the French Jewry for this event was unprecedented. He explained that many people travelled for many hours to participate in the event. Torah events such as these are rare in France, and they infuse thousands with chizuk. “Fourteen years ago, when the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha began, was the fist time that Dirshu came to France. At that time, the great Gaon and Baal Machshava, Rav Moshe Shapiro, came with Rav Hofstedter to bring chizuk and encourage Torah learning in France. They were assisted by the unforgettable Chief Rabbi of France, Rav Yosef Sitruk, zt”l. Today, fourteen years later, more than 2,000 French Jews have been mesayem and many thousands more have joined the program!” Rav Hofstedter: Hashem Gives Chochma, BUT! We Must Do Our Part Rav Naftali Levi, Dirshu’s indefatigable menahel of operations in
