Celebrating the Learning, Reviewing and Retaining of Another Masechta

Thousands of Lomdei Oraysa Around The World Celebrate Siyum on Maseches Pesachim

Thousands of Lomdei Oraysa and their families gathered on Tuesday, May 23, in numerous locations around the world to celebrate a momentous siyum and the kinyan of the complex and challenging masechtah of Pesachim.

The magnitude of the event was captured by Rav Moshe Brown, shlita, Rov of Agudas Yisroel of West Lawrence and Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshiva of Far Rockaway, who proclaimed, “15,000 people learned the entire masechta b’iyun! We can’t even begin to grasp what that means!”

The largest siyum on Pesachim was held in Lake Terrace Hall in Lakewood, where, in addition to thousands of Lakewooders in attendance, people traveled in from communities far and wide to be a part of this momentous event. Two other central siyumim took place in Bnei Brak and in Harrogate, U.K., with smaller siyumim held in communities around the United States, Europe, and Eretz Yisroel with the participation of leading Gedolei Yisroel and Roshei Yeshiva. Some of the locations to host siyumim included London, Passiac, Toronto, Cleveland, Flushing, Five Towns, Waterbury, Boston and Baltimore.

At all of the siyumim, the excitement was palpable as the scores of dedicated men who are part of the Oraysa Amud V’Chazara program gathered for this shared simchas haTorah. The incredibly spirited dancing at the siyumim vividly displayed the joy, enthusiasm and sipuk hanefesh the thousands of lomdim have found in their learning.

People from all walks of life – balabatim, Kollel men, rabbanim, and marbitzei Torah – all joined hands as they shared in the joint celebration that comes with being part of such a massive Torah movement and of reaching such a remarkable milestone in their own limud haTorah.

Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Lakewood Mesivta, expressed the feelings of many when he described Oraysa as “a yeshiva of Klal Yisroel.”

He quoted the Bais Halevi, who explains that the Torah itself rejoices when a member of Klal Yisroel finishes a masechta. He then proclaimed, “Tonight, we celebrate a great simcha as thousands upon thousands of men from across the length and breadth of world have been zoche to be mesayem Maseches Pesachim. It’s not just a yom tov for one yeshiva. Since Chaburas Oraysa is a yeshiva of Klal Yisroel, therefore the simcha is for all of Klal Yisroel.”

He added, “The Medrash Tanchuma tells us that when Kal Yisroel is b’simcha, Hashem is mesamayach with us. So, there is no doubt that the Shechinah is here with us tonight and is being mesameyach with all of us at this gevaldige simcha.”

That feeling of simcha permeated the halls where the siyumim were held and was clearly felt by all those in attendance.

One Lomed Oraysa shared the sentiment felt by thousands of others by affirming that “Oraysa has changed my life. It has given me a sense of satisfaction in my learning that I never felt to such an extent before. It has allowed me to literally ‘own’ masechtos and know them well from cover to cover. I never realized that this was possible before joining Oraysa.”

Another related that one aspect of Oraysa that he finds truly amazing is the fact that wherever one travels, one can find chaburos of men toiling over the same amud and gaining a thorough understanding of the sugya

Indeed, since its inception just a few years ago, Oraysa has taken the Torah world by storm and has created a worldwide movement that is changing the landscape of limud haTorah in communities everywhere through its innovative format that calls for lomdim to study one amud a day, 5 days a week, in a thorough manner, simultaneously undertaking a scheduled chazarah program of what they are learning so that they reach a level of clarity in all of the material.

Pesachim is the fourth Masechta completed by Oraysa following Brachos, Shabbos, and Eruvin. With the start of each new masechta, more and more men have joined and more and more chaburos have been founded in communities worldwide. In Lakewood alone, there are tens of Oraysa chaburos, with new chaburos forming regularly, and similar chaburos now flourish in cities like Baltimore, Cleveland, Waterbury, Chicago, L.A., Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Toronto, Montreal, Atlanta, Boca Raton, Boston, Chicago, and many more, as well as many in Brooklyn, Passaic and Monsey, the Five Towns, and additional branches throughout Eretz Yisroel, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Gibraltar, Panama, and other international locations.

“The program of reviewing the previous day’s amud each day, plus having Friday and Shabbos dedicated to chazarah, allows me to retain all 2-and-a-half blatt learnt each week,” said another Oraysa participant. “I really get a tremendous sense of accomplishment and a feeling that I have learned, understood and mastered the Gemara.”

He added that the many tools provided by Oraysa, including the excellent shiurim available by phone or on the Oraysa website, the comprehensive Yalkut Oraysa booklets of mareh mekomos and explanations, and the handy daily calendar, are all of great help to reach the ultimate goal of being koneh the masechta.

Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, spoke passionately about mehalech halimud and the importance of both covering ground and understanding a sugya b’iyun. He proclaimed that “Chaburas Oraysa has been zoche to bring back the crown of Torah as it used to be.”

Following the siyum, the huge crowd broke out into joyous spontaneous dancing as everyone soaked in the excitement of the moment.

Rav Yeruchim Olshin, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Bais Medrash Govoha, then started the first amud of Maseches Rosh Hashanah and delivered short divrei bracha.

The Nasi of Oraysa, Rav Noach Isaac Oelbaum, shlita, Rov of Khal Nacha- las Yitzchok of Queens and mechaber of many well-received sefarim, capped off the program with his moving words. Amongst his words, he proclaimed, “I am standing here this evening and witnessing kavod hatorah Thousands of Yidden all came together to celebrate the kavod and beauty of Torah. When the malachim said, ‘T’nu hodcha l’Shomyaim’, this is what they wanted. This is what the angels were envious of. But the malachim cannot have this kavod. Only those who learn Torah can experience this level of kavod haTorah.”

Rav Oelbaum praised R’ Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz, who holds a crucial leadership role in Oraysa and is helping to spread its presence across the globe in order to make it easily accessible to everyone.

The festive evening concluded with a lively and inspiring kumzitz led by Avrohom Mordche Schwartz, with the community at large and many bochurim joining the lomdim in their simcha Lomdei Oraysa are now set to begin Masechtas Rosh Hashana, which will, in fact, be completed in mid-Elul, just in time for Rosh Hashanah 5784! It is certain that the siyumim on Maseches Rosh Hashanah will be even more vibrant and massive, and the effects of the explosion of limud haTorah brought about through Oraysa will continue to reverberate and be amplified throughout the Torah world as the lomdim meticulously make their way through the rest of Shas.

For anyone thinking of joining and becoming part of this massive Torah movement, the start of Masechtas Rosh Hashana is a great time to get on board and to benefit from all Oraysa has to offer to those with a strong desire to learn, retain and know Shas! For more information or to set up or join a shiur or chaburah in your neighborhood, please contact Oraysa at 914.8.ORAYSA or email info@ oraysa.org.