It was time for the annual Shas Farher & Siyumim of the International Shas Yiden Network of Kollelim. These avreichim geonim really know gantz Shas (the entire Shas) from one end to the other. They first underwent a grueling almost two-hour double farher of Shas by Gaon Yisroel, Maran Harav Dov Landau, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka and Maran Hagaon Harav Eliezer Dovid Shapiro, shlit”a, Rav of the Sanz community in Bnei Brak. 

There has also been an incredible growth among the number of Shas Yiden geonim – a complement of 126. Shas Yiden has become a true etz chaim (Tree of Life) and comprises 7 branches – five in Eretz Yisroel, one in London, UK, and, trans-Atlantic, one in Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY.

Shas Yiden is the product of the vision of the Pozna Rov, Hagaon Harav Avrohom Eisen, shlit”a, who, 16 years ago, established an amazing and unique program for hand-picked avreichim geonim. The Shas Yiden program has proven itself beyond all expectations and is lauded by Gedolim across Eretz Yisroel and the Diaspora. The demanding regimen enables the Shas Yiden geonim to complete every volume and page of Shas with a ‘fine toothcomb’ – as a result, each completes Shas five times a year! 

Maran Harav Dov Lando
After his farher, Rav Lando commented: “The Shas Yiden Network led by the Pozna Rov is outstanding in the study of Torah… in depth and in breath “They Know Shas B’Iyun U’v’hekef – Haflei Vafelleh”. In their merit and that of the Torah that they study we are saved from all our enemies… Praised are these Shas Yiden geonim, bnei aliyah, who study Torah be’yegiah rabbah u’vi’mesirus (with great effort and dedication). At the farher, they just demonstrated that it is as if the entire Shas is contained in their pockets!”

The Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva then added a special blessing to the philanthropists who had travelled from abroad to participate in the magnificent simcha: “These are people who understand the importance of investing wisely, placing their money in the correct places and [through their investment in Shas Yiden] they have acquired for themselves eternal returns. Praised are they who support and stand with Shas Yiden, to bring honor and glory to the Torah. May they all merit nachas from what they have, good health, length of days and the coming of the holy redeemer, speedily in our days, amen.”

Rav Eliezer Dovid Shapiro
Rav Shapiro, commenting on his farher of the Shas Yiden geonim, could not hide his amazement. With tears of excitement in his eyes he turned to the Pozna Rov and thanked him for the enormous gift of Shas Yiden that he has bestowed on the Jewish people. “It is unique and you have established it with the lions of the Shas Yiden network, people who are fully au fait with all the intricacies of the Torah and with such total recall.”

1st Time for ‘Flatbush USA’
Their participation in the Shas Yiden Annual Faher & Siyumim was a first for the Flatbush Shas Yiden geonim. This opportunity for them to attend was made possible by the Pozna Rov who arranged the air tickets for the Shas Yiden geonim and their wives from the USA and the UK. This enabled them to meet their counterparts and experience being part of this singular and select group in klal Yisroel – Shas Yiden geonim umetzuyonim – all with the same sense of purpose: to master Shas and other Torah works l’kadesh sheim shomayim mitoch limud Hatorah (To sanctify Hashem through Torah study). 

Moreover, this was a singular opportunity to honor the wives of the avreichim geonim. Their personal sacrifice of so much of their regular comfort and help that they would normally have received from their husbands at home. The task of caring for the entire home and family is firmly on their shoulders, just in order to enable their husbands to focus constantly and diligently on their learning, and to be able to keep up with the incredible and demanding pace of limud & chazora (study and revisions). Thus, their wives have an equal portion in all their learning and success, and deserve to be honored as true n’shos v’imohos Yisroel (wives and mothers of Klal Yisroel).

The meeting between these Rebbitzins from USA , London, and Eretz Yisroel, was at once emotional and a source of encouragement for them all. They are truly a unique and select group of ladies. A strong bond of common goals and purpose resulted – strong links in a chain across the Atlantic. 

Each of the 126 ladies was presented with a personal letter of appreciation from the Pozna Rov, an envelope with a generous cash gift, peckelach in the shape of a Torah stuffed with goodies for each of their children, and a heartfelt thank you for their unstinting support. 

The Annual Siyumim & Seudas Mitzvah

After the public farher, all the attendees transferred to the main hall of “Shamayim Petuchim” in the city of Lod (near the airport). They were about to celebrate with pomp and circumstance amid great happiness, the joy of concluding the annual cycle of studying the entire Shas.

The hall was festooned with special décor in honor of the auspicious occasion. The celebratory Shas Siyumim was a seudah ‘fit for a king’ – with tasty courses beautifully presented. The Shas Yiden geonim were joined by their parents and in-laws who were invited to join in the simcha, as each celebrated his conclusion of studying the entire Shas.

The dais comprised a veritable Who’s Who of Gedolei Torah from across the Torah spectrum. Among them was Maran Hagaon Harav Yitzchak Shaul Kanievsky, shlit”a, and from New York, Hagaon Harav Aryeh Z Ginzburg, Rav of the Chofetz Chaim Torah Center in Cedarhurst. All came to pay tribute to a Torah project that has captured the imagination of the Torah world. Shas Yiden has unquestionably raised the Torah-learning bar, and has made the learning and mastery of Shas and other Torah works such as Yerushalmi, Tur and Shulchan Aruch, Rishonim etc. achievable goals.

The Kaddish of the Hadran of the 126 Siyumei Hashasim was recited by Harav Yisroel Halevi Moskowitz, patron of Shas Yiden London.

Maran Hamekubal Harav Yaakov Meir Shechter
A special guest at the simcha was Maran Hagaon Hatzaddik Harav Yaakov Meir Shechter, shlit”a, who was asked to give divrei brocha to the gathering. Rav Schechter could not hide his great excitement on the occasion of this wonderful gathering, and with great zeal he rose from his seat and began to lead singing and dancing with abandon for the honor of Torah, joined by all present. This dancing with devotion was mirrored on the ladies’ side of the mechitzah. 

Rav Shechter extended his brocha to the Shas Yiden geonim and all present with bircas Hatorah that they should all merit to magnify and glorify the Torah, and to begin and conclude Shas many more times, learning Torah lishma (for its own sake), all from a spirit of kedusha v’tahara (holiness and purity).

Reb Meilech Biederman
The keynote speaker of the Siyumim was Maran Hamashpia Hagadol, Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a, who had all spellbound with his oratory and passion.  He spoke of the incredible zechus of those who are so occupied with Torah as are the Shas Yiden geonim. None can be considered in close proximity to them, and no decree can stand before them. It is through the Torah that they merit guidance from above the world of nature. It is just as was witnessed about the Gedolim of previous generations who brought about yeshuos beyond our natural experience through the power of the holy Torah. 

The Brocha and the Baby: Reb Meilech recalled a childless couple who had been present at the previous Annual Farher & Siyumim. For five years, they had been trying to have a child and had consulted leading specialists, all to no avail. Pozna Rov had turned to the Shas Yiden geonim and asked them to give a brocha to the couple. 

To a man, they rose and gathered around the husband, as did their wives around the woman in the ladies’ section. With heartrending prayer on their lips, they stood beseeching Hashem for a brocha for the couple – that they should merit to see children and grandchildren, healthy and strong, who would be busy with Torah lishma and fulfill the mitzvos. Clearly, there was not a dry eye in the hall at that time.

Reb Meilech said that this was an example of Ayzeh hu chacham? Haroeh es hanolad! (Who is the wise person? He who sees what is born or eventuates.) In this case, it was literally ‘what is born’. Reb Meilech continued, as a baby carriage with a three-month-old baby boy was wheeled in. “Look at this child and understand how great and awesome are the brochos of the Shas Yiden geonim!”

Bircas Hanegidim
This was followed by an awesome sight where all the Shas Yiden geonim filed past the philanthropists who were on the dais, and who were each given a brocha: Just as you had the zchus to fulfill “the wise of heart should take a mitzvah” and invest in the Torah at Shas Yiden, you have acquired the eternal zechus & brocha of us avreichim. 

Siyumim Seudas Mitzvah
The seudas mitzvah was conducted on beautifully decorated tables, and the food and refreshments were all truly royal – all for the honor of the Torah and the talmidei chachomim. Between the courses, people went up to the dais, including parents of the Shas Yiden, among them famous rabbis and leaders. Representatives of the Shas Yiden geonim themselves used the opportunity to publicly thank the Pozna Rov for the amazing gift to be part of the Shas Yiden Kiddush Hashem project and this Ma’amad of Kovod Hatorah. “Thank you for believing in us and for your encouragement for each of us to rise higher and higher in limud and yedi’as Hatorah.”