Join Klal Yisroel in learning Mishnah Yomi as the new cycle begins this Shabbos, 21 Teves, December 25, and learn just two mishnayos a day and complete Shas in time for the next Siyum HaShas!

In 1923, towards the end of the first Knessiah Gedolah of Agudas Yisroel in Vienna, Rav Meir Shapiro’s groundbreaking concept of Daf Yomi, the world-wide initiative to study the same daf of Gemara each day and finish the complete cycle of Talmud Bavli in just over seven years, changed the world.

An extension of the concept of Daf Yomi, made popular around the world after the first Knessiah Gedolah of Agudas Yisroel, came about in 1933 when, at a meeting of gedolim in Lublin, it was proposed that mishnah should be studied daily as well. Many gedolim of the time accepted the proposal, which was directly connected to the Daf Yomi. A Mishnah Yomi calendar with the exact dates of the learning cycle was printed and set in motion.

In 1938, at the second Siyum HaShas, Rav Aryeh Tzvi Frommer, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, discussed the importance of learning mishnayos for everyone. And the format for Mishnah Yomi that we follow today came about in 1947, when Rav Yonah Sztencl, a talmid of Rav Frommer, recommended a plan for everyone to be able to complete all of Shishah Sidrei Mishnah by learning two mishnayos each day. This plan became widely accepted and was endorsed by Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, the Tchebiner Rov, the Gerrer Rebbe, and many others.

Today, Ki Heim Chayeinu, a division of Agudas Yisroel dedicated to bringing Torah into everyone’s day, carries on the legacy of Rav Meir Shapiro’s Daf Yomi by leading the charge to bring the vital program of Mishnah Yomi to everyone. Mishnah Yomi is an accessible, valuable and eminently attainable goal for young and old alike. The Mishnah Yomi program allows for a siyum to be made every year!

By finishing Shishah Sidrei Mishnah, we learn the entire Shas, the entire Torah sheb’al peh. Daf Yomi learns the entire Talmud Bavli, and Maseches Shekalim, which is part of Talmud Yerushalmi. However, Daf Yomi doesn’t learn Seder Zera’im and Taharos, except for Maseches Brachos and Niddah. Rabbi Shalom Kamenetsky points out: “To finish Shas in its entirety by learning the mishnayos as well, is an incredible accomplishment, and the siyata d’Shmaya is unparalleled.”

Although some don’t realize the importance of learning mishnayos, Rabbi Moshe Heinemann tells us that “saying that mishnayos is just for kids and we adults don’t need to learn mishnayos is like saying chumash is for children but we just learn gemara. It is completely wrong. The whole gemara and all of that Torah is based on the mishanyos! Even Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l used to learn two mishnayos a day while he rolled his tefillin.”

Because mishnayos are so accessible, they require only a minimal commitment of time. By joining now, allotting less than 10 minutes to learn just two mishnayos a day, anyone can complete mishnayos in its entirety in time for the next Global Siyum of Daf Yomi.

As we approach the new Mishnah Yomi cycle, excitement is building. Many Daf Yomi maggidei shiur have already committed to making Mishnah Yomi part of their daily shiur, and dozens of schools have arranged to have their students join the learning of Mishnah Yomi for the new cycle.

Ki Heim Chayeinu is sponsoring thousands of copies of pocket-size Maseches Brachos of the Schottenstein Elucidated Mishnah and Ryzman Hebrew Mishnah for those who commit to learn Mishnah Yomi.