“I remember a few years ago I came into the home of my father-in-law, the Sar HaTorah, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, and I told him that I had met a yungerman who mentioned that he is learning Yerushalmi with the commentary that he himself (Rav Chaim) had written on the Yerushalmi. Rav Chaim’s entire countenance shone with simcha upon hearing this!” exclaimed his son-in-law, Rav Zelig Braverman. “He was so happy that there was someone learning Yerushalmi who was being assisted by his peirush. I know that there would be no end to the simcha he would derive today to see thousands of lomdei Torah learning from his peirush on Yerushalmi and even being tested on it!”

Those words of Rav Zelig Braverman, who collaborated with Rav Chaim in writing the peirush on Yerushalmi, were said with great passion at a siyum on Masechta Sheviis in Yerushalmi. The siyum was attended by the Nasi of Dirshu, Rav Dovid Hofstedter and other avreichim who particpate in the Dirshu Kinyan Yerushalmi program.

The milestone siyum held at the home of Rav Zelig, who himself composes the Dirshu tests on Yerushalmi, attested to the quiet revolution transpiring in Klal Yisrael, where thousands are now learning Yerushalmi, a chelek of Torah shebaal peh that has, in many ways, overlooked in previous generations. 

The Dirshu Kinyan Yerushalmi program was launched in Cheshvan of last year. Participants take monthly tests and are rewarded for good results. In addition to being tested on the Gemara, the participants are also tested on the peirush of Rav Chaim Kanievsky on the Yerushalmi.

After Rav Zelig Braverman made the siyum, the participants burst into song and dance, celebrating the simcha, a siyum on Masechta Sheviis, a simcha that in the not-so-distant past, had been quite rare. 

Just observing the depth of the gratitude displayed by the avreichim who came over after the siyum to thank Rav Hofstedter for enriching their spiritual lives by facilitating the learning of this chelek of Torah was a most moving experience!

Rav Braverman concluded, “The Gemara that teaches us that Mashiach will come on motzoei sheviis. We have just completed Masechta Sheviis. We are holding at motzoei sheviis! My shver Rav Chaim would say that Mashiach will come in the zechus of learning Yerushalmi. 

May it be b’karov!”