WATCH: Rabbi Paysach Krohn Speaks At Real Clear Daf Siyum

Real Clear Daf is a free Shas audio library that is available via the web (realcleardaf.com) and its mobile application for IOS or Android. The maggid shiur is Rabbi Shmuel Wise who dedicated the project in memory of his brother, Aryeh Wise a’’h.

(pictures after article)

This past Sunday, Rabbi Paysach Krohn delivered an inspiring address at a siyum hosted by Real Clear Daf and Rami Abelson.

Rabbi Krohn extolled Real Clear Daf, a free online library of audio shiurim covering Shas until the current daf of Daf Yomi. Rabbi Krohn praised Real Clear Daf as an incredible feat of harbotzos Torah, getting traffic of 3,000 unique visitors a month, and referring to RCD as a great unifier of Klall Yisroel.

Rabbi Krohn recounted a trip to Rome where he beheld the tragic site of the Arch of Titus, intact with it’s disheartening image of the Menorah being whisked away from the Beis HaMikdash.

“What did Hashem allow it to be there? What message does Hashem want us to get out of that Arch of Titus?”

Rabbi Krohn answered by relating a powerful story: A secular Jewish student was doing research on “Hadrian’s Wall,” a wall built by Hadrian (or Hadrianus, in the Gemara) an emperor of ancient Rome, built right near Gateshead in England. Hadrian is the emperor who had Rebbi Akiva murdered. Someone met this student, and took him to meet R’ Leib Gurwicz zt’’l, the Rosh Yeshiva of Gateshead. R’ Gurwicz took this student to the Beis Medrash, and the student was astonished by the 200 students who were there, engrossed in their learning.

The Rosh Yeshiva remarked: “While Hadrian is gone and forgotten these students are toiling to understand what Rebbi Akiva means. Rebbi Akiva still lives!”

Now, Rabbi Krohn explained, we understand why we still have the Arch of Titus’s image of the Menorah being carried away. It is to teach us, that the only possible hope for our continuity and final redemption is to carry the Menorah, i.e. the Torah, with us, holding it tight.

“Real Clear Daf is our chavrusa!” Rabbi Krohn exclaimed. Having this powerful tool available 24/6, Rabbi Krohn declared, is surely a great zechus of Torah and unity to come into Tish B’Av with.