By Chaim Gold

“A game changer!” exclaimed one of today’s prominent poskim when he saw the first volume of Dirshu’s new Shulchan Aruch on the Yoreh Deah chelek of Shulchan Aruch. In honor of Shavuos, the second volume of what promises to be a nine-volume set on Shulchan Aruch is being released.

When the plan was in its infancy, Dirshu consulted leading poskim in Eretz Yisrael to ask about the structure of the future magnum opus. 

Among the poskim consulted were HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shaul Klein, shlita, Rav of Western Bnei Brak and a talmid muvhak of Rav Shmuel Wosner who leads Rav Wosner’s Beis Horaah and is currently one of the gedolei haposkim of Eretz Yisrael. 

Rav Dovid Hofstedter and senior members of the hanhala of Dirshu also paid visits to the homes of the senior Roshei Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein, shlita and HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, shlita. They both imparted their heartfelt brachos. 

When Dirshu’s hanhala, led by its Nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, went to show the new Shulchan Aruch to gedolei haposkim in North America, they were deeply gratified by the tremendous outpouring of chizuk showered upon them.

HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Miller, shlita, Rosh Kollel of the Kollel Avreichim of Toronto and Av Beis Din of Lakewood’s Bais Horaah, met the Dirshu delegation with great chavivus, warmth and esteem and was clearly highly impressed. He praised Dirshu for creating so many conduits for learning halacha l’maasah that would strengthen the observance and chashivus for comprehensive limud halacha among Klal Yisrael. 

One fascinating meeting took place with Lakewood’s senior posek, HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Ephraim Forchheimer, shlita. It was amazing to watch Rav Forchheimer looking through the sefer and becoming increasingly animated. “Ahh,” he exclaimed with pleasure, “you cover the sheilah of a mezuzah in an attic. Oh yes, this shailah about an elevator…”

Another meeting was held with HaGaon HaRav Yisrael Reisman, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, Rav of the Agudas Yisrael of Madison and a prominent posek in the Flatbush community. 

Rav Reisman was very impressed when perusing advance copies of the Shulchan Aruch and commented about the size and scope of the project. 

The delegation also met with HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Felder, shlita, senior posek in Lakewood, who had profound words of praise for the way Dirshu is investing in bringing practical halacha to all segments of Klal Yisrael.