Gedolei Yisrael Lead the Charge Urging Klal Yisrael to Accept Upon Themselves the Limud of Daily Hilchos Shabbos
It was surreal, a scene that will never be forgotten by the thousands who merited to be in the Prudential Center Arena on Sunday night before Shavuos. The Gaon and Tzaddik, HaRav Shimon Galei, shlita, who had come especially from Eretz Yisrael to address the Dirshu Kinnus Olam HaTorah Kabbolas Shabbos maamad, was about to complete his inspiring drasha… when he suddenly changed tones. Instead of ending the drasha with the traditional, “May we be zocheh to the coming of Moshiach,” he began singing!
Yes, Rav Shimon Galei stood there, a beatific smile on his face, microphone in hand, enthusiastically singing the famous song, “Shaarei shomyaim pesach.” He was calling on Hashem to open the gates of Heaven and open His treasure trove for us…
He then explained, “I feel that at this moment is a tremendous eis ratzon, an opportune time when the gates of Heaven are wide open and we can beg Hashem for all our needs, for all Klal Yisrael’s needs!”
He then began singing the niggun again, unshed tears glistening in his eyes as the nearly 15,000 people filling the stadium joined in a thunderous outpouring of emotion. The entire stadium was on their feet singing “Shaarei shomyaim pesach.”!
Watching Rav Shimon singing, you could see how the worry lines and wrinkles on his face temporarily disappeared. He glowed with simcha, leading the assemblage in song and explaining to them how the zechus of Shabbos itself was opening the gates of Heaven; how Shabbos has the power to save Klal Yisrael from its enemies from within and without; and how this wonderful assemblage that gathered to strengthen themselves in shemiras Shabbos by undertaking to learn hilchos Shabbos daily and comprehensively, was the conduit for rachmei shomayim to permeate the entire Klal Yisrael.
The climax of Rav Shimon Galei’s drasha was one of the main highlights and emotional highpoints of a unique, remarkable event experienced by Klal Yisrael this past Sunday, the first day of the Sheloshes Yemei Hagbalah, when Dirshu held its massive Kinnus Olam HaTorah Kabbolas Shabbos event at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
Traditionally, Dirshu’s large stadium events have been held to mark milestone siyumim. This event, however, was unique in that it was made to celebrate not a siyum, but a kabbalah, a kabbalah of hundreds of thousands of lomdim the world over accepting upon themselves to learn hilchos Shabbos in Dirshu’s popular Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program that will embark on Chelek Gimel of hilchos Shabbos on Erev Shavuos. It is certainly not coincidental that this kabbalah to learn hilchos Shabbos coincides with the Yom Tov of Kabbolas HaTorah as Chazal teach us that shemiras Shabbos is equivalent to keeping the entire Torah!
It is also not coincidental that the very popular Dirshu Amud HaYomi program is also currently in the middle of learning Masechta Shabbos. Those who participate in both programs thus have the unique opportunity to learn the sugyos in the masechta followed by the practical halacha that emanates from these sugyos.
Indeed, HaGaon HaRav Hillel David, shlita, Rav of Kehillas Yeshiva Shaarei Torah, Yoshev Rosh of the Vaad Roshei Yeshiva of Torah Umesorah, who was in attendance at the maamad, pointed out in his taped remarks shown at the event that it took the Chofetz Chaim 25 years to write the six volumes of the Mishnah Berurah. Usually, when someone writes a multi-volume sefer, he chooses to publish them in order, the first chelek first and so on. When it came to the Mishnah Berurah, however, the Chofetz Chaim decided to publish the chelek on hilchos Shabbos first because it was the most important. Indeed, it is so important for every Jew, no matter who and no matter where he is to learn hilchos Shabbos.
The Kabbolas Shabbos event was attended by numerous prominent Roshei Yeshiva, Poskim, Admorim and Rabbanim aside from those who addressed the crowd including Hagaonim HaRav Malkiel Kotler, shlita, HaRav Dovid Schustal, shlita, HaRav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, Harav Hillel David, shlita, HaRav Yaakov Horowitz, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Beis Meir, HaRav Shlomo Feivel Schustal, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Tiferes Yerachmiel, Rav Osher Dovid May, shlita, Rosh Kollel of the Passaic Yeshiva, Kollel, HaRav Yerachmiel Ungarischer, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Beis Medrash Elyon of Bnei Brak, the Verdaner Rebbe, shlita,, Rav Meir Meyers, shlita, Belzer Dayan in Boro Park, Rav Shlomo Leizer, shlita, Sanzer Dayan, Rav Avrohom Spitzer, shlita, Skverer Dayan of Lakewood, Rav Shmuel Lichtenstein, shlita, Krasna, Dayan, Rav Yitzchok Zalman Gips, shlita, Rav of Khal Birkas Avrohom HaRav Moshe Chaim Kahan, shlita, Dayan, Beis Medrash Govoha, Lakewood, HaRav Moshe Zev Feldman, shlita Dayan, Beis Medrash Govoha, Lakewood.
Inspiration in Harmony
In addition to being an evening of kabbalos, the evening was also suffused with niggunim of chizuk and hisorerus beginning with a new niggun "Boi Besholom" sung by the Shira choir. Some of the most talented baalei menagnim inspired the crowd to greater heights in ahavas Torah and shemiras Shabbos. Whether it was R’ Baruch Levine singing the words of the beautiful tefillah said by every woman before lighting the candles when she begs Hashem to grant her children who will illuminate the world with their Torah, mitzvos and maasim tovim, or R’ Hershy Weinberger together with a wunderkind soloist singing the new song “Tanu Rabbanan,” full of ahavas haTorah.
Whether it was R’ Zanvil Weinberger singing the words of the Mishnah that, “He who engages in Torah is zocheh to so many things,” or the heartfelt singing of R’ Naftali Kempeh as he sang the famed moving Shavuos song, “Kad Yasvin” that describes how Hashem revels in seeing his beloved Nation forgetting about the difficulties in their own lives, and instead deeply engaging in toiling in Torah. The evening was one of chizuk, inspiration and most importantly, “kabbalah,” about truly making an unbreakable kabbalah to learn hilchos Shabbos and in general upgrade all matters related to Shabbos.
Rav David Ozeri: “The Only Way to Win This War is Spiritually!”
One of the most powerful drashos of the evening was the drasha given by HaRav David Ozeri, shlita, Rav of the Yad Yosef Torah Center of Brooklyn. Rav Ozeri began by citing the words of the Mishnah Berurah in his introduction to hilchos Shabbos, where the Chofetz Chaim calls on every community to establish chaburos, groups of people learning hilchos Shabbos. The Chofetz Chaim adds that making groups and shiurim of people dedicated to learning hilchos Shabbos will bring the geulah closer!
“Dirshu,” Rav Ozeri said, “is therefore actually engaged in bringing the geulah closer by ensuring that so many shiurim and so many groups of lomdim are getting together daily to learn hilchos Shabbos. This gathering here today is certainly a gathering that is bringing the geulah closer!”
Rav Ozeri then focused on the very difficult period in which we find ourselves, especially in the aftermath of the October 7th massacre. He quoted the sefer Aruch Laner who writes that any year when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos is either a very good year or a terrible year. The year that the sin of the eigel was forgiven, the year the Mishkan was erected, the year we entered Eretz Yisrael were all years when Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos. On the flipside, he continued, the two Battei Mikdash were destroyed in years when Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos. The question, therefore arises, is Rosh Hashanah on Shabbos a good omen or a bad omen?
The Aruch Laner answered with a mashal. It once happened that one of the king’s ministers sinned against the king and he was sentenced with the death penalty. Everyone tried to intercede to no avail. Finally, the minister’s wife came and begged the king to rescind the decree. She had frequented the palace in the past. The king remembered her favorably and decided to rescind the decree at her request.
A short while later, a different minister also sinned against the king and was sentenced to death. None of the lawyers were able to help him. The minister felt he had no choice but to send his wife, just as his fellow minister had done previously.
This time, however, the king refused to budge. When she asked him why she was different than her friend whom the king had listened to, the king replied, “Look at you! You have bruises all over your face and arms. This is a sign that your husband beats you. Such a person is not worthy of pardon. I am sending him to the gallows for torturing you!”
The nimshal is that the Shabbos queen is the wife. As long as Shabbos is in a favorable position, not bruised and battered, then Hashem can have mercy. If Shabbos itself is like the battered wife, if our Shabbos queen is bruised and bloodied, then there is no choice but to enact the decree…
“That is what happened October 7. It was a mini holocaust!” thundered Rav Ozeri. “It is important to know,” he then exclaimed with great passion, “We will not win this war militarily or politically. The only way to win this war is spiritually! When Hashem sees that we truly want to fulfill His desire, He will listen to our tefillos and neutralize Yishmael. The power of shemiras Shabbos is the power that can enable us to win and ensure that Hashem will listen to our tefillos and grant us the great yeshua that we are so awaiting!”
Rav Yechiel Mechel Steinmetz: “We Are All Here to Collectively Say, ‘Naaseh V’Nishma!’”
Rav Yechiel Mechel Steinmetz, Skverer Dayan of Boro Park and one of the senior Poskim of America, brought out the tremendous quality of achdus that he observed in the crowd.
“We see here,” he said, “G-d fearing Yidden from all walks of life who have come together - Chassidim, Litivishe Yidden, Sefardic Jews, kollel yungeleit, baalei battim, a complete microcosm of Har Sinai about which Chazal teach, ‘The entire Klal Yisrael camped next to the mountain as one man with one heart, with remarkable achdus,’ to do what? To strengthen ourselves in hilchos Shabbos. I feel that today we are all here to collectively say, ‘Naaseh V’Nishma! It is a tremendous eis ratzon! Let me explain.
“The Gemara in Masechta Shabbos teaches that Rav Yosef would say that when a person completes a masechta he would make a Yom Tov for all the Rabbanim in the beis medrash. Why?” Rav Steinmetz quoted the Tiferes Shlomo who says, “when a person completes a masechta, all the Tanaim and Amorim whose words he learned come to celebrate the siyum with him. Today, as we complete the second volume of the Mishnah Berurah and embark on the third volume, imagine who is here with us today! The Rishonim and the Acharonim whose words we have learned! The Beis Yosef, the Remah, the Chofetz Chaim! It is a tremendous eis ratzon here! We can all ask them to intercede on our behalf.”
Rav Steinmetz then brought out another Dirshu quality. Through its programs, Dirshu enables a person to have true kesher, a bond with Torah. I have seen baalei battim who have become so attached to their learning in Dirshu that even when they are at the business, they utilize every free moment to learn and chazer. ‘Dirshu Hashem v’uzo’ - when a person is part of Dirshu, he becomes a Yid who is ‘bakshu panav tamid’ - who is constantly seeking out Hashem throughout the day!”
The Dayan then made one more critical point, “I must say,” he commented, “as a dayan, I am privy to many difficulties, often in the area of shalom bayis. I have repeatedly seen that in a home where the husband learns Torah and has goals in Torah, learns in programs where he must take tests, this very discipline is so helpful in shalom bayis! How many homes have been saved or enhanced due to Dirshu’s many programs?! How many homes were illuminated by Torah learned in these programs?!”
Rav Shimon Galei: “The Only Way to Neutralize the Middas HaDin is Through Action!”
Rav Shimon Galei has a singular ability to connect with the crowd with unbelievable sweetness. His ahavas Yisrael is tangible and contagious. It was clear that throughout his drasha, the crowd latched onto every word.
He began, tremendous pain lacing his voice, “I travel a lot and wherever I go people come over and express their worry, crying to me, ‘What will be, vos vet zein, mah yihyeh?’ In Eretz Yisrael, the middas hadin surrounds us. We are surrounded by enemies. They all want to kill us. In truth” he continued, “this is not the first time that we have found ourselves in such a situation. The same happened at Kriyas Yam Suf. We were in front of the sea on one side, the Egyptian Army was in back of us, there was a brutal desert with snakes and scorpions on the other two sides. We had absolutely nowhere to go! Everyone was saying, “Vos Vet Zein, What will be?” What does a Yid do at such a time? He davens! He says to Hashem, ‘I only have you. Nothing else can save me.’ That is what Moshe Rabbeinu did, but do you know what hashem told him? ‘Moshe,’ He said, ‘now is not the time to for lengthy tefillos.’ What? Not the time to daven? What then should he do?”
“The Ohr Hachaim explains that when the middas hadin is having a heyday, the only way to neutralize the din is through ACTION! That is why Hashem said, ‘daber el Bnei Yisrael v’yesau – tell the Bnei Yisrael to go!’ The only recourse in such a time is to strengthen our emunah and go, just like at the Yam Suf. Nachshon ben Aminadav didn’t think twice! He jumped right into the sea with tremendous emunah. That very emunah is what has the ability to overcome the middas hadin. When we jump in and show our emunah Hashem helps.
“Now we know that the foundation of emunah is Shabbos. The fact that Hashem created the world in six days and rested on Shabbos is the foundation of emunah. Here tonight, Dirshu and Rav Dovid Hofstedter are being the Nachson of our times! They are saying, ‘Now is the time for ACTION! Now is the time to jump in, learn hilchos Shabbos and show Hashem that we have emunah by strengthening Shabbos which is the foundation of our emunah. At this maamad and in the subsequent days when we all begin to learn hilchos Shabbos and Masechta Shabbos, we are neutralizing the middas hadin and bringing rachamim on Klal Yisrael!”
Rav Galei cautioned the assemblage not to let the wily yetzer hara get the best of them. “You know what the yetzer hara is whispering in your ear right now,” Rav Shimon exclaimed. “He is saying, ‘even if you learn Mishnah Berurah now, are you really going to know hilchos Shabbos well? Are you really going to remember all the thousands of halachos that you need to remember? Why bother starting if you won’t know it perfectly?!’
The Vilna Gaon had a brother named Rav Avrohom who asked his brother, the Gaon this exact question. You know what the Gaon answered? He said, that is the yetzer hara talking! Chazal teach us in Masechta Kiddushin that if the yetzer hara comes with these types of taanos, the only eitzah is to shlep him to the beis medrash! Go to the beis medrash and learn what you can! Don’t get stuck on whether or not you really know it or whether or not you will remember! If you learn, you will have siyatta d’Shmaya!”
Rav Galei ended his powerful remarks by sharing something personal. He said, “Everywhere I travel people come over asking for a bracha for themselves, a bracha for their child, a bracha for a shidduch for their daughter, a bracha for parnassah. When people would ask the Chofetz Chaim for a bracha, he would say, ‘Why are you asking me?! Go to Shabbos! Shabbos is the mekor habracha! There is no greater bracha then Shabbos!!!”
“We all need brachos. The best source of bracha is through Shabbos! Let us all be mekabel Shabbos and accept upon ourselves to learn hilchos Shabbos!”
Extraordinary Achdus in Advance of Shavuos
One of the magnificent aspects of the unique event was the very fact that Yidden of all types came together on a very busy Sunday night before Shavuos for one thing alone, to strengthen themselves in shemiras Shabbos. Hundreds of Roshei Yeshivos, Admorim, Rabbanim and Maggidei Shiur took the time from their extremely busy, pre-Shavuos schedule to travel, be mechazek others and derive chizuk from the Gedolei Yisrael. The unity of purpose as drashos were heard in three languages, English, Yiddish and Lashon Hakodesh, was evident to all.
Neither Dirshu nor shemiras Shabbos are relegated to any one community or country. The objective is to enrich Klal Yisrael with limud haTorah, to do everything possible to ensure that more and more Yidden will learn Torah and be able to observe halacha and especially Shabbos properly. Just looking around and seeing all these Yidden sitting k’ish echad b’lev echad to do just that was itself a source of great chizuk.
Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin: “Connecting with Masechta Shabbos and Hilchos Shabbos Can Save Klal Yisrael”
HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe and Mesivta of Lakewood, began his remarks by saying that “This gathering embodies the concept Chazal mention in Masechta Sanhedrin when they say, ‘A gathering of tzaddikim is beneficial for them and good for the world.’ When Yidden the world over see that so many tzaddikim, so many Rabbanim have seen fit to gather together, that will bring more and more people to upgrade their shemiras Shabbos. This is good for the entire world!”
Rav Sorotzkin pointed out that in our times, when Klal Yisrael faces a tzarah we are often told that we need to strengthen ourselves in matters of shemiras halashon. “While there is no doubt that we should always be vigilant about shemiras halashon, Rav Mattisyohu Salomon commented that if you look at the letters written by the Chofetz Chaim during difficult times for Klal Yisrael during his lifetime, he almost always attributed the difficult times to deficiencies in shemiras Shabbos and in slacking off in limud haTorah. Certainly, in our times when Klal Yisrael is assailed from within and without by great difficulties, it is time to strengthen ourselves in Shabbos and Torah.
“Why is Shabbos so important? The Chofetz Chaim writes that Shabbos is the foundation of the entire Torah. Shabbos is a testament to the fact that Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. That is why Chazal teach us that if one keeps Shabbos, it is as if he keeps the entire Torah and if he desecrates Shabbos, it is as if he is declaring his lack of belief in the entire Torah.
“In fact, the Chofetz Chaim explains that aside from idol worship there is only one aveirah that renders a person a mumar l’chol haTorah kula – a person who rebels against the entire Torah - if he transgresses it on purpose. That aveirah is willful chillul Shabbos. For that reason,” Rav Sorotzkin continued, “a person who doesn’t keep Shabbos not only brings tremendous destruction upon himself but also brings that destruction upon the entire Jewish nation.
“That is why it is so important to improve our shemiras Shabbos!” Rav Yitzchok then stressed how, in the aftermath of October 7, the great Mashgiach, HaGaon HaRav Don Segal, shlita, started to publicly learn hilchos Shabbos in the Mishnah Berurah. It is extremely important,” Rav Sorotzkin concluded passionately, “that we connect with the learning of Masechta Shabbos and hilchos Shabbos. This can save Klal Yisrael during this eis tzarah!
Gedolei Eretz Yisrael: “NOW is the Time to Join!”
Another highlight of the event were the video recordings of the Gedolei Eretz Yisrael and Gedolei America, urging Klal Yisrael to undertake learning hilchos Shabbos. A powerful message resonated from Eretz Yisrael during the recent nesius meeting of the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program with the Gedolei Yisrael of the Yeshiva, Chasssidic and Sefardic communities in Bnei Brak.
HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, shlita, began by stressing the fact that the Chofetz Chaim, the Gadol Hador of pre-war Europe, wrote the Mishnah Berurah with ruach hakodesh. He commented that Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, author of the Ohr Someiach, who lived in the same generation as the Chofetz Chaim, said about himself, “I cannot go through the Yom Tov of Pesach without the Mishnah Berurah.” The message is clear, the Mishnah Berurah is the sefer that every Yid must learn and know so that he can keep the basic daily halacha.
Rav Landau then cited the famed words written by the Chofetz Chaim in his introduction to the Mishnah Berurah in the name of the Ya’aros Devash that, “it is impossible not to transgress one of the prohibitions of Shabbos if a person does not properly learn hilchos Shabbos.”
Rav Dov continued, “The Dirshu organization has established numerous wonderful programs that encourage learning many areas of Torah. One of their most important programs is its Mishnah Berurah daily learning program [Daf HaYomi B’Halacha]. So many Yidden are able to achieve a kinyan in halacha and in the sefer Mishnah Berurah as a result of this Dirshu program! Dirshu is in effect echoing and continuing the call of the Chofetz Chaim as expressed in the above mentioned hakdama wherein the Chofetz Chaim writes, ‘It is proper and worthy for every person with yiras shamayim, who trembles before the word of Hashem, to establish chaburos, groups to learn hilchos Shabbos. In this way, they will not transgress the laws of Shabbos.”
With great enthusiasm, Rav Dov then emphasized, “Now they are beginning Chelek Gimmel, so many are joining. NOW is the time to join! Those who join will certainly merit to learn these critically important halachos well thereby saving themselves from transgressing!”
Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch: “A Person Who Lives with Halacha LIVES with Hashem!”
The assemblage watched and listened with bated breath as the venerated Rosh Yeshiva, Hagaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, shlita, explained why it is so important to learn hilchos Shabbos. Rav Hirsch, cited the words of Rabbeinu Yonah in the sefer Shaarei Teshuva who quotes the passuk in the Torah, “Be careful lest you forget Hashem, your G-d.”
“Rabbeinu Yonah explains that there is a mitzvas lo saasei that warns us never to forget Hashem and to remember Him at all times. A person must live with Hashem at all times. How? How can one constantly live with the thought of Hashem’s presence, as he goes about his life?”
Rav Moshe Hillel answered, “A person who lives with halacha is able to do such a thing! Over the course of a day, there is virtually no move that a person can make that is not dictated by a halacha. When a person learns halacha daily and is aware of the myriad halachos that apply to nearly every life situation, he is LIVING with Hashem. That is the meaning of the passuk in Mishlei that says, ‘Know Hashem in all of your ways.’”
HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Miller, shlita, Rosh Kollel and Av Beis Din of Toronto, also spoke via video. He said, “Just because someone has a tradition in the family to keep Shabbos, that is not enough! A person must learn hilchos Shabbos and know hilchos Shabbos. The more you learn, the more you become aware of the mistakes being made. That is why it is such a gevaldige zach to learn hilchos Shabbos. The start of the present war in Eretz Yisrael was rooted in chillul Shabbos…”
HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Ephraim Forchheimer, shlita, Dayan of Beth Medrash Govoha and Lakewood’s senior Posek, said that “learning the Amud HaYomi of Masechta Shabbos and the Daf HaYomi B’Halacha of hilchos Shabbos is a fulfillment of the Torah’s words that say, ‘Im bechukosai teileichu v’es mitzvosai tishmoru.’ Chazal say that the words ‘bechuksai teileichu’ mean that a person should toil in Torah. Toiling in Torah is the Amud HaYomi and ‘mitzvosai tishmoru’ can refer to properly keeping halacha through learning halacha. This is what Dirshu is doing. Chazal teach us that keeping Shabbos properly is the key to the geulah. May it be bimheira biyameinu!”
“When you begin learning hilchos Shabbos,” HaGaon HaRav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Staten Island, explained, “in addition to knowing what you are and are not permitted to do, you strengthen your emunah and bitachon. Shabbos teaches us emunah, emunah in Hashem and emunah in His hashgacha pratis.”
“We are NOT an Impulsive Nation!”
The evening began with a powerful, inspiring address given by HaRav Zev Smith, shlita, Maggid Shiur at Irgun Shiurei Torah. He cited the Gemara that states that a tzeduki called the Bnei Yisrael an ‘impulsive and rash’ nation for saying naaseh v’nishma, for agreeing to accept the Torah before they even knew what it contained.
“How, indeed,” Rav Smith asked, “could they do such a thing?!”
“The answer,” he said, “is that Hashem never asks us to do something that is beyond our ability. We are not a rash, impulsive nation! We are a nation of bnei maaminim. Tonight,” Rav Smith proclaimed, “I am making one of the easiest speeches in my life! I am asking people to commit to learning hilchos Shabbos! Do we need more than the words of the Mishnah Berurah himself in his introduction where he says that if you don’t learn hilchos Shabbos very well, it is impossible to keep Shabbos?! So, what is the challenge? The challenge is that our lives today are so busy, it is hard to find time to learn. That is what Dirshu is doing! When you are part of Mishpachas Dirshu, learning together with multitudes throughout the world, you realize that you have more hours in the day than you thought. These ‘Dirshu hours’ empower you to learn new simanim and new masechtos. That is what happens when you join the Dirshu Mishpacha. With the achrayus, you get the kochos, just like Klal Yisrael when they said ‘Naaseh v’nishma.’”
“Shabbos Encompasses ALL the Mitzvos!”
Another powerful speaker was the well-known Maggid, HaRav Shimon Spitzer, shlita, who cited the famous Gemara wherein a convert asked Hillel to teach him the entire Torah on one foot. Hillel’s answer was, “What you don’t want someone to do to you, don’t do to another.”
“The question,” Rav Spitzer then asked, “is this the entire Torah?” He then explained, “There are foundational mitzvos that serve as conduits for all the mitzvos. This foundational mitzvah will lead to the others. The same applies to Shabbos. Shabbos is a mitzvah that encompasses ALL the other mitzvos. That is why a person who keeps Shabbos is considered as if he kept the entire Torah while a mechallel Shabbos, r”l, is considered a person who doesn’t believe in anything.”
Rav Spitzer similarly urged the assemblage to feel the taam of Shabbos, to feel the spiritual taanug that Shabbos brings, saying, “This taanug can be felt when someone devotes time to learning hilchos Shabbos.”
Skulener Rebbe and Stutchiner Rebbe Lead Kabbolas Ol Malchus Shomayim
Another climax was at the very end of the maamad with the arrival of the venerated Skulener Rebbe of Boro Park, Rav Yeshaya Yaakov Portugal, shlita, and the Rebbe of Toldos Yehuda Stutchin, Rav Mordechai Zilber, shlita. When the Skulener Rebbe said, “Shema Yisrael,” being mekabel ol malchus shomayim, as the Stutchiner Rebbe looked on, the entire assemblage thundered after him, in a roaring acceptance of ol malchus shomayim. He then said, “Hashem Hu Elokim” seven times, declaring our emunah in Hashem. What an appropriate culmination to a night that was completely devoted to Shabbos, the foundation of our emunah!
To join Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and/or Amud HaYomi, please contact Dirshu at info@dirshunj.org or at 1-888-5Dirshu.
“Tattele Kum Shoin Aheim!”
The Call to Action by the Nasi of Dirshu
By Yosef Sosnow
“Tayere Heiligeh Mishpachas Dirshu, shlita,” was the way, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, Nasi of Dirshu, began his remarks. One could feel the profound ahavah suffusing those words. It was clear that this was not some figurehead of an organization, detached from the people, addressing his constituents. Rather, he was a yedid, a father figure, and more importantly a family member addressing his wider family with ahavah. Every person in the cavernous Prudential Center could feel the love emanating from the words, “Tayere Heiligeh Mishpachas Dirshu, shlita.”
The seminal drasha that Rav Hofstedter delivered was not only a rousing speech, but it was also an earnest conversation among friends. It was a very serious, important drasha with a practical message that was delivered with pain and concern over the difficult situation in today’s world.
Rav Hofstedter said, “On the one hand, look at this dor! It is such a beautiful generation! Perhaps in the history of our galus there has never been a generation where so much Torah is being learned. Torah is being learned across the entire world - In Eretz Yisrael from Dan until Be’er Sheva and outside of Eretz Yisrael, in cities and towns literally where until more recently the kol Torah has not been heard, there are kollelim. There are yeshivos and Bais Yaakovs in communities the world over, with tens and tens of thousands of talmidim.
“All areas of Torah are being learned. In our entire history, there was never so much Talmud Yerushalmi being learned as today. Our generation is producing comprehensive sefarim covering virtually every area of Torah at the highest levels. It is absolutely wonderful! A blessed generation!
“On the other hand… look at the terrible tzaros that we have experienced most recently. We are experiencing a difficult tekufah of hester panim. Is it possible that the tremendous shefah, the tremendous bounty that Hashem has bestowed upon us has distracted us from our ultimate mission in life? Is it possible that with all the Torah being learned and with all the wonderful, spiritual developments in our time, that we are missing something?”
A Lesson from Orpah
“When we lein Megilas Rus on Shavuos we learn that Naomi, before heading back to Eretz Yisrael, wants to take leave of her two daughters-in-law, Rus and Orpah. They both refuse to leave her and say, ‘We will return to Eretz Yisrael with you.’
“The Ramchal says that both Rus and Orpah were on exalted levels and were ready to sacrifice everything to become part of Am Yisrael. We know, however, that it was only Rus who adamantly insisted on remaining with Naomi. She did remain with Naomi and became the mother of Malchus Beis Dovid! But what about Orpah…? What happened to her? She, like Rus, had been on such a high madreigah! Yet, immediately after she returned home, she fell precipitously and engaged in the most reprehensible conduct. Whereas she had originally been destined to be the mother of giants, she now became the mother of Goliyas, the antagonist of Dovid Hamelech… she also herself tried to kill Avishai Ben Tzeruya.
“How does such a thing happen? How is it possible for someone on such a high spiritual level to fall to the lowest of the low, so low that she is possessed of an irrational hatred for Am Yisrael, the nation she almost chose to join?!
“The source of this irrational, unbridled hatred can be traced to the beginning of creation – to the brothers Kayin and Hevel. Kayin saw that Hevel’s korban was accepted by Hashem but his wasn’t. This aroused within him such a hatred that he kills his bother!
“The foundational underpinning of such hatred comes from the fact that when a person has failed in his mission while his counterpart has succeeded, he is filled with jealousy and hatred. That middah, which began with Kayin, has been embedded in the DNA of mankind. The tremendous, all-encompassing pain that overcomes a person when he sees what someone else accomplished compared to what he himself COULD have accomplished; when he sees what he is, in comparison to what he COULD have been… the pain that comes from confronting that reality is so great that a person cannot live with it! That is what Orpah did. She was trying to obliterate the tremendous pain of missed opportunities, lost dreams, aspirations and hopes and drown it out….”
With great passion and pathos, Rav Hofstedter exclaimed, “Our generation is such a generation of opportunity! There is so much Torah being learned, so much ruchnyius, so much good! We have the opportunity to soar in ruchniyus. Yet, there are serious challenges.
“Let us not look back at our lives with regret. Let us not one day regretfully look at the missed, unfulfilled potential! Let us not say we could have been bekiim in hilchos Shabbos, we could have kept Shabbos properly without inadvertently transgressing… but we didn’t avail ourselves of the opportunity. Let us not one day have the anguish and regret that ‘I could have been a Shas Yid…’ Let us not one day look back and say, ‘I COULD have brought the geulah, I missed the opportunity…’ Let us not r”l, be the generation that had so many tzaros and will one day have to answer the question, ‘Where were you? What were you doing when my children were being slaughtered? Where were you when so many children were being lost to Klal Yisrael? Were you too busy enjoying life when the umos ha’olam were disgracing My Torah?”
With a fiery spark of hope in his eyes, Rav Dovid continued, “Let us rather be the generation of Kinyan Torah! The generation of Kinyan Halacha, of Kinyan Shas, of Kinyan Yerushalmi, of Amud HaYomi and of Daf HaYomi B’Halacha!!
“Let us be the generation whose Father welcomes His children with open arms! Let us be the generation that will finally witness yeshuas Yisrael and welcome the Goel Tzedek!”
With that rousing ending, Rav Hofstedter was about to step down…
Until something stopped him. What happened next swept the whole crowd into electrified dveikus. Rav Shimon Galei quickly stepped up the podium next to Rav Dovid and, as an appropriate bookend to the entire theme of Rav Dovid’s drasha, grasped Rav Dovid’s hand and began to sing the famous words of the song composed by Rav Don Segal, begging Hashem to come back home to His children, “Tattele kum shoin aheim! Tattele kum shoin aheim!”
It seemed as if the roof was going to blow off of the stadium as the entire khal rose to their feet as one, singing with tangible emotion, “Tattele kum shoin aheim! Our Dear Father, PLEASE COME HOME!”
Shabbos is a Reality and has its Demands
By Mattisyahu Lazar
In his powerful, seminal drasha, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, related a fascinating story: When the Chofetz Chaim completed writing the entire Mishnah Berurah, he invited numerous talmidei chachomim to celebrate a remarkable, week-long siyum celebration. Being that the Mishnah Berurah is comprised of six volumes, each day of the week would be devoted to celebrating the completion of one volume. Thus, on Sunday, all the talmidei chachomim gathered to celebrate a seudah marking the completion of Chelek Aleph of the Mishnah Berurah. During the siyum that night the discussion between the talmidei chachomim focused on areas relevant to Chelek Aleph of the Mishnah Berurah. On the second day, another seudah was held and the talmidei chachomim discussed topics related to difficult areas of the second Chelek. This continued every night of the week, until finally, on Thursday night, the last seudah was held with the great talmidei chachomim discussing areas of Chelek Vav.
What happened next was a great surprise to all the talmidei chachomim. On Friday morning, after Shacharis, the Chofetz Chaim again called these special Yidden to come close to him. He told them that he would like them all to come once again and gather in his home later that day. Of course, they came, but they were curious. What would the heiligeh Chofetz Chaim tell them? They had already spent the night after night over the entire week together celebrating with seduos the great accomplishment of completing the entire Mishnah Berurah.
When they came, the Chofetz Chaim said to them, “I am sure you are wondering why I called you back once again. I will tell you why I called you. Because Shabbos Hamalka herself came to me and told me that I must make ONE MORE siyum on Chelek Gimmel and Chelek Daled, the two volumes that contain the halachos of Shabbos! If Shabbos itself came to me and demanded that I make another seudah, certainly that is what I have to do!”
“What do we learn from this story?” Rav Sorotzkin thundered, “We learn that Shabbos is a metzius! Shabbos is a reality that can make demands of us! To me it appears that Shabbos came to Dirshu, Shabbos came to Rav Dovid Hofstedter and cried out, ‘It is time to make a special kinnus just for Shabbos! It is time to gather Yidden by the thousands and tens of thousands and have them dedicate themselves to shemiras Shabbos!
“Everything,” Rav Sorotzkin continued, “depends on US. The Brisker Rav would say, ‘Why do we see that even the non-religious in Eretz Yisrael are still careful about Yom Kippur but when it comes to Shabbos, chillul Shabbos is rampant? The answer,’ the Brisker Rav said, ‘is because for us Yom Kippur is so holy! For us, Yom Kippur is viewed with such holiness and such stringency! Therefore, the way we treat Yom Kippur transfers to them and impacts them. Because we treat Yom Kippur with such holiness, it is mashpia on them and they too try not to desecrate the Yom Tov.
“‘When it comes to Shabbos, however, they do desecrate Shabbos, because our own shemiras Shabbos is not the way it should be. The way WE treat Shabbos, the way WE keep Shabbos has a direct hashpaah on the way the non-religious view Shabbos!”
Rav Sorotzkin, his voice laced with pain and punctuated by sobs, exclaimed, “Today we see unprecedented chillul Shabbos in artzeinu hakedosha, r”l. There are efforts to try instituting public transportation on Shabbos in more and more cities. Stores and restaurants all over Eretz Yisrael are open on Shabbos with impunity. The Gedolei Hador are protesting but no one is listening! These breaches in Shabbos are absolutely heartbreaking! According to what we have just cited in the name of the Brisker Rav, it is a sign that our OWN shemiras Shabbos is lacking. It is a sign that we need to upgrade OUR shemiras Shabbos. The message is for US. WE need to strengthen ourselves in this area of shemiras Shabbos! Certainly, if we upgrade our shemiras Shabbos, if we become more aware of all the nuances of hilchos Shabbos, this will have an amazingly positive impact on the entire Eretz Yisrael and on Yidden all over the world.
“This is why Dirshu is investing so much effort into creating awareness regarding learning hilchos Shabbos. Because when we upgrade our shemiras Shabbos, when we truly show the proper honor and chashivus for Shabbos by knowing what she wants from us, that has an impact not just on us and our families but on the entire Klal Yisrael and the entire world!”
