Lakewood hosted a joyous and momentous occasion last week.

Fifteen Daf Hashovua chaburos, each made up of their own individual balebatim and yungerleit from all parts of Lakewood, convened in River 978 to celebrate together a festive siyum on Maseches Moed Katan. The hadran was led by Rabbi Yosef Tzemach, Shlita, Rosh Chabura Beis Medrash Ohel Shulamis, a chabura of sefardishe bnei Torah. It was followed by lebedik dancing, as all the chaburos danced in one circle in a display of simcha and achdus, and then divided into many small circles as each chaburah rejoiced over their extraordinary accomplishment.

It was clear by the sheer amount of people attending the siyum that Daf Hashovua, begun fourteen and half years ago from the beginning of shas and following a pace of one blatt a week encouraging iyun and chazara, has made remarkable inroads in Lakewood. As people leave the walls of yeshiva, they look to Daf Hashovua to avail them of in-depth learning. The emcee, R’ Shimi Globman, one of the individuals behind Daf Hashovua’s dynamic growth, pointed out that Daf Hashovua lomdim are always striving to learn at higher levels and the start of a masechta is the time to make a kabbalah to learn better in some way. He then introduced the guest speaker, HaRav Avraham Shemano, Shlita, Rav of Khal Bais Ephraim Tzvi and himself a Daf Hashovua Maggid Shiur to address the oilam. Rabbi Shemano shared the Midrash that equates the nisayon of Akeidas Yitzchok with the nisyaon of Lech Licha. The two tests are incomparable inasmuch as Akeidas Yitzchok is seemingly immeasurably more difficult than Avraham Avinu having been commanded to leave his hometown and birthplace. Rav Avraham explained that although the akeidah was greater in the sense that Yitzchok Avinu was prepared to give up his life, Hashem really desires mesirus nefesh in our daily lives. This mesirus nefesh is akin to the commandment that Avraham Avinu was told to leave his birthplace thus affecting his daily life. A person with a set seder halimud, requiring him to leave his home daily either before or after a long day, is this very mesirus nefesh. Rabbi Shemano brought out another point from the akeidah; The nisayon is called the “Akeidah” (the tying up of Yitzchok) which would seem to emphasize an element that is not really part of the true nisayon, i.e., Yitzchok’s readiness to give up his life. Rav Avraham explained that Chazal are highlighting that there was an aspect of mesirus nefesh that Yitzchok performed even before giving up his life and that was to make sure the korban would be unblemished. Rabbi Shemano explained that although everyone must learn, Daf Hashovua lomdim go the extra mile and push themselves to learn b’iyun thus elevating their learning to a higher level.

The final speaker was R’ Moshe Dovid Rothstein, one of the driving forces behind the success of the Somerset Walk Daf Hashovua Chabura that boasts over forty people learning nightly. R’ Moshe Dovid elaborated on how much he has personally gained from the program and then shared a great story. While recently in Hong Kong on a business trip, he walked into the main Beis Medrash before davening and spotted two people learning. He was astounded to hear them learning the same daf he himself was learning! Daf Hashovua has indeed become a worldwide movement.

In fact, siyumim were held worldwide and all over the country in honor of this milestone. In Passaic, Daf Hashovua’s birthplace, HaRav Avi Neuberger, Shlita, Rav of Shaarei Tefillah of New Hempstead spoke to an overflow crowd and told them that the siyum of a masechta is so joyous because one can now learn that same masechta with even more understanding. This is why Shlomo Hamelech made a seudah in honor of his acquisition of wisdom. The ability to keep shteiging is reason to rejoice with Daf Hashovua as they are now starting Maseches Chagigah. Daf Hashovua is planning a grand siyum to take place in six months upon the completion of Maseches Chagigah and the entire Seder Moed! Now is the time to join an existing chabura or make your own! Call 732-581-7386 or 507-DAF-WEEK(507-323-9335) for information or visit www.dafaweek.org to see a list of all the resources available for Lomdei Daf Hashovua.