Community Magazine December 2012

B ut now I may have to rethink that remark, after experiencing another historic Dirshu event, not in Israel, but in the Double Tree Hotel in Tarrytown, New York, on Shabbat Parashat Hayeh Sara. It was Dirshu’s first ever North American Shabbat gathering, or “Kinnus Olam HaTorah,” which culminated with the Grand Siyum Melave Malka on Saturday night. As that weekend drew to a close, I could not help but think, “There is indeed only one Eretz Yisrael , but…” The minute you walked into the suburban New York hotel, you sensed the unmistakable aura of Torah greatness, an aura created by the presence of respected rabbis and Roshei Yeshiva of all circles, including a special guest from Israel – the Ponovezher Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Berel Povarsky, shlita. “People Who Live at a Higher Level” But perhaps the most striking thing about the Kinnus (gathering) was just how extraordinary the 500 “ordinary” participants, and the additional 1,000 plus people who came on Saturday night, were. This scholarly assemblage included kollel students, educators, and hardworking laymen who dedicate many precious hours each week toward not just learning Torah, but acquiring Torah, and lots of it. They came to represent the many thousands of devoted students throughout the world who take part in Dirshu’s various programs that offer incentives to students who pass rigorous exams on large sections of Talmud. To get a sense of what kind of people these are, one needed only to witness the auction at which the aliyot for the Minha Torah reading were sold. The aliyot were sold in a different kind of currency than the one most of us are used to – pages of Gemara. The gabbai opened the bidding at 100 pages of study for the third aliyah , at which point a fierce bidding war erupted. Once the dust settled, the winner was Rabbi Sheis Avrohom Horowitz, who pledged the study of 2,300 pages of Gemara – no, that’s not a typo – in exchange for the privilege of reciting the berachah over the Torah at this historic event. Indeed, committing to learn hundreds or thousands of difficult pages of Gemara is par for the course for Dirshu participants. Truth is, you did not have to be in the bet midrash at that moment to recognize the Torah’s effect on the Dirshu participants. It was evidently discernible in the contentment that shone in their eyes, and their sincere, refined smiles. You saw the Torah’s rays in their radiant faces. One guest described the awesome sight he beheld. “The study hall was full early Shabbat morning and people kept on walking around with Gemaras and Mishna Berurah s in hand. You were around people who live at a higher level, not just this Shabbat, but their entire lives.” Hundreds Gather for Historic and Inspiring “Dirshu” Shabbat It was just over three months ago that I had the privilege of attending the Dirshu World Siyum in Tel Aviv, which was undoubtedly the most inspiring Torah event of my life. Standing amongst 13,000 dedicated Torah scholars of all ages and backgrounds, just a few yards away from HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Wosner, shlita, and other preeminent gedolim (Torah giants), all joyously celebrating the gift of Torah, evoked feelings that words cannot describe. As I was exiting YadEliyahu Stadium, I remember thinking to myself, “Only in Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel)…” SHIMMY BLUM 28 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE