Baltimore, MD - Jan. 14, 2019 - In today’s modern world we are much more distant from our food sources than ever before. Most of us know nothing about the meat we consume, other than that it comes nicely cut and packed in our local supermarket. This separation has led to a lack of familiarity with many basic halachos and a lack of understanding of large areas of Torah.
Even the commonly practiced laws of kashering chickens our bubbies were so familiar with – or knowing when to bring the chicken to the rav for a shailah – have become obscure.
On Monday, December 24 the Baltimore community had hundreds of people participate in The Rav Chaim Yisroel Belsky ZT”L Global Chullin Initiative presentation by Rav Amitai Bendavid, the author of Sichas Chullin for an informative and hands-on demonstration of these areas of Torah. The event series was generously sponsored by Meal Mart.
These presentations have also drawn large crowds across the continent, from Toronto to Miami, and from Lakewood to Los Angeles, in over 30 cities. Thousands came to learn from Rabbi Bendavid, one of the leading experts in this field. Rabbi Bendavid is author of the sefer Sichas Chullin, which is the definitive handbook to accompany learning Maseches Chullin.
Rabbi Bendavid demonstrated everything one would need to know from head to toe, literally, of the animal. From how to check a chalif, the special knife of a shochet, to the simanim of the animal. He even detoured from the Chullin related part of the presentation to show the wonderful nifla’os haBorei in many of the body’s remarkable systems. Rabbi Bendavid taught about which part of the animal are given to the kohein as part of matnas kehunah, as well as which parts were sacrificed on the mizbei’ach. He clarified the difference between cheilev and shuman, and the difference between glatt and non-glatt meat.
For over two hours, the entire audience was glued to Rabbi Bendavid, drinking in his every word. This was a rare opportunity that opened up the eyes of not only those learning these areas of Maseches Chullin in Daf Yomi, but of all bnei Torah who are interested in understanding these important parts of Torah.
This subject has also been close to the heart of The Agudah for a long time. Rav Belsky zt”l, as Moreh D’asrah of Camp Agudah, held demonstrations like these for hundreds of talmidim over the years. Rav Belsky dedicated his life to sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of Torah and science with a hands-on approach, bringing the most obscure sugyos to life his talmidim worldwide.The Global Chullin Initiative aims to carry on his great legacy by bringing Chullin to hundreds of thousands of Jews around the world.
For decades, the Daf Yomi Commission of Agudas Yisroel has been at the forefront of spreading Torah learning throughout the country. On January 28, 1968, 800 people gathered at Bais Yaakov of Boro Park for the largest Siyum HaShas to date in the United States. Followed by the 7th Siyum HaShas, held on June 15, 1975, at the Manhattan Center in New York City, which drew an audience of over 5,000, and the 8th Siyum on November 14, 1982, in Felt Forum. The memorable 9th Siyum in Madison Square Garden on April 26, 1990, drew 20,000 participants and exceeded all expectations. Since then, most of us remember the growth firsthand, with the 10th Siyum in Madison Square Garden and Nassau Coliseum, the addition of the Javits center for the 11th Siyum, and the largest event of its kind in recent Jewish history, the 12th Siyum in MetLife Stadium in 2012.
The inspiration these events brought to hundreds of thousands who attended spread throughout the world and led to tens of thousands committed to learning each and every day. Over the last two decades, The Agudah has been taking unprecedented steps to not only encourage learning The Daf but understanding The Daf better with Shiurim, live streams and special events like The Chullin Initiative. And now, as we approach the upcoming 13th Global Siyum HaShas, to be held be”H on January 1, 2020 at MetLife Stadium and satellite locations around the world, we look forward to an even greater growth in Torah learning.
