The program opened with Rabbi Daniel Rose, Rav of Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion, thanking the many rabbanim and community members who took time on their busy Sunday morning to attend, as well as all those who had sponsored the event.  Rabbi Rose highlighted the special ruach of the Baltimore community, which is always ready to come together as one kehilla to celebrate Torah, achdus and to inspire each other to greater accomplishment. Rabbi Rose shared how Rav Meir Shapiro, the founder of the Daf Yomi, drew on a Gemara at the very end of Maseches Yevamos to explain the power of Daf Yomi. Rabbi Akiva related that he once fell overboard while on a ship at sea, but he grabbed hold of a “daf shel sefinah” – a plank of wood from the boat – and was able to ride it through the waves until he reached safety. Rav Shapiro would say that our “daf” – our Daf Yomi and the study of torah – is the key to our own safety through all the dangerous waves that threaten the Jewish people. We must appreciate the proliferation of Torah learning in our generation and the safe haven it provides.

Rabbi Binyomin Marwick, Rav of Congregation Shomrei Emunah, then shared divrei bracha, commenting how inspiring it was to see so many in attendance and celebrating a siyum, especially on a long and challenging masechta like Yevamos.  Rabbi Marwick shared a comment of Rav Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenberg, the author of Haksav V’Hakabbalah, who writes that the term yibum -- the main topic of this masechta – relates to the word bamah, a raised platform. He explains that yibum ensures that a widow with no children, who would otherwise despair for her future, is raised up and supported by those around her. This is why Maseches Yevamos also contains several important discussions about the importance of bein adam lachaveiro, in that it stands for the importance of seeing the needs of those around us. In that light, Rabbi Marwick shared how appropriate it is to celebrate a siyum on Maseches Yevamos with the entire community, a testament to the shalom of the Torah that is part and parcel of the Baltimore community.

The gathered crowd then heard inspiring words from Rabbi Pinchos Gross, the Rav of Derech Chaim and the presenter of Parparaos Hadaf on the All Daf platform. Among the thoughts he shared was a comment on the last sentence of Maseches Yevamos: talmidei chachamim marbim shalom ba’olam, Torah scholars increase peace in the world.  How, he asked, can we honestly say that talmidei chachamim increase peace when an essential feature of Shas is the halachic disputes among tamidei chachamim?  Rabbi Gross explained that when there is machlokes in other areas of life, the only way to achieve shalom is for both sides to compromise and relent on some aspect of their position. Torah, however, works differently. When people argue about something in the Torah – whether it is Bais Shammai and Bais Hillel or two chavrusos – they can both maintain their positions and still achieve shalom. Torah is enriched by a multitude of opinions and having one way of looking at a sugya does not take away from the validity of a different way. Torah can encompass both emes and shalom. In that light, we should not shy away from learning with more depth and challenging our teachers and chavrusos with questions – this is what creates the shalom of Torah.   

After these inspiring words, Dr. Tommy Azman recited the siyum and hadran for Maseches Yevomas on behalf of the community and Mr. Ofer Lurman recited the kaddish. This was followed by joyous dancing to celebrate the community’s Torah accomplishment. The sight of many rabbanim and community members dancing hand in hand was an inspiring display of unity, simcha and kavod haTorah.

Following the dancing, Rabbi Moshe Schwed, the director of the All Daf Learning Initiative, thanked all those who help support the All Daf initiative and siyumim and shared what a wonderful zechus it is for those participating. Rabbi Schwed commented that everything we do is “All Daf” – whenever we are successful in any area of life, it is a result of our commitment to limud haTorah, and our daily Daf Yomi learning permeates everything else we do during the day.

As the climax to the morning, Rabbi Moshe Elefant, the guest of honor, rose to share some inspiring words.  Rabbi Elefant began by relating a moving story about his grandmother, a Holocaust survivor who had spent many months hiding out in the forest where she was unable to light Shabbos candles. Following the war, she took upon herself to light a candle every Erev Shabbos for each week she had missed lighting candles during the war.  Rabbi Elefant shared his vivid memories of the tears that flowed down his grandmother’s face each week as she lit all those candles and davened for her children and her future generations. Every tefilah, he emphasized, accomplishes something, and the successes of today’s generation are the results of the tears and tefilos of those who came before us.

 Rabbi Elefant then shared a comment of Rav Yechezkel Abramsky about the idea that talmidei chachamim “increase peace in the world”. He explained that talmidei chachomim increase peace not only with their own actions but by the example they set. When someone sees how a talmid chacham lives and acts, one is inspired to emulate him, and in that sense, they increase peace in the world around them by their presence and example. Shlomo Hamelech, anticipating that the Bais Hamikdash would one day be destroyed, built a special chamber to hide the aron kodesh and the staff of Aharon. Why did he hide the staff of Aharon, which produced flowers and almonds to show that Aharon was the true Kohen Gadol, but not the staff of Moshe Rabbeinu, which he used to perform all the miracles of yetzias mitzrayim? The meforshim explain that both of these represent shalom. The aron kodesh contains the Torah, whose students increase shalom, and Aharon’s staff ended the machlokes about his role. Shlomo knew that if we were to survive the difficult times that would follow the churban, we would need to preserve these symbols of shalom.

Rabbi Elefant then shared some inspiration related to the study of Daf Yomi. Tosafos say that the reason Bilaam’s curses were effective was he began saying them in the moment when Hashem expresses anger. Even though it took longer to say the curse than the brief moment of Hashem’s anger, it was effective because it began in the right moment. If that is true of Bilaam’s curses, it is certainly true of the Torah. When we begin every day learning the Daf Yomi, its positive influence extends to everything we do, to our children and to everyone around us. We make every siyum by saying “Hadran Aloch”. The word hadran relates to hadar, which means beauty. Upon completing a masechta, we can appreciate the beauty that fills our lives because of our Torah. And for the same reason, we describe all the sons of Rav Pappa, each of whom was faithful and committed to Torah and its ideals. If we fill our lives with the beauty of Torah as Rav Pappa did, we will also merit a beautiful family and the splendor of a Torah life. 

The participants in this memorable event were treated to a hot, delicious breakfast prepared by Chef Dan.  As you will see below, Creative 1080 took beautiful pictures of the event, Kol Rom Media took video of the inspiring divrei torah and Noach Lurman regaled the attendees with his first-class music. All told, it was a beautiful morning of kavod haTorah, achdus and kiddush Shem Shamayim, and it will certainly be a catalyst for continued growth in Torah for our entire community.

                                                                                    Photos by Creative 1080