By COLlive reporter
A most impressive amount of 93,000 people are expected to gather at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Wednesday is what is being called one of the largest gathering of Jews in modern history.
Jews from all walks of life will be celebrating the 12th Siyum Hashas, the daily learning of Talmud, known as Daf Yomi, which takes 7 and a half years to complete learning a page a day from over 2,700 pages.
Hanging across the dais where known rabbonim from many communities will be seated will be the portrait of Rabbi Meir Shapiro OBM, Rosh of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin in Poland and founder of the Daf Yomi.
Everyone will be there, besides for the eldest blood relative of Rabbi Shapiro.
Rabbi Mayer Harlig, a resident of Crown Heights who served as a Mashbak of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, is the most senior living relative of R’ Meir Shapiro (brother of Harlig’s grandmother from his father’s side).
Reached by COLlive.com in his home and asked if he would be attending, Rabbi Harlig plainly answered, “I was not invited…”
Lubavitch personalities that were invited in writing (yet not with a delegation) are Crown Heights rabbonim Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba, Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky and Rabbi Shlomo Segal. A source in touch with them said they will be attending.
Some leaders from Lubavitch World Headquarters and Chabad’s main institutions were invited, but we were not able to get confirmation about their attendance.
One Chabad Shliach will not only be attending but also tweeting the celebration to his 7,000 followers on Twitter is Rabbi Anchelle Perl.
The Director of Chabad in Mineola in New York’s Long Island has been part of a growing number of Chabad Houses who give regular classes in Gemara and even in Daf Yomi.
Although Chabad’s daily learning routine is focused on Chitas (Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya) and the Rambam’s Mishne Torah, many Shluchim learn Daf Yomi with their members. The Dvar Malchus learning booklet included the pages in its weekly publication.
Historically, the founder R’ Meir Shapiro had a friendship with the 6th Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, OBM, and discussing learning with the Rebbe, he commented to the Frierdiker Rebbe that he has a “gaon olam” as a son-in-law.
Rabbi Perl told COLlive.com he will be using his iPhone with extra battery back-up packs to report to the 7,147 followers of @rabbiperl using hashtag #Siyumrabbi.
“I will be describing the atmosphere, the people around me, and highlights of the program,” said Perl who will be attending the mass celebration in New Jersey with a group of men from his community.
“The plan to tweet is to share the excitement of Torah study with people I am connected to around the world. There is no doubt this will stimulate so many to check out Talmud study in general and spur them on to deepen their relationship with Yiddishkeit,” he said.
Where do you get your “scientific” numbers? Conduct any polls? 90% don’t understand the Rambam? How do you know how many understand this or don’t understand that? Are you a novi? What business is it of yours anyway? Learn to speak good about Yidden. Narishkeit like this keeps us in Golus.
Most people who learn the daf do it to learn Torah. They’re not of any particular political leaning.
Learning the daf has given my husband knowledge accross the breadth of the whole gemara.
It takes a commitment to keep learning EVERY day for seven and a half years. Lubavichers do have other daily shiurim that ensure a daily learning commitment, but many yidden do not.
(FYI: My husband learns daily chitas and Rambam AND the daf. B”H)
Why should learning daily Rambam be called a “Lubavitch” thing? Is learning Gemora a “Litivish” thing? Does learning the Rambam make you more mekusher to the Rebbe than learning other parts of Torah (e.g. Chumash, Chasidus, Gemora…)?
Toras Emes belongs and is incumbent on all of us, regardless ot labels such as “Litvish,” “Lubavitch, ” Satmar”…
we have to stop all this. If you think thst the frierdiker rebbe is against it or whatever, so then dont go. but you have to be happy that other idden are learning toireh with such an asmode. yes, even though you on your private life dont hold that this is the best way of learning, why to enter in all these ploitics and machleikes. just be happy for all the toireh learnt, congratulate all the people that joned and close your mothe and continue doing what is right on tour point of view. we have to try always to… Read more »
While I am not trying chas vesholom to belittle the daily Rambam instituted by the Rebbe , but I wonder if 90% of the people that do it on a daily basis even understand it at all. They are not studying it, they are just reading it. On the other hand 90 % of the people that study the daf every day actually study it and understand it.
as it;’s evident from other circles who did NOT attend (and who are non-chabad), that the siyum ra ra is an aguda political platform.
For some who dont see it, give it a few yrs. and you will pick up.
It was said on Shlach 5748 – Lahak did not include it in the Farbrengen but there is a hanocha protis surfacing. Many ppl. have it.
In addition there is a Sicha on the 12 Tamuz 5692/1932 (in Druskenik) from the Previous Rebbe.
check with Rabbi Michoel Seligson
such as learning Rambam or shlichus etc. is never accepted by the masses bec. it is lubavitch so we cannot expect them to particpate in siyum harambam as we should in siyum hashas.
To #11 I think that you are right, that there is some jealousy in play here. We had a beautiful Siyum Hashas event in Melbourne on Monday night and I had never seen so much achdus in our community as I did on that night (and for the record, many Lubavitchers attended). But I still heard whispers of criticisms from Lubavitchers directed towards the organisers of the event and the study of Daf Yomi in general, and comparisons to the Siyum HaRambam. I think it is true that Lubavitchers may harbour an inferiority complex about the Siyum Hashas, for while… Read more »
We definately cannot and should not criticize, etc. the event. But… just because there are Lubavitchers that learn daf hayomi that in itself doesn’t say anything… 1. a very prominent member of the gedolei hador called us “outcasts”. 2. The majority of their Rabonim do not participate in a siyum Harambam – bidafka! 3. do we charge $100+ to get in to a siyum Harambam? Those that want to participate…. go right ahead. agaf: you probably didn’t hear or learn the Rebbe’s sicha on the subject. But do not criticize those that don’t go, etc. would you write to the… Read more »
R’ Mayer is a true Chossid.
BH all of his kids went on Shlichis!!
R’ Mayer and his whole family should have Kol Habrochos Bigashmiyas and Biruchniyas!!
I was told in 1993 in Montreal by Rabbi Hirhsprung, Aguda did not invite him to the siyum becase he became to close to Chabad ,this upset him but he felt his lot was with the Rebbe even after the stroke
where can if find that sicha ?
so sad that some lubavitchers are embarrassed of their own shadow
why would you go to an event where r’ malchiel kutler is being honored to give the hadran?
It’s in the Dvar Malchus so people could choose to learn all that’s in it, including Kaboloh, Halocho, Sicohs, Maamorim, Michtovim, Chumash, Rashi, Ramban, Tanya, Mishnah, Ein Yaakov, Nach, and so forth. If you don’t want to learn Daf Yomi, don’t!
in 1990 Rabbi Hirhsprung and Rabbi Piekarsky Z”L (both associated with Chabad) were not invited to the siyum although they are of his original students – so we already smelled politics then.
In london among the many rabbonim on the dias, the following could be seen
Dayan ly raskin
Rabbi ym hertz
Rabbi s lew
Rabbi z lieberman
In london they make sure to invite all lubavitch rabbonim
Perhpas blame the organizers for not bothering to reach out to Lubavitch?! As far as i know [and the people at collive should confirm this] no notice or advertisment went out to Lubavitch websites Not only that, I know for a fact that no proper invitation was given to the heads of the Chabad organizations [third party invitation is not honorable] Not to mention the Lubavitch Roshei Yeshiva who were not invited at all – not written or called This event is indeed historic – but it is not our history [and yes, gazebos built in the Rebbe’s camp which… Read more »
Maybe Rabbi Meir Harlig felt as the CLOSEST living relative he should of gotten a personal invite.
If my uncle was the founder of Daf Yomi, I would not wait for an invitation to the Siym Hashas.
RABBI MAYER HARLIG IS ALSO RABBI MAIR SHAPIRO’S CLOSEST LIVING RELATIVE.
So we r for it or no? What would the rebbe tell someone who asked should he go or not
I heard the Frierdiker Rebbe was not so much in favor of this type of limud because it limits the person to learn not where libo chofetz.
although it is very nice and proper for our rabonim to attend such an event etc. we must remember that the frierdiker rebbe was staunchly against the idea of daf hayomi and instructed his chassidim and temimim not to learn it. the rebbe, at the farbrengen of shabbos shlach 5748 (- not printed in toras menachem) explains the reasons behind the frierdiker rebbes opposition to daf hayomi, the rabbeim (starting from the rebbe rashab) were all vehemently against the organization called agudas yisroel, which the daf hayomi is of. after all the above i really dont understand how they put… Read more »
EVERY member of the Bais Din was invited. Each one made their own decision to attend or not.
to # 10. I have attended the Siyum Rambam in several cities & definitely do see other Chasidim there. Look at the oictures posted on COL & other sights of the Siyum Rambam in Eretz Yisroel, London, Montreal, etc. There definitely are other Chasidim attending. Do you really think the REBBE would be against his chasidim joining a hundred thousand yidden that either learn themselves gemorah everyday or support those that do???? You are talking like a satmar, who boycot everything. The REBBE constantly spoke that people should learn more & more Niglah as well as Chasidus! Don’t try to… Read more »
I will also be going with a few of my friends to honor those who have accomplished such an amazing thing. I am baffled why the Lubavitch websites have not included this historic gathering as news (at least one article!) until today. And even today’s article has an unnecessary negative tinge (that Harlig is NOT going). New gazebos = news 80,000 Jews gathering in NJ to celebrate learning Torah = not news Oh, and by the way, you didn’t need to be personally invited to buy a ticket and attend the event. It was open to everyone (even women!!). Is… Read more »
r u sure that ppl. partake in the siyum HoRambam, I am not sure about it.
r u knowdgelable what the Rebbe’im felt about this?
it seems that you dont at all
All very true
There will be a live hook up also from Montreal, as I’m sure many other cities around the world & I think it will be a big Kiddush Hashem if many Lubavitchers attend. In Montreal Rabbi Karp ZATZAL gave a daf Hayomi shiur for decades in the yeshiva and was substituted often by Rabbi M.E Gerlitzky ZATZAL & by Rabbi Moshe Feder (zol gezynt zein) & others. I don’t think Rabbi Harleg was not invited on purpose, it’s very possible the organizers didn’t know of him personally. BROIV AM HADRAS MELECH! Everyone knows THE REBBE was always pushing for more… Read more »
interesting that most of our bais din was not invited
the lau family from israel and shlomo artzi come to mind
Every Jew is invited!!!
Why don’t you feature Chabad Rabbi Yisroel Edelman, Rabbi of YI of Deerfield Beach, FL?
He gives a daily shiur to more than 80 people on Daf Yomi.
The past week’s mishpacha magazine, had a special section for the siyum with a two-page story about his shiur,
When a relative makes a simcha, you need an invitation? All of K’lal Yisrael (Chabad included) is finishing Shas. May we be zoche to many more siyumin!
Many Lubavitchers will be attending the Siyum for three reasons #1 We learn Daf Yomi #2 We are celebrating the simcha with our brothers #3 We appreciate when others celebrate with us our Siyum HaRambam, so it is the mentchlecher thing to do for Ahavas Yisroel. By the way every one is invited.
There are many more relatives alive including the guest speaker rabbi y m lau, rabbi of tel aviv