Marking 40 Years: Rambam Siyum Set for Yud Alef Nissan

In a monumental celebration of Rambam learning and Achdus, the global Chabad community is gearing up for the Siyum HaRambam Haolami, marking the completion of the annual study cycle of the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah.

This year’s event, poised to be extraordinarily significant, commemorates 40 years since the Rebbe initiated the takanah for Klal Yisroel worldwide to engage in daily study of the Rambam. Scheduled for Yud Alef Nissan, April 18th, on Eastern Parkway—right outside 770—the celebration will honor four decades of dedicated learning.

Eastern Parkway will be entirely closed off for this grand celebration, aligning with the auspicious date of Yud Alef Nissan, which marks the Rebbe’s birthday. This year’s milestone—40 years of continuous Rambam study—is deeply symbolic, as Rabbi Shmuel Butman, chairman of the Vaad Siyum HaRambam Haolami, eloquently reflects. “As the Gemara states, ‘ואולך אתכם במדבר ארבעים שנה, וכתיב: ולא נתן ה’ לכם לב וגו’. אמר רבה, ש”מ: לא קאי איניש אדעתיה דרביה עד ארבעין שנין,'” says Rabbi Butman, “It takes forty years to fully grasp and appreciate one’s teacher’s wisdom, This insight underscores the celebration’s significance, highlighting the forty years of Rambam.”

While the Rambam’s cycle is completed on 16 Adar II, a more intimate Siyum will be held on the actual completion date at the Jewish Children’s Museum, featuring addresses by prominent Rabbonim. Yet, the principal festivities are reserved for Yud Alef Nissan, promising a grand assembly in true “ברוב עם הדרת מלך” fashion, with renowned singer Avraham Fried leading the crowd in soul-stirring Niggunim.

This year’s Siyum HaRambam Haolami not only marks a historic period of dedication to Rambam study but also serves as a moment of Achdus and reflection within the Chabad community, reinforcing the bond with the Rebbe. As we gather on Eastern Parkway, we celebrate not just the completion of another cycle, but forty years of collective growth, learning, and anticipation for the ultimate redemption.