On Thursday night, in honor of the completion of Hilchos Kiddush Hachodesh, Southern Florida was graced with a Siyum haRambam by Rabbi Menachem Gerlitzky, Gabbai of the main shul of 770 Eastern Parkway.
The event was hosted at Yeshiva Torah Ohr of North Miami Beach, and Rabbi Yosef Marlow, the Rov of the community was honored with the siyum.
Rabbi Gerlitzky told a story of how on the second day of Shavuous which fell on Shabbos in 1989, the gabbai of 770 Rabbi Yehoshua Pinson OBM mistakenly announced there would be a farbrengen at 1:30 pm, which was unheard of on Yomtov.
The chasidim waiting to go to their lavish meals began chuckling. Moments later as the Rebbe was walking upstairs, he gave over a message to Rabbi Groner to announce that there would indeed be a farbrengen at 1:30.
It was at that farbrengen between sicha one and two that the Rebbe instructed Rabbi Groner to give Rabbi Gerlitzky, who had previously made a farbrengen in 770 for every siyum of each sefer Rambam, a bottle of Mashke to make a farbrengen for the siyum of every halacha, and that he should begin that day on Yomtov.
From that point and onwards, Rabbi Gerlitzky would receive each week, adding up to over 50 bottles per year, a special bottle from the Rebbe to make a farbrengen for the siyum of all 83 halachos in Rambam which cycle is completed in less than a year.
Levy Stewart, a former business graduate from Emory University and current student in Yeshiva, remarked: “It’s amazing how someone can continue for so many years making farbrengens a few times a week as the Rebbe instructed.”
He added, “He’s a one of a kind energetic rabbi who has inspired me to become more devoted in my Yiddishkeit in general, and specifically in learning Rambam which helps unite Yidden and make the world ready for Moshiach.”
Following the siyum, Rabbi Gerlitzky led a five hour farbrengen with the bochorim of the Yeshiva in honor of Rosh Chodesh Sivan until 3:45 am when he was driven to the airport to catch his flight back to New York where he plans on laining in 770 for Rosh Chodesh on Friday morning.
I happened to be seated next to Rabbi Gerlitsky on an overnight flight almost 10 years ago. I was very impressed when he took out a Mincha/Maariv and said Krias Shma el Hamita on the plane. I’ve never seen anybody do that before. Now I do that every time I fly an overnight flight.
rabbi gerlitzky is an amazing person and does the rebbes work with all his kochos
It was clear that it was a mistake
Instead of annuonsing the yom tov farbrengen at 530
He annuonst the regular weekly one at 130
In fact there were 2 farbrengens that day
He would receive one per week regardless of how many siyumim there were that week
If only we would all be so dedicated to fulfilling the Rebbe’s horas, Moshiach would be here a long time ago. Go Rabbi Gerlitzky! Keep on trucking!
He recieved “over 50 bottles a year” you say. But there are 83 halochos, and they are finished is a bit less than a year. So there would have been more than 83 bottles a year. And in fact, if memory serves, he did receive two, and sometimes three bottles on a single Shabbos.
amazing
Maybe he said 1:30 because the Rebbe was indeed planning to farbreng at 1:30.