What Preceded ‘Rambam Takana’

This week Lubavitcher chassidim worldwide will complete the study of Rambam for the 32nd time since the Rebbe established daily learning routine in 5744.

“A Chassidisher Derher” magazine has published an unprecedented review into the events surrounding the Takonas Limud Harambam, including a fascinating story which preceded the campaign by several months.

At the Farbrengen of 19 Kislev 5744, the Rebbe declared that the time had come to begin to study the Sefer Halachos of the Rambam, in a similar fashion to the way Chalukas Hashas is done on 19 Kislev.

For some reason no one acted upon this directive—maybe because it was mentioned passively and without detail. However, in Casablanca, Morocco, the group of Talmidim HaShluchim decided to act upon it and launch a campaign to fulfill the Rebbe’s wishes.

The plan was to apportion the Rambam in the same way Shas was divided: each person would take upon himself to learn a set of Halochos. The campaign would start on Yud Shvat with the goal to collectively finish the entire Mishneh Torah by Yud Alef Nissan.

They reached out to each Kollel, Beis Din, shul and Yeshiva to give them the opportunity to take part. At the time, tens of thousands of Jews lived Morocco, many of them great Torah scholars.

Even Rabbi Binyomin Gordetzky, the representative of the Rebbe to Europe and Africa, joined in, and within two weeks every part of Rambam was pledged for.

A remarkable unity enveloped the Torah world of Morocco. Chief Rabbi Aharon Monsongo responded excitedly to the proposal, remarking that he had a k’vius in Rambam every Motzei Shabbos.

It is interesting to note that they planned on finishing the 83 sets of Halochos in honor of Yud Alef Nissan; the day the Rebbe entered his 83rd year.

The bochurim sent a detailed report the Rebbe and in the beginning of Adar I, they received a Kloli-Proti letter beginning with the words, “Your letter which was included was received, V’Tach.” They now felt that they had done the right thing and given the Rebbe nachas.

But the story didn’t stop there.

On Yud Alef Nissan, 5744, the Rebbe made a Hadran completion on Rambam. And although there was no mention in the sichos about the mivtza in Morocco, the shluchim felt the Hadran alone was a sign.

The Takona is Launched

Eleven days later on Acharon Shel Pesach the Rebbe spoke again, this time mentioning the feat accomplished in Morocco. Then, the Rebbe said:

“While on the topic of Rambam, I’d like to make the following suggestion: we know that there are several study cycles with which people complete the entire Shas (Bavli or Yerushalmi) by learning a small section each day. It would be a good idea to initiate a similar cycle dedicated to the study of Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, learning a part each day and completing the entire sefer next year on his birthday, 14 Nissan.”

“True, a similar idea has already been done in one of the Sefardishe countries, but there they divided the entire sefer by giving each participant a small section to learn. It would be better if each and every individual would complete the entire sefer on his own.”

And thus began the Global Rambam campaign, that we are so familiar with today.

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