It happened fifteen years ago, but Rav Mendel Silberberg remembers it as if it was yesterday. Eliyahu Bass, a bright and sincere Sinai Academy student, was making a siyum on his first masechtah. It was a beautiful and meaningful celebration, with the participation of several distinguished rabbonim, including the Vyelipoler Rebbe, the previous Bobover Rebbe zt”l, and the Skverer Dayan of Boro Park. At the siyum, Rav Silberberg, a rebbe at Sinai Academy, presented young Eliyahu with a precious gift, a set of Shas, and gave him a bracha: “Just as you were zoche to make a siyum on this masechtah,” he said, “may you be zoche to make a siyum on all of Shas.”
Since then, Eliyahu has come a long way. He graduated from Sinai and attended several prominent yeshivos. Today he is married and is a member of a prestigious kollel in Philadelphia. As the years went by, Eliyahu never forgot the bracha from his Sinai rebbi. At every opportunity, he learned towards this goal. Until a few weeks ago, when he called his rebbi with the good news.
“Rebbi,” he said, “I just finished the entire Shas. It’s time to make a siyum. It’s all due to the bracha and the Shas that you gave me. This was my inspiration.”
Sinai Academy is a yeshiva high school for immigrant youth with little or no knowledge of their Jewish heritage. At Sinai, the rabbeim take their talmidim under their wings and introduce them to a life of Torah and Yiddishkeit. It’s not unusual for Sinai talmidim to continue their learning in yeshivos gedolos both in America and in Eretz Yisroel. Many even go on to become leaders or mentors to the next generation of Sinai students and others.
Eliyahu is certainly an exceptional Sinai Academy student, but he is by no means the only one. Just last year, another alumnus, Boruch Melamed, also celebrated a siyum on the entire Shas. Then, as now, the entire community was invited to participate in this massive kiddush Hashem. It was a tremendous source of chizuk to the mesayeim and his family.
Eliyahu’s siyum will be held tonight at Agudas Yisroel Bais Binyomin, located at 2913 Avenue L in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Maariv is scheduled for 8 p.m., followed by the siyum and seudas mitzvah. Bentching will begin at 9:30 p.m. and zemiros will be led by R’eb Abish Brodt. Rav Yisroel Reisman, morah d’asra of Agudas Yisroel of Madison, will serve as the chairman. Sruly Schubert will be the co-chairman.
{Dovid Bernstein-Matzav.com Newscenter}
Big deal. I have been through Shas bavli with Rashi, Tosfos, Rishonim and Acharonim at least 3 times already and I am only 19.
Mazal Tov to Rav Bass and his Rebbe Rav Silberberg and the Sinai Academy !!! Yashar Koach. After my Abba was nifter two years ago, I began to learn in his zechus. Thanks to the Artscroll Gemarah, I have made a siyum on two mesechtas and have begun several others. It’s a good feeling to learn Gemarah and I can’t thank Artscroll enough for their wonderful translation that helps me learn at my own pace with so much enjoyment. If they had it when I was in Yeshiva over twenty years ago I would have been a much better learner and would have continued on in learning. Learn from me buchrim. It is a great thing to learn from the Artscroll.
To “Emes” Comment number 1
It appears you left out all the places in shas it speaks about Gai’va
But you managed to at least inspire my dog.
Thanks
to emes #1,you big baal gaava!!!!!!!even if u finished shas 3 times don’t brag about it.
Hey Brother Emes:
I’m sure you know the famous story about the person who told his Rebbe how much of the Torah he’s gone through. And his Rebbe’s answer was ‘that’s nice, but has the Torah gone through you at all?’
I’d ask you to consider the same question. Your comment suggests a lot of possible knowledge and not too much wisdom.