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* Hagaon Harav Bunim Schreiber, shlit”a: Sitting in front of me are, literally, tens of thousands of bletter gemora. Over 100 emmesse Shas Yiden, outstanding geonim, who know every place in Shas, responded clearly and without any hesitation
* Hagaon Harav Chaim Peretz Berman, shlit”a: Aside from their amazing knowledge of Shas, the avreichim defended their knowledge throughout Tosafos and Rashi, Rishonim and Acharonim and also the Yerushalmi – it was simply remarkable
* Hagaon Harav Aryeh Leib Shapira, shlit”a: The Shas Yiden annually complete limud of the entire Shas, which reflects every aspect of Torah, and is a shmira for Eretz Yisroel and Yiden everywhere
The Shas Yiden Kolel network held its 15th Annual Farher & Siyum Hashas for its 121 avreichim geonim at the Pavillion Hall, Yerushalayim. This, a grueling farher (examination) on the entire Shas exceeded all previous farheren, as Shas Yiden has extended its scope and regimen to include all the Tosafos and Rashis, as well as Rishonim and Acharonim and the Talmud Yerushalmi. They answered with the same amazing clarity and acuity, that had, on previous occasions, left Maranan Gedolei Yisroel amazed at their incredible knowledge and recall.
Two of the Gedolei Torah of our generation conducted the farher: Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Peretz Berman, Rosh Yeshiva, Ponevez, and Maran Hagaon Harav Bunim Schreiber, Rosh Yeshiva, Nesiv Hadaas, who are known for their sharpness and incredible knowledge throughout Torah. They were astonished at the incredible knowledge demonstrated by all the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim who have risen to levels of Torah knowledge in a manner that has no precedent.
This full-on Shas farher was a culmination of their written tests throughout the year – Monthly on 225 blatt, quarterly on 700 blatt, and annually on the entire Shas. Stipends awarded for the monthly, quarterly and annual tests are calculated in terms of their scores.
They Know Every ‘Nook and Cranny’ in Shas
Each year they display loftier and loftier heights, and their knowledge is even more sharpened and broader than it was in the previous year. So commented Rav Bunim. He had tested the Shas Yiden four years ago. Already, on that occasion, he was taken with their incredible knowledge. Now, he came to examine them a second time. He could not hide his amazement at the exceptional growth of knowledge and the sharpness of the Shas Yiden geonim. Just a few years earlier they had already attained great heights, and now they have overshadowed their previous accomplishments. In his letter to the Pozna Rov, founder of Shas Yiden, after the farher: “…incredible avreichim geonim who know every single place in Shas… clearly and without any hesitation.”
Similarly, Rav Chaim Peretz declared that this was the first time that he came close-up to the incredible knowledge of the Shas Yiden geonim. In his letter after the farher he wrote with great emotion: “I was so amazed to see, aside from their incredible knowledge in Shas, how they defended their knowledge in Tosafos, Rishonim and Acharonim, as well as in the Yerushalmi – it was just amazing”
Chizuk from the Ponevez Mashgiach
The Guest Speaker at the Siyum Hashas was the Ponevez Mashgiach, Hagaon Harav Aryeh Leib Shapira, shlit”a. In a dynamic speech that captivated the audience, he spoke about the unique phenomenon in the Torah world that the Shas Yiden Kollel Network has become. The learning, the regimen and, certainly, the standard it has set has earned it a place of honor in limud Hatorah, so very beloved by the late Nasi, Maran Sar Hatorah, Hagaon Hagadol, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l.
He then added that Shas Yiden annually completes limud of the entire Shas, which reflects every aspect of Torah and is, in fact, a shmira (protection) for Eretz Yisroel and Yiden everywhere.
At one point, Rav Shapira turned to the Shas Yiden wives and emphasized: “Each of you should know that in your homes, you are living with a lebedike (living) sefer Torah! Very few and exceptional wives merit this. Ashreichen (Praised are you all)! You ensure that your homes are conducive for such learning and your children follow your stellar examples. The Pozna Rebbetzin presented each of the wives of the Shas Yiden with a gift cash envelope as a token of the deep-felt appreciation of the Shas Yiden Hanhallah.
From The Farher – Harav Chaim Peretz Berman
Even before he manages to finish asking a question, the answers come thundering in response, and he looks out at all the avreichim and smiles.
In an instant, the amazing avreichim realize the direction of the question, and call out the answer – the masechta, the blatt, and the דיבור המתחיל of Tosafos where it is to be found! From time to time, the questions are enigmatically spiced up, such as where and concerning what is there a dispute between Reb Chaim and Reb Chaim?
To enable the farher to run smoothly, the avreichim from each of the 5 kollelin in Eretz Yisroel were sitting together and, prior to each question, it is addressed to kollel A or B etc. Even so, all the avreichim of that particular kollel will burst out with the answer. And what about the concept “תרי קלי לא משתמעי” (two voices answering simultaneously cannot be heard properly? We know ‘that which is preferred, is in fact heard above the others.’
The following question: What are the different shittos (approaches) regarding Kiddush & Havdalah… And the answers are given at a dizzying pace: all mnemonics – “יקנ”ה! ינה”ק! קני”ה! קינ”ה! נקי”ה! ניה”ק! יקזנ”ה! יקנה”ז! Don’t think that this is a computer memory. Not at all. This is also not AI – artificial intelligence. Many of the questions require human reasoning, that reasons out in a way that a computer cannot. This is a result of laboring for many years, clarifying and distilling, laboring and reviewing.
From The Farher – Harav Bunim Schreiber
Rav Bunim looked at the avreichim geonim and said: “Sitting here in front of me are literally tens of thousands of ‘bletter of gemora’. He immediately begins raining down sharp and tough questions. He is well-known as someone who inspires young avreichim to study with an orderly program to acquire knowledge throughout the entire Shas. His questions are colorful and unexpected.
“What are the 18 items that they decreed?” The answers are like incessant, exploding thunder. And if one question appears to be very broad, the next is very deep. The avreichim are asked how many approaches are to be found in a particular sugya of the Talmud. To answer correctly and on the turn, one has to quickly take into account no less than eight full blatt.
“How many disputes are there between Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel in masechta Beitzah?” The answers begin flowing, but then Rav Bunim interrupts them: “Actually, what difference does it make how many? Rather, what are the disputes between Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel in masechta Beitzah? And again, the answers come gushing forth.
What are the 21 items that their Mitzvah applies only in the daytime? What are the differences applying to a mourner, one in חרם (excommunicated), and a leper? How many cases of מלקות (lashes) are there? Again, a juicy one – In the Rambam it is noted there are 207.
At the conclusion of the farher, it turned out that the number of questions put forward by Rav Bunim, was that of the number of masechtas in Shas – each corresponded to a particular masechta. Moreover, he consulted no notes of his questions – all were committed to memory!
And when he descended from the dais, one avreich went over to him and asked for a word of chizuk about life. Rav Bunim responded on the spot, ‘learn and learn – that is the essence of real life!’
To watch the dynamic farheren, or for more information on Shas Yiden, or to donate, click on www.shasyiden.com or call 718-702-1528 or Mail: 1274 49th Street #562, Brooklyn, NY 11219. London: UK Registered Charity # 1191225 – 2 Timberwharf Road, London N16 6DB, England or call 0208-066-1566
