Learning During Lockdown

Do you remember The Siyum? Yes, the day Klal Yisrael gathered together, hundreds of thousands strong at MetLife Stadium, Barclays Center and dozens of locations around the world, to celebrate Torah. Yes, The Siyum may now sound like a distant dream – can you imagine being able to go somewhere, daven with the world’s largest minyan, and even dance with strangers? But, no matter how many tens of days March had this year, The Siyum still lives on. 

Even with Yeshivos closed and Shuls shuttered, Torah is not on lockdown. On phone conferences and Zoom meetings around the world, Daf Yomi is being learned. We are just as connected and united as before, because our nation understands that Torah is our life – ki heim chayeinu. 

Torah learning connects us. It connects us to each other and it connects us to Hashem. So with Torah learning as part of our lives, there is no social distancing, there is only social connecting. As we prepare for Shavuos – the z’man matan toraseinu, we will all join together once more, just as we did on January 1, and just as we did at Har Sinai thousand of years ago as we unite around that which unites us, and connect through that which connect us – Torah. 

This is the time of trimming down. Luxuries, conveniences, and non-essential outings fade away to make room for only the most pivotal of pursuits. 

But when our lifeblood is at stake, even a deadly pandemic takes a back seat. 

And like the proverbial fish who insisted that life out of the water is simply not a life, we know one thing amid all the unknowns this period has wrought: the life-sustaining quest of Limud Hatorah will prevail.

We’re all so grateful we were Zoche to attend the Siyum in the “before” stage – when the world still seemed a more familiar place. But even now, when January seems like a bygone era and the physical proximity of nearly 100,000 people an unthinkable reality, it’s more important than ever to keep the magic of the Siyum pumping.

And indeed, under circumstances we’d thought impossible, our lifeblood keeps flowing. 

A 6:15 a.m. Shiur in Williamsburg, attended by tens of people, has retained its complete roster of attendees – via phone teleconference.

A lunch-break Shiur in a NYC accounting firm – has been temporarily relocated to each member’s makeshift home office and convenes via Zoom.

A porch Shacharis Minyan in Baltimore is immediately followed by the daily Daf, leading to vigorous neighborly interaction, social distance notwithstanding. 

Because while the net may be closing in so many areas of life, the nurturing waters of Torah must keep sustaining us. 

The buzzword of today’s economic climate is “pivot.” Business slow? Pivot. Government regulations keeping your store locked? Pivot. Clients canceling? Pivot. Make the necessary evaluations and changes, and keep marching. Keep focused on your financial goals, and if need be – venture into new territory in order to stay afloat.

How much more determined must we be in the realm of Torah. We must adapt to the times, be mindful of the dangers, take the necessary precautions, but keep marching at all costs. Daf Yomi shiur discontinued? Research new options. Fell ill and now behind schedule on the Daf? Adjust to a new learning program. Previous arrangement now prohibited? Learn with family members who are now co-quarantined. 

Everything has changed – but Torah remains a comforting constant. 

R’ Mordechai Kaszirer, store-owner and dedicated Daf Yomi Maggid shiur in Lakewood, inspires us with his steadfast commitment to the Daf, unmarred by inconvenience and isolation.

“Baruch Hashem, we can gratefully state that since the day our shul in Presidential Estates closed, we haven’t missed a Shiur,” Mr. Kaszirer shares. “Our neighborhood has three Shiurim a day – one in the early morning given by Reb Nachum Sander, mine in the mroning after Shacharis, and one by our Rav, Rabbi Shlomo Loewi, each evening. And while individual members had to make personal exceptions, as a whole our Kehilla has kept all three going strong.”

Delivering his Shiur via Zoom has enabled Mr. Kaszirer and his attendees to keep up the vigorous Chaburah-style learning his group thrives on. “We’re all unmuted; everyone asks, answers, and interjects as if we were all in one room.” on top of that, he has implemented extra ‘perks’ to keep the Achdus and momentum going. When the Chaburah finished a Perek, a fresh bakery breakfast was delivered to each member’s door for his entire family, so they could celebrate the milestone as a group even while distanced physically. 

He also mentions that even if someone has had to miss several days of the Daf, fortunately the current Sugyos in Shabbos are more familiar to most, enabling Daf Yomi learners to catch up relatively easily and keep marching toward their goal of completing the entire Shas for the next Siyum.

“We’ve all taken a hit from this crisis on different levels,” Mr. Kaszirer says, “but one thing unites us. Torah has always been and continues to be our strongest anchor in stormy times. Both physically and emotionally, a steady framework of learning gives us all a feeling that we will get through this and emerge stronger for it.” Though several members of his group were sick with the virus at different points, they would push themselves to join the Shiur, even if the rest of the day was spent in bed. “Because that is the face of Klal Yisroel, even in crisis.” 

Rabbi Gedaliah Weinberger, chairman of the Daf Yomi commission of the Agudah and noted Askan, shares his Covid story of resilience and resolution. 

“As soon as they closed our Bais Medrash, I set up an online meeting room for the early morning Daf Yomi Shiur I regularly deliver to a group of businessmen.” From the first morning of quarantine, the Shiur went on consistently – except it extended another half hour beyond the usual hour, as none of the members were running to their offices. 

“Since then, we’ve officially been learning one and a half hours every weekday and one hour every Motzaei Shabbos, and B’Siyata D’Shmaya we haven’t missed a single day.”

About a week into the new reality, Rabbi Weinberger himself was hit with a fairly strong case of Corona, with elevated temperature and other symptoms for over a week. But the Shiur went on. He would wake early, take Tylenol which would kick in in time for the Shiur and then return to bed after the Shiur. “While some might think I spent my last strength on the learning, I know it was the opposite – the learning strengthened me and helped me recover,” he says. “When my wife then contracted the virus and spent time in the hospital, again – I felt that being part of a strong learning framework kept us all going.” 

While you’ll hear lots of talk about virtual meetings leaving a lot to be desired, in the case of Rabbi Weinberger’s Shiur, all the Daf learners concur that the spirit and quality of the learning has only seen an increase. “In fact,” he adds, “we’ve been discussing how we can keep up our improved level of learning when we are back together! The extra effort each learner invests to make this work is making all the difference. Between the extra time and the redoubled commitment, we have all felt a vitality and depth that we can only hope to perpetuate. And though we’d love to greet each other in person again, in a sense the screen affords an intimate setting because it precludes the need for social distancing.”

In general, he adds, most people have found small bonanzas of time that would otherwise be spent on commuting, in-person networking, and work commitments. “These pockets can be filled with empty relaxation and entertainment – or they can be harnessed for something that we’ll take with us far beyond this crisis. Starting a day with Torah always keeps the rest of the day in focus, but we feel it more than ever now when the hours are slower and more lackadaisical.” 

Mr. Joe Soffer of Flatbush seconds that notion. “There’s no question that the extra time can and should be spent learning. It gives purpose to the monotonous days of lockdown, and offers a camaraderie that also has a deeper dimension.” 

Mr. Soffer began giving a small Daf Yomi Shiur for this cycle to just five members. As this wasn’t the primary learning session of any member, we went through the Daf relatively quickly in about thirty minutes, with me reading the Gemara and explaining it according to Rashi.” But now, with members able and willing to invest more time, the Shiur usually stretches to an hour and a quarter – more than double the original duration! There is space to delve into Rashi inside as well as Tosafos. Attendance has also more than doubled, from five to twelve members.

“We keep the conversation going with a very active WhatsApp group,” Mr. Soffer says. “Members post insights and questions that spark conversation throughout the day. There are so many meaningless memes and funny quotes going around – we use the medium for Torah discussion instead.”

He also encourages members to join the Zichru program, which has brought much enjoyment to their learning. “There is simply no better feeling than coming across a Sugya we learned before and remembering being able to recall exactly where it is.”

Mr. Soffer shares a final message of Chizuk to everyone who is keeping up – or wants to keep up – their learning routine during crisis. “The Gemara says in multiple places that Hashem gave Shabbasos and Yamim Tovim for us to have time to learn torah. The lockdown has been a chance to be a more full time learner or at least increase our learning schedule. It’s almost like B’nei Yisrael in Midbar. We have less pressure and fewer commitments. Grab the opportunity and add to your learning – your present and future self will thank you.”

While the Siyum may seem a snapshot of days long past, its purpose and potency haven’t faded. Alone and in virtual groups, with undying spirit and investment, Lomdei Torah the world over continues to perpetuate its legacy. 

In time for Kabalas Hatorah, join us at the upcoming Venismach event and be inspired by the message of this universal resolve to keep the flame of Torah burning. 

Click HERE to join!