Hundreds of maggidei shiur gathered in Bnei Brak on
motzei Shabbos parshas Terumoh for a conference to
prepare for the completion of the Daf Yomi cycle and the
beginning of the next cycle. Led by gedolei Yisroel,
the conference was designed to provide encouragement for
those toiling in Torah in the framework of the Meoros Hadaf
Hayomi organization.
The central address was delivered by Maran HaRav Eliashiv,
shlita, who quoted the first chapter of Hilchos
Talmud Torah where the Rambam rules that one is obligated
to teach himself Torah as is written, veshomartem
la'asos. "And in every place we find that Torah study
precedes practice, for Torah study brings one to practice,"
writes the Rambam. Thus fulfilling the mitzvah of Torah
study, said Maran, requires understanding what one learns in
order to reach "veshomartem la'asos."
He also cited the Taz and the Shach on Yoreh De'ah,
Simon 246, both based on the Drishoh which
speaks of "the obligation to study Torah every day [and] to
study halochos pesukos, which are the root and the
essence of our Torah. And baalei batim who study for
three or four hours [per day] should not study Talmud alone,
but halochoh as well, and they do not fulfill [the mitzvah of
Torah study] by studying [only] gemora with Rashi and
Tosafos." Therefore, said HaRav Eliashiv, clearly it is very
desirable to add a halochoh or two after learning the Daf
Yomi in order to know the proper way to conduct oneself and
to fulfill veshomartem la'asos.
This is not an addition to the takonoh established by
HaRav Meir Shapira zt"l, HaRav Eliashiv noted, but
rather an integral part of the original takonoh
itself. He closed by saying in the merit of HaRav Meir
Shapira may all Daf Yomi participants be blessed with kol
milei demeitav from the Source of All Blessings.
Speakers at the conference, held at Ganei Hadekel Halls,
included HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, HaRav Shmuel Halevi
Wosner, the Admor of Sadigora, the Admor of Nadvorna, HaRav
Yisroel Hager the son of the Admor of Vishnitz, and HaRav
Moshe Chaim Benderovitz one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas
Gur. All of the speakers praised the maggidei shiurim
for their dedicated efforts to maintain the holy watch day
after day, and to attract more talmidim who set fixed
times for Torah study.
HaRav Chaim Dovid Kovalsky, head of the Meoros Daf Hayomi
Beis Medrash, presented new ideas for the next seven year
cycle and HaRav Eliezer Turk spoke as the representative of
the maggidei shiurim. Other participants included
HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, HaRav Nissim Karelitz, HaRav
Gershon Eidelstein and HaRav Boruch Dov Povarsky.
The heads of Meoros Daf Hayomi received advance blessings for
the conference from maranan verabonon when they made a
round of visits in the homes of HaRav Lefkowitz, HaRav
Karelitz, the Admor of Gur and other gedolei Yisroel.
At last year's conference held between Pesach and Shavuos
gedolei Yisroel lent encouragement to the maggidei
shiurim as they prepared to tackle the difficult
masechtos of Seder Kodshim and Maseches Niddah.
