"When You Exert Yourself in Torah, Revel in It"
A recent photo of HaRav Osher Weiss at the Agudah Yarchei Kallah in Jerusalem
Q. We find in Chazal (Shabbos 119a) the benefit of
making a siyum masechta as a "festive day for Torah
scholars." What is the big cause for celebration upon the
completion of a tractate? Is it really important to make a
gala event of it?
A. It is not an average cause for joy. The Maharshal ruled
(YS"S Chapter 7, DB"K) that when one bensches,
one should say "Shehasimchah bim'ono" at the festive
meal. But he later retracted this psak because it
raised a furor. It is clear, however, that he did this since
the essence of the completion is wholeness, an expression of
having completed and finished a whole unit of study, a
complete entity of Torah. I heard from Moreinu, the
Klausenberger Rebbe ztzvk'l, in the form of an
allusion/hint that the name of Satan comprises the acronym of
"Siyum Maseches Ein Laasos" — one should not make a
celebration upon the completion of a tractate. Satan invests
much energy in preventing Jews from completing a full round
of study but we overcome the impediments and succeed in
finishing it!
If you would like to properly appreciate the great value of
finishing a masechta, note what Chazal tell in
Eruvin 68a, that Rovo and Abayei lived within the same
courtyard compound. Rovo asked Abaye when the neighbors did
not get together to make an eruv. He replied that he
was too preoccupied in study. Abayei was so poor that he even
forwent the mitzvah of eruv, over which one even
recites a blessing (even though it is only a rabbinical
commandment) because he couldn't afford to set aside the
bread which is required for making the eruv.
This selfsame poverty-striken Abayei says in Shabbos
119 that whenever he met a young Torah scholar who had
completed a masechta, he would hold a great feast for
his students. Note, then, how important is the matter of a
seudas siyum in the eyes of Abayei!
The text of the siyum states, "Hadron aloch Maseches
. . . v'hadron alon." What is the meaning of this? That
we bind up the tractate with an indissoluble union.
There are two explanations to this statement. In Aramaic, the
word hadron denotes review. We promise to review this
tractate and return to it, and pray that it return to us. The
Torah is not mere parchment and ink; it has a soul. Chazal
said (Sanhedrin 99b) on the verse in Mishlei 16:26
"Nefesh ameilah omol lo," as follows: A person may toil to
understand Torah in one place, and his efforts will bear him
fruit elsewhere, as well.
Rashi explains that the Torah goes before Hashem to plead on
his behalf that he be awarded knowledge of the secrets of
Torah. To this extent? Yes, because he pursed his lips over
Torah [in deep concentration and effort]. When we exert
ourselves and cleave to Torah, the Torah itself yearns for us
and will return to us. "Vehadran alon."
In Hebrew, the word hadron means splendor and beauty,
from hadar, glory. When Jews study Torah and cleave to
it, they are imbued with splendor; a special aura of grace
suffuses them. The Yismach Yisroel of Alexander explains that
the great joy which exists on Simchas Torah is an expression
of our joy at the joy of the Torah, itself. The Torah is
happy that we completed a full round, and we join in her
gladness. This is what hadrach alon denotes.
If we were given eyes to see, we would view a great joy being
celebrated in the all the heavenly spheres at the siyum
hashas.
We find written in Chazal (Avodoh Zoroh 9a) that the
world as we know it is supposed to exist for six millennia.
The first two thousand were tohu, or dark ages and
anarchy; the second two millennia abounded in Torah and the
final pair of millenia are the years preceding the coming of
Moshiach.
The gemora asks when the millenia of Torah actually
began. The Giving of the Torah at Sinai only took place in
2448 so we must say this epoch began earlier, with "the souls
they acquired in Choron." Onkelos translated this as "which
they `subjugated' for Torah. Torah was studied even before it
was formally presented to the Jewish people. `Subjugated' for
Torah implies that people established set times for the study
of Torah.
"Subjugated for Torah"
Chazal in Shabbos 88a teach us that Hashem overturned
the mountain over their heads like a basin. We learn this
from the phrasing that "they stood under (literally, rather
than `at the foot of') the mountain." The Jews dutifully
remained under the suspended mountain and did not seek to
flee; they stood staunchly "like one united body (person)
with a united heart." Not only did they stand at the foot of
the mountain but even drew closer until they were verily
under it. And then, 600,000 angels descended and crowned each
person with two diadems, one for the `naaseh' which
they had declared, and one for the `nishma' which they
had declared.
What is the meaning of these two crowns? How are they
connected to the preemptive avowal of naaseh venishma?
We must understand that the event of the Giving of the Torah
was one of allegiance, of accepting servitude. Hashem coerced
the Jews, as it were, by suspending the mountain above their
heads to show them that He was enslaving them and not raising
them to noble stature. Notwithstanding, they accepted this
role gladly. And because they agreed to accept the yoke of
servitude and crowned Hashem as their king, Hashem repaid
them in kind by presenting them with two crowns, measure for
measure, for indeed, the servant of a king is royalty, too!
"Moshe rejoiced with the gift of his portion, for You
entitled him as Your loyal servant." This is why "You gave
him a crown of glory." Moshe was also granted a royal crown
of glory.
Our servitude or self subjugation is expressed through our
establishing a set regimen for Torah study.
