With one eye on the Hadran and another on the upcoming maseches Pesachim, members of the Daf Yomi world felt a special sense of acheivement as they celebrated the completion of maseches Eruvin.
Agudas Yisroel’s Daf Yomi Commission’s siyum on Eruvin was held in Chicago with just a minyan of participants, the pandemic precluding the large, in-person galas that have been held in the past. Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, chairman of the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Shul Rabbanim, offered opening remarks, with Rabbi Chaim Twerski, Rav Bais Chaim Dovid and Rosh Yeshiva of Hebrew Theological College, making the siyum. Rabbi Shmuel Yehuda Levin, Rosh HaYeshiva of Telshe Chicago, introduced Maseches Pesachim and offered divrei brachah and was followed by Rabbi Shlomo Francis and Rabbi Yonatan Glenner, co-authors of the comprehensive The Laws of an Eruv, whose audio-visual presentation brought the masechta to life, illustrating concepts that may have been difficult to visualize as lomdim made their way through the masechta. The siyum program can be viewed here.
A three-part fascinating video lecture series arranged by the Daf Yomi Commission in the week preceding the siyum also served to clarify the challenging masechta firmly in the minds of those who immersed themselves in its 105 dafim. Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, Rav, Agudath Israel of Madison and Rosh Yeshiva Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, discussed the halachos pertaining to eruvei techumim, with Rabbi Chaim Schabes, Rav, Congregation Knesses Yisroel in New Hempstead speaking one day later on the topic of tzuras hapesach. The series completed with Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, Rav, Agudas Yisroel of Baltimore, expounding on the practical applications of eruvei chatzeiros. The shiur series can be viewed here.
Both the lecture series and the siyum were well attended, albeit virtually, with more than 7,000 people watching the broadcast of the shiurim each night and approximately 2,500 people joining the siyum livestream. The response from the public far exceeded expectations, said Rabbi Eliyahu Simcha Bamberger, coordinator of the Daf Yomi Commission, who noted that numerous yeshivas have already asked for a copy of the presentation shown by Rabbi Francis and Rabbi Glenner at the siyum.
“This is pure undiluted Torah and we see that Klal Yisroel is thirsty for it,” said Rabbi Bamberger. “It is such a joy to be able to provide those who learn the Daf something tangible that they can take away from the masechta and to give those who aren’t learning the Daf yet something super valuable that will encourage them to start. We look forward to being able to provide more meaningful programs as we continue making Daf Yomi part of our lives.”