Shas Yiden - a Bracha Amidst a Pandemic - 853,965 blatt
By Rabbi Eliezer Sandler Last week, sixty-three incredible young talmidei chachomim gathered in a hall in Beit Shemesh. Their wives did not attend this year due to the current health situation, which also prevented the 12 Shas Yiden avreichim geonim in London from attending. They were all celebrating their annual Siyum Hashas, having collectively completed 853,965 blatt of Gemara, Rashi and Tosfos! Prior to the festive meal, the avreichim geonim underwent two hours of grilling questions on the entire Shas. The examiners are recognized as leading talmidei chachomim – Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Weiss, Rav of Beitar Illit and Maran Hagaon Harav Bunim Schreiber, Rosh Yeshiva of ‘Netiv Hadaas’. Both examiners are known as geonim charifim and bekiim in Shas. Without any papers or references on the table before them, they reeled off some 150 questions that included: asking for page citations, facts, logic and for detailed information that basically required knowledge of the Talmud by heart.
Amazing Prowess
The questioners were both amazed at the prowess of each of the avreichim geonim. Questions that were ‘thrown’ at the avreichim geonim received a thunderous response from all, simultaneously. (A video of the farher is available to be viewed on the Shas Yiden website www.shasyiden. com, which has videos of past annual
farhers.) Over the 12 years since Shas Yiden’s inception, its successful growth and the mastery of Shas by the avreichim geonim has captured the attention and imagination of the gedolei Torah all over, and who have been effusive in their praise at how they have made the idea of becoming a Shas Yid achievable and popular. After personally
examining the Shas Yiden every year with searching questions, Maran Sar Hatorah, Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, exclaimed “Zei kennen Shas” (They know Shas!) and then agreed to become the Nasi of Shas Yiden.
Meeting the Challenge and more
The avreichim geonim effortlessly followed the questioners’ changing from masechta
Note from Sar Hatorah to the 63 Siyumei Hashas
25 Marcheshvan 5781 (Note: The Nasi of Shas Yiden, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, was unable to attend the Siyum, which he does every year, and penned a note to the Shas Yiden.) In honor of the Siyum Hashas of the kollel avreichim geonim Shas Yiden under the leadership of our friend Hagaon Harav Avrohom Halevi Eisen, shlit”a. It is difficult for me to participate on this Yom Tov of these tens of talmidei chachomim, gedolei Torah; they are all outstanding in Torah. They know the entire Shas on which I have personally tested them and saw that they are knowledgeable in the entire Shas. I send my best wishes that they should acquire knowledge of the entire Torah to learn, to teach, to guard, to do and to fulfill all the words of Thy Torah in love. And may the Gaon, our friend (Rav Eisen) shlit”a, merit to open many more kollelim and to cause Torah to grow and be glorified.
Hagaon Harav Bunim Schreiber conducting the farher, with Hagaon Harav Moshe Samet and Hagaon Harav Avrohom Eisen looking on
Chaim Kanievsky
L-R Hagaon Harav Moshe Samet, Hagaon Harav Chaim Weiss, Hagaon Harav Bunim Schreiber, Hagaon Harav Avrohom Eisen