Bochurim in Yeshivas Tiferes Bachurim in Morristown, NJ celebrated a significant milestone by making a siyum on Tractate Succah.
Siyum participants include Bochurim Yehoshua Cubacub, Levi Schrager, Shmuel Gruys, Yehoshua Hertzeld, Betzalel Hyman, Lev Palgon, Eitan Rosen, Duvid Tabaczynski, and Aharon Chanan Weindruch.
The bochurim have spent the year in Rabbi Dovid Dick’s beginners gemara shiur, level two of four in the Tiferes program, building knowledge of gemara terms, patterns, and background information needed to start learning of their own. They are regularly tested on knowledge of the mesechta by heart — often chapters at a time.
Aharon Chanan Weindruch, 19, from Bettendorf, Iowa, has been learning in Rabbi Dick’s shiur since Cheshvan. “This is my first experience in yeshiva, and it’s amazing to be able to make a siyum,” he said. “Being aware that the practices [of Succos] are not just tradition, but are directly included in G-d’s instructions, has helped me appreciate all the other opportunities G-d gives us to connect to Him.”
The shiur plans to make another siyum — including Gemara, Rashi, and Tosafos — during the 9 days.
“I hope and I believe that you learned that you can go way beyond what you think you can do,” he said. “That was one of the most important things that I wanted to try to teach you over the course of the year, because no one believed that they can do it, and when we started, no one thought that this was really going to work, and nevertheless we see that we were able to accomplish it in an amazing way.”
Rabbi Moshe Herson, Dean of the Rabbinical College of America, quoted a talmudic dictum that “the one who comes to purify himself, he is helped from Heaven,” he said. “The Aibishter says only that you start.” He also emphasized the importance of reviewing the content so that “the accomplishment is not only for today, but should be for the future as well.”
Rabbi Shneur Zalman Dubinsky, Rosh Yeshiva of Tiferes Bachurim, connected the siyum to the theme of Mah Nishtanah, asking “how is this siyum different from most other siyumim?”
First, most siyumim are done by an individual, but here we have an entire group of siyumim, he said.
Second, “people often make a ‘hit-and-run’ siyum. They say hadran and move onto the next mesechta. The siyum over here is not hit-and-run; it’s chew-and-digest. Everyone who did the siyum learned it multiple times. You want to chew it and digest it, acquire it and make it part of you,” he said.
“That’s the right way of learning,” Rabbi Dubinsky added. “When you’re gonna have a family and be working, and you ‘don’t have time’ learn, are you going to open up the mesechta to learn or not? You have to remember that there’s no such thing as not learning. You’ll continue learning because what you’re learning now is the strength and motivation to continue learning throughout your life.”
“In the merit of this siyum on meseches Succah,” said Rabbi Herson, “Hashem should raise the ‘succas shalom hanofeles’ by bringing Moshiach” — bimhayra biyamaynu Mamish.
Mazel Tov! Strength to strength! With gratitude and many warm memories!
seems like you forgot to mention the amazing work of the shluchim of Tiferes, Bitton, Abenaim….?
Yes we still think about you here!
Hatzlacha!!!
When Iearned in tifferes, I never finished a mesechta.
But it gave me the ability to go on after yeshiva to complete Bava Kama, Bava Metziah, and Moed Katan.
I really loved learning in Tifferes.
Great experience.
Wonderful news. Congrats to all and best wishes for continued success in learning.
Dear Tiferes, regards and mazal tov, so many great memories of the worlds greatest yeshiva,. The power of tiferes morristown is with me always, as I also was zoche to do a siyum recently. please have in mind dvora leah bas risa that the rebbe bring her back speedily, save her from the dangers of assimilation with her entire family, and keep up the good work ad biyas hagoel. yonason hakohen k – regards rabbanim, I love you and miss you, i’ll hopefully be back someday, I keep saying it.