By Menachem Posner – Chabad.org
Sacramento has a small Jewish community, with perhaps no more than two-dozen households where Shabbat and kashrut are kept. Yet it will host a big celebration on Thursday night, when a group of dedicated students will celebrate the completion of the 2,711 pages of the Babylonian Talmud.
Since Talmudic times, such a celebration—called a siyum—has been a festive affair, marking the culmination of weeks, months, and in this case, years of achievement.
Talmud-class participant Harry Weiss, who has lived in Sacramento since 1979, says he began studying on his own years ago, ordering cassette tapes with recorded classes from New York.
Having a regular Talmud class with Rabbi Mendy Cohen, who co-directs Chabad of Sacramento, Calif., with his wife, Dinie, has allowed him to master the material.
While the rabbi mostly focuses on the straightforward meaning of the Talmud, he occasionally adds the insights of the medieval commentaries, as well as pertinent teachings of the Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.
Weiss reports that participation in the class fluctuates between three and eight attendees, a significant group for a community of that size.
On a personal level, Cohen says the milestone marks the closing of a circle that opened 30 years ago.
“I was 18 years old, and I was at the Rebbe’s farbrengen,” he recalls. “As is customary, I lifted up a small cup of wine to wish the Rebbe ‘l’chaim.’ The Rebbe acknowledged the person on my right and the person on my left, but not me. I stood up as tall as I could, but again, the Rebbe nodded to the people around me, but not me. I felt that I needed to do something, so I put down my head and thought for a moment. On the spot, I decided to learn the entire tractate of Ketubot, which we were studying in yeshivah at that time.
“By the time I lifted my head up,” he continues, “the singing had concluded, and the Rebbe was about to begin to speak. Suddenly, the Rebbe turned to me, wished me ‘l’chaim velivrachah’ and started his talk. This is what got me started—and this is what keeps me motivated and focused.”
And He Tackled Tanach…
In conjunction with teaching the daily Talmud class, the rabbi also learned regularly with Rick Brodovsky, learning their way through the entire 24 books of the Tanach (Hebrew Bible). “Tanach taught me that G‑d is very real and very present in our world,” says Brodovsky, who began learning with the rabbi after a series of health crises prompted him to redirect his life. “He loves us more than we can imagine.”
The siyum will also celebrate their having completed the entire work over the past several years. The timing of the celebration is also significant.
“We are now in the Nine Days, the saddest time of the year for the Jewish people,” notes the rabbi. “And the Rebbe encouraged us to brighten up the gloom with the spiritual brightness of Torah.”
Of course, a siyum is not just the end of one cycle, but the beginning of another. In addition to continuing his efforts in Talmud, Weiss has embarked on another study program as well: the daily study of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah.
THIS shaliach should be the keynote speaker at the next shluchim convention! THIS IS WHAT ALL SHLUCHIM NEED!!! As a shaliach, I know there is lots of “down time” when I should be inspired to LEARN SHAS, Problem is some people in charge of convention don’t know what shas is! I nominate him as the next keynote speaker!!!!
מזל טוב אשריך!
#12 is not exaggerating!
דיין כהן, יאריך ימים על ממלכתו
אתה היית יכול להיות ראש ישיבה וגדול הדור אבל מסרת את נפשך להיות שליח הרבי בסאקראמנטו. כל הכבוד. אתה דוגמא חיה לכל השלוחים
Article forgot to mention thst several years Rabbi Cohen also published a sefer on the Rambam. A true lamdan and one of the nicest, friendliest and energetic people around!
Very nice to hear. Keep up the hard work.
Dinie and Mendy are the nicest, warmest shluchim around. Sacramento doesn’t understand how lucky they are to have such a couple in their city. Together with Dinie’s un-bounding energy and Mendy’s brilliant mind, they are the dynamic duo. Sacramento residents – make sure to support them materially and spiritually!!!
He gives beautiful, concise shiurim on the parashiot and on the yomim tovim, in a series called “Parsha Power,” available on Torah Cafe: http://www.torahcafe.com/scholar/rabbi-mendy-cohen_0000000388.html
Rabbi Mendy, you’re an amazing role model for Shluchim and Anash worldwide.
So proud of my cousin, Hagaon Harav Mendy Cohen, a model Shliach of the Rebbe. May Hashem grant you much success in your work, & may you fundraising go easy, to do all the beautiful work you do!
Yirmi & Sori Cohen
Toronto
Knowing r ‘ Mendy it was not a question of if but when ?
Let it be the siyum of another certainty the end of golus ?
מסוים הש”ס נגיע תיכף לסיום הגלות ולגאולה האמיתית והשלימה
Chazak veematz kol hakavod for this wonderful achievement you continue to go from strength to strength !
אשרי יולדתך
ירבו כמותו בישראל ובשלוחי ובצבא הרבי
חזק ואמץ
יקויים בו ברכת המקבל עליו עול תורה שמעבירין ממנו עול דרך ארץ
פרנסה בהרחבה נחת בריאות וכל הברכות מתוך מנוחה והרחבה
ידידך אוהבך בלו”נ
מענדל הכהן
מלפנים חזן לימים נוראים בעיה”ק סאקראמנטו
tremendous effort and he should be congratulated
on all levels
there can be more of this effort by individuals that can accomplish the task
and these are and will be our new dugma chi
our examples
it is very
beautiful