Rambam Siyum Held in New York

By COLlive reporter
Photos by Shimon Roumani

Thousands participated in the Siyum Harambam Haolomi (“International Siyum Harmbam,”) as the Rebbe would name it, held Thursday in Crown Heights on the day of the conclusion of the 32nd cycle.

The grand siyum started with the Perek of the Rebbe by the chazzan Schneur Zalman Baumgarten, while the participants said with him the entire Perek, Posuk by Posuk.

Several videos of the Rebbe were shown where the Rebbe speaks about the Rambam or makes the Hadron – conclusion on the Rambam.

The chairman of the International Siyum Horambam Rabbi Shmuel Butman, Director of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad Hamerkozis, spoke about the specialty of this year as it is 30 years since the Rebbe started the Takono of learing Rambam daily.

“Three times constitutes a Chazokao – a Halachic permanence and the number Ten stands for completeness. Here we have both elements – completeness in permanence, which will lead us to the Geulo Shleimo, complete redemption imminently.”

Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba, Rabbi Yaacov Schwei and Rabbi Yosef Braun, members of the Crown Heights Beis Din spoke about the importance of the learning of the Rambam and encouraged the community to increase in learning and in spreading Torah and Chassidus.

The event’s benefactor was Reb Sholom Ber Drizin who dedicated the Siyum to his famed father the Mashpia Rabbi Avrohom Drizin-Mayor OBM.

Rabbi Butman thanked him for his continued generosity and wished him, his wife and his family many years of good health, prosperity and happiness. The crowd enthusiastically endorsed the Chairman’s words with strong applause.

The Power of the Rebbe

Rabbi Yitzchok Rabinovitch, representing the Chassidus of Boyan, said that although thirty years passed since the beginning of the Takono by the Rebbe we see that it is becoming stronger from year to year. “We see here the power of the Rebbe.”

Painter Visits the Rebbe

Rabbi Mordechai Weiss, Rosh Yeshiva and brother-in-law of the Munkacher Rebbe told a story that the Chozeh of Lublin would go into seclusion every week studying the Rambam.

“A chossid wanted to know what the Chozeh was doing and he went blind due the great light that emanated from the learning of the Rambam,” he said. “The Rebbe wanted to illuminate the world with the study of the Rambam.”

Rabbi Eliezer Boim, Director of Yeshiva Yagdil Torah of Gur, told a story of a famous painter who came to 770 and was asked by the Rebbe why do you need a painting if you can get a picture for much less money? The painter responded that a painting has an element of life. “This is what I wanted to hear,” said the Rebbe.

Rabbi Boim concluded that “the Rebbe instilled life in every Jew and showed that every Jew is important to Hashem and we have to help him.”

On behalf of Chassidus Tzanz Klausenburg Rabbi Shlomo Lazer, Rav of Kehilas Shefa Chayim of Tzanz Klausenburg in Boro Park, said the Rebbe waged the Milchemes Hashem – the heavenly battle for reparation of the world. “As Geon Hageonim he taught the Jewish people what to do and how to conduct itself.”

Representing the Rebbe of Skver and the Chassidus of Skver, the Dayan of Skver Rabbi Aharon Goldmintzer said that the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe have a special connection. He said the he heard from Chassidim that reason the Alter Reba is called “Der Rav” is due to the fact that “Rav” (Raish and Beis) is two letters of Rambam.

Rabbi Goldmintzer also stressed that the learning of Rambam is part of ויאמינו בה’ ובמשה עבדו. “They believed in Hashem and in Moshe His servant.”

Participating and giving his blessing was Rabbi Yaakov Boruch Ledereich, brother-in-law of the Stoliner Rebbe and the Rov of the Stoliner Shul in Boro Park.

The Hand of HaShem

Before he made the Siyum, Rabbi Mordechai Berger, Dayan of Viznitz in Monsey, told a fascinating story of Hashgocho Protis, Divine Providence. Just a few weeks ago he spent a Shabbos in a small town outside of London, England when suddenly he heard voices engaged in very spiritual niggunim.

He followed the voices to a room where young Chabad Yeshiva bochurim were sitting at a farbrengen with their Mashpia whose name he did not know. As he was later taking to the Mashpia, he learned that the bochrim are proficient in Rambam.

“I was stunned to see young bochrim who ‘live with the Rebbe’ and have such a thorough knowledge in Rambam, I then made the decision that I also will participate in the daily learning of Rambam.”

“When Rabbi Butman called me about tonight, I felt a sense Hashgocho Protis as he did not know about my experience in England.” The story of Hashgocho Protis grew even stronger with the fact that Rabbi Levi Paris was in the audience. Rabbi Paris was the Mashpia of the bochrim in England.

“This is truly unbelievable,” said Rabbi Berger. “You see here Hashgocho Protis as neither one of us had any idea that we will meet here tonight.”

Guest Speaker

The Guest Speaker and Beginner of the 33rd Cycle was Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfat. He is the son of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu OBM, kabbalist and former Chief Rabbi of Israel, who had a special relationship with the Rebbe.

“I had the great honor of being by the Rebbe several times with my father,” Rabbi Eliyahu said. “My father said about the Rebbe לית דין בר איניש — “This is not a human being.” The Rebbe was totally out of the realm of a “human being” as we understand it,” he said.

He told a story about the Rebbe and then said that the Rebbe has Ruach Hakodesh is no novelty, what we saw is the particular worry for each and every Jew. Every place I meet Chabad I see a מקום ששורה בה השכינה –“ A Place where the שכינה Shechinah dwells.”

Rabbi Eliyahu concluded by exclaiming three times אשריכם, אשריכם אשריכם “How fortunate you are, how fortunate you are, how fortunate you are.”

The Chairman thanked his son Rabbi Yossi Butman for his dedication to the annual Rambam Celebration and honoring the Rebbe’s instructions.

At the end of the Siyum Horambam Haolomi there was a special treat – a lively performance by Benny Friedman with the accompaniment of Choni Milecki. Chassidishe niggunim were sung as the large crowd sang and danced with great spirit and enthusiasm.

Indeed this was an electrifying event. One of the participants from a known Chassidic dynasty said “The Rebbe was there.”

The crowd left in great spirits. Although it is thirty years from the Takono, the learning of the Rambam and Siyum Horambam continues with added strength and enthusiasm. “This was indeed electrifying to hear how Rabbonim of different communities speak with such great awe about the Rebbe.” The conclusion: We must continue with added strength to follow the Rebbe’s directives and help prepare the world for that great moment of the Geulo Shleimo.

The Chairman announced that Bezras Hashem, the next Siyum will be held in Yerusholayim, on the 22nd of Kislev 5775 with the participation of the Rambam and the Rebbe.

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