Beis Moshiach Magazine

International Siyum HaRambam In NY

In the weeks before the event, the International Siyum HaRambam Committee, directed by Rabbi Shmuel Butman, prepared for the grand siyum. Residents of Crown Heights and nearby neighborhoods received invitations for the event. Color posters, in Hebrew and English, were displayed in Jewish neighborhoods throughout New York. A quality program developed, as befits an event that honors the initiator of the study cycle, the Rebbe MH”M.

The evening began at 9:00 with opening remarks by Rabbi Butman, who chaired the event. After reciting the Rebbe’s chapter of Tehillim and proclaiming “Yechi,” the lights dimmed and the Rebbe’s hadran on Rambam in 5749 was shown on video.

The first speaker was Rabbi Eliyahu Fisher, rosh kollel of Ger in Boro Park, and representative of the Gerrer Rebbe. He began by noting that the final mivtza the Rebbe asked us to work on is Mivtza Moshiach, to prepare oneself and the entire world to greet Moshiach. “This becomes that much more imperative on the day we conclude the Rambam’s work, which ends with ‘Hilchos Melachim and Moshiach.’”

Rabbi Yosef Binyamin Williger, a distinguished member of the Klausenberg community, and the representative of the Klausenberger Rebbe, was the next speaker. He related how the late Klausenberger Rebbe expressed amazement about the Rebbe’s holy work, especially with regards to the shluchim who promote Torah and teshuva around the world with mesirus nefesh.

“Lubavitch deserves an abundance of good, b’gashmiyus b’ruchniyus, for their holy work; especially for their waking up the world to prepare for Moshiach.”

The representative of Vizhnitz schools and the Vizhnitzer Rebbe in Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Efraim Rosenberg, spoke about the work Chabad Chassidim do in spreading the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov. In addition to their work in establishing mosdos Torah and strengthening the wonderful takana of learning Rambam, they are mekarev Klal Yisroel to Torah and mitzvos.

Rabbi Rosenberg concluded his speech by relating a story he heard from someone who had planned his flight to arrive in New York with enough time to daven. His flight ended up being delayed a few hours and he was afraid he would miss the opportunity to perform the mitzva of tefillin. Remembering that Lubavitchers are everywhere, he contacted the local shaliach, who rushed tefillin over to the airport for him.

Rabbi Yerachmiel Zeltzer, rosh kollel in Skulen and representative of the Skulener Rebbe, relayed the Skulener Rebbe’s bracha for the event. He said that although the Rambam’s work is based on Nigla, sometimes it alludes to concepts in Nistar, as well. For example, the Rambam says, “a person should always learn Torah lo lishma, because from lo lishma he will come to lishma.” The Rambam’s wording differs from that in the Gemara, where it says, “ a person should always learn Torah and do mitzvos lo lishma…” Perhaps the Rambam quoted the text from the Zohar instead, where the word “mitzvos” is omitted.

Rabbi Gershon Tenenbaum, director of Iggud HaRabbanim, thanked Rabbi Butman for the wonderful event, and then Rabbi Teleshevsky led the reading of chapter 20 of Tehillim for the speedy recovery of Rabbi Marlow.

Rabbi Osdoba of the Crown Heights Beis Din, noted that the Rambam is the only posek to pasken l’halacha on inyanei Moshiach and Geula. Rabbi Osdoba gave an explanation as to why the Gemara says that when a person goes to olam ha’ba he is asked: “Did you deal honestly in business? Did you establish set times to study Torah? Were you involved in procreation? And did you anticipate the salvation?”

Why is the first question about business, and not something more significant? By way of allusion, you can say that the question, “Did you deal honestly in business” (nosasa v’nosata b’emuna), means: were you involved in matters of emuna in Hashem, Torah, Moshiach? The next question is: Did you establish times for learning about these things? The Chassidic explanation of pirya v’rivya (procreation) is: did you draw other Jews closer to Torah and mitzvos? Then finally, a person is asked whether he looked forward to Moshiach’s coming, as the Rambam says we are obligated to do.

Rabbi Mordechai Leib Weiss made the actual siyum, and Rabbi Michel Steinmetz, dayan of Square Chassidim of Boro Park and representative of the Squarer Rebbe, began the new cycle.

Rabbi Shraga Sheinfeld, president of Histadrus HaRabbanim, spoke about Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik’s connection to the Rebbe. He recalled participating in the Yud Shvat 5740 farbrengen. He had taken Rabbi Soloveitchik home after the farbrengen and heard how impressed he was by the Rebbe. Among other things, Rabbi Soloveitchik admitted that when he spoke for even five minutes he would prepare notes as reference, but the Rebbe spoke for hours on many topics with no notes at all!

He also mentioned Rabbi Fisher of London and his impression after sitting at a farbrengen for seven hours. He was simply amazed by the wonderful sichos, which covered all parts of Torah, Nigla and Chassidus. He also mentioned a few incidents involving Rabbi Soloveitchik illustrating how highly he regarded the study of Rambam.

The final speaker was Rabbi Gavriel Tzinner. Ever since he received a directive from the Rebbe to speak at siyumei ha’Rambam, he has participated in every single annual siyum to date. He related that the Rebbe once said that the number of sections in Rambam (83) correspond to the 83 illnesses. Rabbi Tzinner noted that the Rebbe announced the takana to learn Rambam in his 83rd year.

At the close of the event, a new calendar was distributed for the year’s study of Rambam. Rabbi Butman thanked Rabbi Meir Gutnick for sponsoring the evening, and thanked his son, Rabbi Y.Y. Butman, for organizing the event. Eli Lipsker’s Boys Choir concluded the program with niggunei Chabad and songs of the Redemption.

Rabbi Shmuel Butman on Completing the 17th cycle of Rambam

We have concluded the 17th cycle of Rambam and have begun the 18th cycle. 17 is the numerical value of tov (good), and Chazal say that “ein tov ela Torah” (there is no good other than Torah). The first time the word “tov” appears in the Torah is in the beginning of Bereishis, where it says, “and Hashem saw that it was good.” This was said on the first day of creation, but not on the second day, because as the Midrash says, on the second day machlokes (divisiveness) was created.

Chassidus explains why the heavens were created on the second day: because midas ha’gvura, restraint or inflexibility, prevailed on that day, which is the idea of tzimtzum and division. On the third day, however, “ki tov” is mentioned twice, because midas ha’tiferes, beauty and harmony, prevailed, which sweetens the tzimtzum of gvura.

The Gemara explains the double “ki tov” as: tov la’Shamayim, tov la’briyos (good for Heaven, good for the creatures). Chassidus explains that the third day, which corresponds to yechida, which is above division, accomplishes this unification of tov la’Shamayim and tov la’briyos. In connection with this, it says (Hosheia 6:2), “Yechayeinu miyomayim ba’yom ha’shlishi yikimeinu v’nichyeh lefanov” (He will heal us after two days; on the third day He will raise us up and we will live before Him).

“He will heal us after two days” — from the first two days of creation, when the heavens were separate and the briyos were separate. “On the third day” — when “ki tov” is doubled. “He will raise us up” — He will unite us. “And we will live before Him.”

As far as the connection between “tov” and the Rambam, the Gemara in Menachos 53a says, “let tov come and receive tov from the tov for the tovim,” meaning: Let Moshe come, about whom it says, “and she saw that he was good,” and receive the Torah, about which it says, “For I have given you a good teaching; do not abandon My Torah,” from Hashem, about Whom it says, “Hashem is good to all,” and bestows it upon Yisroel, about whom it says, “Hashem did good with those who are good.” And we know that from Moshe (Rabbeinu) until Moshe (the Rambam) no one arose like Moshe!

The idea of being good towards Heaven and good towards the creatures is most pronounced in our generation. Fifty years ago, after World War II and the Holocaust, Jews were divided into those who were for “Heaven,” i.e., religious Jewry, and “mankind,” i.e., Jews who were far from Yiddishkeit. “Heaven” and “mankind” were separate worlds, and the gap between them continued to widen. But the Rebbe began bridging that gap by sending shluchim around the world. They are “Heavenly” emissaries who reach out to Jews who had been unexposed to Torah Judaism. Today, fifty years later, as we celebrate the Rebbe’s fifty years of leadership, we see how he united “Heaven” and “mankind.”

In Chassidus it says that the yechida is Moshiach, so as we celebrate the siyum of the 17th (tov) cycle of Rambam, we pray that just as we merited to complete the cycle of tov, we should merit to continue the year of tov as well as a year of chai (18), when the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, who is “tov la’Shamayim and tov la’briyos,” will take us out of exile, “and we shall live before him” with eternal life, in the true and complete redemption, NOW!