On March 1, 2005, over 100,000 Jews came together to celebrate the eleventh Siyum Daf Yomi. In 80 years, it had become a global phenomenon. The Siyum HaShas filled convention centers and sports arenas in numerous locations. Participants flocked to the event across the United States. The Siyum left its mark on the hearts and minds of everyone there.
In an article for the Jewish Observer, Rabbi Aryeh Z. Ginzberg cited Rav Dessler: the degree of kiddush Hashem created on any given occasion can be gauged by the response to the occasion. The kiddush Hashem of the eleventh Siyum HaShas could be measured by the reactions that followed. The morning after the Siyum, enrollment in Daf Yomi shiurim grew exponentially. One shiur in Monsey jumped from 30 to 100 members. In Denver, two new shiurim opened. In Manalapan, NJ, thirteen men with no Gemara experience signed up for a Daf Yomi shiur. One man called Rabbi Ginzberg on his way to work the next day and said that he had experienced such elevation that it was impossible to return to his daily routine.
What was the secret that inspired, uplifted, and ignited the passions of so many Jews? The answer is simple: sheer numbers. A large gathering lends significance to its subject. When many people show up at court to support a defendant, it sends a message. Protests and rallies’ success is determined by the turnout. And the massive number of Jews who gathered to celebrate the Siyum HaShas demonstrated the extraordinary significance of Torah learning for the Jewish people.
Reproduced from Living Kiddush Hashem by Rabbi Shraga Freedman with permission of the copyright holders, ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
