Siyum Hashas in Sydney Australia, and The Study of Talmud

A couple of nights ago it was fantastic to have attended the Siyum Hashas, the completion of the Babylonian Talmud that takes place once every 7.5 years.  Studying the entire Talmud this way means learning one page every day, which can take anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour. This is serious dedication to keep going for 7.5 years. Understandably sometimes a day is missed, but the next day it needs to be made up.

I have tremendous respect and admiration for those who completed the Shas. Of the eighteen individuals in Sydney who made the siyum, two of them I am very close with.  One of them is a Rabbi with half a dozen kids, and I remember the day he started. Trying to find time to study every day with family, rabbinic, and general life commitments is a challenge, but proven doable.

The other guy I know is a businessman and has long been a martial artist training partner of mine. I can think of the times when we went up to the Blue Mountains where our old master trainer lives (2.5 hours’ drive away) we’d train the whole day and then my friend would fall asleep with the Talmud still in his hand as he tried to complete the section for the day.

This is serious dedication, and both these individuals who live different lifestyles demonstrate that no matter what it is possible to learn through the entire Talmud.

Congratulations and mazal tov to them and to the many thousands around the world who have studied through the Talmud.