On Sunday, April 23, Jews all around the world celebrated the conclusion of the daily study of Maimonides’ magnum opus, Mishneh Torah, also known as Yad HaChazakah or simply, Rambam—the Hebrew acronym for Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon.
Minyan Tifferet Shalom in Young Israel of Forest Hills held its own major celebration for the completion of their daily Rambam class, with over 300 men and women in attendance. The rabbis of both congregations, Rabbi Zalman Mergui and Rabbi Elisha Friedman, spoke of the Rambam's life and legacy.
Rambam, or Maimonides, was a physician, scholar, and philosopher of the 12th century, who authored many books and essays. The Mishneh Torah is a revolutionary compilation that details all the laws of the 613 mitzvot in a mere 14 books. It is of the only compilations that covers all topics of Jewish law, concluding with the laws of Moshiach.
“I committed to learning the book of Rambam by the renewal of the cycle three years ago,” said Mr. Cohen Binyaminov. “Today, exactly 1,000 days later, I am celebrating the completion.” Mr. Binyaminov also shared his miraculous recovery from cancer, which he attributes to the merit of his commitment to the daily study of Rambam.
The Rambam is divided into three different cycles and learned by tens of thousands of Jews yearly. One cycle is learning three chapters daily. A second cycle is learning one chapter daily (completing the whole Rambam after three years). The third cycle is the "Book of Mitzvot" cycle.
"Every individual is commanded to study the entire Torah, a goal that seemingly may feel unattainable for most people," explained Rabbi Mendel Scharf, Rosh Yeshiva of the Lubavitch Yeshiva in Queens. "However, thanks to the Rambam, and his compilation of Mishneh Torah, this is a goal that is within reach of every man, woman, and even child!"
Rabbi Scharf, whose yeshiva was also in attendance, exclaimed, "Most if not all of the young Yeshiva students who are here today completed the entire Rambam in one of these cycles! This is truly a monumental feat!"
Also in attendance were many local rabbis from the general Queens area, including Rabbis Aharon Chen, Daniel Cohen, Shalom Hecht, Yossi Mendelson, and Shraga Zalmanov.
To read more on the Rambam learning cycle, visit www.chabad.org/rambam
