Leading Gedolei Yisrael to Grace Historic Launch of Program at the Sofiensäle Hall in Vienna where
Daf HaYomi was Launched 100 Years Ago
Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan 5784/October 15, 2023, will be a date that will go down in history as a day that transformed Klal Yisroel. It is the day when the new Amud HaYomi will begin Masechta Brachos. One hundred years ago, this month, Daf HaYomi was established and changed Klal Yisroel. The new Amud HaYomi will almost certainly have a similar impact.
When the senior members of Dirshu’s hanhalla led by its Nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, told HaGaon HaRav Berel Povarsky, shlita, senior Rosh Yeshiva of the Ponovezh Yeshiva, about the idea at his home in Bnei Brak, the smile that wreathed his face from ear to ear said it more than anything else. “Moredig, gevaldig, gevaldig!” he exclaimed. “An excellent idea! Amud HaYomi is something that each person can learn in accordance with his own level of learning.”
HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Mesivta of Lakewood, greeted the news with great simcha. He said, “HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Be’er Yaakov, would often bemoan the fact that avreichim do not have a wide ranging bekius in Shas. He would advise avreichim to take time during bein hasedarim or night seder to learn an amud yomi. My father, Rav Boruch Sorotzkin, zt”l, also had an amud yomi seder every afternoon. I think it is a wonderful idea and will meet a need for those who find that an amud yomi works better for them. It is a wonderful idea whose time has come!”
HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Feivel Schustal, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Tiferes Yerachmiel in Lakewood, displayed great simcha when he heard about the new Amud HaYomi program. His primary joy was aroused by the realization that this program would increase limud haTorah and the numbers of lomdei Torah.
“The Torah needs yodei Torah, people who don’t just learn Torah but understand and know what they learned.’ I think therefore that the Torah is makir tov to you. The Torah wants people to be busy with learning Torah, to encourage limud haTorah. I think that, without a doubt, you Rav Hofstedter and Dirshu are shelucha d’rachmana, emissaries of Hashem to ensure that the Torah always has customers…”
Why Amud HaYomi?
Why Amud HaYomi? Isn’t there already Daf HaYomi? The answer is twofold. Firstly, Amud HaYomi and Daf HaYomi are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, in many ways Amud HaYomi complements the Daf HaYomi. The Daf HaYomi is now approaching the milestone of completing half of Shas. Many lomdei Daf HaYomi would benefit from a daily chazarah of what they have learned thus far. Amud HaYomi will enable Daf HaYomi leaners to incorporate an amud of chazarah into their daily schedules thereby affording them a better retention of Shas, locking it in, in a much more comprehensive way. Thus, as they continue learning the Daf HaYomi they will not neglect chazarah on what they learned previously.
In addition, there are many people who cannot learn the Daf HaYomi. For some the pace is too quick, for others it is too much information to absorb at once. Yet others like to have a bit more time to look at meforshim.
For this reason, the Amud HaYomi can become a true gamechanger both for those that are already learning the Daf HaYomi, and for those whom Daf HaYomi does not work.
Historic Launch One Hundred Years Later
The official launch of the Amud HaYomi will take place motzoei Shabbos Bereishis, at the historic Sofiensäle Hall in Vienna, the same concert hall where, during the month of Elul one-hundred years ago the groundbreaking, world-changing concept of the Daf HaYomi was proposed at the first Knessiah Gedolah. The launch will be held in conjunction with a siyum on seder Nashim and half of Shas in the Daf HaYomi machzor and will be graced by leading Gedolei Yisrael from America, Eretz Yisrael and Europe.
HaGaon HaRav Hillel David, shlita, Yoshev Rosh of the Vaad Roshei Yeshiva of Torah Umesorah, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and Rav of Kehillas Yeshiva Shaarei Torah, will lead the delegation of Rabbanim coming from America.
The very distinguished delegation of Gedolei Yisrael from Eretz Yisrael who will be participating in the historic launch will include HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron; HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Meir Stern, shlita, talmid muvhak of Hagaon HaRav Shmuel Wosner and one of Eretz Yisrael’s leading poskim and dayanim; HaGaon HaRav Shimon Galei, shlita and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Peretz Berman, shlita, a Rosh Yeshiva at the Ponevezh Yeshiva. The European delegation will be led by HaGaon HaRav Gavriel Knopfler, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Manchester. The group of Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbanim is still in formation and numerous others will be joining.
One hundred years ago, the Daf HaYomi completely changed Klal Yisrael. It was instrumental in making limud haTorah a central part of the day for hundreds of thousands of Yidden the world over. Now, one hundred years later, the new Amud HaYomi, with the same relentless, seven day a week schedule, 354 days a year, promises to have a transformative impact on the limud haTorah of Klal Yisrael.
How Does it Work?
The new Amud HaYomi machzor will begin daf beis amud aleph in Masechta Brachos on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, October 15, 2023.
There will be four tracks. A track of Gemara with Rashi, another with Gemara, Rashi and Tosafos and within those two tracks there will be two separate tracks.
Dirshu will also be publishing a remarkable kuntress called Iyun Ha’Amud compiled by phenomenal talmidei chachomim. The kuntress will be distributed among the lomdim of the Amud Hayomi throughout the world. The kuntress is intended to assist the lomdim of Amud HaYomi with their learning and it includes the pages of the Gemara, explanations and supplements, marei mekomos and practical applications of the halachah.
Lomdei Amud HaYomi will be able to take monthly tests on one of any of the four tracks and be rewarded handsome stipends for excellent results.
Track 1 of the Gemara with Rashi will consist of tests on just Gemara and Rashi. In Track 3 of the Gemara with Rashi, the lomdim will learn and be tested on Gemara, Rashi and the kuntress Iyun Ha’Amud.
The Gemara with Rashi and Tosafos, Track 2, will feature learning and testing of just Gemara, Rashi and Tosafos while Track 4 will feature testing on Gemara, Rashi, Tosafos and kuntress Iyun Ha’amud.
Every test in Tracks 2 and 4 will feature 23 questions on the Gemara, Rashi/Tosafos and seven questions on Iyun Ha’amud.
This Program Is Tailormade For You!
Since last week’s unveiling of the new program, an avid interest has been aroused among lomdei Torah.
There is no location more appropriate to launch the new program as the same venue where the original Daf HaYomi was launched 100 years ago! Indeed, Amud HaYomi, promises to be a program that will, bez”H, enrich the limud haTorah of untold numbers of Yidden in the next 100 years and beyond.
If you want to learn Shas methodically and clearly, with a plan, in a way that you can truly acquire what you learn; if you want to join with klal Yisrael in an exciting new venture through Shas; if you have already learned with Daf HaYomi and are seeking a structured daily chazarah of an amud per day… then this program is tailormade for you!
Now is the time to join the Amud HaYomi program and take your limud haTorah to the next level!
What are you waiting for?
For further information or to join, please contact Dirshu at 1-888-5-Dirshu or e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
By Chaim Gold
