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Despite this historic proposal – and the consequent In a letter he wrote to Rabbi Spivak, Rabbi Shapiro
attribution of the idea to Rav Shapiro – it appears that he was apologized for not having mentioned the latter’s idea that
not the originator. had appeared two years earlier in “Digleinu”.

There are unsubstantiated reports of three people who Rabbi Spivak’s family and relatives wanted to publicize this
had such an idea, but for various reasons preferred to ask but Rabbi Spivak resisted, not wishing to damage the name
Rabbi Shapiro to present the idea as if it were his own. of Rabbi Shapiro or of Agudas Yisrael.
The three were: the Rebbe of Yet there is more evidence that
Tchortkover, Rabbi Yisroel even Rabbi Spivak wasn’t the
Friedman, the Breslover Chossid, The first Siyum HaShas took place on originator either!
Rabbi Ben-Zion Apter, and the 4February 2, 1931, at Yeshivat Chachmei
Shotzer Rebbe, Rabbi Shulem Lublin in Poland, which was also established About 10 years before Rabbi
Moshkowitz. by Rabbi Meir Shapiro, and where he served Spivak made his proposal in
as Rosh Yeshiva. “Digleinu,” a similar suggestion
However, over two years prior was published by Rabbi Yechezkel
to Rabbi Shapiro’s speech at the Max Stern & Co. are releasing a
Knessia Gedolah, a firsthand 5commemorative medallion in honor of the Fraser. Rabbi Fraser was born
in 5589 (1829) in Virbalis, in the
report of the proposal appeared 13th cycle of Siyum HaShas. On one side, it Mariampol district of Lithuania,
in Av 5681 (1921), in the journal features an image of Rabbi Meir Shapiro while and he later moved to New York.
“Digleinu” (lit. our flag), in an on the reverse there is a depiction of the globe His proposal appeared in his
article written by Rabbi Moshe overlapped by the Talmud. book “Porachas HaGefen – Yom
Menachem Spivak of Shinsa, Yisrael” and was written in
near Warsaw. The idea of Daf Daf Yomi shiurim are piped into the Yiddish. He suggested that all
Yomi appeared under the heading 6in-flight sound system of all El Al flights. Shas groups should unite to be
Hatza’a Nichbada (an honorable At the seventh Siyum HaShas event, the one company, and that each group
suggestion). 7Council of Torah Sages of Agudath Israel should teach the same daf in the
He proposed that a Chevras Shas of America permanently dedicated the Siyum same masechet at the same time
(a Talmud study group) should HaShas to the memory of the six million Jews in its own shul.
be established in which all the murdered during the Holocaust. But that’s not the end of the
participants would be charedi In Bnei Brak, there is a street named mystery.
traders, craftsmen or day laborers. 7.5Ma’alot HaDaf HaYomi – Daf Yomi
They would fix a time between Ascent. There are at least four sources
Mincha and Ma’ariv to study reporting Daf Yomi suggestions
a daf of Gemara in the order earlier than the above. They are
the tractates appear. Every member of the group would be the Gerer Rebbe, Rabbi Ya’akov
obligated to take upon himself to learn every day at the same Lorberbaum of Lissa, Rabbi Akiva Eiger and the Jewish
time. community in Moravia.
Did Rabbi Shapiro know about Rabbi Spivak’s idea? And if so, The idea appears in the ordinances of the Jewish
did he know of it before he proposed the idea to the Knessia community in Moravia in 1759, more than 150 years before
Gedola? Rabbi Shapiro’s passionate speech!

There is no doubt that Rabbi Shapiro knew of Rabbi Spivak’s So, regardless of who claims credit for the idea of Daf Yomi,
idea before the Knessia Gedola, and that the two rabbis spoke all would agree that its current success and popularity
about it, at least after the Knessia Gedola. can be traced to Rabbi Meir Shapiro. He was the one that
publicized it, and it was due to his charismatic personality
and continued efforts that it gradually became a fixture
 in communities and countries all over the globe. He even
Rabbi Meir Shapiro is credited with prepared a Daf Yomi calendar for the entire cycle which is
the success of Daf Yomi still in use today.

For details of the World Mizrachi Rabbi Dr. Chaim Simons has written a number of books and
Siyum HaShas celebration in booklets, some of which can be viewed at www.chaimsimons.net
Jerusalem on January 2, 2020, visit The Daf Yomi facts were compiled by the editors of
www.mizrachi.org/siyum HaMizrachi

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