{"id":1852,"date":"2021-12-23T21:53:56","date_gmt":"2021-12-24T02:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/?p=1852"},"modified":"2021-12-23T21:53:57","modified_gmt":"2021-12-24T02:53:57","slug":"a-momentous-siyum-at-gaon-yaakov","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/a-momentous-siyum-at-gaon-yaakov\/","title":{"rendered":"A Momentous Siyum at Gaon Yaakov"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Building a Foundation for Torah Dedication<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avi Schiff<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s the before and the after\u2014before the siyum<\/em> and after the siyum<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s how one of the speakers at the gala siyum<\/em> on Maseches Kiddushin<\/em> celebrated by Mesivta Gaon Yaakov of Lakewood described the transformation of a bachur <\/em>who completed the masechta<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The siyum<\/em> was a family affair\u2014parents, siblings, and even grandparents of the talmidim<\/em> were invited to participate in the celebration of the completion of the masechta<\/em>, which was learned last year by the yeshivah and completed by many talmidim<\/em> during their free time and extended night sedarim<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a testament to the hasmadah<\/em>, yegiah<\/em>, and dedication of the Gaon Yaakov talmidim<\/em>. Current talmidim<\/em> were joined at the siyum<\/em> by several alumni who have since moved on to other batei midrash<\/em> but returned to be mesayem<\/em> the masechta<\/em> together with their younger peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By all accounts, the siyum<\/em> was a riveting, uplifting, inspiring event, and the yeshivah spared no effort, or expense in ensuring that the seudah<\/em>, held at Yeshiva K\u2019Tana hall, was one befitting this special occasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A transformative experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program began with remarks from the menahel<\/em>, Rabbi Moshe Mermelstein, who described how rewarding it is to see how each bachur<\/em> has grown and shteiged<\/em>. Rabbi Mermelstein described the transformation that takes place from when a bachur<\/em> commits to finishing a masechta<\/em> to the time he actually celebrates that feat. It\u2019s an incredible feeling of accomplishment and one that can be seen tangibly in the aliyah<\/em> of the bachur<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Mermelstein cited Avraham Avinu as an example of one of our great Avos who set out on a mission and achieved it, in contrast to Terach, who was unable to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe bachurim<\/em> who were mesayem Maseches Kiddushin<\/em> show that they possess the drive and the grit to take on a goal and reach it, a testament to their fortitude and determination,\u201d said Rabbi Mermelstein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Mermelstein also pointed out that the siyum<\/em> serves as an opportunity to pause for a moment and focus on the success of a bachur<\/em>, celebrating his growth and accomplishments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Rabbi Mermelstein expressed hakaras hatov<\/em> to the rosh yeshivah<\/em> of Gaon Yaakov, Rabbi Chaim Cohen, for his complete dedication to the hatzlachah<\/em> of every bachur<\/em>, and to the yeshivah\u2019s administrator, Rabbi Avrumi Korn, for arranging the siyum melaveh malkah<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emergence of a ben Torah<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next speaker was Rabbi Alexander Blumenkrantz, eighth-grade rebbi<\/em> at Bais Reuven Kamenitz of Lakewood and parent of Gaon Yaakov 12th-grader Chaim Blumenkrantz. Rabbi Blumenkrantz highlighted the change that can be seen in a bachur<\/em> from when he enters Gaon Yaakov in ninth grade to when he enters 12th grade three years later. The emergence of a bona fide ben Torah<\/em>, he noted, is deeply inspiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

True simchas haTorah<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The siyum<\/em> on Maseches Kiddushin<\/em> was then made by 12th-grader Efraim Eisenberg, followed by the Hadran<\/em>, which was recited by 12th-grader Nesanel Gewirtzman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crowd then broke out into spirited dancing, with Rabbi Cohen dancing with every single mesayem<\/em> as well as his father and grandfather. The ruach<\/em> was something special, a reflection of the ahavah<\/em> that the Rosh Yeshivah has for each bachur<\/em> and the overall care and concern that the hanhalah<\/em> of Gaon Yaakov is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polishing diamonds<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The yeshivah\u2019s 10th-grade rebbi<\/em>, Rabbi Feivy Schreiber, delivered divrei bracha<\/em>, describing how, from his vantage point, he\u2019s watched the bachurim<\/em> enter his shiur<\/em> like \u201cuncut diamonds\u201d and how they grew into true bnei Torah<\/em> who excel in middos<\/em>, hasmadah<\/em>, and havanah<\/em>. \u201cThis,\u201d said Rabbi Schreiber, \u201cis something that only Torah can accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bachurim<\/em>, he said, devoted themselves during bein hasedarim<\/em> and bein hazmanim<\/em> to finish the masechta<\/em> and develop a taste for Torah, and they are now reaping the benefits, experiencing the mesikus haTorah<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every line is a hashlamah<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Cohen spoke powerfully to the mesayemim<\/em> and their families, stressing that the key is committing and taking on a goal. \u201cYou have to be willing to start,\u201d he said, \u201cand once you do, you\u2019re already in the \u2018process\u2019 of a siyum<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A siyum<\/em> is like the fulfillment of a neder<\/em>, he said. When you make a siyum<\/em>, in Hashem\u2019s Eyes, you were mashlim<\/em> what you committed to. Thus, \u201cevery line, every amud<\/em>, is a hashlamah<\/em>,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Cohen recognized the physical sacrifices that were made in order to reach this milestone. \u201cEvery moment of hard work, every line of Gemara learned, required effort and sacrifice,\u201d he told the mesayemim<\/em>, \u201cand so you were makriv<\/em> yourselves, giving of your neshamah<\/em> and your guf<\/em> to learn, to stay extra time after night seder<\/em>, and so on. You were willing to dedicate and devote every bone of your body to ensure the completion of masechta<\/em>,being moser nefesh<\/em> with every fiber of your being.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An eye on the future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the Rosh Yeshivah\u2019s powerful divrei hisorerus<\/em>, every mesayem<\/em> received a set of Kovetz Shiurim<\/em> and a plaque recognizing his achievement. Each bachur<\/em> then took a picture with Rabbi Cohen and Rabbi Mermelstein, capturing a moment that will remain with him for years as he continues to grow as a ben Torah<\/em> and budding talmid chacham<\/em>, a proud product of Mesivta Gaon Yaakov.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Building a Foundation for Torah Dedication Avi Schiff There\u2019s the before and the after\u2014before the siyum and after the siyum. That\u2019s how one of the speakers at the gala siyum on Maseches Kiddushin celebrated by Mesivta Gaon Yaakov of Lakewood described the transformation of a bachur who completed the masechta. The siyum was a family […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1853,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[19],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1852"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1852"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1852\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1854,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1852\/revisions\/1854"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}