Masechta D’Kehilloh

Siyum 5776 / 2015

One of the many initiatives that Rav Y M Greenberg shlita, the Rav of the Golders Green Beis Hamedrash, has introduced to the Shul is the מסכתא דקהילה programme. In addition to the other שעורים in the Shul, members make time to learn the same מסכתא at a pace of an עמוד a week. מראה מקומות are provided for extra עיון and every so often one of the participants gives a חבורה.

On מוצ"ש פ' ויגש the Shul celebrated the completion of the second such מסכתא — עבודה זרה — and the launch of the next מסכתא — ברכות — with a מלוה מלכה סיום. Mr Ralph Ullmann was מסיים, Mr Gerald Lewin in his inimitable humorous and inspirational style spoke on the importance of למוד התורה and Rav Greenberg inspired the עולם with his דברי תורה in which he explained why רבי יהודה הנשיא who was a גלגול of יעקב אבינו started מסכת ברכות with the מצוה of קריאת שמע and particularly the nighttime שמע, thereby indicating to us that just as all of יעקב's children acknowledged their allegiance to הקב"ה with their recital of קריאת שמע so too, our survival, in the long night of גלות which רבי anticipated as he began compiling the משנה, depends on our commitment to קבלת עול מלכות שמים.

The learning of the forthcoming cycle of the מסכתא דקהילה will be integrated with the other Shul שיעורים and cater for a wider range of abilities and backgrounds by including two new initiatives — a shiur by Mr Gerald Lewin every Wednesday evening and a חברותא programme every Sunday morning in the newly dedicated ביהמ"ד היכל שלמה.

The מלוה מלכה was very well attended by both younger and older members and guests and created a significant impression on all those present — in the words of the evening's chairman, Mr Benzy Adler, "Everyone present was celebrating as a חתן — there were those celebrating their completion of the מסכתא as a חתן תורה and those inspired to celebrate their new commitment as a חתן בראשית."

The festive catering was provided by the ladies of the Shmuel Eliyohu Homburger Bris Gemach and musical entertainment was provided by Rabbi Benjy Morgan and Mr Ari Blum.