Do Greeks in the thousands gather early every morning to study the works of Plato and Aristotle? How many Britons study Shakespeare or John Milton every single day? Last month’s Siyum HaShas before 93 000 daf yomi supporters in MetLife Stadium demonstrated once again that we are a singular people. Several landmarks were reached.
1) It elevated the stature of Torah and Talmud. Millions now realize that Am Yisrael is truly Am HaSefer and that our devotion to Torah learning is the real secret of our existence.
2) Ninety-three thousand Jews davened Minchah and Maariv together recited Shema Yisrael together and danced together in celebration of Talmud — 70 years after the Holocaust. Only a fool could have imagined this in 1945.
3) It affected millions of non-Orthodox Jews who surely looked on with awe at what they once considered a dying breed of fanatic benighted Jews who were out of tune with modern life. It made them think twice about who they themselves are and where they are going — and that maybe the Orthodox have a point.
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