“On fire! The London frum community was on fire! There is no other way to describe it. This Dirshu siyum was a milestone, a watershed moment! I don’t think we have ever seen such an outpouring of emotion, chizuk, kabbolas ol and dedication to keviyus ittim l’Torah as we saw at last week’s Dirshu Siyum in London’s Copper Box Arena.” These passionate words of a prominent London talmid chacham, himself a Dirshu maggid shiur, could barely encapsulate the fiery enthusiasm that has overtaken all of England.
There were many sparks throughout the siyum that ignited that fire. One such surreal moment was when the venerated Gaon and Tzaddik Rav Shimon Galei began singing. Yes, singing. Holding the microphone tightly, his eyes raised to the Heavens, the joyous, heartfelt words “Shaarei shomayim pesach” burst from his lips. The massive arena had been quiet, the attendees hanging onto his every word when… suddenly, the dam broke. In an eruption of emotion everyone got to their feet and began singing, “Shaarei shomayim pesach” together with Rav Shimon. Surreal indeed!
What was the background to that moment, that spark of fire that set the tone for the rest of the night?
“What an Eis Ratzon This is! We Can Ask Hashem for Anything!”
Rav Shimon Galei was speaking about how the yetzer hara hates kevius, hates when Yidden are koveiah ittim, and certainly when they begin a program of kevius such as the Amud HaYomi when Yidden are empowered to complete a large masechta like Masechta Shabbos, and then immediately segue into the difficult masechta of Eruvin. When Yidden learn Torah this way with a kevius and accountability it creates a tremendous eis ratzon, an opportune time in Heaven to daven and ask Hashem for anything! There is no greater eis ratzon than when Yidden come to celebrate these Torah accomplishments.
“A siyum masechta is a time when there is a great eis ratzon in shomayim. If this is said about any siyum, how much more so, a siyum being made by thousands! Now is the time for all of us to daven for Klal Yisrael who are undergoing great difficulty and for all our personal tefillos as well.”
“What an eis ratzon this is!” Rav Galei exclaimed. “The Heavens are wide open, the shaarei shomayim are open! We can ask Hashem for whatever we want!
Right then and there, Rav Shimon spontaneously began to sing, “Shaarei shomayim pesach,” a song where we beg Hashem to open the gates of heaven and shower us with bracha from His infinite otzar, treasure house of bracha.
The tangible emotion and feeling of Rav Shimon rippled through the hall, touching the souls of everyone present… and the usually reserved English crowd joined him, raising their voices in song. Soon, everyone was on their feet singing, davening. The emotion reached a crescendo and it was clear to everyone there that they were indeed tapping into a unique eis ratzon. The emotion, the tefillos, the tears that were shed, defy description.
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Fire of Torah Ignited in London at Massive Dirshu Siyum Held at Cooper Box Arena
