Siyum of Sefer HaMitzvos of the Rambam 5748

00:04 Speaker 1 Gather the people—the men, the women, and the children, and the stranger within your gates. Gather the people—the men, the women, and the children, and the stranger within your gates. So that they may hear and so that they may learn, so that they may hear and so that they may learn, and fear Hashem your G-d.

00:44 Speaker 2 The celebration marking the completion of the Rambam’s Sefer Hamitzvos by Jewish children took place last week at Binyanei HaUma in Jerusalem. Shmuel Rivkin brings recorded highlights from this impressive gathering.

00:59 Speaker 3 And they shall take care, and they shall take care to observe, and they shall take care to observe, and they shall take care to observe all the words of this Torah. And they shall take care to observe, and they shall take care to observe all the words of this Torah. So that they may learn, and so that they may learn, so that they may learn, and so that they may learn, and fear Hashem your G-d. So that they may learn, and so that they may learn, so that they may learn, and so that they may learn, and fear Hashem your G-d. Gather the people—the men, the women, and the children, and the stranger within your gates. Gather the people—the men, the women, and the children, and the stranger within your gates. So that they may hear and so that they may learn, so that they may hear and so that they may learn, and fear Hashem your G-d. And they shall take care to observe, and they shall take care to observe, and they shall take care to observe all the words of this Torah. And they shall take care to observe, and they shall take care to observe, and they shall take care to observe all the words of this Torah. So that they may hear and so that they may learn, so that they may hear and so that they may learn, and fear Hashem your G-d. So that they may hear and so that they may learn, so that they may hear and so that they may learn, and fear Hashem your G-d. And they shall take care to observe, and they shall take care to observe all the words of this Torah.

03:25 Speaker 4 Holy children, dear children. Honored rabbinic leaders, distinguished Torah scholars and men of reverence; the honored Rishon LeTzion, Chief Rabbi of Israel, the gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu shlita; the honored gaon, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem Rabbi Kolitz; the gaon Rabbi Tzedakah; the righteous Rabbi Aryeh Leib Friedman, elder of the Mussar movement in our Holy Land; the leaders and directors of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad, Rabbi Yisroel Leibov and its director-general, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Aharonov; honored rabbis, members of the Knesset, my friend Knesset member Rabbi Verdiger; and last but certainly not least, the young children who study Torah. And especially dear to us, the prizewinners and representatives—the young Torah scholars representing you, the thousands of children, at today’s test and celebration marking the completion of the Rambam’s Sefer Hamitzvos. With your permission, dear students, I have the honor of inviting our distinguished guest, the Rishon LeTzion, Chief Rabbi of Israel, the gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu shlita, to bless the children. Please.

05:09 Speaker 5 Fortunate is the holy Rebbe who conceived this wonderful idea: that holy children, of whom it is said, “Out of the mouths of babes and infants You have established strength,” should be educated to study Sefer Hamitzvos. They learn mitzvos that apply today and those that do not apply today, so that when Moshiach comes, speedily and soon, the halachah will be fluent on your lips. I say that this wonderful idea is one that no person today could express or conceive. Your Rebbe is, in our eyes, an angel of Hashem Tzevaos. This year, which the Rebbe shlita has proclaimed a year of Hakhel—“Gather the people, the men, the women, and the children”—I do not know, and I say plainly that I do not know, where to place these dear youngsters. Among “the people”? They are greater than the people: they sit and study Torah. Among “the men”? Certainly not. Among “the women”? Certainly not. Among “the children”? Certainly not. They study Sefer Hamitzvos. I place them under “so that they may learn”—learn to fear Hashem. When we see children like these, sitting and studying Torah in holiness and purity, we learn reverence for Heaven from them. In closing, I return to the verse, “With our young and our old we will go, for we have a festival of Hashem.” You youngsters see the elders of the generation before you. You youngsters follow the angel of Hashem Tzevaos, the Rebbe shlita, and walk by his light. May it be Hashem’s will that, through the merit of Torah study—“Out of the mouths of babes and infants You have established strength”—we be helped. Today we are in a difficult situation, with enemies outside and enemies within, and the first mitzvah of sanctification is connected with the Land of Israel. “Out of the mouths of babes and infants You have established strength.” Strength means Torah, and through the merit of Torah study, through the merit of babes and infants, may we merit the coming of the righteous Redeemer speedily in our days, amen. Dear children, from one blessing to another: from the blessing of the Rishon LeTzion to the righteous gaon Rabbi Yehuda Tzedakah, head of Porat Yosef Yeshivah. Please.

08:08 Speaker 6 This holy gathering is a sight to behold and opens the heart. It is an exalted occasion at which Jewish children come together. There is no greater sanctification of Hashem’s name. The Rishon LeTzion has already mentioned the verse, “With our young and our old we will go.” That was the first dispute between Pharaoh and Moshe Rabbeinu: who should go to serve Hashem? Pharaoh demanded that only the men go: “Let the men go.” Not the children. Not a new generation—it would grow old. Moshe Rabbeinu told him, “With our young and our old we will go.” Gentlemen, that dispute has continued from that day until today. Even among us, in our own midst, people make Pharaoh’s demand: “Let the men go.” Give us the Jewish children; we will educate them. And they will learn emptiness and nonsense. Those who educate the generation according to Pharaoh’s approach will learn that this is the way [unclear]. May we all merit, through these Jewish children, to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu speedily in our days, amen.

09:42 Speaker 7 Torah!

09:43 Speaker 8 Torah!

09:44 Speaker 7 Commanded!

09:44 Speaker 8 Commanded!

09:47 Speaker 7 Us!

09:48 Speaker 8 Us!

09:49 Speaker 7 Moshe!

09:52 Speaker 8 Moshe!

09:52 Speaker 7 An inheritance!

09:53 Speaker 8 An inheritance!

09:54 Speaker 7 For the congregation!

09:55 Speaker 8 For the congregation!

09:57 Speaker 7 Of Yaakov!

10:00 Speaker 8 Of Yaakov! [unclear], and to come to Zion. [unclear]. [unclear]. [unclear]. [unclear].