The global Jewish community is aflame with excitement about the incredible Siyyum HaShas this coming Tuesday. As awesome as this is, I believe that an even greater event is occurring the day after, on Wednesday, when Jews the world over will begin the new journey of starting Shas again with the thrilling Masechtos Berachos. This is a golden opportunity that comes only once in seven and a half years or roughly six to seven times during one's adult lifetime. Shlomo Hamelech teaches us, "Chacham leiv yikach Mitzvos." The wise at heart seizes Mitzvos." (Mishlei 10:9) This refers, for example, to Moshe Rabbeinu who had the smarts to seize the mitzvah of retrieving Yosef HaTzadik's body while everyone else was busy taking the lucrative spoils of Egypt. It takes wisdom and foresight (foresight is one of the definitions of wisdom, as it says, "Aizehu chacham? Haroeh es hanolad." Who is wise? He who can foresee the future (Tamid 32a) to recognize when a great opportunity is at hand.

I am writing this article as a salesman. I desperately want to convince the reader to set aside any other plans this Wednesday, bite the bullet, and start with us the new Talmudic cycle. This has the potential to be one of the most important decisions you will make in your entire lifetime. The change that the daily Daf makes on a person is multi-faceted and truly wonderful.

Let's first discuss some advantages to be gained from embracing this incredible pursuit. We believe in the Afterlife. We also believe that this world is a preparation for the Eternal rewards of the World to Come. As such, it is important to realize that the Gemora informs us, "Ashrei mi sheba l'kan v'talmudo b'yado." Fortunate is he who comes to the next world with his Gemora in hand." The ultimate VIP status in the Next World is granted to those who dedicate this life to the study of Hashem's Talmud.

But it's not only Eternal success that one attains with Daf HaYomi. Chazal teach us, "Ein simcha k'simchas HaTorah " There is no joy like the joy of Torah." The dedicated adherent to Daf Yomi opens for himself new vistas of personal satisfaction and fulfillment of which he's never dreamed.

There's also the issue of knowing that you are doing with your time that which you were created to do. As Rashi teaches us in the beginning of Breishis, "Breishis bara Elokim: Bishvil Torah shenikra reishis " In the beginning Hashem created: Because of the Torah. This is the purpose of the entire world. Similarly, the Mishna teaches us in Pirkei Avos [2:8], "Im lamadta Torah harbeh, al tachzik tova latz'mcha, ki l'kach notzarta" - If you learned a lot of Torah, don't be full of yourself, FOR THIS IS WHY YOU WERE CREATED!

Then, there are the protective qualities of regular Torah study. In Mishlei [4:22], it states "Ki chaim heim l'motzeihem ulchol b'saro marpei" - It (the Torah) brings life to all those who find It and brings cure to ALL of one's flesh. In the same vein, we know that when the Angel of Death engaged in combat with Yaakov, he couldn't prevail over him because of Yaakov's dedication to Torah study.

Another great benefit of the Daf Yomi discipline is the example it sets for our children. When our young ones see that, no matter what, we make sure to learn our daily page, it teaches them life's priorities more than any lecture could. When they see that we pack a Gemora - even when we go on vacation, it teaches them that there is no time off from Torah. And, when they see us open a Gemora even when we come home late after a wedding, or when we are exhausted from a hard day's work, after we spent hours shoveling snow, or after enduring a painful root canal, it teaches them mounds about sacrificing for Torah. As the saintly Chofetz Chaim taught us, the directive for teaching children Torah is, "V'limadtem osam es b'neichem" - Teach Them (the Torah) to your children. In this command, the word 'osam' is written defectively, without a vav. Thus, it can also be read 'atem' meaning 'you.' Pronounced this way, the verse then says, "You learn and that will teach the children." This conveys the great lesson: the best way to teach is by example.

Regular attendance at a Daf Yomi shiur also has the huge benefit of creating a new and wonderful social circle for ourselves. When a person attends a shiur every night with other individuals who also share in the same attitude of self-sacrifice and dedication for such a lofty goal, these people tend to form a special camaraderie and bond. It goes without saying that forming friendships and relationships with people of such spiritual aspirations can greatly enhance the quality of our lives.

One of the great problems of our society is the peril of boredom. When one is bored, they tend to gravitate to the many dangerous pastimes of our decadent society. The Daf Yomi devotee is never bored. He's always either catching up, or delving into, or reviewing, the mounds of information he absorbs every day.

Then, there's the very important benefit that Daf Yomi brings to one's Shalom Bais, marital harmony. The Netzi"v promoted that one who introduces regular Torah study in his life greatly enhances his Shalom Bais. This is, in part, because wives will have a new respect for husbands when they see them dedicating themselves to such a lofty and spiritual goal on a consistent basis. It is also because the Torah radiates Shalom, as it says, "D'racheha darchei noam, v'chol n'sivoseha Shalom " It's (Torah's) ways are ways of sweetness, and all It's paths are paths of Peace. (Mishlei 3:17)

Finally, let's talk about the sense of fulfillment and accomplishment that one gets from finishing masechta after masechta of Shas. In our day and age, when so many people grapple with middle age crisis, fretting over the fact that they feel hugely unfulfilled, the Daf Yomi answers the problem in a very exciting way. As the Daf Yomi afficianado becomes more proficient in every aspect of Judaism - from the laws of Shabbos to family purity, from the rituals of shechita to the technical laws of idolatry (which suddenly came to life during the sheitl controversy in the last Daf Yomi cycle), he fills a thrill of personal success and achievement that is hard to describe.

Now, as a good salesman, let me play devil's advocate. The first argument that one might offer to the suggestion that he start Daf Yomi is, "Impossible. I have no time to make such a huge daily commitment." Indeed, many people have started skeptically, doubtful whether they'd be able to find the time on a regular basis. Often, to their great surprise, time opened up for them to meet their objective. This follows the tried and tested Talmudic adage, "B'derech she-adam rotzeh leilech bah, molichin oso " In the way a person wants to go, he is (Divinely) led. (Makkos 10b) It should not come as a surprise that one who dedicates himself assiduously to Torah study finds more time becoming available. This is because Hashem created the world primarily for Torah study. As such, when Hashem sees someone spending more time learning Torah, He will shower him with more wealth so that he doesn't have to spend so much time working - in order to free-up time for him for his Torah pursuits. On the other hand, if he wastes his free time with frivolous ventures, Hashem will likely give him more expenses so that at least he should spend his time meaningfully working for a living rather than wasting it on meaningless or even sinful activities.

The next most frequent argument is, "Daf Yomi is not for me! I'm just not cut out to learn so much every day." Or, another might argue, "It's not for me. The difficult Talmudic tractates like Eruvin, Yevamos, Kerisos, Niddah, etc. I need to stick to easier terrain." Let me vociferously counter these arguments. On Pesach, we sing the beloved song 'Echad Mi Yodeia?' In it, we chant, "Tisha mi yodeia? Tisha ani yodeia. Tisha yarchei leida " Who knows nine? I know nine. It's the nine months of gestation before having a baby." This is a puzzling answer. All of the other numbers are uniquely Jewish such as the two tablets, the three patriarchs, the four matriarchs, the five Chumashim, and so on. The nine months of gestation, however, are universal. Furthermore, what is so special about nine months of morning sickness and nausea that merits its inclusion in this lofty list? The Chasam Sofer, Zt"l, Zy"a, answers that the significance of the nine months is because of what the malach, angel, teaches the baby during those nine months in his mother's womb. As the Gemora reveals to us in Masechtas Niddah (30b), an angel teaches us the entire Torah in our mother's womb. Thus, we all have the vast potential to be able to learn the entire Torah - for this is the reason that the malach taught it to us in the first place - so that we should all be able to recover it when we come to this world. This is the mandate that Shlomo HaMelech refers to in Mishlei (20:5), "Mayim amukim eitzeh bleiv ish v'ish tvuna yidlena - Deep waters are the council in a man's heart and the understanding person will draw from them." On a practical level, I can personally testify to having seen individuals with very little Yeshiva background starting and finishing Shas with the Daf Yomi. If they can do it, so can you!!

Then, there are the protestations of, "At the end of the day I'm too tired to absorb all that information," or, "I'll learn and then right away forget it, so what's the purpose?!" To the first argument, I counter that it is quite possible that there will be difficult Gemoras that we might not grasp early in the morning or late at night. There might even be times that we will fall a sleep in middle of the lecture and even start to snore. However, realize that there are 2,711 pages in Shas, so that even if we falter 500 times, we are still left with over 2,200 pages of Talmud, putting us in the highest echelons of Torah scholars. As to the question of forgetting what we learn, this is a problem that plagues all Torah scholars. There is no question that to establish a method of chazara, review, is a great idea. Even reviewing the Mishnayos of the Tractate after finishing the Masechta is of great value. But regardless of whether or not we find time to review, we should not let this dissuade us from starting in the first place. This is precisely the reason we say the formula hadran alach, we will return to you, after we finish each chapter and tractate - acknowledging the fact that we need to return to it again, and asking Hashem that we be provided the longevity to return to these tractates many times over. And, believe it or not, each time we learn it something sticks and the next time around it will be easier and more meaningful.

It goes without saying that starting is very difficult. There is nothing that the Yeitzer Hara, the evil inclination, offers more resistance to than the study of Torah. One needs to exercise great spiritual strength and personal courage to give up other activities and bite the bullet to start. But, once we make that momentous gesture, it's easy sailing from then on. This fundamental lesson is taught to us by the great Rashi, in Parshas Yisro (19:5), where he states, "Im atta t'kablu aleichem yerav lachem mikan v'eilach shekol hascholos kashos " If you accept it upon yourself now, it will become sweeter from then on! For all starts are difficult!" This is imperative to remember: not only will it get easier, it will become sweet!!

No matter what age bracket you are in, it is a good time to start. If you are young (check with your Rebbe first), you have the advantage of making Shas your girsa d'yankusa, the learning of your youth " which is then remembered better throughout life. If you are middle-aged, there is the urgency of starting before the memory begins to fail and the concentration begins to weaken. If you are a senior citizen, starting will grant you the great segulah of 'Hamaschil b'mitvah omrim lo ligmor," that one who starts a mitzvah, Hashem grants him the ability to finish it.

For those who have finished Shas already, we must not rest on our laurels. The Talmud teaches us that Torah is hard to acquire and easy to forget. It is for this reason that we make a siyyum, to say chazak, be strengthened, in your Torah learning. This is also the reason why Shas starts on Daf Beis and not Daf Alef, to hammer home the lesson that there is neither end nor a beginning to Shas. It is just a continuation to be studied over one's entire lifetime.

Women should absolutely not feel left out of all this excitement. Our Shas would look totally different without the great Rabbi Akiva. It was Rabbi Akiva who told his 24,000 disciples that 'All that is mine and all that is yours is only because of Rebbetzin Akiva.' In the same vein, although Dovid HaMelech's father was the great Yishai, who was one of three people who never sinned and who taught 600,000 Torah disciples, Dovid HaMelech attributed his success to his mother, as he says, "Ani avd'cha ben amasecha " I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid! Women receive an equal portion in all their husband's Torah pursuits when they support their husband's efforts. The gentle encouragement of a wife and her show of admiration for her husband's Torah accomplishments go a long way in making the difference for many successful Torah scholars.

I conclude with once again my sales pitch, jump on this lofty bandwagon; you'll never regret it. Hashem tells us, "Ki lekach tov nasati lachem, Torasi al tazovu" - For a goodly merchandise I have given you; Do not forsake My Torah. The words 'lekach tov,' goodly merchandise, equals 155 in gematria, which, amazingly, is the equivalent of Daf HaYomi. Students of this past cycle remember digging out to attend a shiur during the blizzard of the century. They remember learning it through the horrors of 9/11 and recall learning it by candlelight during the great blackout. This is how all embracing this commitment is. I can guarantee you it will change your life for the better in countless ways. To all those who have finished already, join me as Daf Yomi salesmen. When you convince someone to join, you improve not only their lives but the lives of their entire family. In the merit of our Torah study, may Hashem bless us all with long life, good health, happiness, and everything wonderful!

Come to Rabbi Weiss's weekly shiur every Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. at the Landau Shul in Flatbush, Avenue L and East 9th Street.
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(Sheldon Zeitlin transcribes Rabbi Weiss' articles. If you wish to receive Rabbi Weiss' articles by email, please send a note to ZeitlinShelley@aol.com.)