כולל משניות חיים אלעזר
לעילוי נשמת
הרב חיים אלעזר ב"ר עזריאל ז"ל

Almost eight years ago the Tratner family initiated a program to make a siyum on ששה סדרה משנה every month לעילוי נשמת their father. Subsequently he added his grandmother’s name. He thought it would be a great zechus for their neshamos to have 18 תלמידי חכמים (who are associated with our chaburah) learn the משניות, while, at the same time, taking the opportunity to help them out with their financial difficulties in a בכבודיק way.

These 18 תלמידי חכמים took upon themselves to learn approximately 8 משניות a day. This was in addition to their regular learning schedule. Each avreich was allocated an assignment at the beginning of the chodesh, and the group makes a siyum at the end of the chodesh. (Attached is the current schedule that each אברך receives).

Since then over 1.2 MILLION mishnayos have been learned! With this month (Iyar) closing in on our 300th Siyum!

* The unique זכות that learning משניות creates is described by the Chofetz Chaim in his sefer תורת הבית פרק ו quoting a midrash that explains the posuk (בראשית פרק מ”ט פסוק כ – מאשר שמנה לחמו). The midrash states that Asher stands at the gates of גיהנום and prevents entry to anyone who learned Mishnayos.

* It is well known (קיצור שו”ע סימן ר”ז סעיף ה) that משנה אותיות נשמה.

* It is an enormous תיקון for the נשמה and a tremendous זכות for all those who enable the learning.

* I think it’s a win-win situation. It not only helps one’s parent’s נשמות and is a zechus for a רפואה שלמה in an unmatched way, it also initiates more Torah learning while helping out yungerleit with their parnassah.

Another individual, Reb Aryeh Zev Ginzberg, was inspired by him to sponsor a group to learn Mishnayos לעילוי נשמת his daughter
שרה חי’ בת הרב ארי’ זאב הלוי.

One of the siyumim that was celebrated monthly was held with the participation of the Rosh-HaYeshiva of the Mir, Reb Leizer Yehuda Finkel.

This is an excerpt that appeared in the Mir quarterly news-update, regarding this Siyum.

In his opening remarks, Rabbi Mordechai Sternberg (a member of the משניות chaburah) expressed his הכרת הטוב on behalf of the entire chaburah. He expounded on the idea of נדיבות לב, citing the ספר הברית that man was created to help others. The רמב”ם states that a true בעל חסד is one who continuously repeats the act of chessed. Rav Ginzberg & Rav Tratner, by sponsoring this משניות בעיון חבורה on a continuing basis, are truly בעל חסדים …

The unique זכות that learning משניות creates is described by the Chofetz Chaim in his sefer תורת הבית פרק ו quoting a midrash that explains the posukבראשית פרק מ”ט פסוק כ – מאשר שמנה לחמו. The midrash states that Asher stands at the gates of גיהינום and prevents entry to anyone who learned Mishnayos. שמנה אותיות משנה.

It is well known (קיצור שו”ע סימן ר”ז סעיף ה) that משנה אותיות נשמה. It is an enormous תיקון for the נשמה and a tremendous זכות for all those who enable the learning.

Rabbi Ginzberg then addressed the assemblage. After remarking what a זכות it is to make a siyum in the Rosh Yeshiva ztz”l’s house, in the presence of the Rosh Yeshiva shlita … He then related a story which he heard from Rav Beinish Finkel zatzal (the former Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir).

Following the passing of the Alter of Slabodka (Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel), he appeared to his son, Rav Leizer Yudel, three times in his dream. He said to him each time – “שיק מיר פעקעלאך – send me packages.” R’ Leizer Yudel was mystified as to its meaning.

He sent an emissary to the Chofetz Chaim to seek his advice. (Rav Ginzberg added, that he personally heard from Rav Ruderman, that during the last ten years of his life the Chofetz Chaim answered with רוח הקודש. Before even being asked the question, he would respond with an answer!) Upon arrival, when the messenger saw the Chofetz Chaim, he appeared to be resting. Suddenly, the Chofetz Chaim said, “חז”ל say that חבילות אלו משניות” (see סנהדרין דף מב.). He returned with this response and Rav Leizer Yudel began learning a פרק of משניות every day for the rest of his life, thus “sending פעקעלאך – packages,” just as his father had requested.