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Songs like a prayer filled the air at the Beth Gavriel Center on Wednesday evening, January 8, where Chazaq and the Breslov Research Institute hosted a magnificent hilula in memory of Rav Natan of Breslov, also known as Reb Noson. Reb Noson was the chief disciple and scribe of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. Reb Noson is credited with preserving, promoting, and expanding the Breslov movement after the Rebbe’s death.

Few things animate the intellectual discussions of the yeshivah world more than a debate on the best way to learn Gemara. Each yeshivah, and sometimes each shiur within a yeshivah, has its own unique method to understanding the text and commentaries, and its own approach to balancing the competing needs of breadth and depth, speed and analysis, bekius and iyun. During this season of celebrating the completion of the Daf Yomi cycle, most people have set aside their firmly held opinions on this matter in order to politely celebrate the accomplishment of completing Shas at the lightning-fast speed of one page a day. I’d like to pierce that bubble, albeit gently, and only in order to gain deeper appreciation of the Daf Yomi experience and particularly the Dirshu Daf Yomi experience. Let’s take a deep dive into the subject of breadth, an iyun into bekius.

 The Cardiology Team at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens recently marked the 25^th anniversary of the arrival of the cardiac catheterization program at the hospital. The original “cardiac cath” team reunited and joined NewYork-Presbyterian Queens leadership to commemorate the occasion. Pictured, from left to right: Dolores Venditti, RN, Lorraine Monaghan, RN, Gregory Gustafson, MD, current cardiac catheterization program director Marie Claude Boileau, RN, Edward Deptulski (radiology technician), Joseph Cooke, MD, chief of medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, and Amir Jaffer, MD, chief medical officer.

I waited for the moment when every seat in the gigantic arena at Yad Eliyahu would be full, knowing that the sight of thousands of bnei Torah celebrating the Siyum HaShas in loving achdus was not something you see every day. I wasn’t disappointed. Black and white in every section of the arena. Here and there, I could see someone in a yellow vest circulating – Yad Eliyahu security – the contrast in colors catching my eye.

“Brrr!!”

It was freezing cold on Wednesday, January 1, in East Rutherford, New Jersey; yet that didn’t stop tens of thousands of Jewish men and women from traveling to MetLife Stadium and Barclays Center to participate in the 13^th global Siyum HaShas of Daf Yomi.

David HaMelech teaches us in T’hilim (32:10): “The one who trusts in Hashem, kindness will surround him.” If you put your trust in Hashem, He will shower you with kindness. Chazal assure us that Hashem grants special protection, mercy, and kindness to those who put their absolute trust in Him.