A major Siyum HaShas and Hachnasas Sefer Torah were held at Yeshiva Lev Eliyahu in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Yerushalayim, drawing leading rabbonim and roshei yeshiva from across the spectrum of the Torah world.

The event took place in the yeshiva’s main beis medrash with the participation of Rav Yitzchak Yosef, alongside senior roshei yeshiva and rabbanim. The talmidim completed the study of the entire Shas in memory of the late rosh yeshiva, Rav Yaakov Zechariah zt”l, and in memory of a close supporter of the yeshiva, Raphael Halevi ben Esther.

Among the speakers were Rav Yitzchak Yosef; Rav Yechiel Chaim Sofer, rosh yeshiva of Kaf HaChaim; Rav Shlomo Yedidya Zafrani; Rav Ovadia Chazan; Rav Elchanan Sharabani, rosh yeshiva of Lev Eliyahu LeTze’irim; members of the yeshiva’s staff; and the yeshiva’s director-general, Meir Zechariah.

Speakers recalled the mesirus nefesh of the late rosh yeshiva zt”l for Torah learning and teaching, and offered words of chizuk to the bochurim during a period they described as one of mounting pressure on those dedicated to Torah study.

In a forceful address, Rav Shlomo Yedidya Zafrani told the bochurim: “If they come to arrest you, tell them that you are already detained by the Torah. Why is the Yom Tov called Atzeres? Because we received the Torah and we are ‘held’ by the Torah. If you want not to be detained, be detained by the Torah. Give yourselves over to Torah learning. Fortunate are you that you merit completing the entire Shas together.”

Following the remarks, a formal Siyum HaShas was conducted by Rav Eliyahu Moshe HaKohen Saban, one of the yeshiva’s rabbeim who spearheaded the initiative and encouraged the bochurim throughout their intensive learning of the masechtos. The evening concluded with the writing of letters in a new, beautifully crafted Sefer Torah, which was brought into the yeshiva in a celebratory procession marked by song and dance in honor of the Torah.