MATOS-MASSEI: Siyum HaRambam promotes Unity

Our Sages teach us that the destruction of the Holy Temple, of which these Three Weeks commemorate, was caused by baseless hatred among Jews. Thus, when love and unity reigns, the exile will be abolished and we will return to Jerusalem to serve Hashem in the rebuilt Beis Hamikdash – The Holy Temple.

Unity can be achieved by all Jews to learning the same subject in Torah. For when a Jew studies Torah, he and Torah are joined in "a wonderful union, like which there is none other."  How much more so when a number of Jews study the same topic. They too, through their study, are united with the eternal Torah, forging an eternal bond between the Torah and the Jews – and the Jews between themselves.

When this is coupled with learning something which encompasses the laws of the entire  Torah – and even greater level of wholesomeness is achieved!

The Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, the magnum opus of Maimonides, is the only book of Jewish law that encompasses a compendium of the entire Oral Torah. Therefore, a person who learns Mishneh Torah, fulfills the mitzvah of studying and knowing all of the Torah’s laws.

Today, Thursday July 12, marks the annual Siyum Harambam, closure of the yearly cycle of studying the Mishneh Torah. This project was initiated by the Rebbe to unite all Jews in study, and for the benefit of studying the entire body of Jewish law, as compiled by Maimonides. The universal acceptance of Maimonides is evidenced by his headstone, which is engraved with the words “From (the first) Moses to Moses (Maimonides) there arose none like Moses.” Through the time of the Judges, the Prophets, the Kings and the Sages, the Mishnah and the Talmud, and all of the subsequent Jewish sages, no one could compare to Moses – until Maimonides!

Tomorrow, Friday July 13, the new cycle will commence. For a few minutes each day you may join Jews around the world in this study of unity and wholesomeness by visiting our Daily Study Section of the website with text and audio classes in Hebrew and English. MP3 downloads are also available though logging into our premium section my.chabadtexas.org.

May this unity allow us see the fulfillment of the coming of Moshiach NOW!

Rabbi Chaim
ChabadTexas.org Editor