4th-Grade Students of the Nechamat Zion Talmud Torah at the Completion of

The 4th-grade students of the 'Nechamat Zion' Talmud Torah (boys' elementary school), under the leadership of our teacher Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days), were privileged to enter the inner sanctum.

The precious 4th-grade children of the Nechamat Zion Talmud Torah studied and reviewed the Mishnayos (Oral Law teachings) of Tractate Sukkah thoroughly and meticulously during the winter months until they knew it entirely by heart!

On Thursday of Parshas Tetzaveh, the 13th of Adar I, in the afternoon, the righteous children entered the inner sanctum. Everyone stood by the table in exemplary order and with derech eretz (proper etiquette), dressed in Shabbos (Sabbath) clothes in honor of the Torah. The children even prepared a Mishloach Manos (gift of food) in honor of Purim Katan—a specially designed cake. The Rav shlit"a entered, and everyone broke out in the song "Ki Orech Yamim" (For length of days), followed by the songs "Ba'avur Avoteinu" (For the sake of our fathers) and "Yehei Ra'ava" (May it be the Will).

At the conclusion of the song, absolute silence fell. The teacher, Rabbi Chaim Moshe Gutman, said that after many months of toil, the righteous children had reached the Siyum (completion ceremony) of the Mishnayos of Tractate Sukkah, with the entire tractate fluent in their mouths, word for word. They have merited what is said in Tehillim (Psalms), "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy." As the holy "Or HaChaim" says in this week's Torah portion, the reason the final redeemer, Moshe Rabbeinu zy"a (may his merit protect us), does not bring the Geulah (Redemption) is because Moshe does not wish to redeem a people who are idle from the Torah. Here, the children of our teacher, the Rav shlit"a, have arrived and merited to bring the Geulah closer, for they are not idle from the Torah; because they know the Mishnayos by heart, they can study even while walking on the way, waiting in line at the grocery store, etc. Now we have reached the exam, where the children will be privileged to have the Rav test them on the Mishnayos.

Initially, the teacher asked the children to begin the fourth chapter by heart, and indeed, everyone immediately began the chapter "Lulav Ve'Aravah." From there, they moved to Chapter 3, Chapter 5, and Chapter 1. Here, everyone was amazed because, unexpectedly, the Rav—who usually does not test students in public—began to ask questions himself: "How many meals does one eat in the Sukkah? What is the law for someone whose head and most of his body are in the Sukkah but his table is inside the house? How many 'log' (a Talmudic measurement) of water were used in the water libation? From where did they take the water? How many trumpets were there? What was the story with Miriam bas Bilgah? How many myrtle branches are taken according to Rabbi Ishmael? What is the law regarding a pruned myrtle branch according to Rabbi Tarfon?" and more... We continued to ask the children where a certain word is mentioned in the Mishnah, and they answered immediately. Here too, the Rav asked questions, and the answers flowed. The Rav enjoyed this very much. Afterward, everyone stood in line to receive a certificate directly from his holy hand and to receive a personal blessing.

After the children left, the teachers were privileged to hear words of chizuk (encouragement) from the Rav. We asked the Rav to say a few words about the exam, and the Rav said in these words: "Tell them that the Rav enjoyed it very much. I see that they are being questioned and they answer regarding the entire Tractate Sukkah; they know every word, where it is written, and in which Mishnah. I am still in shock. The Rav greatly enjoyed the investment in these righteous children. I didn't dream of such a surprise in my wildest dreams. At my age, Baruch Hashem (thank God), until 120, what nachas (spiritual joy)! Such nachas has not existed since the creation of the world."