Tell me more ×
Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 8 down vote favorite
1

If someone completes a major section of Talmud Torah that is not a formal unit (eg., Basar BeḤalav), may/should one make a Siyum?

share|improve this question
Basar beHalav is not a formal unit? Isn't it the name of a section in YD from somewhere in the 80s to [something a little bigger]? – Double AA♦ Jul 23 '12 at 18:51
@DoubleAA, well, that's what I mean. It's a unit, and certainly a recognized one, but I don't know if it's a formal one. – Seth J Jul 23 '12 at 18:56
So are you asking what is a formal unit? Your question [re: a non formal unit] to me sounded to me like someone learned 15 random simanim in Orach Chaim with Mishna Berura. For some people this might be an accomplishment worth celebrating, and your question would be, can they do so formally? – Double AA♦ Jul 23 '12 at 18:58
@DoubleAA, I don't see the difference between fifteen random simanim and fifteen simanim that are given a name atop the page. SethJ, are you also asking whether such a siyum counts a s'udas mitzva (e.g. for purposes of meat and wine in the nine days)? If so, you may wish to edit that into your question. – msh210♦ Jul 23 '12 at 19:02
1  
See piskei Tshuvos 551 which lists a bunch of seforim and the guidlines to what one can make a syium on he mentions there is a shitta which says maybe even a mesechta of mishan is good enough he also brings if one finishs Avos D'Reb Nosson or sifrei Kabbalah,a Rabbi made a syium when he finished Sefer Pri Eitz Chaim. See inside for more on this and the footnotes. – sam Jul 23 '12 at 19:04
show 6 more comments

3 Answers

up vote 6 down vote accepted

Rav Moshe writes in his Igros Moshe OH 1:157 that if someone did learn and feels accomplished then that calls for celebration but he also mentions that it took some time and it seems from the tshuva that the mikra was completed and the Rishonim were used for iyun. see inside for mekoros.

Rav Eliyashiv is quoted in the Sefer Va'yishma Moshe and held to be machmir and not make a syium on Nach.

share|improve this answer
RYSE held not to celebrate, or not to use it for meat/firstborns/etc.? – Double AA♦ Jul 23 '12 at 19:21
the halacha was said with regard to meat and wine. – sam Jul 23 '12 at 19:24
Accepted answer because you brought both sides to the Mikra issue. Have you seen anything on other sections of Talmud Torah, though, like my example in my question? – Seth J Jul 30 '12 at 18:26
In regards to Rav Eliyashuv and Nach....Halacha c'moso?!?! My friend made a siyum on Nach and called a rov to ask what he can say (i.e. hadran, etc.) the Rov said "how did you do it!?" the guy said "with Rashi?" ... He said "no, I mean, how did you do it?!? How did you finish all of Nach? I'm jealous of you!!" ... This was a pretty big Rov also... – Yehoshua Mar 7 at 21:57
9 days ,what he holds the whole year I don't know. – sam Mar 8 at 0:11
up vote 3 down vote

In this lecture, the speaker quotes R' Moshe Feinstein that anything that you do that you feel proud of accomplishing — even someone who learned one daf of gemara, if it was hard for him — you can make a siyum on it.

share|improve this answer
Does he mention if this type of siyum is 'good enough' for wine/meat during the nine days or to break a firstborn's fast? – Double AA♦ Jul 23 '12 at 19:02
@DoubleAA I think that was the whole question. – b a Jul 23 '12 at 19:08
@DoubleAA otherwise what's the chashivas of the siyum!?! (If there is no nafkeh minah) – Yehoshua Mar 7 at 21:58
@Yehoshua It's a mitzva to honor the Torah and those who learn it. – Double AA♦ Mar 7 at 23:00
@DoubleAA My point was in regards to "dinei siyum" there are many ways to honor the Torah and those that learn it – Yehoshua Mar 7 at 23:05
show 1 more comment
up vote 2 down vote

According to the Guidlines series (by Rabbi Elozor Barclay and Rabbi Yitzchok Jaeger) in both the volume on the 3 weeks and the volume on Pesach say that a siyum to permit breaking the fast of the firstborn and eating meat in 9 days are one of the following:

  • A tractate of Talmud
  • A seder of Mishna
  • A book of Tanach learned b'iyun (b'iyun is not defined there)
  • A tur of Shulchan Aruch
share|improve this answer
1  
What about a tur of the Tur? – Double AA♦ Nov 13 '12 at 18:38
They list only these 4 options. – Ze'ev Felsen Nov 15 '12 at 6:29
Does a "Tur" include Nosei Keilim? – Seth J Dec 12 '12 at 16:08
@SethJ, I'd say no. Personally I'd consider Nosei Keilim (commentaries) as part of one possible definition of b'iyun. As such, I'd say one can make a siyum on a section of SA without studying the Shach. There is presumably extra reward for more study, but not in the form of a siyum. – Ze'ev Felsen Dec 20 '12 at 3:02

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.