The achievement, and therefore the celebration, of finishing the seven-year cycle of the Daf Yomi is a noteworthy event for our community and in the private life of anyone who participated. Daf Yomi creates a fixed measure for daily learning. And one who learns the Daf creates a tie of solidarity with a multitude of others who are going along the same way. The Talmud is known as “the Sea of Talmud,” for good reason: the vastness of the book and the very different parts which are contained in it. Sometimes the waters are calm and easy to navigate, while at other times one may encounter huge waves in one’s way. Finishing this cycle of Daf Yomi is like circumnavigating the globe. The voyage begins at a fixed point and is an exciting journey through the oceans and the seas, as the traveler experiences the whole of earth directly. Even when one is journeying on such a glorious cruise and does not go through all the distance, it is still a wonderful experience.
So salute to those brave sailors that made the journey, and blessings to those who will embark now, on the next sailing upon this ocean of knowledge.