The Businessman Who Finished Shas Twice

Rabbi Yosef Simon, a familiar face in Toronto’s business district, is excitedly anticipating the upcoming Siyum HaShas when he will proudly complete Shas for the second time, and as he promises, not the last.

In an exclusive interview, Simon shares how he combines an intense workday at the office with a Torah life, the direct impact of learning Daf Yomi on his family, and tips to those aspiring to commence Shas within the framework of Daf Yomi, but are doubtful about maintaining a daily regimen of study in their already overloaded work schedule. “Daf Yomi is not a chore, but a vital aspect of a Yid’s daily life,” he affirms.

“I’m on the verge of completing my second cycle of Shas, and it’s incredible. The easiest and most compelling way to go about it is to assemble a group of other amalei Torah who collectively commit to starting and finishing Shas together.”

R’ Yosef reveals that until he commenced his first cycle of Shas, he never believed that he could succeed.”I never dreamed that this is something I would achieve. But today, we’re already completing our second cycle of Shas, and it’s unbelievable to see how much I’ve learned, understood and accomplished, baruch Hashem. There’s simply no limit to what a Yid can achieve.”

The interview takes place at two a.m., Toronto time. “It’s two in the morning, and in just four hours, I need to be at my daily shiur, which begins at six a.m.,” he explains. When asked if the upcoming Shabbos will provide him with the rest that he needs, he replies, “Shabbos is coming; I can rest then. But Shabbos isn’t a day off from learning. When it comes to one of Dirshu’s Daf Yomi programs, there’s never too much time to rest!” Somehow, though, Simon doesn’t sound drained or fatigued when describing his fixed study schedule. On the contrary, fervor and yearning are expressed in each and every word.

“I live in Toronto, and I was zocheh to be there on the very first day of the previous cycle of Shas-Daf Yomi, as a member of Rav Dovid Hofstedter’s shiur,” Simon recalls. “When Rav Hofstedter, Nasi of Dirshu, first requested that I join the shiur, I didn’t think it was possible. I began my workday at seven a.m. in order to cram in everything that I needed to accomplish; and I realized that if I joined the shiur, I wouldn’t get to work until nine, which would mean two hours less of work each day. But I told myself that if Rav Hofstedter, who runs a colossal business, finds the time not only to learn Daf Yomi, but also to prepare the shiur, then I must also be able to integrate learning into my work schedule.”

“I suddenly discovered a great deal of spare time during the day.”

We ask Simon how he manages to faithfully maintain his rigid learning schedule, day in and day out, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Circumstances constantly arise; there are weddings, vacations, out-of-town simchas, business meetings and trips, and family situations and obligations that don’t always permit adhering to a strict schedule.
He replies that everyone occasionally misses a shiur due to the natural flow of life, however once Daf Yomi becomes an integral part of one’s routine, one can always find time during the day to learn.

“You can always squeeze in learning time. Even at a wedding, there’s a half-hour between the kabbalas panim and chuppah, and another half-hour between the chuppah and time the first course in served. These half-hours are mostly wasted on chit-chat and small talk. Instead, you can accustom yourself to find a seat, open your Gemara and learn the Daf Yomi.”

Simon relates that, in time, he discovered how many spare hours are scattered throughout a regular day. “I suddenly discovered a great deal of spare time during the day. There are so many hours that just pass us by. For example, I used to sleep several hours on Shabbos afternoon. I work hard the whole week, and honestly, I couldn’t imagine making it to the Daf Yomi shiur on Shabbos. But, today, I learn a ton on Shabbos, and also manage to get in a good rest. I don’t have to sleep all afternoon. There’s enough time on Shabbos to learn and rest. When learning is a value, when it’s important, then we can find the time for it and infuse meaning into hours that we didn’t even realize we have.”

He disagrees with the perspective of Daf Yom as a challenge. “You grow accustomed to a different kind of lifestyle. Instead of focusing on the fact that it’s a difficult task, look at all the geshmak and overwhelming sense of accomplishment that you gain with every word and Daf that you complete! On the rare Shabbos that I miss Daf Yomi, I feel a terrible void. When you learn, you’re filled with tremendous geshmak, and it makes it all worthwhile!”

Simon describes Daf Yomi as a parable to the essence of the ideal Jewish lifestyle. “The Gentiles always ask, how do you manage an entire Shabbos without phones, without your car? All they see are the drawbacks, the limitations of Shabbos; they don’t perceive its beauty, its magnificence, which only we can truly appreciate. Similarly, in regard to Daf Yomi, people are doubtful, hesitant, nervous about the idea; they don’t recognize its greatness, the beauty and gratification that come along with learning. Despite the fact that I’m very busy, I don’t find it difficult or draining at all. Learning Daf Yomi changes my life. It’s like exercise: It’s not always easy, but it benefits the body and you feel much better afterward.”

The Greatest Pleasure of All

Simon proudly shares that his learning has had an immeasurable impact on his family and children, motivating them to learn on Shabbos with chavrusos, as well. “Kids are naturally inclined to play rather than learn, and there’s no better way to encourage learning than by modeling it, by expressing the great pleasure that accompanies it. When they know that their father is going to learn right now, when they know that their father goes regularly to shul to hear a shiur, it has a tremendous effect on them.

“I thank Hakaddosh Baruch Hu for granting me the ability and opportunity to impart this to my children. My kids came to me on their own and said, ‘Tatty, you have a chavrusa on Shabbos. We want to learn, too.’ Today, I learn in shul on Shabbos afternoons with my chavrusa, and they learn beside me with their own chavursas. And there is nothing greater than that. My children have a real geshmak in learning, and I have the nachas of knowing that my joy in learning is being transmitted to the next generation, which for me, is the most important thing. This is what I live for.”

How do you manage to maintain the daily schedule of attending a shiur day in and day out?

“My family is aware that the shiur is part of my life, and they appreciate it. When we make plans to go somewhere, they know that they have to allot time for learning, because it’s an indistinguishable aspect of my daily schedule.”

Rabbi Simon is part of the Dirshu delegation from Toronto which will be arriving together with groups from all corners of the Jewish world to participate in the Dirshu World Siyum HaShas in Eretz Yisrael, and he excitedly anticipates the momentous event. “I’m traveling to Eretz Yisrael with feelings of boundless joy, satisfaction and gratification. It’s a simcha that cannot be expressed in words. I’ll never forget that first day in Rav Dovid Hofstedter’s shiur, when I gazed at him and reflected upon the model of mussar that he exemplifies for all of us. He’s a successful businessman who makes Torah the focus of his life. If he can do it, then certainly we can all accomplish the same.”

Simon presages that the central-most key to maintaining the Daf Yomi schedule is adhering to a fixed time table. “We learn to control our time, and not to waste any extra hour. It’s important to value time, rather than squander it. I’ve learned that it’s possible to accomplish in six hours what would normally take ten, and to take advantage of every extra hour to accomplish in learning. There’s time for Daf Yomi, there’s time for Dirshu tests, and for numerous other commitments in learning. Baruch Hashem, I’m still running my business as always, but now I also have time for Daf Yomi. The imminent Siyum HaShas is proof to each and every one of us that it’s possible to live life differently. We don’t have to race against the clock, but rather find the time to fit learning into our daily life. Ki heim chayeinu.”

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!