Takonas Limud HaRambam - The Rambam Study Initiative

The Rambam study inititative is a daily learning schedule of the Rambam's Mishneh Torah. The Rebbe established this enactment on Acharon Shel Pesach in 1984. The purpose of the enactment was to unite the Jewish people through studying Mishneh Torah, which encompasses all of Torah She'bal Peh (Oral Law), including laws that are not currently practiced.

The Rebbe at the entrance to the his Sukkah with the book Rambam from the 'Rambam for the People' edition in his hand

Development of the Enactment

The Rebbe reads the Rambam while traveling in his car

At the farbrengen of Shabbos Parshas Vayeshev, 20 Kislev 1984, which was essentially a continuation of the 19 Kislev farbrengen that fell on Friday that year, the Rebbe mentioned and encouraged that the time had come to arrange a division similar to the division of Shas for studying the Rambam's Mishneh Torah. The directive was not implemented immediately, but the Shluchim-students at the Chabad Yeshiva in Casablanca, Morocco, where the Rambam lived for several years, who studied this sicha, divided the entire Mishneh Torah among the Torah-observant community in Morocco. They arranged for it to be learned between Yud Shevat (the day the Rebbe accepted the nesius) until the Rebbe's birthday on Yud Alef Nissan and the Rambam's birthday on Yud Daled Nissan. The Shluchim-students themselves took "Hilchos Shluchin V'Shutfin" in connection with their role as the Rebbe's shluchim, and Reb Shlomo Matusof, the head shliach and yeshiva director, gave them shiurim on these halachos. In Adar I, the tmimim received a general-private letter from the Rebbe, the mere sending of which they interpreted as an expression of gratitude from the Rebbe. The letter opened with the words: "The letter report and enclosure were received and thank you."

At the Yud Alef Nissan 1984 farbrengen, the Rebbe made a siyum on the Rambam, but did not explicitly connect it to the division made in Morocco. Eleven days later, at the Acharon Shel Pesach farbrengen, the Rebbe again raised the initiative for a general division of the Rambam, but in a general way that the learning should be according to order and finish "in proximity" to the Rambam's birthday on Yud Daled Nissan the following year in 1985 (following these words, the bochurim arranged the study schedule (which began on 27 Nissan) to conclude on Yud Alef Nissan). The Rebbe expressed similar sentiments at the general yechidus for guests that took place a few days after Pesach, where the Rebbe focused on the learning track of studying three chapters each day. The Rebbe added that when everyone studies all the halachos, it will create wonderful unity and lead to finding a common learning language between students who can then debate and innovate on the same topic.

Initially, there was no clear concept of where to begin and exactly how to arrange the division of shiurim. The Vaad L'Hafatzas Sichos members arranged the division (the "foreword" to the Rambam study guide states that the Rebbe made the division) for the three-chapter Track Bnd submitted the study guide to the Rebbe for review and approval.

Learning Tracks

The ordinance is divided into three learning tracks:

Three Chapters Daily - Completing the entire Mishneh Torah within approximately eleven months (339 days).
One Chapter Daily - Completing the entire Mishneh Torah within approximately two years and ten months (1017 days).
Learning the Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot (In this track, the mitzvot dealing with the topic learned that day in the three-chapter Track Bre studied daily, and it concludes simultaneously). This track is intended for women and children.

The main purpose of the ordinance is learning and understanding the Rambam. However, some say the Rebbe stated that one fulfills the ordinance even through recitation alone. (This is also explicitly indicated in Chassidus, that when learning is done with a 'movement' of kabbalas ol, its value is priceless "even if one forgets, and even if one doesn't understand what is being said, as it states 'my soul yearns with desire'").

According to Rav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, it is preferable to listen to a shiur on three chapters than to learn one chapter alone.

Learning Time

Regarding the learning time, the Rebbe says that since Torah is above time, yet it is drawn down and comes within the boundaries of time, a certain portion of Torah belongs specifically to that day, like the daily Rambam shiur, and similarly when a new sefer about Torah study is published, due to the great fondness for something new, one should learn that topic at least in this new sefer.

In a footnote there, the Rebbe details the exact time (in addition to saying it that day) when one says the Rambam: One should try to learn the daily shiurim during the day, and if for some reason they couldn't complete them during the day, they can and should complete them at night until chatzos, and if they couldn't complete them until chatzos, they can and should complete them until alos hashachar, like the burning of fats and limbs where "we try to burn everything during the day, a mitzvah is beloved in its time" and if one couldn't during the day - their mitzvah extends until alos hashachar and the reason the chachamim said until chatzos was only to distance a person from transgression.

When the yeshiva administration in Kiryat Gat once asked the Rebbe whether to make a special 'seder' in yeshiva for learning Rambam, the Rebbe's answer was that the temimim's Rambam study should be during their free time.

Rambam Editions Published in Connection with the Ordinance

Starting in 2014 (5774), the Machon HaRambam HaMevuar was established and publishes a clearly explained and comprehensively interpreted Rambam. The explanation includes commentary integrated into the Rambam's own words as well as concise notes. There is also a practical halacha section briefly reviewing every place where the Shulchan Aruch, its commentaries, and the Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch until contemporary poskim disagree with the Rambam. The edition also includes studies on each chapter at the end of each sefer. The edition is called HaRambam HaMevuar Chitruk Edition. As of 2020 (5780), 7 volumes have been published from the series.

Starting in 2015 (5775), the Vaad Talmidei HaTemimim began publishing part of the Rambam in the one-chapter track with English translation and explanation.

Starting in 2019 (5779), Rav Meir Elituv began publishing the Pardes HaMelech series, which aims to encompass all the Rebbe's explanations on the Yad HaChazaka.

At the completion of the 40th Rambam cycle (3 Tammuz 5781), Rav Yosef Yitzchak Lipsker (California) began publishing the "Otzar HaMelech" books which aim to encompass all of the Rebbe's explanations in brief on Mishneh Torah.

Organizations for Encouraging Daily Rambam Study

In addition to the 'Rambam Daily Study Headquarters' of Chabad Chassidim, several organizations have been established over the years that have set themselves the goal of promoting the daily Rambam study initiative among wider circles, and to publicize and encourage this learning.

Rambam Daily Study Headquarters

In 5748 (1988), with the completion of the third cycle of daily Rambam study and as a continuation of the "Rambam Celebration Headquarters" activities, the "Rambam Daily Study Headquarters" was founded with the aim of organizing dozens of completion celebrations throughout Israel - headed by the main celebration attended by tens of thousands, and with the goal of spreading the message of the Rambam study initiative by distributing Rambam books and providing teachers, explanatory pamphlets on the subject, and more.

The headquarters operates under Tzeirei Agudas Chabad in Eretz Yisroel and was managed by Rabbi Naftali Roth and Rabbi Yisroel Halperin. For a certain period, Rabbi Zamroni Tzik was also a member of the headquarters.

Today, the headquarters is managed by the shliach Rabbi Shalom Dovber Kobitchek and Rabbi Nachum Goldschmid.

Daily Rambam - Chemed Shel Torah

Expanded entry – Daily Rambam

In 5772 (2012), the 'Daily Rambam' organization was established under the leadership of Rabbi Chaim Sabato, managed by CEO Yigal Gold, and in cooperation with Chabad activist Rabbi Moshe Shilat. In its early years, the organization focused on implementing the Rambam study program, following the track of one chapter per day, in high schools and middle schools of the state religious education stream, and establishing daily Rambam classes throughout Israel.

Shinana

Expanded entry – Shinana

The 'Shinana' organization was established during the 39th learning cycle in 5780 (2020) by prominent rabbis in the Charedi community.

Towards the beginning of the new joint learning cycle of all three tracks in the month of Tammuz 5780 (2020), the institute launched a structured learning program based on the one-chapter-per-day track with prizes for yeshiva students and avreichim, during which learners could be tested on the learning material via a telephone system, and free distribution of the first volume of the Rambam to anyone who would commit to join the study tracks.

Among the rabbis of the institute are:

Rabbi Chaim Shmerler - Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva in the Sanz Chassidus
Rabbi Moshe Brandsdorfer - Gaavad of Heichal Hora'ah, and author of the responsa 'Heichal Hora'ah', and son of Rabbi Moshe Brandsdorfer z"l - member of the Badatz of the Edah HaChareidis
Rabbi Zusha Horowitz - Av Beis Din of Chassidic communities in Elad
Rabbi Tzion Cohen - Rabbi of Or Yehuda city
Rabbi David Kadosh - Rosh Mesivta in the Choshen Mishpat Kollel 'Darchei Torah'

Tracks of The Rambam Through History

Track A - Three Chapters Per Day

Cycle 1: 27 Nissan 5744 - 11 Nissan 5745 (1984-1985)
Cycle 2: 12 Nissan 5745 - 26 Adar I 5746 (1985-1986)
Cycle 3: 27 Adar I 5746 - 10 Shevat 5747 (1986-1987) (together with completion of Cycle 1 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 4: 11 Shevat 5747 - 24 Tevet 5748 (1987-1988)
Cycle 5: 25 Tevet 5748 - 10 Tevet 5749 (1988-1989)
Cycle 6: 11 Tevet 5749 - 24 Marcheshvan 5750 (1989) (together with completion of Cycle 2 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 7: 25 Marcheshvan 5750 - 8 Marcheshvan 5751 (1989-1990)
Cycle 8: 9 Marcheshvan 5751 - Simchat Torah 5752 (1990-1991)
Cycle 9: 24 Tishrei 5752 - 6 Elul 5752 (1991-1992) (together with completion of Cycle 3 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 10: 7 Elul 5752 - 22 Menachem Av 5753 (1992-1993)
Cycle 11: 23 Menachem Av 5753 - 6 Menachem Av 5754 (1993-1994) (marking a decade since the establishment of the takana)
Cycle 12: 7 Menachem Av 5754 - 20 Sivan 5755 (1994-1995) (together with completion of Cycle 4 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 13: 21 Sivan 5755 - 4 Sivan 5756 (1995-1996)
Cycle 14: 5 Sivan 5756 - 19 Nissan 5757 (1996-1997)
Cycle 15: 20 Nissan 5757 - 4 Nissan 5758 (1997-1998) (together with completion of Cycle 5 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 16: 5 Nissan 5758 - 17 Adar 5759 (1998-1999)
Cycle 17: 18 Adar 5759 - 1 Adar I 5760 (1999-2000)
Cycle 18: 2 Adar I 5760 - 16 Tevet 5761 (2000-2001) (together with completion of Cycle 6 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 19: 17 Tevet 5761 - 1 Tevet 5762 (2001)
Cycle 20: 2 Tevet 5762 - 15 Kislev 5763 (2001-2002)
Cycle 21: 16 Kislev 5763 - 29 Tishrei 5764 (2002-2003) (together with completion of Cycle 7 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day, and marking 20 years since the establishment of the takana)
Cycle 22: 30 Tishrei 5764 - 13 Tishrei 5765 (2003-2004)
Cycle 23: 14 Tishrei 5765 - 28 Av 5765 (2004-2005)
Cycle 24: 29 Av 5765 - 13 Av 5766 (2005-2006) (together with completion of Cycle 8 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 25: 14 Av 5766 - 26 Tammuz 5767 (2006-2007)
Cycle 26: 27 Tammuz 5767 - 12 Sivan 5768 (2007-2008)
Cycle 27: 13 Sivan 5768 - 26 Iyar 5769 (2008-2009) (together with completion of Cycle 9 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 28: 27 Iyar 5769 - 10 Iyar 5770 (2009-2010)
Cycle 29: 11 Iyar 5770 - 23 Adar II 5771 (2010-2011)
Cycle 30: 24 Adar II 5771 - 8 Adar 5772 (2011-2012) (together with completion of Cycle 10 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 31: 9 Adar 5772 - 24 Shevat 5773 (2012-2013)
Cycle 32: 25 Shevat 5773 - 8 Shevat 5774 (2013-2014) (marking 30 years since the establishment of the takana)
Cycle 33: 9 Shevat 5774 - 22 Kislev 5775 (2014) (together with completion of Cycle 11 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 34: 23 Kislev 5775 - 6 Kislev 5776 (2014-2015)
Cycle 35: 7 Kislev 5776 - 20 Tishrei 5777 (2015-2016)
Cycle 36: 21 Tishrei 5777 - 6 Tishrei 5778 (2016-2017) (together with completion of Cycle 12 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 37: 7 Tishrei 5778 - 20 Elul 5778 (2017-2018)
Cycle 38: 21 Elul 5778 - 4 Menachem Av 5779 (2018-2019)
Cycle 39: 5 Menachem Av 5779 - 17 Tammuz 5780 (2019-2020) (together with completion of Cycle 13 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 40: 18 Tammuz 5780 - 3 Tammuz 5781 (2020-2021)
Cycle 41: 4 Tammuz 5781 - 17 Iyar 5782 (2021-2022)
Cycle 42: 18 Iyar 5782 - 1 Iyar 5783 (2022-2023) (together with completion of Cycle 14 in Track B - One Chapter Per Day)
Cycle 43: 2 Iyar 5783 - 16 Adar II 5784 (2023-2024) (marking 40 years since the establishment of the takana)
Cycle 44: 17 Adar II 5784 - 30 Shevat 5785 (2024-2025)
Cycle 45: 1 Adar 5785 - 15 Shevat 5786 (2025-2026)

Track B - One Chapter Per Day

Cycle 1: 27 Nissan 5744 - 10 Shevat 5747 (1984-1987)
Cycle 2: 11 Shevat 5747 - 24 Marcheshvan 5750 (1987-1989)
Cycle 3: 25 Marcheshvan 5750 - 6 Elul 5752 (1989-1992)
Cycle 4: 7 Elul 5752 - 20 Sivan 5755 (1992-1995) (Hakhel year)
Cycle 5: 21 Sivan 5755 - 4 Nissan 5758 (1995-1998)
Cycle 6: 5 Nissan 5758 - 16 Tevet 5761 (1998-2001)
Cycle 7: 17 Tevet 5761 - 29 Tishrei 5764 (2001-2003) (marking 20 years since the establishment of the takana)
Cycle 8: 30 Tishrei 5764 - 13 Av 5766 (2003-2006)
Cycle 9: 14 Av 5766 - 26 Iyar 5769 (2006-2009) (Hakhel year)
Cycle 10: 27 Iyar 5769 - 8 Adar 5772 (2009-2012)
Cycle 11: 9 Adar 5772 - 22 Kislev 5775 (2012-2014)
Cycle 12: 23 Kislev 5775 - 6 Tishrei 5778 (2014-2017)
Cycle 13: 7 Tishrei 5778 - 17 Tammuz 5780 (2017-2020)
Cycle 14: 18 Tammuz 5780 - 1 Iyar 5783 (2020-2023) (Hakhel year)
Cycle 15: 2 Iyar 5783 - 15 Shevat 5786 (2023-2026)

Special Cycles

Since the establishment of this takana (enactment), there have been 3 times when they started and completed the Rambam cycle in the same year, resulting in 2 Siyumei Rambam in that year - one at its beginning and one at its end. This occurrence happens once every 13 years, and has happened in the years 5752 (1992), 5765 (2005), and 5778 (2018). The next time this will occur will be in 5791 (2031).

Since the establishment of the takana until today, there have been 3 times when the completion of all three learning tracks coincided in a Hakhel year, in the years 5755 (1995), 5769 (2009), and 5783 (2023) (every Hakhel year with skips). The next time the celebration of completing all three tracks together will meet in a Hakhel year will be in 5797 (2037).

Benefits of Learning

Rabbi Raichick once asked the Rebbe for a blessing for someone with certain medical issues, and the Rebbe said: "If he needs a miracle - he should learn Rambam, since Rambam is an acronym for 'Many are My wonders in the land of Egypt'."

Siyum HaRambam

At the completion of the Rambam study cycles, according to the Rebbe's takana, a siyum is conducted in the presence of a congregation.

Throughout the years, Gedolei Yisroel from all circles have graced the Siyum HaRambam events, speaking in praise of the takana and its founder. In Eretz Yisroel, the main siyum ceremony takes place at the Rambam's tzion in Teveria.

Besides the main siyum at the completion of the study cycle, according to the Rebbe's instruction, Chassidim hold a more modest celebration for each completion of Halachos (83 times in each cycle). The Rebbe regularly provided a bottle of 'l'chaim' as participation in these siyumim, and in 770, siyumim are regularly conducted upon completion of each set of Halachos by Rabbi Menachem Nachum Gerlitzky.

External Links

Collection of the Rebbe's instructions regarding Rambam completion
There were days: Completion of the first Rambam cycle at his grave in Tiberias
The daily Rambam lesson
The Rebbe's talk about conducting Siyumim (completions)
Helper applications for studying the daily Rambam lesson for various operating systems: Android, older operating systems: BlackBerry, Palm, Pocket PC, Symbian
Rabbi Shalom Ber Wolf, A proposed approach to studying daily Rambam, 13 Shevat 5774 (2014)
Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, One-chapter track for younger bochurim, 5 Tevet 5784 (2023)
Special relationship from the Rebbe: Behind the scenes of organizing Rambam completions
Rambam Completion Collection published by the Worldwide Temimim Students Committee for the completion of the Rambam study cycle, 20 Tishrei 5777 (2016)
The Rambam Takana published by the Soldiers of Beis Dovid Committee
Chazak V'nischazek! Booklet published by Machon Chazak about Rambam study and its importance
Siyum HaRambam published by the Union of Shluchim Students in Yeshivas Chassidei Chabad Lubavitch Tzfat
Information bulletin for Torah learners about the importance of studying Rambam
Zichru Toras Moshe - Special supplement of 'HaModia' newspaper for the completion of the 39th cycle, 18 Tammuz 5780 (2020)
Der Heiliger Rambam, 'HaMevaser' supplement for the completion of the 39th Rambam cycle, Parshat Pinchas 5780 (2020)
Which Rambam should I buy?, Review of different Rambam editions (English)
The unknown story behind the Rambam Takana (English)
Rabbi Yomi: Learning Rambam according to its simple meaning
'I engage in Rambam with great enthusiasm': Comprehensive article on the Takana of studying Rambam, on the 'Lachluichit Geulati' website
Download: Study schedule guide for learning Rambam - 44th cycle on the website.