Q. Can a group that learns the daf daily do so during lengthy hakofes on Simchas Torah, after having had their hakofe, if the shiur is held in a separate room?
A. On question 1473 regarding learning during hakafos we wrote: “Mishna Berura (669: 11) conveys the great importance and significance of dancing, singing and rejoicing with the Torah when honoring the Torah is required, as it is mentioned when Dovid Hamelech conduced the Aron Hakodesh to Yerushalaim (Shmuel 2: 6: 14) “Dovid danced with all his might before Hashem.” He quotes that the Arizal would say, he merited to the most elevated spiritual heights only because he rejoiced and danced with the Torah. Similarly, the Gaon of Vilna zt”l would place all of his effort when dancing and rejoicing on Simchas Torah. The Rambam (end of H. Lulav) also describes amply the great obligation one has to rejoice and dance with the Torah.
Haelef Lecha Shlomo (37), rules that it is prohibited for someone to decline or reject being given an hakkafa, as it is akin to refusing to take an aliya, when one is called to the reading of the Torah. (See Brachos 55a, that such behavior shortens one’s life time).
However, Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that once one has complied with the above, and it is difficult for him to continue, he should definitely rather learn, than just squander time.”
The Rov maintains that this is certainly more correct when one is dealing with the Talmud Torah of rabbim or many as in a daf shiur.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a