Halacha Not for the Yeshiva

By COLlive Editor Yehuda Ceitlin

The Rebbe often noted in his sichos that Torah and the weekly Parsha is the most relevant piece of information we need in our daily lives, quoting what the Alter Rebbe said that “we need to live with the times.”

One Lubavitcher chossid has taken this idea to a new level.

In “The Practical Parsha – Weekly Halacha for Daily Living,” Rabbi Aryeh Citron manages to tie each of the 54 Parshas of the Torah to a Halachic topic, which he expands upon with sources, laws from Shulchan Aruch, Chassidic explanations, insights and contemporary customs.

For Shelach, for example, he discusses the Laws of Tzitzis, as the mitzvah is given in this parsha, reminding us of the 613 mitzvos. He goes on to note that “Tzitzit is a men’s mitzvah. Is it appropriate for a woman to wear a tallit?” and goes on to elaborate on this topic.

While Tzitzis and gender specific mitzvos are sources for endless discussions and rabbinical arguments, Rabbi Citron says his book was not intended to be studied in a Yeshiva or solely by bochurim or learned Jews.

“This sefer, which is an easy read, is not meant exclusively for the Yeshiva educated. It is also suitable for people who are not yet frum and are on the path to becoming more familiar with Judaism,” the Florida-based Rabbi said in a conversation with COLlive.com.

“It is written in a straight-forward and explanatory way which I find is seen as less threatening. I feel like many people are knowledgeable in one or more areas in halacha and it ends at that. While on another topic, equally as important, they can be completely ignorant.”

Connecting the parsha with Halacha first originated when he worked as a Rosh Kollel and adult education teacher at The Shul of Bal Harbour. Citron had a ‘Halacha Corner’ in the weekly newsletter which developed with time after congregants began sending in their questions in Halacha.

As a result, two things were eventually created.

The first was a weekly parsha column on Chabad.org which ran for a full year with the guidance of Rabbi Naftali Silberberg and the editorial staff and was hailed by many readers as a different, even original, Torah discussion for the Shabbos table.

The concise but insightful column, which now appears in the book, indeed gives a broad perspective on whichever topic is being discussed. “Feedback for the book has been tremendous,” he says.

Citron regularly receives calls and e-mails from Shluchim, Rabbis, and high school and seminary teachers who use the book as the basis for their classes or a short dvar Torah. He has also received numerous questions and comments from readers of all backgrounds.

“I did try to bring different views, in addition to the Chabad Chassidus philosophy and minhagim,” Rabbi Citron says. “I cite Sephardic minhagim, Mishna Berura and others. I see it as more of a Halacha book than a parsha book. The parsha is the conversation starter.”

SMICHA COLLEGE

The second development was the establishment of Yeshivah College in Miami, a structured learning program which enables people who cannot study full time, to master the topics in Jewish Law in preparation for Smicha (rabbinic ordination).

Rabbi Citron was educated in Chabad Yeshivahs in Los Angeles, New York and Israel and ordained at Machon L’Smicha in Melbourne, Australia, by Rabbi Chaim Gutnick OBM, Rabbi Faitel Levin and Rabbi Eliyahu Fischer, Rosh Kollel Ger of Boro Park.

He uses his knowledge in Talmud, Chassidism, Jewish history and contemporary Halacha to instruct the classes held two nights a week at “California Club Chabad” in North Miami Beach. “The idea is to educate baalei batim (working people) in learning,” Citron says.

“We learn Hilchos Shabbos, brachos, nidah, and basar v’cholov. But getting the Smicha diploma is just the icing on the cake because one wants a sense of accomplishment from his learning.

“With this program they become very knowledgeable in important areas in their daily lives. I can tell you that they come out knowing birchos hanehenin (blessings on food) better than your average yeshiva bochur.”

His current course began in January and lasts approximately until Rosh Hashana when Rabbi Avraham Tzvi Wosner, Rav and Av Beis Din of Satmar in Monsey, NY, will test them and, with Hashem’s help, give them a Smicha certificate.

“Our students – most of them have a job and grown families – are not going to run a shul or a Chabad House. But they sure will know how to lead a kosher Jewish home.”

The Practical Parsha – Weekly Halacha for Daily Living, Rabbi Aryeh Citron, Hardcover, 350 pages. Buy it for $22.49 at Kehot Online

To subscribe to Rabbi Citron’s weekly Parsha Halacha, email [email protected]