By Aryeh Levin, COLlive reporter
Online Smicha, a most unique rabbinical ordination program which operates solely on the web, is currently enrolling new students for the upcoming term commencing the week of Iyar 4, 5771.
Created and led by Rabbi Nachman Wilhelm, a Rosh Yeshiva in Minnesota for 14 years and author of numerous books on Halachic subjects, the program gives a full yeshiva experience with the added touch of flexibility — all from the comfort of your own home.
All programs are conducted via live video sessions, and are assisted by online chevrusos, fully recorded sessions, technical support and exam preparation.
“Smicha is not only for practicing Rabbonim,” explains Rabbi Moshe Feller, Director of Chabad Lubavitch of the Upper Mid West USA, in a new promo video.
“The Rebbe wanted everybody, every talmid in Yeshiva to get smicha, and that would extend to everybody who is into learning. To get smicha not to be a rabbi of a congregation, (but) to be a rabbi in your home, to be a rabbi in your kitchen, to know the Halachas, and that is why it is so important to be in this program – where ever you are.”
A perfect example would be Professor Michael Sher of University of Minnesota and Metropolitan State University, who was not born to a religious Jewish family and didn’t go to Yeshiva in his youth.
“I did take classes and seminars from world named professors at
Yale, Harvard and MIT – among them 6 Nobel prizes recipients and even a well known Torah Scholar,” he says.
“However, in clarity, precision, effectiveness, and care for their students and passion for their teaching, Rabbi Nachman Wilhelm is ‘Keneged Kulam’ (best of them all).”
Shimon Elkin, another student of OnlineSmicha.com, says about the learning experience: “It is so much more appreciated and so much clearer and so much more fun to be able to have that grasp.”
The program has two courses: The standard for working men with limited time, running twice per week, 60-90 minutes a class, and concluding in 128 weeks.
And the accelerated course paced for highly disciplined students with a Yeshiva background and designed to run for 64 weeks.
In both courses the subjects covered are Basar B’Cholov, Ta’aruvos, Melicha, Shabbos, Pas Akum, Bishul Akum, Cholov Akum and Tevilas Keilim.
Rabbi Asher Zeilingold, Executive Administrator of United Mehadrin Kosher, says that even those who graduated the yeshiva system, “the OnlineSmicha program is certainly a valuable addition to all the learning we have.”
“The smicha program holds a very spacial position in that that it teaches matters that many don’t study, usually don’t study in the yeshivas and the seminars.”
VIDEO:
For more info, visit OnlineSmicha.com
I say YES!
‘nough said…