For this coming year, Yeshiva Chovevei Torah in Crown Heights will be introducing a new pre-semicha class for bochurim entering their final year of Zal.
This class will replace most of the afternoon Seder, with the goal of in-depth learning of Hilchos Shabbos, and other Halachos conventionally learned as the ‘Hosafos’ and parts of Semicha.
The new class is built on the success that has been achieved in the last 2 years with replacing the conventional afternoon ‘Iyun hour’ with a robust Halacha curriculum for the entire Yeshiva.
The experience and feedback from so many bochurim is that the additional Iyun hour is not usually utilized to its full potential, and by having a well prepared Halacha curriculum the afternoon seder is invigorated with a fresh goal.
Additionally, there are many hours allocated for the ‘In depth’ study of gemara and not enough emphasis on the mastery of Halacha, which leaves even a well -learned Bochur who has spent seven years learning through Mesivta and Beis Medrash ignorant in fundamental parts of Orach Chaim.
With the addition of the new pre semicha class (exclusively for the bochurim in their final year of Beis medrash), the Bochurim will be devoting much more of the afternoon Seder to Halacha. They will be properly guided to break down the Halacha from its origins in the Gemara and Rishonim, through the ‘Tur’ and ‘Beis Yosef’, down to the final ruling of the Alter Rebbe.
In addition, they will have shiurim giving them a synopsis of the contemporary Halachik issues and rulings Halacha Lemaaseh. There will be an option to be tested by prominent Rabbonim as Rabbi Dovid Shochet And Rabbi Yitzchak Yehuda Yaruslavsky.
Additionally after completing Hilchos Shabbos, the Bochurim will be prepared with the background Sugyos, tools and knowledge necessary for learning Semicha – Yoreh Deah, giving them a head start and enabling them to complete their Semicha wherever they may choose.
A senior member of the yeshiva commented that this is an important change that is long overdue, and offers a bochur the ability to really taste the feeling of success in Limmud Hatorah at a younger age which will serve to further encourage him to continue his pursuit in his coming years since success is the most powerful motivator to success.
After being in two of the most prominent and chassidishe yeshivas is lubavitch for mesivta, my son has has found really happiness and a chayus for learning at chovovei… it was a great choice!! Send your boys!
Last year in Chovevei we studied the laws of Hagala from Gemorah etc. and Alter Rebbe Shulchan Aruch followed by tests The entire Yeshiva was learning enthusiastically. Rabbi Zushe Wiener and the others signed a certificate for those who passed. I was so enthusiastic about my learning.
Chovevei is the Yeshiva that is best equipped to teach Halacha having prominent Rabbonim on their staff including Reb Yisroel Labkovsky and Zushe Winner. When I was in Chovevei I learned a lot from them and the other staff members.
Instead of sitting back on your electric recliner and pointing out what is wrong with this Seder of learning, what the Rebbe did or didn’t want etc., why don’t you commend and appreciate someone who is actually doing something to improve the learning and knowledge of Lubavithcher bochurim. Mastering halachic knowledge in an in-depth way can only be a good thing. If you think more knowledge in other areas is required before this, why don’t you develop and introduce your own program?
After my two years at chovivei I learnt in another in town big yeshiva, only then did I really appreciate what chovivei is, there are no words to describe that incredible feeling chovivei has, a yeshiva where you have unbelievable personal attention, the hanhala feel like your parents from the amount of devotion and care they gave us. Chovivei takes a special place in my heart .
Thanks rabbi blau and staff
Why is it that the average Bochur finishing our system cannot read ten lines of gmara without using a artscroll!!!!?????
Where are the basics???!!
What are we doing wrong ??!!
Maybe this will help a bit , hope it succeeds !!
Wish there Would have been this opportunity in my days in yeshiva , to actually learn hilchos shabbos properly.
We learn semicha which is supposed to be in addition to the basics of hilchos shabbos .
This is really a great idea, all yeshivos should have this.
Really like the idea, it’s something all yeshivos can learn from.
This is just another example, where Chovevei stands out tall over other yeshivos.
I had suggested this idea to some menahalim about 7 years ago
Finally! Energetic staff who really make a bochur feel cared about, going the extra mile. We need more like them!!
Kal hakavod to the entire chovevei Torah! What
an amazing and brilliant idea!
Morristown bochur
Chovevei does it again. Always at the for front of creating a situation where every bochur’s success as an individual and as yeshiva bochur and chassid is a priority! Thier dedication to each bochur is beyond compare!
This Yeshiva just gets better every year it’s amazing they really care and are looking for ways to help the bochurim.
According to the article the program is not Semicha. It’s on subjects that will not have Shiurim in any Semicha program. It’s mainly Hilchos Shabbos with related Gemorah. Yjry would bring doing this on their later, but now it’s done by outstanding Magidei Shiur.
My best year of yeshiva was in Chovevei Torah, I picked up real Hashkafos and when it was time for me to get married I had the continuous support of hanhalah.
Rabbi Blau is a true role model of someone devoted to chinuch, a devoted mother and father to his talmidim. When he sees there is a possibility to switch something in the yeshiva that will benefit the bochurim, he will work overtime to make it happen. When it comes to chinuch he is absolutely selfless. This new program is a brilliant idea and brainstorm, having learned in Lubavitcher yeshivas all my years, I have not had that goal-oriented, focused kind of learning that Halacha gives. A Bochur doing smicha has a clear set goal of what he is to accomplish,… Read more »
My son had a fantastic year in Chovevei and I truly thank Rabbis Blau, Graj, Paltiel and all great team of dedicated staff.
The problem today is that everyone decides what the rebbe wants and go disapprove them…. There’s nothing from the rebbe in writing that this schedule is etched in stone …. What there is from the rebbe in writing and talks many times is the missing focus on Halacha in yeshiva … Some was complied in dem rebbins kinder and in other places
Chovevei is a forward thinking Moisad. Yasher Koach to the wonderful hidden gems who serve as the dedicated staff.
Chabad yeshivas should focus on the track that was instituted with the Rebbe’s approval. First they go on shlichus to another Lubavitch yeshiva, and only then should they begin to learn for semicha.
Yasher koach!
How crucial for our bochurim to be well versed in Halacha! This innovative approach benefits every bochur as a pre smicha preparation and for the future!
thus approach combined with the rock solid hadracha on which the yeshiva offers sets a standard to emulate.
A grateful relative of Chovevei bochur.
This is something incredible, I wish all yeshivos cared for the bochurims Gashmius and Ruchnius as much as Chovevei Torah,
חנוך לנער על פי דרכו, גם כי יזקין לא יסור ממנו
Much Hatzlacha!
The unique atmosphere at Chovevei Torah is what makes it stand apart from many yeshivas today. There is a personal, warm, encouraging, Chassidishe environment. The Zal has seen many asthetic upgrades. It is a comfortable beautiful place to learn.
כמי שעוקב זה שנים מספר אחרי ההצלחה הגדולה של המוסד הזה. יכול אני להעיד בפה מלא, שרמת המסירות האישית שכל תלמיד מקבל, ראויה לכל שבח והערכה. הורים לא מפסיקים לדבר על ההצלחה הפרטית של הבן שלהם כתוצאאה ממהמשקיענות הבילצתהרמהמממב בלאו והצוות שלו. משקיעים ימים כלילות. כל הכבוד!!! עלו והצליחו!!
Very much appreciated, hatzlacha rabbah.
At the recent Yarchei Kallah event in Camp Gan Israel the Rabbonim discussed the idea of restructuring the curriculum to be more oriented to Halacha. This will not only give the boys fundamental knowledge of Halacha but also inspire them focus more during the Gemora part of the day.
Chovevei staff is always a step ahead with ideas to better educate us. Kol Hakovod.
I find it so interesting that the small yeshivos do so much good to actually cater to the bochrim and their needs. But the boys still flock to the big ones without thinking.
Im sure that and later they wish they would have thought abit about the decision.
Everyone has their chelek in Torah, many find it in halacha. Afternoon for halacha leiyun is a fantastic idea.
It’s a total disservice to prepare bochurim only in understanding a gemara while leaving them ignorant in Halacha. It’s no secret that there are less and less bochurim that are able to continue learning after semicha and marriege. So while back in the day the system may have been “perfect” in building your skills, at which point you spent 2 years in 770 and then 2 years in Kolel learning Halacha. This is not true today for the majority of other bochurim. Kudos to the yeshiva that is ready to offer a proper Halacha curriculum P.s. Many poilisher yeshivos successfully… Read more »
What I loved about my two years at Chovivay is that there was an atmosphere of growing, every Bochur according to where they were up to was taking the next step upwards. One friend of mine was working on finishing Shas, as another was picking up his basic Gemoro skills. And despite our differences in level we felt like one family. My mashpia treated me like a Ben Yochid and the Menahel genuinely cared for what was going on with me. The Shiurim were brilliant and challenging, and my Magid Shiur was available to make sure I understood them correctly.… Read more »
I think the yeshiva is very clever to offer this as one of their options since you put the choice in the hands of the 18-19 year old to decide if he would like to continue devoting his afternoon mostly towards gemara and attaining more affluency with another mesechta. Or he would like to begin to devote more time to Halacha. I personally have witnessed many friends who literally revived their enthusiasm for learning when they were properly introduced to Halacha. Our only complaint then was why was this not introduced earlier I hope other yeshivas will follow this balance… Read more »
the whole vart of chabad chassidus is to take things bepnimiyus and finding how everything u learnt DOES affect ur life
that sounds great but the fact is after having so much time in the morning for iyun when it comes to the additional time later a lot of bochirim dont learn as much as they do in the mornig as the article says so the question is what do we out int hat time frame instead. pre smicha is a great idea because it interests bochrim today and helps them get an idea what they are doing before they do it so kal hakovad to this yeshiva and others following in its path.
Finally there is a mainstream Yeshiva taking the Bochurim’s needs into consideration. Throughout all my years in Yeshiva I wanted to do something like this. I felt I was missing a clear goal in my learning, and that my learning was never connected with anything practical in my day to day life. until I was 21 and finally came to a Smicha program, where there was a clear curriculum, a challenging goal and most importantly learning things that will actually affect my life. In my one year at the Smicha program I learnt more then in my three years at… Read more »
This Article gives you the impression that this is what everyone was waiting for…. Learning Smicha earlier and earlier is the dummying down of the system. How about having a powerful Rosh H’Yashivah that can give a well prepared deep shiur in Niglah and give the Bochurim a “derech” in learning , instead of learning to be come Rabbinim when they know very little to begin with. Serious now.
kol hakavod
I was N out of town bochur and rabbi blau had us over shabbos,Yom tov, melaveh malka and in between. He personally took care of us. That was the best message of chinuch I ever got!