Eighty Rabbonim and aspiring Rabbonim already signed up for the new Kollel L’rabbanus that will give shluchim the tools to answer practical Halachic sha’alos, and increase the number of morei hora’ah in Lubavitcher communities.
The organizers of Kollel L’Rabbonei Chabad are planning to start the first semester on Rosh Chodesh Shevat with over 80 Rabbonim and aspiring Rabbonim.
The Kollel has partnered with many head shluchim and regional shluchim sponsoring and supporting the shluchim in their communities to join this 8-year Rabbanus Kollel.
Many Rabbonim are joining this kollel to review the sugyos of Rabbanus. Numerous participants are shluchim that find themselves in positions where they would like to grow into Rabbanus. The Kollel is also accepting balibatim that want a serious 8-hour per week learning commitment.
Prior to Pesach the Kollel will be learning the simanim in Shulchan Aruch regarding Tevilas Keilim and Hagalos Keilim. After Pesach, the Kollel will begin the topic of Hilchos Nida. This will include comprehensive marros training and shimush over about 2 years. This will be accompanied by 18 months of mastering the sugyos (Tur, Beis Yosef, Shulchan Aruch and Poskim with extensive shimush).
The Kollel is planning an Ivrit track that will be starting after Pesach bezras Hashem.
“We are very excited to share what leading Chabad Poskim have said about this Kollel,” organizers said.
Rav Gedalia Oberlander Rov of Heichal Menachem Monsey and Dayan of Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch:
“The news of this Kollel excites me very much…For years I have seen and felt that there is a lack of Kollelim and Morei Hora’ah in Lubavitch. There are only a small handful of Rabbonim who are available to answer questions for the whole Lubavitcher community.
This is very very stressful for the Rabbonim; it’s not fair for them and it is not fair for the community! I receive maaros overnighted to me from all over the world. This is not a normal thing. People need to have local Rabbonim who can paskin!
If you have a shala’h on day 7 what are you going to do? We don’t need to mention what Chazal says about pushing off the mikvah night for 1 day (Yehoshua bin Nun was punished for this).
The majority of Shluchim these days were only in Kollel for one or two years and have not mastered the basics of Rabbanus (knowing how to paskin practically.)
If this Kollel L’Rabbonus can be started, it will be a major zechus for the rabim to have Rabbonim sit for 8 years or more and master these sugyos. I wish and hope there will be supporters who see the tremendous importance of this kollel and they will help you accomplish this endeavor!”
Rav Zushe Winner Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch – Chovevei Torah and Dayan of Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch:
“To have a kollel for shluchim, enabling them to attain a higher level of learning Yoreh Deah, Even Haezer and Hilchos Shabbos, as well other areas of Orach Chaim, is an extraordinary idea! Having someone on the spot who can paskin shalos will have a tremendous impact on the community. This will also enable the Shluchim to gain more respect in their communities and give shiurim on a much higher level.”
Rav Yisroel Rosenfeld – Head Shliach of Western PA and Rov of the Lubavitcher community in Pittsburgh and Dayan of Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch:
“This is an unbelievable accomplishment for Chabad! Many communities have grown so beautifully, but the amount of yungerleit who are spending the proper time learning for Rabbanus is very limited. After I learned in Kollel for two years the Rebbe encouraged me to learn for another two years. The Rebbe then said “ממנו יראו וכן יעשו רבים”, that many should learn from you and do the same. In my mind there is no question that the Rebbe would support a Kollel like this!”
Rav Yosef Yeshyahu Braun – member of the Crown Heights Beis Din:
“Many Shluchim who are involved in Avodas HaShlichus and Harbotzas HaYahadus find that their job description also has them involved in many areas of halacha. Therefore, to set up a Kollel to enable them to paskin halachos practically, (asuki shmatso aliba dehilchisa,) yet not detracting from their main shlichus, is a tremendous idea and is long, long overdue!
This will enable small communities to have local talent, an inhouse Rov to paskin shalos for the people in the area of their shlichus. It should be noted and obvious that built into the training of this Kollel is that difficult shalos should be referred to more experienced Poskim who specialize in their field. This idea has a precedent in the Torah. Yisro suggested that each small community should have its own Rov (sorei alofim, sorei meios, sorei asoros,) and only the difficult questions should come to Moshe Rabbeinu.
The Rebbe often bemoaned the fact that so little emphasis is placed on learning practical halacha, and was troubled by the fact that we don’t have enough Rabbonim. The Rebbe spoke about the two goals of the Frierdiker Rebbe: One was to set up Chinuch on the highest standards (al taharos haKodesh.) The second was training Morei Horaa’h.
This Kollel deserves everything we can do to support it! I encourage people to sign up for this!”
Rav Boruch Hertz – Rov of the Lubavitcher community in Chicago IL:
“I feel very strongly that this Kollel will be a major help to thousands of lives (literally!) in Lubavitch – both Shluchim and Anash. There are new kehilos all over. This will help train Rabbonim to help these communities. It will raise the level of halacha observance, Yidishkeit and frumkeit. People will understand that we run our lives according to Halacha.
Rav Levi Yitzchok Raskin – Dayan of the Lubavitcher community in London, UK:
“If one were to consider the number of Rabbonim in ratio to members of Anash, I feel that it is very inadequate. This is just judging by the amount of shalos that come my way. Because of the costs of living, many members of Anash are moving out to smaller areas that are less densely frum areas.
I think every community, even 20-30 families, needs to have a capable Rov who can paskin. He should not only be able to give a good speech and farbreng, but he should definitely be able to paskin on maaros, aveilus, and other important areas. This Kollel can provide the framework to gain the necessary knowledge. I think this structured Kollel is invaluable! The shimush aspect of this Kollel is so crucial!”
Rav Levy Weinberg – Rosh Kollel and Rov in Johannesburg, South Africa:
“The Gemara in Moed Koton (6A) says, “When there is a Talmid Chochom in town, all the affairs of the town are upon him.” Nowhere is this more true than by a shliach who finds himself in a town without a proper establishment of frum Yiddishkeit. There is no Beis Din, no Rov Moreh Hora’ah. Suddenly, after a few successful years, the shliach finds himself needing to paskin all sorts of shalos for his community. This initiative is extremely necessary and extremely useful!”
Rav Mendy Cohen – Rov and Shliach, Sacramento, CA
I’m so excited about this Kollel. It is long overdue. Bli ayin hora the Lubavitcher community is growing by leaps and bounds. I get shallos from all over the world. The more Rabbonim that we can get to help answer shallos would be great. This is a super, super idea.
Rav Moshe Kesselman – Rov and Shliach Los Angeles CA
This Kollel looks amazing! It is crucially important! Thank you, thank you for putting this together. This is meleches HaKodesh of the highest order.
Rav Chaim Hillel Raskin – Rov of Kiryat Gat and Rosh Kollel of Kollel L’Rabonei Chabad
Boruch Hashem, the shlichus world is growing. Shluchim are going out every week. Once a community grows around the shliach the shliach himself needs to grow as well. The shliach needs to grow in Torah and Halacha.
When one starts with someone in the beginning you are teaching them the basic halochos. As they grow the questions become more serious and the shliach needs to be equipped with the proper answers and the proper guidance. There are many balei teshuva that start off by us but they become advanced very quickly. In order for the shliach to remain the spiritual leader they need to be able to provide guidance and teaching on the level that is being demanded.
This will bring to shluchim that have turned into Rabbonim the ability to become proper halachic leaders in their communities and expand their activities.
Rav Chaim Shapiro – Menahel of Tomchei Tmimim, Morristown NJ
This is so important and so necessary. Everybody realizes the necessity. There are so many crash courses that are done so fast. It is completely insufficient. To know how to paskin a shallo you need proper shimush and proper learning. The necessity is mamish, mamish tremendous. I am in touch with shluchim and yungeliet around the world. I know this need is extremely, extremely necessary to have local trusted, learned Rabbonim. I have a hunch that many of the existing Rabbonim will love to refresh and review beiyun with shiurim the sugyos that will be taught.
See here to find out more information about the Kollel and to register.
https://kollellrabboneichabad.org/about-us
You can reach out to the Menahel of the Kollel Rabbi Betzalel Bassman if you have further questions – [email protected]
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