New Lubavitch Shochtim Ordained After Rigorous Study

A group of nine bochurim from the Machon Ran Yeshiva in Moscow received their official ordination as shochtim this week after months of study and training.

By Eliyahu Ezagui
Photos: Shimi Hershkop, Avi Kay

A group of nine bochurim from the Machon Ran Yeshiva in Moscow received their official ordination as shochtim this week after months of study and training.

The new shochtim were ordained after learning in the Machon Ran Yeshiva in the Moscow suburb of Ramenskoye. The yeshiva, housed in the Ohr Menachem Mendel Center – 770, is headed by Rabbi Yitzchak Kogan, famously known as ‘the Tzadik of Leningrad’.

After finishing their studies, the students were given two tests to ensure their mastery of the halachos and their practical application. They were first tested on the halachos of shechita and treifos, and their knives were tested for proper sharpness. The next day, an additional test was held on the halachos of melicha and the testing rabbonim watched each bochur shecht three chickens, and for the boys who studied shechita on animals, they observed as they shechted a cow as well. After seeing the bochurim’s skill and knowledge, they were declared to be shochtim.

The yeshiva celebrated with a grand event and seudas mitzvah where they presented the bochurim with their certificates, and heard inspiring addresses from the testing rabbonim and the hanhala of the yeshiva.

Rabbi Kogan told the new shochtim about the mesiras nefesh for proper shechita shown by the famed chossid Reb Rafoel Nimotin. Even during the most challenging times of the communist era, he would not relent. Rabbi Kogan noted that Machon R”N was established in his memory and named for him.

Each year dozens of students spend the year learning Gemara and poskim at Machon Ran Institute in Moscow, and many are ordained as expert shochtim. Many of them already serve as shochtim all over the world and assist shluchim in far-flung areas.

The new shochtim thanked Rabbi Chaim Nissan Bayer who donated all the animals and made his slaughterhouse available to them whenever needed.

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