New Yeshiva for Talmidim Hashluchim Continues Iyun

Every Lubavitcher bochur dreams of the day he’ll set out on Yeshivah shlichus. He arrives at a new Yeshiva with a full heart and a mission: to be a dugma chaya, to teach, to inspire. And he does. But somewhere between the seder Sichos he’s running, the mivtza he’s launching, and the late-night conversation with a struggling bochur, a question starts to nag at him: when did I last really grow in my learning?

The same bochur who grew by leaps and bounds in yeshiva, who sat for hours studying nigleh and Chassidus, now finds the days slipping away. And a candle can only light another if it is burning itself. A shliach who is empty cannot set a talmid’s heart on fire.

Now, for the first time, there is a structure built to match the calling.

Merkos 302’s “Merkos Torah” division has launched Yeshiva L’Talmidim Hashluchim (YLH), a comprehensive learning and accountability framework with one clear goal: to make a bochur’s year of shlichus the most transformative year of learning yet. Not a year he sacrifices his own growth for, but the year he grows the most.

YLH is spearheaded by Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302, together with Rabbi Mendel Chaiton, Menahel of Merkos Torah. Leading the yeshiva itself are Rabbi Betzalel Bassman, Menahel of YLH; Rabbi Dov Popack, Rosh Yeshiva of YLH; and Rabbi Shua Slavin, Menahel Poel of YLH.

Rather than imposing a uniform program, YLH partners directly with each local yeshiva’s hanhalah, tailoring expectations. Every participating shliach receives a customized learning plan, backed by continuous mentorship, weekly check-ins, and monthly reviews overseen by the Menahel Poel.

YLH lets each shliach focus on a single discipline or combine several, across nigleh, halacha, and chassidus.

Gemara B’Iyun (Two Tiers): Rabbi Dov Popack leads the Iyun Kal track, a daily blatt shiur that walks through the sugya. Independent learners can move to the advanced track, with daily written guides and weekly shiurim from Rabbi Mendel Krasnjanski and Rabbi Moshe Wolberg. In both, he learns to think through a sugya with new depth and clarity.

Hemshech Samech Vov: With two shiurim a week, Rabbi Shmulik Shur guides talmidim through the legendary cornerstone of Chassidus they began in Shiur Daled, to complete it this year.

Semicha & Hilchos Shabbos B’Iyun (Optional): Together with Kollel L’Rabbonei Chabad, shluchim can begin year one of Semicha, mastering the halachos every Jewish home depends on, preparing a bochur for marriage and beyond. Shiurim are given by poskim, including Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin and Rabbi Tuvia Kasimov.

Chassidus by Sugya (Optional): With Kollel L’Lomdei Dach, mashpi’im such as Rabbi Yosef Klyne, Rabbi Osher Farkash, and Rabbi Yitzchak Kaufman teach chassidus by topic. A shliach walks away owning an entire subject, whether that’s the nature of the nefesh elokis, Dira B’Tachtonim, the world of Atzilus, or the avodah of tefilah.

Practical Halacha Series: In five hours a week, optional track, Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein, author and posek of ShulchanAruchHaRav.com, takes talmidim through practical Hilchos Shabbos using the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch and contemporary poskim, with weekly reviews. It is a thorough and top way to know exactly what to do in real circumstances, including modern-day questions.

Bais Medrash Iyun Tefilah: This weekly, optional track brings together Dayan Levi Raskin on halachic nuances, Rabbi Yosef Klyne on peirush hamilos, Rabbi Osher Farkash on chassidic insights, and Rabbi Avrohom Katz on avodas hatefilah. A shliach can only inspire others when he is connected to his own source, and davening with fire is how he gets there.”

A shliach in YLH is surrounded by support from every direction. He has direct access to the Roshei Yeshiva and Maggidei Shiur, with a dedicated shoel u’meishiv available throughout the week. Interactive WhatsApp forums connect him with Rabbonim, Chavrei HaKollel, and fellow shluchim to dig into sugyos and get quick answers to questions. Comprehensive marei mekomos and chazara sheets come in both standard and advanced versions, so the material always fits the learner. And for those who need a partner, YLH arranges a chavrusa, in person or remote, so no shliach has to learn alone.

YLH runs on an institutional partnership model. Partner yeshivos sponsor their talmidim hashluchim directly at $1,500 per shliach with an institutional tier running from $4,500 to $15,000, so parents are never billed additional tuition. Bochurim whose yeshivos aren’t partnered can still join independently with a chavrusa, with case-by-case scholarships available.

What the Rabbonim Are Saying:

“A Talmid Shliach can suddenly find himself without the structure, accountability, and learning framework he had throughout yeshiva. Yeshiva L’Talmidim Hashluchim fills this vital gap through serious learning,” says Rabbi Berel Polityko. Rabbi Eliezer Posner pinpoints the challenge: “The transition from the structured yeshiva environment to shlichus can make maintaining strong sedarim and personal growth challenging. Yeshiva L’Talmidim Hashluchim addresses this longstanding need.”

Rabbi Abba Naparstek said: “Yeshiva L’Talmidim Hashluchim provides the structure, guidance, and accountability needed for growth.” Rabbi Gedalya Oberlander adds: “Talmidim Hashluchim invest tremendous effort in uplifting younger bochurim, but they too need a clear plan for continued growth in Nigleh, Chassidus, and Halacha. This program is a תיקון גדול עשוי כאן, a tremendous improvement to the current system.” Rabbi Mendel Prescott called it “a tremendous opportunity for a bochur to build upon everything he accomplished in yeshiva.” 

And Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum pointed to the ripple effect: “This strengthens not only the Shluchim themselves, but their entire shlichus. When younger bochurim see an older bochur deeply committed to learning and davening, that dugma chaya can influence them more powerfully than any individual program.”

“Our Talmidim HaShluchim give everything to the talmidim in their care. Yeshiva L’Talmidim Hashluchim ensures that while they are lighting up others, they are growing and burning brighter themselves,” says Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “The year of shlichus should be a year of growth for the shliach as well. Because a shliach who is full can light up a whole yeshiva, and with YLH, he never has to choose between giving and growing.”