A decade of Torah Shorts. What’s next?

A decade of Torah Shorts. What’s next?

It’s amazing to realize that I’ve been writing, publishing and distributing the weekly Torah Shorts for ten years now. What started as an effort in self-education that I shared with a small circle of family and friends has turned into an enterprise that reaches thousands of people throughout the world through various media, sites and publications and has led me on my own unexpected journey of learning, teaching and Jewish communal activities. The reach and effects of the Torah Shorts is a source of great joy and satisfaction.

A frequent question by new subscribers and followers is: “What commentaries have you already written about?”

Well, here’s my list:

Year Hebrew Year Gregorian Year Name Years Location
1 5769 2008/2009 R’ Ovadia Sforno 1475-1550 Italy
2 5770 2009/2010 Hizkuni – R’ Hezekiah ben Manoach 13th Century France
3 5771 2010/2011 Kli Yakar – R’ Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz 1550-1619 Prague
4 5772 2011/2012 Ohr Hachayim – R’ Ḥayyim ben Moshe ibn Attar 1696-1743 Morocco
5 5773 2012/2013 R’ Abraham Ibn Ezra 1089-1167 Spain
6 5774 2013/2014 Netziv – R’ Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin 1816-1893 Volozhin
7 5775 2014/2015 Baal Haturim – Rabbeinu Asher 1269-1343 Cologne/Toledo
8 5776 2015/2016 Sfat Emet – R’ Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter 1870-1905 Ger, Poland
9 5777 2016/2017 R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch 1808-1888 Germany
10 5778 2017/2018 Rabbeinu Bechaye ben Asher 1255-1340 Spain

 

All the archives are available at my recently revamped blog, http://ben-tzion.com

The second question is, what’s next?

For this eleventh instalment of Torah Shorts, for 5779, I hope to write based on the works of the Kedushat Levi, written by the great Chassidic Master, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, also known simply as the Berdichever.

This is in parallel to the Daily Torah Tweets, available at http://TweetYomi.org and via a host of other social media platforms.

Thank you to all of the readers and followers who throughout the years have given such great feedback and encouragement for me to keep at this.

Chag Sameach and may this 5779 be a year filled with learning, with connecting, with growth, with fulfillment and with blessings on all of our hopes, dreams and aspirations.

Ben-Tzion

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