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
