The Halacha Mastery and 'Orach Chaim' Semicha Ordination Program

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October 6, 2013, 10 AM ET

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Each year for the next three years, WebYeshiva.org will offer two courses of study (from Sukkot until Pesach) which will emphasize the practical halacha — know how act in the situations that arise; know how to answer your children when they ask — while at the same time providing the literacy and knowledge of the underlying halachic concepts and principles that stand behind the halachic system and guide modern poskim in determining the law. Courses will be given in real-time via WebYeshiva's fully interactive, video-conferencing system, and each will meet once a week. Participation will be live or via the archived (video or audio) recordings. Guided source material will be distributed in advance, and it is expected that students will spend a certain amount of time preparing and reviewing each week. Virtual e-chavruta with fellow students is encouraged. Each student will have access to private discussion, guidance, and review with the course instructor during the week. Review exams will be given at the end of each semester to demonstrate mastery of the subject matter. Optional mini-courses will be offered at no additional charge during the summer semesters for students that want to study other subjects not part of the main curriculum, or who wish to deepen their mastery of Gemara study. The program will conclude with a week-long colloquium to be held in Jerusalem (Summer 2016) as the first cohort of students complete the courses and receive their Certificates of Halachic Mastery. However, students who cannot commit to take two courses a year, or who can't participate online synchronously, can undertake a personal schedule of study via the archives, benefit from the same access to our outstanding faculty, and take the exams and complete the program at their own pace. The program is meant for Jewish men and women with some background in learning Jewish texts; preparation and review is expected. Contact our office to discuss if the program is right for you. Sample Courses Include:

Kitchen & Kashrut: ( Starting October 24th)

Managing the kosher kitchen – meat and milk, forbidden mixtures, bugs and blood, and an overview of standards and hechsherim.

Kitchen & Shabbat: ( Starting October 20th)

Overview of laws of cooking and reheating food on Shabbat, with an emphasis on the underlying principles of Shabbat melachah.

The House and the World:

Mezuza and tefillin, eruvin, bikur cholim, tzedaka and intro to Jewish financial laws.

אורח חיים יו"ט

Overview of the laws of the cycle of the year, with an emphasis on Pesach and its preparations

Shabbat & Technology:

Muktzah, issues presented by technology and halacha, electricity and “modern” issues; overview of laws of medical treatment and pikuach nefesh on Shabbat.

אורח חיים

Mastery of the laws of tefillah and blessings; the “positive” mitzvoth of Shabbat and Yom Tov

Laws of the Land (Truma, Ma’aser and Shmita).

Aveilut (Mourning) and/or Hechsher Kelim

Hilchot Niddah (Separate tracks for men and women)

Semicha Men who have completed the full course of study (6 courses, either synchronously over 3 years or via self-paced archive study) will be eligible to advance to a supplementary ‘Orach Chaim’ Semicha program, with one additional period of qualifying study and examinations on Orach Chaim section of Shulchan Aruch dealing with the laws of daily ritual life. Rabbinic Ordination will be issued by Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Chaim Brovender. Contact the office for further details. Qualifying students, who can show mastery of the pre-requisite knowledge, and with sufficient years of advanced Jewish studies, can place-out of the years 1-3 requirements (to be determined on a case by case basis.