onlinesmicha.com a program by the Lubavitch Yeshiva of Minnesota

Online Smicha is currently accepting applications for the following newly starting courses:

   * Standard Track: Hilchos Basar B'Chalav (Meat and Milk)

   * Accelerated Track: Hilchos Ta'aruvos (Mixtures)

   * Practical Halacha: Hilchos Yom Tov (Holidays) – NEW

   * STAIRS Pulpit Rabbi: Hilchos Nisuin and Smachot

If you are interested in joining one of the programs, please send an email to: admin@onlinesmicha.com

                          Register TODAY!!! 

Hilchos Yom Tov

We are pleased to announce the start of a Practical Course for recent Rabbinical Graduates and general knowledge seekers.  Course begins SUNDAY 4th of Iyar (April 14th) runs through Elul.  Shiurim will be conducted via web video conferencing twice weekly:

  Sunday Nights -  9:00 pm EST 

  Thursday Mornings -  6:30 am EST

Participants login to the program’s online classroom twice weekly (Sundays and Thursdays) for a dynamic 45-60 minute shiur led by HaRav Nachman Wilhelm, beloved Rosh Yeshiva and Dean of Online Smicha.

Program Cost:  $952 (4 installment payments of $238) + $25 Registration Fee

Sign up with a chavrusa or refer other talmidim and a tuition discount may be available.

Smicha Training and Advanced Institute for Rabbinical Studies

                          Register TODAY!!! 

Online Smicha, in partnership with the Shluchim Office and Shluchim Online school, is pleased to offer the STAIRS (Smicha Training and Advanced Institute for Rabbinical Studies) program for the shaliach and pulpit Rabbi.

Classes are conducted via web video conferencing from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm EST every Sunday.

Subjects Covered include:

• Series 1 – Laws of Kiddushin and Yichusin (Marriage Nuptials, Contracts, and Ceremonies)
• Series 2 – Laws of Aveilos (Mourning), Yartzeits, and more

Participants follow the text of the Shulchan Aruch including topics from Eben HaEzer and Choshen Mishpat.  Series 1 is designed to cover laws needed to perform wedding ceremonies (Yichusin, Kesubah, Kiddushin, Chupah, and Sheva Berachot) and the Series 2 program covers the laws of aveilos (mourning), performing a levaya r'l, and yarhtzeits.  In addition to a 90 minute weekly shiur, the program will provide:

Periodic shailos and tshuva sessions to be led by Senior Masmich, HaRav Dovid Schochet.

• Guest lessons, samples of legal documents, and expert opinions.
• A discussion of modern technical shailos.
• A live, oral test concludes each course.
• A certificate will be presented to those who successfully complete the STAIRS course.

The STAIRS program is designed to assist shluchim and pulpit Rabbis advance their knowledge and training in the practical modern day-to-day applications of halacha.  Participants login to the program’s weekly classes led by HaRav Nachman Wilhelm, Dean of Online Smicha.  Each series runs about 3 months.

The STAIRS Program is endorsed by Senior Masmich, HaRav Dovid Schochet, President of the Toronto Rabbinical Council and member of Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch.

For more infomation, please contact admin@onlinesmicha.com

SAMPLE SHIURIM by RABBI NACHMAN WILHELM

Online Smicha recently hosted its first annual “Yarchei Kallah-Chag HaSmicha" weekend, a very concentrated Torah study program that took place at Lubavitch House in West S. Paul כ"ה-כ"ח אדר (Thursday - Sunday, March 7^th - 10^th).  Seventy members of the Twin Cities Jewish community participated in the intensive group study weekend.     Participants also included a dozen students of Rabbi Nachman Wilhelm’s “Online Smicha” program who flew in from different parts of the country. The Online Smicha (Rabbinical Ordination) program was conceived by Rabbi Wilhelm and put into action nearly three years ago.

Some forty students from all over the United States, Canada, South America, Australia, Israel, France, Russia, and even an Army Chaplain in South Korea are enrolled in the online program, all listening to and viewing Rabbi Wilhelm’s live, interactive, daily lessons on the Code of Jewish law.  Programs include a "Smicha" curriculum and an advanced program covering laws in Eben HaEzer and Choshen Mishpat, among other programs.  

Delivering Torah lectures on Friday were Rabbi Wilhelm, Rosh Yeshiva and Dean of Online Smicha, Rabbi Moshe Kasowitz, Director of “Inward Bound”, Rabbi Yechiel Gertner of Chicago, Rabbi Eliyahu Stern, Rosh Kollel of Minneapolis, and Rabbi Chaim Goldberger, Rav of Knesseth Israel Synagogue in Minneapolis.

Speaking on Shabbos were Professor David Starer, Hoboken, New Jersey, Rabbi Moshe Feller, Director of Upper Midwest Merkos/Lubavitch; Rabbi Dr. Elie Gertner, Head of Internal Medicine and Medical Education at Regions Hospital and Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Dr. Berel Kremer, Montreal, Canada; Rabbi Menachem Mendel Feller, Rabbi of Lubavitch Congregation, W. S. Paul, and Rabbi Yechiel Gertner.

A highlight of the weekend program was a full-course Melave Malka-Chag HaSmicha dinner celebration and program which took place at Sholom Home East, Motzai Shabbos (Saturday evening) of Parshas Vayakel-Pekudei.  Smicha certificates were presented by Rabbi Wilhelm, Rabbi Moshe Feller, and Rabbi Asher Zeilengold to the following online students: Peretz Mockin, Montreal, Dr. Berel Kremer, Montreal, Boruch Noam Dubrow, Los Angeles, Dr. Hananya Dahan, Long Beach, Yoel Adelson, Los Angeles, Psachyah Lichtenstein, Katzrin, Israel, Moishe Waisberg, Panama, and Yitzchok Hecht, Kingston, New York.

A special live video hookup to Israel, Los Angeles, Montreal, and Korea allowed family members and colleagues to greet the new rabbis. Rabbi Ahron Fishbein, an attorney from Five Towns, New York, who was ordained last year through his study with Online Smicha, emceed the Melave Malka-Chag HaSmicha program. Dr. Michael Wexler greeted the new rabbis on behalf of the Twin Cities Jewish community.

The Melave Malka dinner speaker was Online Smicha program student, Dr. Gill Heart of Atlanta, of “Mind in Control” who offered a presentation entitled: Performance under Pressure - Techniques used by IDF Special Ops.  Dr. Heart delivered a riveting account of his participation in the Israel Defense Forces intelligence services and conducted a few training ops on site with the audience.  Rabbi Dr. Dovid Browstein led the grace after meals.

Classes were given on Sunday by Rabbi Dr. Yosef Shagalow, Rabbi Meilech Leib Dubrow of Los Angeles, Founder of the College of Torahpractic Medicine and father of one of the Rabbinical graduates (Boruch Noam Dubrow), and Rabbi Sholom Gershon Grossbaum, world renowned Mikva expert, and Rabbi Yehuda Shurpin of "Ask the Rabbi".

All participants in the Yarchei Kallah-Chag HaSmicha weekend will attest to its powerful and lasting contribution to their Torah knowledge. 

For more information about upcoming programs, please send an email to: admin@onlinesmicha.com, or visit: onlinesmicha.com

Online Smicha is an innovative e-learning and Rabbinical ordination program run under the direction and guidance of esteemed Torah scholar Rabbi Nachman Wilhelm Shlit"a.  All programs are conducted via live video sessions, and are assisted by online chavrusos, fully recorded sessions, technical support and exam preparation.  It's a real rabbinical school experience with the added touch of flexibility — all from the comfort of your own home or office.

To make an application to one of the study programs, please complete the enrollment form ⇒

Online Smicha offers a structured learning program for working professionals, retired people, and those who missed the opportunity for "smicha" in yeshiva.  The rigorous, yet flexible program offers a Standard track and an Accelerated track both covering the laws of Basar B’Chalav (Meat with Dairy), Ta’aruvos (Mixtures), Melicha (Salting), Shabbos, and more.  In addition, Online Smicha offers a Pulpit Rabbi track covering the laws of Aveilos (Mourning) and Kiddushin (Marriage Nuptials).

Through the use of interactive web video conferencing, participants of the Online Smicha program are able to login to the online shiurim from the comfort of their own home, office, or even while away on business.  Time outside of regular shiurim is dedicated to studying in chavrusas (both online and offline), following up with review questions, tests, and quizzes, and participating in an ongoing interactive dialogue through the site's private discussion board and group forums. 

Online Smicha is run under the direction and guidance of esteemed Torah scholar Rabbi Nachman Wilhelm Shlit"a.  A dynamic speaker and author of numerous sefarim on Halachic subjects, Rabbi Wilhelm served as Rosh Yeshiva for fifteen years in S. Paul, Minnesota and currently acts as Online Smicha's primary educator and guide.

To make an application to one of the study programs, please complete the enrollment form ⇒

Online Smicha is currently enrolling new students for the Standard and Accelerated programs.

If you are interested in joining one of the programs, please complete the enrollment form ⇒