Yeshivat Birkat Moshe
Encyclopedia
Yeshivat Birkat Moshe is a hesder
yeshiva
located in the Mitzpeh Nevo neighborhood of Maale Adumim, Israel
. It was founded in 1977 by Rabbis Haim Sabato
and Yitzchak Sheilat, then two young rabbis from Yeshivat HaKotel
, in Jerusalem.
For the first nine years since its inception it was situated in temporary structures the Maale Adumim's industrial zone Mishor Adummim, before moving to its current campus and location in Mitzpeh Nevo. Due to the founder rabbis' young age at the time they refused the title rosh yeshiva
, and so in 1983 they were joined by Rabbi Nahum Rabinovich
, who has acted as the rosh yeshiva to this day.
The Yeshiva is known for its style of learning, which emphasizes at one and the same time the precise and incisive analysis of written text, particularly the Talmud and the Rambam, as well as the quest for common-sense understanding of the logic of the sages and its reflection in halacha. Rabbi Haim Sabato teaches the introductory class for first-year students, in which he emphasizes the skill of precise and perceptive reading of text. More advanced students learn from Rabbi Rabinovitch to study the Rambam with care and precision. The yeshiva encourages advanced students undertake independent scholarly work, such as Rabbi Baruch Brener's edition of the commentary of the Malbim on Torah or Rabbi Yehuda Fris' comprehensive guide to family law, which follows the halachic tradition up to and including current practice in Israel's rabbinical courts.
The Yeshiva teaches all its students that a primary quality of a talmid chacham is to take personal responsibility, for his learning, for his lifestyle, and for decisions he must take on behalf of others. One must learn enough to acquire the ability to take decisions independently (as well as to know when one must consult with those wiser and more knowledgeable than oneself). Taking responsibility, and not habituating oneself to psychological dependence on others, is one's duty before Heaven. This point of view is controversial in today's yeshiva world, but the leaders of Birkat Moshe accept responsibility for it.
Other prominent personalities in the Yeshiva are Rabbi Elisha Aviner, head of the advanced study section which prepares students for the Israeli Rabbinate's ordination exams, Rabbi Eliahu Lifshitz who specializes in the analytical works of Aharonim, and Rabbi Tzvi Shimshoni, who undertook a special study of the laws concerning interest in contemporary society.
The Yeshiva is known for its emphasis on the Rambam, which is very much in line with the rosh yeshivas personal studies; he is the author of a comprehensive commentary and elucidation of the Rambam's major work the Mishne Torah, called Yad Peshuta.
The yeshiva has a wide range of students; due to its wide range of rabbis from within the Religious Zionist community, and its wide curriculum in Jewish studies: Tanakh
and philosophy as will as Gemara
.
Finally, it may be mentioned that Rabbi Sabato is a noted Israeli novelist, whose book "Te'um Kavvanot" ("Adjusting Sights"), an autobiographical account of the Yom Kippur war written in lyrical Hebrew that recalls the style of S. Y. Agnon, won the Sapir Prize for modern Hebrew literature.
Today the Yeshiva has around 300 students.
Hesder
Hesder is an Israeli yeshiva program which combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service in the Israel Defense Forces, usually within a Religious Zionist framework...
yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
located in the Mitzpeh Nevo neighborhood of Maale Adumim, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. It was founded in 1977 by Rabbis Haim Sabato
Haim Sabato
Haim Sabato is a Cairo-born Israeli rabbi and author. Born to a distinguished family of Aleppan descent in Cairo, Sabato moved with his family to Jerusalem, Israel, as a young child during the 1950s. He co-founded the Hesder yeshiva in Ma'ale Adumim, Yeshivat Birkat Moshe, in 1977, and has...
and Yitzchak Sheilat, then two young rabbis from Yeshivat HaKotel
Yeshivat Hakotel
Yeshivat Hakotel is a modern-Orthodox religious Zionist hesder yeshiva situated in the Old City of Jerusalem. It was built in 1857. The yeshiva overlooks the Kotel ; hence its name. The Yeshiva is famous among tourists and tour guides for its entrance to the prayer plaza at the Kotel on Sabbath...
, in Jerusalem.
For the first nine years since its inception it was situated in temporary structures the Maale Adumim's industrial zone Mishor Adummim, before moving to its current campus and location in Mitzpeh Nevo. Due to the founder rabbis' young age at the time they refused the title rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
, and so in 1983 they were joined by Rabbi Nahum Rabinovich
Nahum Rabinovich
Nahum Eliezer Rabinovich is a prominent Israeli Orthodox rabbi and posek, and head of Yeshivat Birkat Moshe in Maale Adumim. He was born in Montreal, Canada. His late daughter is Dina Rabinovitch.-Studies:...
, who has acted as the rosh yeshiva to this day.
The Yeshiva is known for its style of learning, which emphasizes at one and the same time the precise and incisive analysis of written text, particularly the Talmud and the Rambam, as well as the quest for common-sense understanding of the logic of the sages and its reflection in halacha. Rabbi Haim Sabato teaches the introductory class for first-year students, in which he emphasizes the skill of precise and perceptive reading of text. More advanced students learn from Rabbi Rabinovitch to study the Rambam with care and precision. The yeshiva encourages advanced students undertake independent scholarly work, such as Rabbi Baruch Brener's edition of the commentary of the Malbim on Torah or Rabbi Yehuda Fris' comprehensive guide to family law, which follows the halachic tradition up to and including current practice in Israel's rabbinical courts.
The Yeshiva teaches all its students that a primary quality of a talmid chacham is to take personal responsibility, for his learning, for his lifestyle, and for decisions he must take on behalf of others. One must learn enough to acquire the ability to take decisions independently (as well as to know when one must consult with those wiser and more knowledgeable than oneself). Taking responsibility, and not habituating oneself to psychological dependence on others, is one's duty before Heaven. This point of view is controversial in today's yeshiva world, but the leaders of Birkat Moshe accept responsibility for it.
Other prominent personalities in the Yeshiva are Rabbi Elisha Aviner, head of the advanced study section which prepares students for the Israeli Rabbinate's ordination exams, Rabbi Eliahu Lifshitz who specializes in the analytical works of Aharonim, and Rabbi Tzvi Shimshoni, who undertook a special study of the laws concerning interest in contemporary society.
The Yeshiva is known for its emphasis on the Rambam, which is very much in line with the rosh yeshivas personal studies; he is the author of a comprehensive commentary and elucidation of the Rambam's major work the Mishne Torah, called Yad Peshuta.
The yeshiva has a wide range of students; due to its wide range of rabbis from within the Religious Zionist community, and its wide curriculum in Jewish studies: Tanakh
Tanakh
The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah , Nevi'im and Ketuvim —hence...
and philosophy as will as Gemara
Gemara
The Gemara is the component of the Talmud comprising rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah. After the Mishnah was published by Rabbi Judah the Prince The Gemara (also transliterated Gemora or, less commonly, Gemorra; from Aramaic גמרא gamar; literally, "[to] study" or "learning by...
.
Finally, it may be mentioned that Rabbi Sabato is a noted Israeli novelist, whose book "Te'um Kavvanot" ("Adjusting Sights"), an autobiographical account of the Yom Kippur war written in lyrical Hebrew that recalls the style of S. Y. Agnon, won the Sapir Prize for modern Hebrew literature.
Today the Yeshiva has around 300 students.