On 2 Kislev, Linas HaTzedek: The Center for Jewish Values
launched its eighth kollel for the study of hilchos
bein odom lechavero. A large crowd participated in a
pesicha shiur given by HaRav Yitzchok Berkovits,
nosi of the Linas HaTzedek Kollelim. In a fascinating
presentation, HaRav Berkovits examined the practical
difference between chukim and mishpotim, and
stressed the importance of learning hilchos bein odom
lechavero.
The newest kollel, named Chochmas Shlomo, is located
in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Arzei HaBira. Mr. and Mrs.
Benjamin Brafman of Lawrence, NY, have dedicated the
kollel in memory of Mr. Brafman's parents, Rose and
Sol Brafman. Rabbi Yosef Kalman Friedman, a graduate of the
first Linas HaTzedek Kollel, serves as rosh kollel.
"We already have nearly twenty members," says Mayer Kleiner,
who administers the new branch together with Ari Hoch. "The
interest that has been generated is amazing."
The kollel follows the bein odom lechavero
curriculum which Linas HaTzedek has developed. This rigorous
program covers forty-two topics over two years. The
avreichim began with the mitzvah of Betzedek
tishpot amisecho -- judging others reasonably. They will
continue with sugyos such as ono'as devorim, loshon
hora, and emes vesheker, as well as numerous areas
of business ethics and monetary laws.
Linas HaTzedek: Promoting the Study of Hilchos Bein Odom
Lechavero
Must you close the window if someone else is cold? Can you
say, "This is my final price!" if it really isn't? How much
do you owe a contractor who quits in the middle of a job? May
you cut the line in the supermarket? What if you only have
two items? Is it ever permissible to copy a computer
program?
Questions such as these are not theoretical. These issues and
countless similar situations arise in everyday life, and
there are halachic solutions to each of these questions. At
times, the halacha is more stringent than one would have
thought, and sometimes it is actually more lenient. If there
are Torah responses to these questions, it behooves Torah-
observant Jews to know them, but often the answers are
elusive.
Linas HaTzedek: The Center for Jewish Values aims to clarify
such everyday issues and, in turn, to raise sensitivity to
the moral and ethical dilemmas that we all encounter
regularly. HaRav Yitzchok Berkovits, a leading posek
and a noted expert on hilchos bein odom lechavero,
heads the organization. Rav Berkovits says, "More than half
of the mitzvos which apply today are bein odom
lechavero. These mitzvos really show the beauty of the
Jewish People." However, he notes, "People are more likely to
know the intricate halochos of lulav and esrog
than the basics of some mitzvos bein odom
lechavero."
Founded just three years ago, The Center has already produced
learning materials, seforim, and tapes that make
hilchos bein odom lechavero accessible. The flagship
program is the Linas HaTzedek Kollel Network, a burgeoning
group of high-level kollelim which study these
halachos in depth. The kollelim produce many of
the materials which the Center uses to teach these
halachos to the wider public.
"For instance," says Paysach Freedman, Director of Linas
HaTzedek, "the mareh mekomos which the kollelim
produced on hilchos emes vesheker formed the basis
for a curriculum which we created for Torah U'Mesorah's SEED
program on Honesty and Integrity." Similar projects are in
production, he says.
"The Center has organized groups of baalei battim who
enjoy learning these mitzvos," Freedman adds. "Also, the very
same subjects which bnei Torah study in depth in the
kollelim are particularly fascinating to unaffiliated
Jews."
To that end, the Center has prepared English versions of the
halachos, suitable for kiruv organizations
across the US. Most recently, their materials have been used
on college campuses in four Central American countries, using
the Torah's timeless ethics and morals to introduce estranged
Jews to their heritage.
The new Kollel Chochmas Shlomo is the fourth Linas HaTzedek
branch in Jerusalem. Netzach Yosef is located in Ramot Polin.
Kollel Zichron Aryeh, located in Sanhedria Murchevet, is
dedicated by Mr. and Mrs. Hershel Boehm of Baltimore, in
memory of Reb Aryeh Fishman. Also in Sanhedria Murchevet is
the Early Morning Kollel at Minyan Avreichim.
Other Linas HaTzedek Kollelim include Chazon Nochum of
Beitar, Ateres Avraham in Beit Shemesh and a Telz-Stone
location which is still unnamed. Similar kollelim are
planned for several American cities in the near future.
For more information about Linas HaTzedek, please call: (443)
270-9410, Israel: (02) 538-8057 or write to
info@jewishvalues.us
