The Torah behind the vision by Reb Leibish

Dream it

Very recently, a new idea was born for the Yeshiva: 

To use our acronym creatively: YSS- Your Soul Studio. (I love the “unfinished-ness” of the term studio) 

The concept is to create a new kind of Makom Torah in Yerushalayim. A place for souls to come home. A funky yet elegant storefront space, with an inviting library full of our Torah literature. A multifunctional space. Areas for learning, Sichos Chaverim, creativity in the arts and more.

Believe it

The programming would have separate men’s and women’s hours for the daytime, and in the evening both separate, as well as co-ed events that would mostly (outside of singles events) include a mechitzah.

The concept is to foster connection to HKBH through holy curiosity, creativity, individuality, as mediated by great teachers, artists and musicians.

In addition to shiurim, there would be workshops (e.g. learn to write the Hebrew letters of your name, guided meditations based on the energy of the month, niggunim circles, etc.) presentations such as vernissages for different artists, concerts, and speakers of different kinds.

Just as the unification of Chassidus and Halachah is a core value of mine, as I mentioned above, so too is the fostering of individuality and creativity.

Build it

The concept here might be summed up as a “binyan partzuf hamalchus” – particularly by using fine elegance and having strict rules “dina de’malchusa” (e.g. no smoking whatsoever anywhere in or near the premises, use of mechitzah, clear and uncompromising scheduling, only selling alcohol rarely and even then having it be high-priced wine) so that what is brought from potential to actual is as pure and real as the possible.

Furthermore, it would be filling in the much-needed aspect of dibbur (and other forms of expression), so that people can have the more refined human tzurah of machshava/regesh to DIBBUR, to mayseh, as opposed to the more regressive tzurah of being “touchy-feely” which is machshava/regesh, to mayseh -skipping dibbur. [this important insight was provided to me by R’ Dov Zupnik]

The Rebbes themselves were great paragons of individuality. Perhaps now it is all of us who, like Esther listening to Mordechai, need to be energized to tap into the incredible resources of the Jewish soul, and actualize our own holy individuality like the Tzaddikim of old, and bring out awesome new strategies for defeating Amalek, like Esther was able to accomplish.

But lofty ideas aside, in a practical sense, this center will add a unique kind of a voice/space to the Jewish world, and fit the needs of chevreh we are trying to cater to in a healthy, exciting, and structured way.