This week, Machon Lemaan Yilmedu's first cohort of "Seder Nashim," an in-depth halacha learning program for women, began with over forty women.
The first shiur, on Hilchos Shabbos, took place at the Lemaan Yilmedu learning center on Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights. Women from the community attended in person while those who don't live in the area participated via Zoom.
Rabbi Yosef Yeshaya Braun, mara d'asra and member of the Crown Heights beis din, began the program with divrei bracha to the participating women. Rabbi Braun emphasized the importance of learning halacha in general and women learning halacha in particular, since women are in the home and in the kitchen and it's vital that they know the halachos, as the Rebbe urged regarding the three mitzvos that pertain particularly to N'Shei u'Bnos Yisrael.
The principal, Mrs. Mimi Bisk gave an overview of the learning that will take place over a year's time, five months on Hilchos Shabbos, four months on Hilchos Kashrus, and three months on Hilchos Taharas Ha'Mishpacha.
The first shiur was on the klalim of melachos in Hilchos Shabbos. Mrs. Nechama Samuels, who gives the classes, explained the difference between avos and toldos, between issurei d'oraisa and issurei d'rabanan, and other important concepts like "grama" and "psik reishei." The shiur was accompanied by slides to make the learning more understandable. This is in addition to the printed material that all participants received for use in preparing for class and in reviewing what was taught.
This week, all programs began, with many new participants alongside veteran students who after learning for one year and seeing how good it was, decided to continue learning for another year. Most of the talmidim participate in the programs via Zoom shiurim. There are also live shiurim given in Lemaan Yilmedu's beis medrash in Crown Heights for local residents.
After a year of intensive learning, a final was given to the talmidim of Machon Lemaan Yilmedu on Shechita and Sofer STa'M with Rabbi Dovid Refoel Banon, Rav and Dayan in the Chabad community in Montreal.
For a year and a half, about thirty shluchim have participated in a thorough and comprehensive course learning Hilchos Nidda. This week, they reached the siyum in a test given by the posek, the Debrecener Dayan, Rabbi Yechezkel Schwartz of Boro Park.