On his way to participate in the Siyum Daf Yomi in January, Elad Danino, father of five from Marine Park, Brooklyn, came up with an idea. A serious learner of Chumash throughout his education, including in the United States at Torah Academy of Brooklyn as well as in Israel at Tiferet Yerushalayim, and currently at Ruach Hatorah, Danino recalls that at his Yemenite Shabbat minyan, the Torah portion was recited pasuk by pasuk, first in Hebrew followed by the Targum Onkelos translation. This practice is based upon the halacha brought down in Gemara Brachot 8 and the Shulchan Aruch 285:1, prescribing the going over of the parsha twice each week with an additional review utilizing commentators such as Rashi and Onkelos, thus fulfilling “shnayim mikra v’echad Targum.”
Danino feels that the time has come to enable the community to keep this mitzvah utilizing a modern, web-based program. To this goal, together with his chavruta and now his director of technology Rafi Kramer, and his designer Betzalel Avraham, Danino is launching his “Shnayim Yomi” project in time for the upcoming Shabbat Bereishit. On October 12, through the website www.shnayimyomi.org, participants will be able to access a two-minute video featuring a brief summary of the day’s aliyah which will be presented each week by a different rabbi. These presenters will be from across the United States and Israel. Thus each presentation will offer a different style of learning and perspective. Following the video, the text will appear on the screen twice and will be followed by a choice of printed commentaries by either Rashi or Targum Onkelos. The entire daily program can take from five to 15 minutes. The program will be available every day of the week for every aliyah leading up to Shabbat.
Danino’s project was enthusiastically endorsed by Rav Hershel Schachter, rosh kollel of the RIETS Marcos and Adina Katz Kollel. As he reaches out to a wide array of rabbanim worldwide whom he is inviting to participate in the “Shnayim Yomi” program, Danino has been greeted with enthusiasm and the willingness to participate. Ronn Yaish, a good friend of Danino’s from Bergenfield, has come aboard to spread the word about the launch in the local shuls and communities.
An extra feature of the program is a supplementary video sent out every Friday offering a culminating dvar Torah presented by that week’s speaker. New participants are welcome at any time through accessing the website, where they can view all of the previous archived videos.
The great advantage to the program is that it can be learned at home, in shul or on the go. For those who prefer to learn daily alongside a community, the program is available daily. In the planning is a grand siyum haTorah to be celebrated next Sukkot which will bring all of the participants together to celebrate their united accomplishment.
Expressing his excitement at the launch of the program, Danino shared, “We’ve put together this program in an exciting new format for the community that is accessible and enjoyable. We will send out a daily video recording through WhatsApp. In addition, all of the recordings can be accessed on the website from any device—computer, tablet or smartphone—as well as our YouTube, Facebook and Instagram channels. We look forward to having you join us as we aim for new heights in our familiarity and understanding of Chumash, the cornerstone text of Judaism.”
The community is invited to participate in the Shnayim Yomi project by going to their website at www.shnayimyomi.org.
By Pearl Markovitz
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