New on OU Torah: “Mishnah Brurah Yomi” Series with Rabbi Aaron Glatt, M.D. Begins Sunday, March 22

18 Mar 2015
Rabbi Aaron E. Glatt, M.D.

The Mishnah Brurah the magnum opus of Rav Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan (1838-1933),who is better known as the Chafetz Chaim –  is widely considered the seminal work of the practical application of Jewish law.

Now on OUTorah.org, one can listen online to this “go-to” halachic sefer daily with the new Mishnah Brurah Yomi, delivered by Rabbi Aaron E. Glatt, M.D. Assisting Rabbi Glatt in the project are two of his sons, Rabbi Ephraim Glatt, Esq., and semicha (rabbinic) student Chezkie Glatt. This new series will go through an amud (page) of Mishnah Brurah daily, Sunday through Thursday, based on the six-year Dirshu Mishnah Brurah cycle, that begins on Sunday, March 22, 2015  (2 Nisan 5775).

Rabbi Jack Abramowitz, editor of OU Torah, said, “We’re really excited that Rabbi Glatt is presenting this series on Mishnah Brurah. It’s the perfect companion to our existing OU Torah series on Daf Yomi, Mishnah and Parsha. Not only does it fill an important need in many people’s daily learning schedules, at about 15 minutes a shiur, it’s not a difficult time commitment.”

Stephen J. Savitsky, former president and chairman of the Orthodox Union, who initiated the idea for the project, declared: “I have the great privilege of knowing Rabbi Glatt from my community. He is a master teacher of Torah who is truly a renaissance individual. When we talked about the Mishnah Brurah series I knew it was a natural for the OU. It will be a great addition to our Torah Department, allowing our listeners to benefit from the wisdom of Rabbi Glatt.”

Rabbi Glatt currently serves as Assistant to the Rabbi at the Young Israel of Woodmere as well as Associate Rabbi at Congregation Anshei Chesed in Hewlett, both OU member synagogues on Long Island. He continues to give a Daf Yomi shiur at the Young Israel of Woodmere, in addition to weekly classes in Gemara and Halacha. He has authored Women in the Talmud and Visiting the Sick: A Halachic and Medical Guide, which is full of practical advice, as well as halachic journal articles. He studied as an undergraduate at Yeshiva University, where he was class valedictorian, and received his rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Avraham Tzvi Wosner.

Rabbi Glatt had previously served as the Executive Vice President / Chief Administrative Officer at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Center, Long Island. The author of 200 journal articles and presentations at national meetings, he was guest editor of a book for the Infectious Diseases Clinic of North America and infectious diseases editor of Dorland’s Medical Dictionary. He has served on editorial boards of major publications and on many government, hospital, medical school and public health committees. He is a spokesperson for the Infectious Disease Society of America. He received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and has been in practice for 32 years.

Rabbi Glatt explained: “The Mishnah Brurah is an extensive yet self-contained sefer on the Orach Chaim section of the Shulchan Aruch, which deals with the laws of everyday living, Shabbat, and all of the major holidays and seasonal events. The sefer provides extensive detailed explanations, insights and footnotes to the Shulchan Aruch of HaRav Yosef Karo, and the companion commentary from the Rama (Rabbi Moshe Isserles) known as the Mapah. In addition to the Mishnah Brurah, the Chafetz Chaim wrote the Biur Halacha and Shaar Hatzion that expand upon his monumental opus. The Mishnah Brurah has become the sefer for practical halacha because of its ease of use, clarity and wide acceptance by many Gedolei Yisrael.

“What I think is really noteworthy about OU Torah’s Mishnah Brurah Yomi program is that it can be listened to by anyone, including those with different types of education and religious upbringings,” Rabbi Glatt continued. “A person can passively just follow along, or it can be used for those who want to learn halacha one-on-one with a ‘virtual rebbe’ going over halacha ‘inside.’ It can be especially useful for those who have a stronger background knowledge and want the opportunity to listen to and follow a daily halacha routine. Even those who have no previous background in Jewish learning are encouraged to listen and to learn from its depth of knowledge in Jewish law.”