In recent years, the Lax Family Tzurba M’Rabanan halacha series has become extraordinarily popular in both Israel and the Diaspora. A systematic and concise learning method that walks the reader through the entire halachic process, Tzurba M’Rabanan covers the Biblical and Talmudic sources through modern-day halachic application. With its clear introductions and trademark color-coded sections, Tzurba M’Rabanan has changed the way thousands of people study halacha.
To learn more about the “Tzurba phenomenon,” Rabbi Aron White spoke with Rabbi Doron Podlashuk, Director of the Lax Family Tzurba M’Rabanan English Series and founder and director of the Selwyn & Ros Smith and Family Manhigut Toranit Program, a five-year post-semicha program whose goal is to develop serious rabbinic leaders who will impact communities and strengthen their commitment to Torah, mitzvot and Eretz Yisrael.
What will readers find when they open a volume of Tzurba M’Rabanan?
The Lax Family Tzurba English series is a revolutionary halachic work. Tzurba is written in a digestible and easy-to-follow format allowing readers of all ages to walk away with a comprehensive understanding of halacha. Each chapter contains all the sources in their original Hebrew along with a side-by-side English translation, guided by our trademark color-coded sections based on the time period of the commentary. We are currently working on volume 15 of our projected 30-volume set covering over 300 topics. We aim to publish a new volume every 4 months.
How are schools, communities and individuals using the Tzurba books?
The feedback to our custom curriculum program has been exciting. Schools and organizations have the ability to hand pick any of our published chapters and create their very own curriculum. Many high schools that we speak to are looking to create a halacha curriculum but don’t know where to start. With Tzurba, we can jump start their curriculum and afford teachers the ability to focus on crafting meaningful lessons without having to worry about creating the content.
Additionally, in the United States, there are over 50 communities with weekly Tzurba chaburot learning our regular volumes. We have dedicated staff coordinating with chaburot to be sure they have what they need and to celebrate the completion of volumes. Due to increased demand, the Tzurba volumes are now available on Amazon which means most people can get their order within 2 days.
What are the origins of Tzurba M’Rabanan and how did the English series come to be?
Rabbi Benzion Algazi is the mastermind behind the original Hebrew version of Tzurba. Rav Algazi began giving classes on halachic topics to some of his graduates from Kerem B’Yavneh who joined the workforce and wanted to seriously learn halacha. This process of compiling sources and condensing them became the Tzurba prototype. The Tzurba Hebrew program has grown from this one shiur to over one thousand shiurim.
Years later, Rav Algazi moved to Yad Binyamin, where I live, and began giving a Tzurba shiur. One of my friends, Jonny Ucko, remarked how it’s a great shame these amazing materials aren’t accessible to the English-speaking world, and I agreed. We decided that Manhigut Toranit, along with Rabbi Eli Ozarowski, would translate and expand the Hebrew Tzurba volumes into English and that our avreichim would write additional in-depth articles to supplement the translations. In recent years, Marsha and Michael Lax have become the key supporters of the project, enabling us to expand our reach in unprecedented ways. The program has grown tremendously just in the last few years, due to the hard work of the internal Tzurba team together with the efforts of World Mizrachi.
Our generation is blessed with many learning opportunities, from daf yomi to Torah podcasts and more. What makes Tzurba unique?
Daf yomi is wonderful; I’ve personally taught a daf yomi shiur for over 18 years. However, Tzurba is unique because it not only helps you study Torah in depth, it also impacts your daily life and the way you view daily halachic living. It conveys the logic behind each halacha, helping people develop a deeper appreciation for what they are practicing in their everyday lives. Many people find halacha confusing or simply a long list of rules; learning halacha in depth gives them a new perspective on the halachic system. I believe Tzurba brings our mesorah to life in a very unique way. Just by learning a few Tzurba pages you can begin to see and appreciate the full tapestry of halacha.
Rabbi Doron Podlashuk