Update: The following about was written in the old style of About pages, going on and on about myself, or myself almost 10 years ago. I’m not sure who would actually want to read this. Skip to the bottom for the updates, I guess.
The author, R. Shmuel Yosef Elbinger, lived in Jerusalem for nearly 15 years before recently moving to “RBSA.” He has been happily married for the past 12 years, and doting father of four children kenaynehara (These days, the kenaynehara must be chal on the gantze mishpat rh”l).
His main occupation has been the study of Torah, and he completed his smicha in hilchos Shabbos at Kolel Toras Chaim with Rabbi Daniel Travis (who he is always eternally grateful to). He was farherred by HaRav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg, HaRav Yitzchok Kaufman, and the Israeli Rabanut in this area.
Over the past number of years this has branched out to editing and translating Torah works. (His main clients have been Rav Shmuel Zucker and Rav Yochanon Becchoffer (author of Even Shesiyah). He also had a small part in the translation of the Daf Yomi Pictorial History book.)
R. Elbinger’s first experience teaching was while studying as an avreich a few years ago (yungerman, just kidding it means “full time scholar” in English) in Yeshivas Bais Yisroel. One of the bachrim posted a request for a Tanya chavrusa. Shmuel Yosef said “Look, I’ll learn Tanya with you, but have a little kavod… You’re in the Gra’s platz here! Didn’t you see the sign saying ‘Vilna?'” And so a little Tanya shiur at his house was born, albeit short lived.
Recently, from 2012-2014, R. Elbinger spent his mornings teaching at Yeshivas Lev Aryeh,the other yeshiva in Neve Yaakov, R. Elbinger’s neighborhood.What an amazing growth experience!
The “teaching” involves lots of counseling as well, as you may expect. To this end, R. Elbinger has enrolled in a guidance counseling program given by the Yanar institute in pursuit of counseling certification, and a New York City addiction counselor certification. And to further this end, he’s just enrolled in the Bar-Ilan BSW program, in conjunction with Michlalah HaCharedit, in order to become a licensed psycho-therapist.
Rabbi Elbinger has always been interested in using deep Torah principles to assist transformational emotional and spiritual growth. The Torah is the blueprint of the universe, and everything has its source within it: in the right place, the right way, and the right proportions. That’s really what this blog is supposed to be about.
May Hashem help this blog to be a small part of the spread of Torah and true tikkun olam, beginning with each nefesh Yisrael and spreading throughout the world. Ba’yom ha’hu yihiyeh Hashem echad u’Shmo echad!
Update: Shmuel Yosef finished his BSW, and is continuing on at Haifa U to get his Masters’. — I’m putting my main writing energy into my therapist website: ShmuelElbinger.com The new posts are less “therapy in the light of Torah,” and more “therapy.” Oh well. 🙂
Update Update: I’ve been married 18 years and have 4 kids. I’ve lived in RBSA (Beit Shemesh) for 5 (6?) years. I got my Masters’ through Haifa U. Just learn in the morning now, and see clients in the afternoons and evenings, among other random things.