Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, NCSY’s director of education, recently published his first sefer. He wrote about the experience for the immensely popular Seforim blog.
My recently published sefer, “Berogez Racheim Tizkor” (trans: “In your anger, you shall remember to have mercy”), whose title is based on the verse in Habbakuk 3:2 and traditionally recited each morning during Tahanun, really began as a tweet. In March 2014, I tweeted, “Considering writing a sefer entitled “Aveiros K’Hilchisa.”
The tweet was originally intended as a satire of the many seforim that have been published as halakhic digests of obscure practical issues in Judaism. If there could be an Ittush be-Halakhah (trans: “Sneezing in Jewish Law,” – an actual pamphlet shown to me by my dear friend and devoted consigliere Reb Menachem Butler), why not an “Aveiros K’Hilchisa”?[2]
However, as often happens, what began as satire became a very real project. Following the passing of my Zaide, Mr. William Bashevkin, and last living grandparent, I thought it would be a fitting tribute to their memory to publish a work of Torah. Additionally, coupling sorrow with joy, my marriage this past year to Tova (née Flancbaum) gave me the inspiration to begin my relationship with a project of Torah scholarship. The sefer, which is a small collection of essays discussing halakhic issues related to sin and the path towards teshuva, is based upon shiurim I have had the opportunity to deliver periodically at the Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst. With special appreciation to Mr. Joel Mael, who originally invited me and has been a continual source of guidance and counsel, the chevra who have participated in the shiurim are really my partners in this effort – without them, none of this would have been possible.
Read the full post here.
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.