Beth Medrash Govoha

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Beth Medrash Govoha
Established	1943
Type	Yeshiva (Orthodox)
Dean	Rabbis: Aryeh Malkiel Kotler Yeruchem Olshin Dovid Shustal Yisroel Neuman
Students	4,700
Undergraduates	2,050
Location	Lakewood Township, NJ, USA
Campus	Urban

Beth Medrash Govoha (Hebrew: בית מדרש גבוה) is the largest Talmudical Academy in the United States. A Haredi institution, it was founded in 1943 by Rabbi Aharon Kotler in Lakewood Township New Jersey where it remains. Comprising a yeshiva as well as a kollel, it currently has an enrollment of over 4700 undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students. It can also be referred to as Bais Medrash Govoha, BMG, or Lakewood Yeshiva.

The yeshiva is licensed by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and accredited by the Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools^[1]. It is authorized to grant bachelor's degrees and master's degrees in Talmudics to those students who apply and qualify for the degrees, as well as a post-master's certificate in Talmudic studies.

Contents 1 Faculty 2 Curriculum 2.1 Chaburah system 2.2 Sedorim -- study sessions/segments 3 Acceptance and registration 3.1 Application 3.2 Testing and acceptance 3.3 Registration 4 Semesters/Zmanim 5 Tumult day 6 "The Freezer" 7 Facilities 8 References

[edit] Faculty

The yeshiva is currently under the direction of a group of four roshei yeshiva: Rabbis Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, Yeruchem Olshin, Dovid Shustal, and Yisroel Neuman. Rabbi Malkiel Kotler is a grandson of Rabbi Aharon Kotler and son of Rabbi Shneur Kotler, and the others are married to Rabbi Aharon Kotler's grandaughters. Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon serves as the mashgiach ruchani and is a well-known lecturer on topics relating to Jewish religious growth and communal issues in the yeshiva world. He has also authored many books on the topic of spiritual growth and development.

The financial and administration duties are under the leadership of Aaron Kotler, who is a grandson and carries the name of the founder of the yeshiva. He is also the brother of the Rosh Hayeshiva Rabbi Aryeh Malkiel Kotler.

[edit] Curriculum

The yeshiva studies are based on classical Torah study traditions using the Talmud, Shulchan Aruch, responsa and rabbinic literature as texts and sources.

The daily schedule consists of three sedorim, or study sessions, devoted to study, plus daily prayers and meals. In each session there is usually a main limud' (field/focus of study) based on the Talmud. However there also exists a system of chaburahs (group study) where 10-70 scholars form a chaburah (group) to study specific sub-texts within the Talmud and/or Shulchan Aruch. All of these take place in one of the over eight study halls available throughout the four study buildings of Beth Medrash Govoha.

The main limud is always a part of Talmud and is never part of Shulchan Aruch. However the way the Talmud is studied might include the relevant portion of the Shulchan Aruch as an adjunct and complimentary study. Each "chaburah" may differ in the amount of time spent studying the Shulchan Aruch.

[edit] Chaburah system

At the beginning of each semester the first day is designated as the tumult day (implying a "rowdy/noisy/busy gathering"). On this day all the students of the yeshivah gather outside the main yeshivah building on 7th street and arrange their chavruses (study partners) for the coming semester, as well as what particular "limud" (subject matter) they will be studying, which is done through joining a chaburah (study group).

Every chaburah has a Rosh Chaburah (head/leader of the study group). It is the Rosh Chaburah's responsibility to arrange enough seats for the members of his chaburah and to decide the limud (subject of study) that will take place for the rest of the semester, as well as make sure that there is a lecture given on the subject studied at least once a week. Many "chaburos" also require members to prepare and give lectures on a rotating basis. This is always in addition to the Rosh Chaburah's weekly lecture.

After tumult day is over, the Rosh Chaburah submits his list of members to those responsible for arranging the seat layout in each study hall. When all lists from all the Rosh Chaburahs have been received, a map of each study hall is posted with highlighted areas designating the seats that belong to each Chaburah.

[edit] Sedorim -- study sessions/segments

The following is a schedule of the study sessions in Beth Medrash Govoha:

• 7:40 AM: Shachris (morning prayers).
• From after morning prayers till 9:00 AM (Monday and Thursday, due to longer prayers, till 9:10 AM), Halacha is studied.
• 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM: breakfast is served in the main dining room
• 9:30 AM - 1:45 PM: first study session.
• 1:45 PM - 2:00 PM: Mincha (afternoon prayers).
• 2:00 PM - 3:45 PM: lunch is served in the main dining room.
• 3:40 PM - 7:20 PM: second study session.
• 7:20 PM - 7:40 PM: Mussar seder, individual study of Jewish ethics.
• 7:45 PM - 8:45 PM: dinner is served in the main dining room.
• 8:45 PM - 10:30 PM: third and final study session, commonly called "Night Seder".
• Ma’ariv (evening prayers): because of the relation in allowed time to pray this prayer to sunset, the time for this prayer is different in the summer than in the winter.

[edit] Acceptance and registration

The registration and acceptance into Beth Medrash Govoha can be divided into two steps:

1. Application
2. Test and acceptance

[edit] Application

Applications to enroll into the yeshiva are accepted twice a year, in the summer for the winter semester, and in the winter for the summer semester. There are no enrollments for the fall semester. The deadlines vary, and they are generally close to the 1st of Elul for enrollment in the winter, and the 1st of Adar for enrollment in the summer. The cost of the application is $125.00.

[edit] Testing and acceptance

This is generally a four part process. Only applicants who have received a "bechina (entrance exam) card" authorizing them to advance will be able to proceed with these steps:

1. The applicant completes a secondary registration application which asks for more detailed additional information that was not required on the original application.
2. The admissions officer, Rabbi Yaakov Pollak, holds a general interview with the applicant. With him are usually one or two other members of the faculty. The meeting will usually be short, allowing the admissions department an opportunity to evaluate the candidate's general potential for success in the institute.
3. A faculty member tests the candidate in general Talmudic knowledge. A grade is issued, on a scale of one to five, reflecting the applicant's possession of the requisite knowledge.
4. One of the four roshei yeshiva (deans) listens to a Pilpul, or talmudic discourse, from the applicant. This part of the exam is to test the applicant's ability to engage in specialized Talmudic reasoning called Lomdus. Here too, a grade is issued on a scale of one to five.
5. After completing the two exams, the resultant grades are forwarded to Rabbi Yaakov Pollak with whom the decision of acceptance rests. The acceptance will depend on a combination of all the factors in the admissions process. Usually applicants are notified during Chol HaMoed about the decision. If the applicant is accepted, he and his parents are then required to set up a meeting with the tuition department to discuss tuition arrangements.

[edit] Registration

After acceptance, tuition is negotiated, and the accepted student must complete steps required by the State of New Jersey of all students entering dormitories and post-secondary schools in New Jersey. These steps include obtaining health insurance (either through their parents or through the Yeshiva's student insurance plan), and obtaining required vaccinations for measles, mumps, and rubella; a second measles shot; and the meningococcal vaccine. In the signed acceptance agreement, the matriculating student is required to agree to abide by the rules of the institution. These include agreeing to what is commonly known as the freezer (see below). An additional rule requires students not to access the internet in the dormitory, and limits internet use to business-related activities for married students.

[edit] Semesters/Zmanim

Three zmanim (semesters) exist in a year, based on the Hebrew calendar:

1. Winter zman, which is from Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan through the seventh of Nisan.
2. Summer zman from Rosh Chodesh Iyar through the tenth of Av.
3. Elul zman from Rosh Chodesh Elul through the eleventh of Tishrei.

The three zmanim span two official semesters. The Fall semester runs through the Winter zman. The Spring semester includes the Summer zman and Elul zman.

[edit] Tumult day

Tumult day is a distinct feature of Beth Medrash Gevoha. The first three days of every semester all the students gather outside the main building on 7th street. It is at this time that chavrusos (study partners) must be arranged. Among other things, students discuss with potential study partners what limud they would like to study, and also make sure that the study partnership has the potential to succeed, both on a personal level and on an intellectual level. Additionally, it is at this time that students are required to arrange entry into a particular "chaburah", or study group. This intense and highly competitive method is unique to Beth Medrash Gevoha.

[edit] "The Freezer"

"The Freezer" is a term used in Beth Medrash Govoha to signify that a student at the institute is still within the first three month of matriculation into the yeshiva. Upon acceptance into the institute, every non-married student is required to agree in writing that he will not date for a shidduch during this time. Although on the most part the rule is followed, a large percentage of the students start dating after two to two-and-a-half months. According to the rules, if one gets engaged during those three months, he will be asked to leave the yeshiva. The exception to this would be if, when signing the paper above, he indicated that he was planning to or is in the process of dating a particular woman. In that case, he is allowed to date that woman during the "freezer".

[edit] Facilities

Most of the buildings of the Yeshiva are spread out between Sixth Street from the south, Lakewood Avenue from the west, 9th Street from the north, and Clifton Avenue from the east, but not all the buildings in this area belong to the Yeshiva. The Yeshiva has also bought the conservitive and reform houses of worship on 11th street that are to be converted to study halls one that will contain 1000 students the other 1500.

• The Legion building is an old historic building that is located at the corner of Sixth Street and Private Way; it houses the administrative offices of the Yeshiva.

• The dormitory is located on Sixth Street to the west of the Legion building. This building is the oldest dormitory building in use today by the Yeshiva. It has three floors with around twenty two rooms per floor, and around five beds to a room.There is also a basement with about 50 beds in it.Shared bathrooms and showers are located in the center of each floor, with a few exeptions.

• The old Beis Midrash or main Beis Midrash (beth midrash means a "study hall"), is located on Seventh Street to the northwest of the Dormitory building, its back towards the back of the dormitory building.

This building houses:

1. The main study hall, seats 500-600 students.
2. The newly renovated library.
3. The ezras nashim' ("women's section"). Used as a study hall during the week, seats 100-200 students.
4. The offices for the roshei yeshiva

• The dining room is a newly constructed building located on 6th Street west of the dormitory opened in 2002.

This building includes:

• • A large dining room, which is partitioned into two parts, one as a study hall with seating for approximately 626 students, and the other serving as the dining room. Within the dining room:
  • Two modern kosher kitchens to keep separate kitchens for dairy and meat products.
  • A dining room for staff members.
  • Lecture rooms.
  • Offices

This building is connected to the old main Bais Midrash building. On the first floor it has a small library, and two study halls:

• The Ma'arav Beis Midrash ("west study hall"). This comprises two sections that can be divided by a movable partition wall. Seats 600-700 students.
• The Mizrach Beis Midrash ("east study hall"), seats 500-600 students.

• Beis Eliyahu with seating for about 900 students.

This building located on 7th street across from the main Beis Midrash (northeast to it), originally built out of trailers and contains one big study hall.

• Beis Shalom (often referred to as the Simcha Room, an allusion to its former service as a ballroom for the now defunct Irvington Hotel) located on 9th Street between Madison and Clifton Avenues, is a newly renovated building that contains a large study hall with seating for 800-900 students.

• "The Irvington" located on 9th Street to the east of Beis Shalom, is an old hotel (from which the name comes) that was converted into a dormitory. It has three floors, a basement, with about twenty five rooms per floor, and four beds per room. Each room has a bathroom and shower. The basement also has a laundry room.

• A small dormitory building is located on Clifton Avenue and 8th Street in a former assisted living facility. It houses approximately sixty students.

[edit] References

1. ^ New Jersey's Colleges & Universities, accessed May 29, 2006