Yitzchak (Dessau, Germany)

I have been learning Mishna for one and a half years already and I am very satisfied with the classes given by Rav yaakov. In the beginning, we learned pages of the Talmud, but then, at the teacher’s suggestion, we took to learning the Mishna. I was sent the pertinent tractate of the Mishna, and Yaakov and I learned it together. In the past, we have studied the tractates of “Succah” and “Shabbos”. Now we began learning the Mishna tractate of “Megillah”. The learning takes place twice a week with a duration of wo academic hours. I consider myself a not-so successful student, as my age and lack of Hebrew skills slow down progress as well as a more in-depth learning of the material. Rav Yaakov treats the studies seriously and prepares for them. In the process of learning, many questions arise. Rav Yaakov answers many of them right away, and if he does not know the answer, he will try and find it. With difficult questions, he honestly says that he does not know the answer instead of giving some formal answer. This character trait of his impresses me immensely.

Rav Yaakov accords great importance to our study sessions although I feel that he has very little time. We study not only the Mishna, but also turn to the Shulchan Aruch whenever the need occurs. This study program has significantly increased my motivation for further Torah study and at the same time, made me realize how little I know in this area.

Apart from studying the Mishna, Rav Yaakov often counsels me on many halachic questions and provides great help that is outside the scope of the program. This leaves a very good impression of my teacher. He sends me the necessary literature as well as, for example, a set of tzitzis to replace a pair that became unusable.

 Yitzchak (Dessau, Germany)