NEW: The Weekly Parsha Comic!

16-10: And the he goat upon which the lot “For Azazel” came up, shall be placed while still alive, before the Lord, to [initiate] atonement upon it, and to send it away to Azazel, into the desert.

In a new and innovative idea CrownHeights.info will begin bringing you, in addition to the weekly Parshat HaShavuah articles, a comic based on a single idea from the week’s Parsha.

We would like readers to submit to us feedback using the comments system, letting us know what you think of this new idea and how we implement it. This is a pilot idea, and if the response is positive and strong enough we can look forward to seeing one each week! So please take a minute and share your thoughts with us.

68 Comments

  • exited teacher

    amazing! i’m IY”H going to give this to my students.
    p.s. is it posable to give it black and white as well, so i can give it to them to color in?

  • me

    nice idea i think you should have something short written under the pic with the hebrew

  • Yosef Yitzhak K.

    Maybe put it in the Webby’s Blog category… but averall it’s a very nice idea

  • loving it

    very funny but maybe you should also add the pusuk in english. please keep it up!

  • Contemporary

    Very cute but unsure if such a thing will perhaps present Toraseinu Hakedosha in an inappropriate manner.

    This first edition already seems to emphasise this. Is there really a need to make fun of Sair Hamishtaleach just to make Torah attractive?? Besides, it was not the Kohen Gadol who preformed this mitzvah, so why is the Kohen on the picture wearing the Choshen??

    Perhaps guidance should be sought on how this interesting idea could proceed.

    Sorry to sound negative!

  • Cliff Hanger

    my reaction to this is negative

    i like chabadtube and apple770… but somehow this cartoon is offensive to me. i can’t explain why, but it is.

    and it didn’t make me laugh.

  • at work

    fun way to learn something from the parsha for those of us who regularly dont learn the parsha

  • creativeCH

    Very Cute keep them coming. What about a weekly contest where people can submit their comics?

  • sr

    nice.

    Though please don’t use this to fill up the page because I enjoy your interesting articles and amazing pictures even more than this.

    Also, I like the new addition on the top of the article; where I can go directly to the previous or next article without going back to the main page. I think for long articles you should have that on the bottm as well. And also have a link to your haome page on the bottom of each article; it can be a pain to scroll back up with the amound of comments you get for your articles.

  • Loving it

    HA HHHHHHAAAAAAAA! wooh hoo! who ever thought up that idea is awesome– keep up the good work!! Love it!!!

  • yitz

    i remember seeing his work a few years back when we were visiting his family during pesach. I have been wondering why this hasn’t been put up on a blog before. keep it up….levi’s got a lot in the bag…

  • live and laugh

    very cute, however, just a little hesitant to use Torah in this context. maybe if you used funny Crown Heights happenings…

  • Superman fan

    Levi you are an awesomely talented human being!! Keep up the good work! You gotta put all the cartoons you’ve made together and make a comic book- like super man but jewish… it would totally sell…. I know I’d by it!

  • Yasher koach

    It is well known that the Rabbe used all sorts of concepts from baseball to art in order to bring out a Torah concept and use it out in our Avoda. I look forward to next weeks comic not only being entertaining, but somthing we can actualy learn from as well.
    Yaasher koach

  • Rabbi in California

    Sure Livens up the website! Good way to attract kids attention. And aren’t we all kids at heart!

  • Keep it holy

    I’m sure the cartoonist means well, but this seems very disrespectful of the Torah. Is it good chinuch to teach a child to mock or parody something as holy as the Torah? And on Yom Kippur, when they hear the Avodah (as they get older), will they strive to be absorbed in the sanctity of the moment or thinking instead of a cute little goat with a parachute? Once a child absorbs an image, it’s very hard to replace it with something else.

  • comic fan

    I think the person who drew this is extremely creative and has a great sense of humor. his talent. can definately take him places

  • Who-s mocking or making a parody????

    Hey “keep it holy”… Yeah I would love my kid to love torah in an enjoyable way- which is what this does. I mean every kid knows that there where no parachutes in the olden days but I bet when they see that cartoon they’ll ask– what is that all about??? A\w I don’t think that cartoons are necessarely only for kids– I know I got a good laugh out of this one.. and I definitely aint a kid…

  • ahvat yisroale

    clif hanger : get a life ….its a great idea ,, lets see you do better

  • ahvat yisroale

    KEEP IT HOLY : keep yr self holy.. this is great and you to can get a life 2

    keep up the good work webby and levi

  • sure thing shila

    Cliff Hanger:

    sounds a bit twisted that you’re not offended by Chabadtube.com but your offended by this cartoon.. reminds me of some other cartoon that started riots all over the world..

  • Concerned Mechanech

    I have 3 comments: 1)It is not respectful to the Torah to portray a concept in this way. The comic seems to poke fun at this Avodah that took place on the holiest day of the year-Yom Kippur. 2)In response to Yasher koach who wrote:
    “It is well known that the Rabbe used all sorts of concepts from baseball to art in order to bring out a Torah concept and use it out in our Avoda. I look forward to next weeks comic not only being entertaining, but somthing we can actualy learn from as well.
    Yaasher koach.” It is true that we need to bring Torah to all Yidden, using every medium. However, this is not bringing the Torah to them; this is not teaching them Torah, rather, degrading Torah. The Rebbe taught us something with an example from baseball.
    3)There was once a publication designed for children with comics in it. The head of one character was bigger in proportion to the character’s body. The Rebbe wrote that when it comes to showing things and images to children we have to be careful to show them only things that exist in real life.
    This comic depicts something that didnt happen in real life (e.g. parachute).

  • Zvi

    I absolutely loved the comic. I think it’s a terrific way to learn somewhat about the weekly Parsha. Perhaps a daily “chitas” version?

    I’ve been waiting for someone to do something like this in Lubavitch. HaModia and Mishpacha magazine (even Binah I think) has a weekly Parsha comic (though it is more of a competition for who can discover where in the Torah it is mentioned), but this is a fun, nice way to view the Parsha.

    Hopefully we’ll see more on crownheights.info and I’ll start checking it out more often.

  • jw

    To Yashar Koach

    To ysashar Koach

    I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you have no idea what the Parsha is talking about and you actually think the goat had a parachute when it was pusshed; because that is the only way the rebbe would have agreed to a cartoon of such nature.

    Are you out of your mind?? How can you compare a cartoon that helps one understand the torah or a mitzvah to a parity that is actually making fun?? Do you think the rebbe will be pleased or even allow such a thing?
    It is known many times how the rebbe would edit an illustrated picture that did not show the item in its right concept.
    Talk about yeridas Hadoros

  • c.

    i agree with keep it holy. the best place for these cartoons would be a separate blog – that way people could visit it at their own discretion.

  • A Teacher who sees this as a gr8 oppurtu

    i think its nice- but how about making it a sort of way to reach out to children with an artistic talent. maybe you can turn it into a weekly contest. which will motivate students and children to display the Parsha through their artistic talent.

  • A Teacher who sees this as a gr8 oppurtu

    i think its nice- but how about making it a sort of way to reach out to children with an artistic talent. maybe you can turn it into a weekly contest. which will motivate students and children to display the Parsha through their artistic talent.

  • Biblical Handglider

    Great artwork, imagination, and coloring.
    Just one issue that needs considering:
    The approach is not a frum one (harsh as that sounds) since it makes the concept of Sa’ir Hamishtale’ach seem silly or wrong. Not overtly, mind you, but after visiting the site a couple of times, you realize the issue that made you uneasy the first time.
    (There are a number of issues with the Kohen Gadol, but I’ll leave that to the real critics…)
    There is a way to make a joke out of this and other concepts, and even to “make fun” of it, but in a nice way – a way that also conveys respect for the commandment, tradition, etc. No, it is not impossible, as the artist surely knows. Just a different “take” or angle.
    The original Mendey & The Golem and its granson Rabbi Riddle are classic examples – albeit a totally different style.
    Obviously, it makes it much harder when you don’t use words in the actual comic i.e., the man or goat do not say anything.
    There are artists out there who decline to produce comics on the parsha or whatever for just that reason – not to cause damage. Remember: An image is extremely powerful! So if you are going to do regular runs of wacky wit, it would be best to watch out for the above issue.

  • money$freak

    I think that this comic is very funny. i always wanted a frog or a snake as a pet. but now i want a goat with a parachute :-)

  • ELI ECKSTEIN

    rABBI ELEVIWALTEN HAS A LOT OF TALENT AND
    IS VERY FUNNY I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THAT BEFORE.

  • Toichen

    Great!

    though needs a lot more toichen.

    and it must be correct toichen.. as was already mentioned earlier.

  • Chana

    I applaud the artist for his brilliant creativity. I understand ppl’s complaints, but I still think the positive outweighs the negative. Creativity should be encouraged, not stifled! Maybe in the future, more sensitivity can be taken towards making sure there are no actual “contradictions” to Torah, but on the whole – it’s WASOME, and I definitely think Jono would agree :)

  • Moshe G.

    Webby, Techie and artist:

    The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I applaud your intentions, but IMHO something like this needs guidance from a Rov/Mashpia, which I’d be flabbergasted if so was the case.

    This cartoon is lacking in preserving the essential goodness and holiness of Torah. It is very easy to convey a diluted message; it is much more challenging to convey an accurate undiluted message yet be entertaining – good luck. Hope to see that mistakes happen but the lesson was learned.

  • zevi stern

    levi it rocks the world! crownheights.info ur lucky to have this guy to make this picture, if u didn’t u will be stuck with no comedy.

  • Yeridas hadoros

    Just imagine if modern Crown Heights became Mechanchim. Do what you want, but don’t mix into Chinuch.
    Daas baalei batim is hepech daas Torah

  • Alexandra

    To the Artist:
    What you have done is wonderful – you are making the Parsha into something that children can appreciate by making it real and a part of their lives. Why should comics be associated with silliness? Why should the Torah be only something that is studied intellectually but not made a part of our everyday vocabulary?
    The Torah is our blueprint and the cartoon is not a parody of the Torah and some people are wont to think. I am sure that G-d would appreciate this gesture you have done – to bring the Torah to the masses. And that includes even our Children.

  • polls

    great idea, i think another great idea is ‘weekly poll’, i personally enjoy them a lot.
    thank you

  • Tzvi

    The idea is a good one but don’t think this is the proper forum for it. It could be a learning tool for someone one with a weak torah backround and a teaching tool, but do we want to add another possibly divisive issue to this site? I think a blog or link would be a better option for those who enjoyed it and thought it proper. For your information, I did enjoy it.

  • Here We Go Again...

    I love this community.

    Everybody knows best.

    Everyone knows what the Rebbe wants, what Judaism needs, and what we need to do to keep our kids out of years of therapy if they G-d forbid see some creative talent express itself. Apparently.

    Not too far back, this website – to it’s everlasting credit – gave exposure to a very creative, talented writer, named Elazar Kohen. And a very similar thing happened – the comments flooded in. Mostly positive – appreciative of the fresh, humorous, very unique style. But of course, several members of this wonderful, loving community failed to see the positive contributions, and instead shose to fixate on it’s departure from the “norm”. You can still read it in the archives. Luckily, the author wasn’t dettered and continued to write periodically.

    People: wake up and realize the new generation is going to need more than the dry materials you’re handing them. They’re losing interest. Fast.

    Keep criticizing. And by all means, keep trying it your way. Just don’t expect much back in return.

  • Truth

    Anything that could appear to be mocking the Torah should never ever be done!!!Talents can be used in so many other correct ways!

  • Shocked

    I can’t believe this kind of “chinuch” – have we got our heads on straight??? Totally not kosher! How about putting up something that’s actually true and cute at the same time – How about “Rabbi Riddle”????

  • Sholom

    I would like to take the opportunity to thank the one who drew this picture, it is well portrayed, and right to the point. I ‘m perplexed to understand why so many out there are looking for criticism; this web site was not designed for 5 year olds. In response to the “chinuch” issues, I would agree with a point which the “Contemporary wrote:” wrote, “it was not the Kohen Gadol who preformed this mitzvah.” He has a valid point there, but aside from that, to the artist who drew this picture, I congratulate you and hope you can keep this up, I’m looking forward for the upcoming week.

  • Bezerkeley Bochur

    Levi, we think it’s an awesome idea. keep ’em coming. lookin’ forward to a great Lag B’omer piece!

  • Crazy Dovid

    Rebuttal: A cup is half full on the other side of the river. However when the river if flowing full from the early spring showers, and the wolf calls down from the high mountaintops, one stops to wonder when was the last time i ate a bolagna sandwich anyway? Was it wednesday, yes that’s right Wacky Water Wednesday! say yechi charlie. Oh yeah you, you know who you are, you laughed the first time you saw it, so don’t be so darn negative. Anywho someone who’s been shnoozled is A o.k. in my book.

  • zevsmom

    very nice pic…i am only writing this comment so my son can do his homework…this was part of his homework assignment…i need to look at the pic and may a comment

  • happy

    i think its great because a 11 year old learns chumash and to a kid it gets a bit boring about all the korbonos and every thing so now u kid picture all the things they did into now adays

  • Keep it holy

    To Here We Go Again:

    There are a lot of challenges to be addressed in our communities… how to create excitement for Yiddishkeit is one of them… but going against what the Rebbe set clear guidelines about has never been the answer (i.e., depicting untrue cartoons about Torah/Yiddishkeit). I’m sure there are other ways to gain kids’ interest without going against the Rebbe’s directives. You don’t have to make a parody of the Torah to keep kids frum. Cartoons can be cute, yes. Untrue, no. And we are a lot more creative than depending on this type of cartoon to save Yiddishkeit. I’m sure whoever drew this can use his very sweet talent to figure out how to inspire without offending.

  • MZ in CH

    I’m shocked.
    The Rebbe says to bring Yidden up to the Torah, NOT to lower the Torah to the level some Yidden R”L have fallen to, the way this cartoon did.

    I’m sure as a child you were given parsha sheets to color in Yeshiva – there were drawings to help the youngest children remember the parsha they were taught – but those sheets were sensitve and promoted the kedusha of the Torah. This cartoon does the exact opposite.
    I sincerely hope you check with some elder chassidim, with Rabbonim, and successful mechanchim.
    Maybe they can explain to you why this cartoon is making a mockery of our Holy Torah.
    Please do not waste you talents when you can draw beautiful pictures of Torah events that don’t poke fun.

  • to keep it holy

    do you maybe want the kids who are crazy after cartoon’s should never lrarn chitas?(maybe by you there is no “es la’sos laH’”)
    im also sore there are other ways to entertain kids and this is one of them
    who would mistaken the sair hamistleach for a demon with a parachute?(as always sid the one that is offended by it is “der ganef mit der hitel vas brent”)