The Torah Times: Bringing the Weekly Parsha to Life, One Story at a Time
In the early 1970s, a young Lubavitcher yeshiva student set out to bring the weekly Torah portion to life in a new way. The goal was not simply to teach the stories of the Chumash, but to help readers experience them as living events, filled with people, personalities, dilemmas and lessons that remain relevant today.
That vision became The Torah Times — a distinctive publication that presents the people and events of the weekly parsha through the lens of contemporary life, combining Torah knowledge with humor, creativity and an accessible style.
Its guiding philosophy is rooted in a fundamental teaching of the Alter Rebbe, recorded in Hayom Yom for 2 Cheshvan: “One must live with the times” — meaning that one should live with the weekly parsha. The objective is to do more than study the Torah portion; it is to make its lessons part of everyday life.
The Torah Times brings this idea to life by presenting Torah events not as distant episodes from an ancient past, but as experiences unfolding here and now. Its characters face recognizable challenges, its stories carry contemporary relevance, and its lessons speak to the concerns of today’s readers.
As the Torah itself instructs, “These words that I command you this day shall be on your heart.” Rashi explains that the words of Torah should be new in our eyes, as though they were given today. That spirit of freshness and immediacy lies at the heart of The Torah Times.
From the 1973 Lag B’Omer Parade to a Growing Publication
The first Torah Times was presented at the 1973 Lag B’Omer parade in Crown Heights. A clock sign advertising the publication could be seen at the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Kingston Avenue, introducing the project to the crowds gathered for the annual parade.
The initiative received the Rebbe’s blessing and guidance. It was included among the Rebbe’s 71 Mosdos, and Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch funded its first six months of publication, providing important support during its early development.
The project grew out of the work of Rabbi Yisroel Rubin, ob”m, who began writing The Daily Chitas while serving as a camp learning director and studying at the yeshiva at 770 Eastern Parkway. Drawing on the commentaries of Chazal, Rabbi Rubin sought to make the daily and weekly Torah portions accessible and meaningful, inspired by the Rebbe’s emphasis on living with the parsha.
With time, the publication evolved into The Torah Times, with Rabbi Rubin and students of Maimonides School continuing to develop and enhance its presentation from week to week.
The Rebbe’s Personal Guidance
The Torah Times was not simply a creative project that received an initial blessing. According to transcripts of Rabbi Rubin’s original submissions to the Rebbe, the Rebbe provided specific guidance on the publication’s name, format, distribution and editorial standards.
The original title, The Daily Chitas, was to be replaced with a name that would be more universal and readily understood by a wider audience. The result was The Torah Times, a title intended to communicate the publication’s purpose to readers beyond its original circle.
The Rebbe also emphasized that the publication should be attractively produced and easy to distribute, with a more popular presentation that could reach a broader public. When asked about its frequency, he indicated that, at the initial stage, it should remain a biweekly publication.
Editorial quality was another concern: the material was to be proofread and edited before publication.
One particularly telling detail reflects the Rebbe’s personal attention to the project. Rabbi Rubin recalled that the Rebbe once noted that Parshas Toldos, issue number six, was missing from the collection of Torah Times submitted to him and kept in the Rebbe’s library.
These directives reflected a clear vision: Torah content should be presented with care, in a format that people would want to read and share, while maintaining the standards expected of a publication devoted to Torah.
Torah Stories That Feel Like Today’s News
What distinguishes The Torah Times is its approach to storytelling. Rather than presenting the events of the Chumash as distant history, it places the reader inside the story, bringing the personalities, conflicts and decisions of the parsha into sharper focus.
Its style is humorous and entertaining, but its purpose is serious. The humor serves as an entry point, helping readers engage with the material, remember the stories and connect with their underlying messages.
The characters may have lived thousands of years ago, but the questions they faced — family relationships, responsibility, integrity, faith, leadership and personal growth — remain familiar. By presenting these encounters in a contemporary, accessible way, The Torah Times encourages readers to see the weekly parsha as a guide for their own lives.
This approach reflects the broader Chabad emphasis on making Torah relevant to every Jew, not merely as a body of knowledge to be studied, but as a living guide that informs one’s choices and outlook.
Bringing the Parsha Home
More than five decades after its first appearance at the Lag B’Omer parade, the idea behind The Torah Times remains as relevant as ever: the weekly parsha should not end when the sefer is closed or the lesson is over. Its stories, teachings and values should accompany us throughout the week.
Readers can obtain The Torah Times editions covering Bereishis and Shemos online: Available on Amazon
By combining engaging storytelling with the enduring wisdom of Torah, The Torah Times offers a creative way for families, educators and students to make the weekly parsha more vivid and meaningful.
Ultimately, its message is the same one that inspired its beginnings: Torah is not only something to learn. It is something to live.
