DAMOJO Spotlight: Rabbi Eli Mansour

I'm privileged today to be sitting with the one and only Rabbi Eli Mansor. I'm not even worthy of giving an introduction to the great Rabbi. But today we're here to specifically speak about the new Bikim Bahalaka that's coming out in the next couple of [music] weeks 6. Rabbi, in your in your words, what is unique and great about BIM? How people are learning and also practicing halaka as well? >> Well, I I love the unifying factor of it. It's like a dafomi ina. So you create a create a buzz. So when we're learning, let's say, the laws of tilene, any [music] store in the tri-state area now is getting bombarded with the same question. I I want to buy a pair of does it have this? Does it have that stringy? Does it have this rule? So you create a certain uh camaraderie in even on the street, people stop, you know, rabbi, check my how many how many [music] stitches, how many uh uh uh what did the sheen look like? What does it uh what's the color? And so on and so [music] forth. So that part of it is is is an added benefit. the um the unification element of everybody talking talking about the same topic causes the people that are learning it to get excited about the topic. Now when once you get excited about a topic, you want to fulfill it. The best way to motivate yourself [music] to do something is to learn about it. When you don't know anything about it, you're not motivated. You're not [music] inspired to do it. So the learning has turned a theoretical lesson [music] into something that is life-changing in practicality. >> Rabbi, how amazed [music] are you today at the progress of the community in terms of learning, in terms of shim and what do you attribute that to? >> Wow. The uh it's a renaissance period for our community more than most communities in the world. Uh how much learning is going on? all ages, men and ladies, all topics, all times of the day. I would probably have to give the credit first of all, I would I I know I would take no credit for it and I would have to give all the credit to the predecessors [music] of the community. You know, they they did all the work when the ground was hard and they softened the ground. So my great Rabbi Alabash Shalom, Rabbi Kassen Alabash Shalom and Ahmedabar if you go even back a little further all these greats. So they were here when when there was was bedrock and it was not easy to to break it. So they soften the ground. So [music] then a guy like me comes along and puts the shovel in the ground. It's easy. So look at that. Look what I did. Did nothing. All all all the all the heavy uh heavy labor was done by the predecessor. So I think it's a lot of zoot abort. [music] Our community also puts a tremendous amount of uh monetary [music] concern on uh yeshiva education and it's paying off and all the millions and billions of dollars that we spent [music] in building these places and sending our kids there and everybody loves to complain and tuition and cost tons of money but look at this we're we're getting results. [music] So it would be it would really be a crisis if we would be paying all this money and we're not getting results at least the investment is paying off. >> [music] >> between the zutanim and then the zoot of the investment in yeshiv education. So all these things are coming together and it's it's [music] the perfect recipe for uh for the renaissance that we're having and we're enjoying today. >> Can we have one quick bit to the people? >> The people. Well, I love the people. That's that's clear. And uh my blessing to the people comes from a place [music] of love and admiration. And therefore to all of the members of our community without exception I bless them with health and peace and [music] prosperity and all the better. But call me. [music] Thank you Rabbi.