Interview with Rabbi Ari Enkin

Rabbi Ari Enkin is a modern-orthodox rabbi, author, and educator living in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel. He holds “Yoreh-Yoreh Yadin-Yadin” semicha from a number of prominent rabbanim and dayanim, including the world-renowned posek, Rav Ephraim Greenblatt. He is frequently consulted for Halachic advice by rabbis and laymen alike and spends many hours each day immersed in Halachic research.
Rabbi Enkin is a highly acclaimed public speaker and is available for scholar-in-residence and guest speaker programs.

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What led you to choose the rabbinate as a career?  

Very simply, the idea of being involved in peoples' lives, the interpersonal support, and to serve as a community leader. The scholarly angle is also of great interest, I specialize in Halacha literature.

Which Jewish experiences have been most significant for you? 

Ha! Everything... following the Jewish calendar throughout the year gives significant experiences in giving and receiving—for example, right now we celebrate the Hanukkah gift cycle.

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What's your favorite thing about Hanukkah?

First, why do we observe Hanukkah? For one, we celebrate the miracle of light, the oil lasting for eight days, and the other, Judah Maccabee and his fighters, though outnumbered, miraculously won two major battles, ousting the aggressors decisively. I feel that not enough emphasis is placed on the Maccabees; the IDF are the Maccabees of today, and I believe we should see them as such. We can take the Six-Day War for example, where the few overcame the many. I appreciate the miracles that God does for the IDF.

What have been some of your most positive experiences as a rabbi? 

​Peoples' happy moments are the best, the weddings and other family celebrations. Teaching and consulting are also a big part of my life. I'm very fortunate in that I'm invited to scholar-in-residence programs as a guest rabbi, so I get to be a part of our international Jewish community practice.

How would you define Home and the concept of moving as it relates to the Bible?

Judaism is taught in the home. Halacha is taught in the home. The home is the major center for its dissemination. The Torah tells us about when Abraham and Sarah moved to Egypt... Rashi speaks about how traveling and moving are stressful.

The Call of Abram 
1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
     I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing"(Genesis 12: 1, 2 New International Version (NIV)).

Along with divorce, moving house is considered to be one of the most stressful acts we can undertake. Giving your personal belongings to someone you don't know, this kind of transition appears to have no end. In making Aliyah, there's an acclimatization to the Israeli mentality: All beginnings are hard. Prayer and God are always there, so we just need to wait until everything falls into place.

What advice do you have for people who are moving house?

My advice is to look at Avraham Avinu--moving is in our DNA, and we are successful whenever we move; whatever happens to the Patriarchs is for us to learn from… do not fear.