Rabbi Ronen Haziza's Project: Snatch 5 Minutes of Torah a Day

"I started with five minutes of Torah study, and today I'm in a yeshiva," said a cherished Jew who strengthened his commitment to Torah and commandments through a booklet written by Rabbi Ronen Haziza, the brilliant mind behind the Torah project 'At Least 5 Minutes of Torah a Day'. Rabbi Haziza decided to fulfill the dream of Jews who, due to work, struggle to find time for Torah study.

In an interview, he reveals that it all began about seven years ago when a taxi driver approached him and shared an unfulfilled desire to study Torah. The rabbi took the initiative, began writing a small booklet filled with laws and insights, and the rest is history: Rabbi Haziza has since published and distributed thousands of booklets for joint study by parents and children. Currently, he is finishing a new project: a Chumash commentary, making the weekly Torah portion significantly more engaging and understandable.

Rabbi Ronen Haziza. Wrote and distributed booklets to thousands of Jews

Rabbi Haziza resides in Safed, is a father of ten, and a grandfather. Many know him for his inspiring songs about faith: 'Tefillah', 'I Don't Want Bad', 'Father Loves You', among others. However, few are aware of his significant contribution as he manages 'Esh Kodesh' institutions – a synagogue and study center in Safed, tirelessly working to bring scores of Jews back to their roots.

The rabbi's public mission began at 18. "I went to the 'Etz Chaim' yeshiva to focus solely on Torah study," he recalls, "During that period, I wrote a pamphlet called 'Why'. Later, I gathered funds to print it, distributed it among acquaintances, and started receiving positive feedback. After marrying at 19, I began delivering Torah classes at our home, and slowly, the 'business' grew. Simultaneously, I started playing guitar and organ, writing, and singing songs during the classes. And thank Hashem, the response grew, and when we realized we needed a larger venue, we searched for one." 

It's rather unusual for a young Torah scholar to dedicate himself to delivering classes rather than starting a family.

"I felt a burning holy fire within, calling me to go forth and share what I know: how good Hashem is, and the Torah He gave us as a gift. I wanted every Jew to live as I do," says the rabbi with a smile.

Rabbi Haziza grew up in a traditional family that immigrated from Morocco to Beit She'an. Like many Moroccan families, words like faith, kiddush, and kashrut were familiar. His parents sent him to a state-religious school, but upon reaching the age of bar mitzvah, a dramatic turn surprised everyone. His father traveled to Jerusalem and decided to deepen his religious observance. "I remember the shock it caused us," the rabbi recalls, "We didn't know how to react, we were confused. After a week, he returned and told my mother they were moving to Jerusalem to live a more religious life."

Mother covered her head to honor Jerusalem. Rabbi Haziza

How did your mother react? Didn't she resist?

"She didn't resist. On the contrary, she wanted it as much as my father and respected him greatly for taking this step. I even remember that on the way to Jerusalem, without anyone telling her, my mother asked to stop the car to cover her head 'to honor Jerusalem'. This memory is etched in my mind and accompanies me to this day." Rabbi Haziza's family settled in the capital and lived in the Beit Vagan neighborhood. He began studying at the well-regarded "Netiv Meir" yeshiva, then continued to "Etz Chaim" yeshiva and married at 19.  

Guitar in Conversations with Hashem

"The heavens opened, and you are before me again, Hashem/ looking down at me, opening the gates/ looking down at me – illuminating your face/ The heavens opened, and I saw visions of Hashem/ The heavens opened, and you are before me, Hashem/ looking down at me, opening gates/ looking down at me with longing."

(Lyrics and melody: Rabbi Ronen Haziza)

Rabbi Haziza's songs strengthen many and provide boundless spiritual strength. The special tunes arise from his personal dialogues with Hashem, always accompanied by his guitar. He describes these as elevated moments of closeness to Hashem, feelings already seeded in his heart, just waiting for the right moment to "speak, sing, and shout" it out. For example, he recorded the song 'Because Father Loves You' while studying the book 'Likutei Halachot'. His first album, 'Tefillah', was recorded spontaneously in a home studio in Emanuel, in just over two days.

Songs born in conversations with Hashem

How do your song lyrics manage to touch the deep layers of the soul and move so many people?

"Thank Hashem, I'm very glad to hear that my songs have strengthened you. That was my goal in writing them. But I must say, these songs weren't born out of a life aspiration. I never sit down to write songs, nor do I have a wish to write and compose. What I do have is a desire to speak with Hashem and live with Him. All my songs were written from this place, from someone who experiences life’s challenges and twists, speaking about them with his best friend – with Hashem."

The musical endeavor involves many challenges: "We've encountered various obstacles along the way – financial, logistical, and others – but there's no way we'll stop this work. We've learned from experience that the harder life gets, the more genuine, precise, and joyful the melodies that come from it."

Since releasing his second album, Rabbi Haziza focuses solely on live performance albums, explaining that the spontaneity at concerts brings out the best of the soul, making them far more empowering.

From a Small Booklet to a Major Project: Chumash Commentary

Rabbi Haziza is behind a new Torah initiative, allowing thousands to reconnect with Torah. He publishes a monthly booklet, 'At Least 5 Minutes of Torah a Day', where he simplifies the weekly Torah portion in an accessible language. The rabbi suggests bringing it to synagogue, reading the summary before each Torah reading, to better understand the passage.

How did the idea originate?

"The idea stemmed from a sermon I gave on Shavuot. I spoke to homeowners who, due to daily tasks, have no time for Torah study. I asked them to commit to at least 5 minutes a day. Surprisingly, everyone raised their hands. After the class, a taxi driver approached, saying: 'Look, there's nothing I want more than to study some Torah, but I really don't know how to begin'. From that day, I began writing a small booklet with various laws and insights, distributing it to these homeowners so they could snatch some Torah study. Within a month, it grew, and I recognized the vast need and yearning."

Thousands of booklets titled 'At Least 5 Minutes of Torah a Day' have since been printed and circulated worldwide. The rabbi continuously receives warm, enthusiastic feedback like: 'This is my Judaism', 'I don't wear a kippah, but without 5 minutes of Torah, I don't leave the house', 'I started with 5 minutes of Torah, and today I'm in yeshiva'.

Gradually, Rabbi Haziza started receiving requests from parents whose children discovered the booklet, proposing the same concept for children to spend quality time with their parents. Who better than Rabbi Haziza to champion this task, offering spiritual strengthening and enormous educational benefit? For several months, he worked on writing bedtime stories, one for each night, embedding values such as integrity, respect, truth, and kindness. But above all, his intention was to instill in the child an understanding that there is someone who watches over and loves him and waits to hear him speak.

The demand for these booklets is high, often selling out before being printed—even though they are not illustrated. "The illustrations are in the child's mind and imagination," explains the rabbi, "I did not want to limit that. According to feedback from parents, it not only enhances the child's imagination but also strengthens the child-parent bond."

These days, the print of a crucial project is completing: the Chumash commentary, which Rabbi Haziza worked on for over two years. It's a booklet published monthly, consolidating all weekly Torah portions for the year, at a monthly subscription of 25 shekels. "There’s a rule from the time of Moses to read the weekly Torah portion every Shabbat because without it, you can’t be Jewish. But what happened? During the days of the sages, if people didn’t understand what they were reading, there was a translation available. Over time, we returned to the land, languages mixed, and we no longer understand the previous translation—there are many words like 'vayishoku' or 'taninim'. We think it's a crocodile, but it's actually a type of fish.

"So what happens? A person comes to the synagogue, opens the Chumash, follows the Torah reader—but doesn’t understand many words. What’s the point in that? I realized it’s a significant loss for Hashem that so many, for whom Shabbat is possibly their only weekly encounter with synagogue, don’t understand what Hashem wants to convey. I knew this had to be my next project."

Who is the Chumash intended for?

"Everyone, without exception. It's written in an easy-flowing manner, without burdening the audience. When I tried it in our synagogue, Torah reading became a captivating experience, and people couldn’t stop asking for more. Only now, after the booklet's release, do I understand how necessary it was. There’s a brief introduction before each aliyah to help the reader grasp what the portion is about, and the commentary is placed within the verses. If there's an obscure word, or Rashi emphasized something—it's explained."