We wanted to give you an inside peek at the graphics development process for Torah Live presentations. The images below are three stages in creating an animated “instructor” who will serve as an on-screen assistant to the live teacher in the classroom. Please let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Rabbi Roth and the film crew made a trip to the Jerusalem Zoo to capture video and images for our upcoming Kashrut Presentation. All in a days work for Torah Live!

Rabbi Ginsbury reports that Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks was “blown away” by the Torah Live material. The Chief Rabbi invited Rabbi Roth to his office to show his staff what Torah Live has managed to accomplish and would like to work with Torah Live to create a video for Yom Kippur that would be sent to the nation. We are honored to be able to work with the Chief Rabbi. Hodu L’HaShem Ki Tov!

Torah Live conducted a video interview with Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits about common ma’aser, charity, questions. Below are some of the questions addressed. The answers will be released as part of our upcoming Charity DVD.

1. The Sages teach that the poor man does more for the rich man than the rich man does for the poor (Vayikra Rabbah 34:8). How are we to understand this?
2. God has no lack of resources. He could easily have created a world of universal wealth, wherein everyone was wealthy and no one was poor. Why did He not do so?
3. David from NJ sent e-mail: “Last night two pleasant gentlemen came; I realized that they had both come just a couple of weeks ago for the same causes; I guess they were making a return trip through the community. I politely pointed out that I had recently given and chose not to give a second time. Is this wrong?”
4. Again from David: “Many men come with letters from doctors and rabbis. Not infrequently the expiration date on the note has passed. It is rude to point it out to the petitioner? And it is wrong to refuse to give for this reason? I’d feel crummy to do this, but then why do our communities feel the need to include these letters if there’s not some kind of contractual basis to it?”
5. Maimonides writes that whoever sees a poor man ask for help and does not give him charity, transgresses a negative commandment as it says: You shall not harden your heart or close your hand against your destitute brother (Hilchos Matnas Aniyim 7:2).
   1. Does this apply to mail solicitations, or flyers?
   2. How does it apply to a busy thoroughfare, or during davening, when one is sometimes besieged by a throng of collectors?
6. Do I have to answer the door to the charity collector in the middle of spending time with my family?
7. The Talmud (Bava Basra 9a) quotes Rabbi Elazar as saying, “Greater is the person who influences others to give charity more than the one who gives themselves.” What is the rationale behind this?
8. Someone defaulted on a loan I gave them. Can I deduct the amount from ma’aser?
9. I sold my apartment to buy a bigger one. Do I need to give ma’aser on the proceeds of the sale?
10. I saw a charity collector in shacharis and intended to give him, but he never came over to me. Do I need to find him and give him the money?
11. I have been giving a certain organization money for 3 years running. Does this now become a chazaka, or can I switch to give other causes?
12. If I used to give x dollars a year to tzedakah, but because my income has halved, I now give half x, should I halve my former donations to each tzedakah, or may I maintain the former level to favored causes and give nothing or nominal sums to the rest?
13. I have outstanding debts. Do I need to give ma’aser?
14. Can a doctor who sees poor patients for free count his time as a charity donation? The same goes for any professional service, such as tutoring.