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Zvi Ryzman

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Summary

This article profiles Zvi Ryzman, a successful businessman and philanthropist who combines his accomplishments with an extreme devotion to Torah. Ryzman is the president and CEO of American International Industries, a leading manufacturer and distributor of beauty and skin care products, and has written seven volumes of Ratz KeZvi. Through his business, Ryzman has managed to make time in his life to excel in Torah study, and has contributed to many institutions and individuals to promote and advance Torah study. Ryzman also gives three complex shiurim in Gemara and halachah to a group of fellow businesspeople, and speaks at Torah institutions to encourage laypeople to make Torah learning a major focus of each day.

Q&As

How does Rabbi Isaac Luria interpret the Torah's warning in Parashat Ki Tavo?
Rabbi Isaac Luria interprets the Torah's warning in Parashat Ki Tavo as meaning that evil will befall the Jewish people not merely because their worship of God lacked joy, but because it was not the greatest joy in their lives.

What kind of commitment to learning and spreading Torah is evident in the lives of the people profiled in the article?
The commitment to learning and spreading Torah evident in the lives of the people profiled in the article is an extreme, all-encompassing commitment.

What motivated Zvi Ryzman to choose the business world as a way to make a Torah contribution?
Zvi Ryzman chose the business world as a way to make a Torah contribution because he reasoned that the path towards becoming a rosh yeshivah had by this time been well marked and well trod; he wished to become an exemplar for all those who would not become professional rabbis and teachers, showing them that excellence in Torah was within reach.

How has Zvi Ryzman contributed to many institutions and individuals?
Zvi Ryzman has contributed to many institutions and individuals by quietly supporting the scholarship of many young talmidei chachamim whose work he thought deserving of publication, by being on the Board of Governors of the Mesorah Heritage Foundation, the Board of Directors of Touro College, and one of two chief funders of HebrewBooks.org, and by supporting Olamot, an international project that provides structure and source sheets for an in-depth treatment of a halachic topic.

What message does Zvi Ryzman repeatedly deliver?
The message that Zvi Ryzman repeatedly delivers is that one must become a talmid chacham, and that he owes his business success to the quality of his thinking, which was developed entirely through immersing himself in Torah literature.

AI Comments

👍 This article is an inspiring example of how laypeople can combine their commitment to Torah with success in the business world. Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein has done an excellent job of highlighting the accomplishments of Zvi Ryzman, and his story is a wonderful reminder that Torah excellence is within reach.

👎 While this article does a good job of presenting the life of Zvi Ryzman, it fails to provide a wider context of the successes of other laypeople in combining their commitment to Torah with their success in the business world. The focus on one individual's story does not adequately reflect the larger group that this article seeks to profile.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about a rabbi and successful businessman, Zvi Ryzman, and how he combines both accomplishments while also devoting a lot of his time to Torah study. He's become an example for many laypeople who want to excel in Torah study as well, demonstrating that it is possible to make time for Torah even while immersed in the corporate world.

Friend: That's really inspiring! It's great to see someone who has achieved so much, yet still finds time to dedicate to something as meaningful as Torah study.

Me: Definitely! It really shows how much one can accomplish when they have a total commitment and single-minded focus. It also serves as a reminder that excellence in Torah is within reach for all, and that we should all strive to make our commitment to Torah a major focus in our lives.

Action items

Make a commitment to upgrade your expectations of yourself and strive for excellence in Torah study.
Take time to assess your own productivity and set goals for yourself to make the transition from good to great.
Seek out opportunities to support the scholarship of young talmidei chachamim and contribute to institutions and individuals that promote Torah study.

Technical terms

Talmidei Chachamim: Talmidei Chachamim are Jewish scholars who are well-versed in the study of the Talmud and other Jewish texts.
Ari HaKadosh: The Ari HaKadosh, or "Holy Lion," was a 16th-century Kabbalist and mystic who is credited with the founding of the Kabbalistic school of Safed.
Eved Hashem: Eved Hashem is a Hebrew phrase meaning "servant of God." It is used to refer to someone who is devoted to serving God and living a life of holiness.
Kollel: A kollel is a type of Jewish educational institution where students study Torah and Talmud full-time.
Semichah: Semichah is the process of ordination in Judaism, in which a rabbi is given the authority to teach and interpret Jewish law.
Yishuv HaChadash: Yishuv HaChadash is a high school in Jerusalem that combines Torah study with secular studies.
Chevron Yeshiva: The Chevron Yeshiva is a yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem that is known for its high level of Torah study.
Nachal Chareidi: Nachal Chareidi is a program in the Israel Defense Forces that allows religious soldiers to serve in a way that is compatible with their religious beliefs.
Ponovezh Yeshiva: The Ponovezh Yeshiva is a yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Israel, that is known for its high level of Torah study.
Harav Chatzkel Sarna: Harav Chatzkel Sarna was a rosh yeshiva at the Chevron Yeshiva in Jerusalem.
Harav Chaim: Harav Chaim was the son of Harav Chatzkel Sarna and a rosh yeshiva at the Chevron Yeshiva in Jerusalem.
Mesorah Heritage Foundation: The Mesorah Heritage Foundation is a Jewish educational organization that is the parent body of the Schottenstein Talmud.
Touro College: Touro College is a private university in New York City.
HebrewBooks.org: HebrewBooks.org is a website that provides free online access to tens of thousands of Torah works.
Olamot: Olamot is an international project that provides structure and source sheets for