Kiruv

Source: Halachipedia: Kiruv

Link: https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Kiruv

Alt Names: Outreach

Exported: 2025-12-30

Kiruv or Kiruv rechokim consists of religious outreach to non-observant Jews. In the Torah, the concept of religious outreach is termed Tochacha (reproof) and the commandment is given to the individual Jew to “surely rebuke your neighbour”.¹ The concept of Kiruv denotes the necessary compassion to ensure the success of the reproof.²

In contemporary settings, the concept of Kiruv is a value practised by Orthodox Jews to recruit non-Orthodox Jews to Torah Judaism. There are numerous Halacha issues involved in this approach, most commonly, when inviting non-Orthodox Jews to events on Shabbos.³ Some rabbinic authorities rule that act of invitation while knowing that the invitee will drive on Shabbos does not automatically qualify as the assistance of a sinner, as the sinner is acting deliberately and the invitation will likely lead to an increase in Torah observance.⁴ However, this leniency may only apply if there is the reasonable possibility for the invitee to avoid desecrating Shabbos (for example, the invitee is offered accommodation over Shabbos).³

References

References

¹: Vayikra 19:17

²: www.sie.org

³: torah.org

⁴: Igros Moshe Yore Deah 1:72 and Even Haezer 4:87-1.