One of the most moving stories in the Talmud is about Hillel the Elder. So poor that he couldn’t afford the small admission fee to the study hall, he climbed onto the roof in the freezing cold to listen through the skylight. He fainted from the snow that covered him, but his determination sparked a legacy of learning that still inspires us today.
Hillel’s story reminds us that the Torah was never meant to be exclusive. It was given to all Jews at Sinai, regardless of background, wealth, or education. If someone as great as Hillel once stood outside, how many today still do?
Torah Learning Tools Must Serve Everyone
Thousands of Jews—religious, traditional, and secular, want to connect with Torah but face obstacles. Some never had the chance to learn in yeshiva. Others struggle with language, access, or even knowing where to start. They don’t need watered-down content. They want the real thing—authentic, respectful, and rooted in the sources.
Until now, most digital Torah libraries rely on keyword searches. But these assume you already know what you’re looking for. The average user is left to sift through massive results with little guidance or clarity. And general AI tools? They often hallucinate, citing sources that don’t exist—something unacceptable in Torah learning.
Introducing ChatTorah: AI That Honors the Source
ChatTorah is a Torah learning tool built for everyone, from seasoned scholars to total beginners. Powered by advanced AI trained on real Torah texts, it allows users to ask genuine questions, in their own words, and receive sourced answers. Every response links back to the original text, no hallucinations, no guesswork, and no shortcuts.
It won’t replace a chevrusa or a rebbe. But it will open the gates to those standing outside. It empowers Jews who never had access and honors those who want to go deeper. And it does so with clarity, transparency, and reverence.
Making Torah Accessible Is a Jewish Responsibility
We live in an age of unprecedented technology. If we can use that power to bring Torah to those who hunger for it, how can we not? Just as Hillel risked his life to access the study hall, we must work to ensure no one is left outside in the cold today.
ChatTorah isn’t just a tool. It’s a mission. A return. A step toward fulfilling our collective responsibility to make Torah accessible to all, accurately, respectfully, and without barriers.