Why am I on TikTok?!
And after much prodding, you can now find a Rabbi Yonah channel on TikTok. I resisted putting up anything on TikTok, for a few reasons:
How do I make a TikTok?
Will the app suck me into a vortex?
Will anybody watch them?
But then I remembered how much anti-semitism is on Twitter.
(Twitter is a better name than X, and Jews who emigrated to the US who didn't know English, so goes the legend, put an O on the immigration papers, and not an X. The letter X as a stand-alone letter is a cross on its side .)
Twitter was once a constructive place for me to send our messages, and I accumulated 50k followers after all these years. But the algorithm and the blatant and pervasive Jew-hatred have made using Twitter much less effective and enjoyable.
If you only follow the people who agree with you, it's an echo chamber, and if you let the algorithm choose your news, you are fed a diet of material guaranteed to raise your blood pressure and hate the world. The new world of X is a dark place, and I was looking for a new place to teach and engage the world on Social Media.
Then, over the summer, speaking with a woman after a funeral, she told me that her primary source of learning about Judaism is TikTok.
Yes, TikTok.
Her TikTok teachers have millions of followers. Millions of followers. Even the most significant Jewish teachers on YouTube would be thrilled for a fraction of that amount.
With her encouragement, Rachel's support, and the help of some long-time friends, I am taking the leap of social media faith. I will, God willing, be putting up short-form videos on Facebook, Instagram, and, yes, TikTok. Here is my first one. Please watch, share, and comment!
But then I remembered I had not written this week's Dvar Torah! So I decided If I am already doing TikToks, I should ask AI for a little Dvar.
So I asked ChatGPT, "Is there a connection between The torah portion of Ki Teitzei and TikTok?"
"In short, while **Ki Teitzei** and **TikTok** come from different worlds, connections can be drawn in terms of how both address ethics, behavior and the shaping of social norms. These connections often depend on how the Torah’s teachings are interpreted in the context of modern digital life."
That is the typical answer of the super polite, usually incorrect, and uncreative soul of AI. It can make any two things have something in common.
But one point it brought up I liked was "Communication and Influence."
“TikTok thrives on **sharing ideas** and influencing behavior through short, impactful messages or trends. The Torah portion, though ancient, is also a form of communication, guiding behavior and social norms in its community.
Modern Jewish creators on TikTok sometimes use the platform to share Torah insights, including lessons from **Ki Teitzei**, in a concise, engaging format that resonates with today’s audience, much like how rabbinical teachings have always adapted to the needs of the time.”
Well, ChatGPT, the Torah is not just good. It's the ultimate platform for sharing ideas. It's replete with so much goodness that the Torah has perpetuated a civilization for thousands of years through intense hardships and struggles.
And as ChatGPT pointed out, teaching Judaism has changed over time. At one point in Poland, a rabbi in the synagogue had to speak Yiddish. They were not allowed to speak Polish or German. However, today, the idea that a rabbi would not teach in the local language is absurd. Things change.
So, if the local medium of communication today includes TikTok, I will put up videos there to teach about spirituality, Judaism, and Torah wisdom.
Shabbat Shalom / Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Yonah
Some of the teachings in the video from Rabbi Shlomo Kluger ZL (Chochmas Shlomo).