Meet Rabbi Bob Barocas

Rabbi Bob Barocas (Rachmiel David Barocas) is an Orthodox rabbi, Torah educator, author, and speaker based in Highland Park, New Jersey. He is the author of Legacy of Light: Revealing the Torah’s Eternal Relevance and a contributor to Chabad.org, Aish.com, The Times of Israel blog, and other Jewish publications.

Rabbi Barocas’s Torah essays, classes, and published work can be found here:

Teaching and Approach

Rabbi Barocas teaches Torah with an emphasis on its relevance to everyday life, personal growth, and character development. His approach draws particularly from the Slobodka tradition of mussar, which emphasizes the dignity, responsibility, and potential of every individual.

Whether exploring a sugya in Gemara or a commentary on Chumash, his aim is to help others connect what they learn to the way they think, act, and live. His teaching reflects a central theme of his work: Torah study should not only deepen one’s understanding, but also help a person grow and self-actualize.

Rabbi Barocas delivers a hashkafa shiur to the Edison Chabura and has been a repeat guest lecturer for the Maimonides Leaders Fellowship at Rutgers University through Rutgers Jewish Xperience (RJX). He also gives personal guidance and mentorship to young men in his community.

Background and Learning

Rabbi Bob studied at Machon Yaakov in Jerusalem under Rabbi Beryl Gershenfeld and continued his learning at the Edison Chabura with Rabbi Reuven Billowitz. These foundational years helped shape both his worldview and commitment to making Torah learning meaningful and accessible. In 2025, Rabbi Barocas received semicha (rabbinic ordination) from Rabbi Daniel Channen.

Prior to his Torah studies, Rabbi Barocas earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Rutgers University in 2008, graduating summa cum laude with Highest Departmental Honors in both philosophy and political science. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor (JD) from Rutgers School of Law–Camden in 2011. During law school, he worked as a legal writing teaching assistant, participated in Hunter Moot Court, and completed a judicial externship with the Honorable Jerome B. Simandle of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Published Sefer

Legacy of Light: Revealing the Torah’s Eternal Relevance

Rabbi Bob’s parashah book, Legacy of Light: Revealing the Torah’s Eternal Relevance (2021), explores the depth and practical relevance of Torah in contemporary life, offering insights that connect timeless ideas to personal growth and elevated daily living. The work reflects his broader mission: to help people view Torah not only as a subject of study, but also the ultimate guidebook for finding meaning and purpose, improving our character, and becoming our best selves.

Torah Publications and Editing

In addition to Legacy of Light, Rabbi Bob has written Torah articles for Chabad.org, including “The Power of Me” and “Yachatz: Sacrificing for the Future,” and for Aish.com, including “Hitting the Frog” and “The Peel Before the Fruit.” He has also published essays on The Times of Israel blog and contributed to TorahSweets.

His editorial work includes editing a sefer on the first chapter of Pirkei Avot.