by Joel Rich
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” — Oscar Wilde
Does this reflect orthodoxy?
I recently heard a shiur where the presenter described the “bad scholarship” of the Torah Tmimah when offering the “misread abbreviation” explanation (e.g. v’hazmanim really means fill in the holiday name). I thought it a bit unkind since ISTM the guessing about the historical circumstances of practices is what poskim do all the time (e.g. why some women have a minhag not doing mlacha on rosh chodesh)
- Zev Eleff-The Curious Invention Named Modern Orthodoxy
How has modern orthodoxy(Many didn’t like this term) been defined historically? What were the historical issues it faced?
- Rabbi Nosson Rich-Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Eruvin 362-6 and 363-1
Tzurat hapetach – how strong must the sides and top be? What if it’s curved?
Closed three sides with an open fourth side – what can you do? - Rabbi Shay Schachter-Do We Experience God in Exile? Do We Make an Effort to Let Him In?
We need to see HKB”H in good times or we may get bad times (me-Drashot Haran says this is one reason for punishment in this world – to change us). We need to get out of our comfort zones (read-leave galut)
- Rabbi Meir Eliyahu-תשעה באב
Who has to mourn the Beit Mikdash – everyone or just a Yirei Shamayim(fearer of heaven)? Maybe it depends on whether it’s public vs. private mourning.
Other interesting facts/questions:
* Which folks need to do things that a “yirei shamayim” (me- or midat chassidut) should do?* Reincarnation, can be necessary to do mitzvot that weren’t done in prior incarnations (but if that’s why you’re back, you’ll get a good life)
We’re not careful enough in picking Shochtim, Sofrim and Chazanim
HKB”H looks at your ROI (sound familiar )
- Rabbi Aryeh Leibowitz-Does the Rambam Deny Hashgacha Pratis?
Attempt at reconciling Talmudic sources on how much of everything that happens in the world is directly controlled by HKB”H.
- Rabbi Moshe Taragin,Rabbi Eli Reich,Rabbi Josh Grajower-NCSY KOLLEL Leil Iyun Talmud Torah for Teens
NCSY Kollel Kids questions: (1) What if I don’t enjoy learning? (2) What should I learn? (3) Can everyone be a talmid chacham? General answer-look for meaning in life! - Rabbi Meir Eliyahu-גלגול מחילות
Keep a rolling, rolling, rolling (HT-Rawhide). When the time comes to roll from our graves, where will we roll to and how painful will it be? Yaakov (in the medrash) as a paradigm of rolling concerns./li> - Mrs. Tamar Shames-Repairing a Rifted World: Empathy from a Torah Perspective
Where do we see empathy in the torah? (e.g. Moshe). How do we show empathy and why is it needed today? It’s all about making connections!
- Rabbi Yehuda Balsam-How Much Torah Do I Have To Learn?
Learning is good! Do as much as you can based on your ability, circumstances and cheshek (penchant? desire?).
- Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff-Common Shailos Regarding Tisha B’Av
Discussion of the permissibility of a choleh (ill person TBD) not fasting on Tisha B’av- Primary focus on pregnant women.
- Rabbi Dr Aaron Glatt-Organ Transplants in Halacha
Transplants from hair to heart – to be a poseik you need to know people and the technology.
- Rabbi Azarya Berzon-The Mussar Movement: Rav Yisrael Meir, the חפץ חיים, and his approach to the study of Halacha & Mussar
There’s a link between Tisha B’av and Shmini Atzeret (how fast leads up to Yom Tov). It’s all about dedication to Torah.
- Rabbi Jonathan Ziring-Mikdash Me’at – From the Beit Hamikdash to the Synagogue
Is birchat shechiyanu triggered by joy or changing times.
- Rav Asher Weiss-Tisha B’av
Fasts can be categorized into four primary types: Tshuva (repentance), Ritzui (mollifying HKB”H), Aveilut (mourning) and Zecher (remembering) – They all (mostly) have some element of repentance/atonement.
- Rabbi Aryeh Leibowitz-Textual, Historical, and Mystical Anomalies of Sefer Devarim
How is Devarim (Mishna Torah) different from the other four books of the Bible?
- Rabbi Ezra Wiener-Daf Yomi Iyun Topics: בל תאחר
When is a delay in doing a mitzvah just not preferable vs. it being sinful?
- Rabbi Ezra Schwartz-Halachic Men Season V Episode VI: The Raavad
Was the Raavad’s main contribution his commentary on the Rambam, the Talmud, marginalizing the Gaonim or recognizing local stimuli in halacha.
- Rabbi Sariel Malitzky-Have an Easy and Meaningful Fast: Are You Allowed to Make it Easy and How Can You Make it Meaningful?
Is it permissible to make one’s fasting easier? We should certainly make it more meaningful!
- Rabbi Isaac Rice-Learning Torah on Shabbos Tisha B’Av
There are a number of opinions concerning learning on erev Tisha B’av. When Tisha B’av falls out on Shabbat things are compounded. Best practice – no public general Torah Shiurim after chatzot and in private only Tisha B’av permitted topics.
- Rabbi Dr. Jacob J Schacter-Why Is Tisha B’av Relevant in 2019?
Tisha B’av special. Tisha B’av has a dual character – Inuy (deprivation) and Aveilut (mourning). We are really mourning for today. Hesped(eulogy) is both rational (portraying the loss) and emotional (weeping for how much we miss).
- Rabbi Nosson Rich-Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Eruvin 363-2
When will tzurat hapetach work?
- Rabbi Jeremy Wieder-Tisha B’Av What Are We Praying For
Sacrifices have value as (1) a substitute for what should have happened to us (2) a reminder that everything belongs to HKB”H (3) an indication that there is a difference between man and the animals (4) a part of a prayerful life.
- Rabbi Nosson Rich-Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Eruvin 362-3
When and where will a lechi work? What can it be made of?
- Rabbi Meir Eliyahu-הרב מאיר אליהו במשפחת משה
Imitato dei (mah hu, af atah) is a key to living our lives, but what’s the deal with HKB”H playing with the leviathan?
- Rabbi Nosson Rich-Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Eruvin 363-4
More on what a lechi can be made from. How visible must a lechi be? Must you have planned to use a lechi before Shabbat?
- Rabbi Jonathan Muskat-The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and the Prohibition to Study Torah on Tiisha B’Av
History of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. We are to influence the world by being a role model (which we can only be through Torah learning).
- Rabbi Shmuel Irons,Rabbi Yaakov Feitman,Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz -8/10/19 Tisha B’Av, Galus and the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash
Understanding the HolocaustSome Tisha B’av mussar; explaining the holocaust, and why did R’Yochanan Ben Zakkai ask for saving R. Tzadok (zecher l’churban) and R’Gamiliel (zecher l’mikdash)?
- Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom-Mikra: Gateway to Midrash
The important question to ask about aggadot is not whether they happened but why were they told and why told in this specific way? Examples include:(1) biblical parallels to give a message (2) Interpreting biblical stories in the light of other biblical themes (3) Responses to contemporary issues. Remember Tanach itself did this as well and chazal are not always of one philosophic voice.
- Rabbi Chayim Soloveichik-How Will the 3rd Temple be Built as Compared to the 2nd Temple
We need righteousness (tzedek) and love (ahavah). We must care about every brother.
- Rabbi Ezra Schwartz-tisha bav sincha 5779: Tipisa Leyeshua
What are the practical halachic applications of tzipita l’yshua? (did you actively await moshiach?
Please direct any informal comments to [email protected].
