by Joel Rich
From a non-ben brit who clearly gets it, how many of us do:
And I am going to take this time to do my part. In the spirit of Yom Kippur, I truly hope that I haven’t offended you or wronged you throughout this year. If I have it was unintentional but I wish you would share it with me so that I can make sure to do better in the coming year. (I love that part of this tradition . . . assuming I am understanding it even remotely correct.)
Note re: refusal to teach some secular studies given requirement to make a living:
When there’s a perceived cognitive dissonance between the theoretical and the actual, it may be worthwhile to question whether one has completely mapped the theoretical.
In this case might one suggest that what is missing from the theoretical framework provided is an overarching concern that for an unacceptable percentage of the population the exposure to non-Torah stimuli will cause too many to leave. Of course one would have to define how many is too many, but I wonder why our grounding isn’t strong enough to withstand that exposure.
- Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg-Halacha Topics – Rosh Hashona
Topics include: Forgetting hamelech hakadosh rules; simanim – brachot order and meaning (it’s all about tfila), tashlich issues, and not sleeping parameters.
- Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman-Parshat Vayishlach: When You Are Mechuyav To Be Scared Of The Dark…
Why is that that the gemara says not to go out alone at night yet everyone does so? (artificial illumination)
- Rabbi Zev Smith-Hilchos: Beginning of Davening
Morning prayers issues – one key is proper attitude (eg modeh ani, yitgabeir kari …) Discussion include: putting tfilin and tallit on outside of shul, being one the first ten in shul, makom kavua, karbanot, al ntilat yadaim, and order of prayer
- Rabbi Yona Reiss-Business Halacha 101: Business Halacha for Women
Women’s business issues including: finding meaning in business, home food business (need hechsher), shmitat ksafim, sales on shabbat, yichud, paying on time, employment termination, going to secular court, non-competition contracts, hasagat gvul, lashon hora and shalom bayit
- Rabbi Daniel Stein-Starting From Scratch with Selichos
There’s a connection between slichot starting on the day of creation and that day being related to bein hamitzarim. (Note that tikkun chatzot is a fourth tfila) There’s also a connection to personal tshuva requiring destruction and restarting.
- Rabbi Zev Smith-Answering Dvarim Shebikdusha during Davening
sets out some general rules for interrupting different parts of the davening for amen, kaddish … etc. He tries to keep it simple but there are complications.
- Rabbi Zev Smith-Insects on Shabbat
Is tzeida about taking away freedom or gaining control. Specific applications discussed including domesticated animals, ones that move slowly (by nature or special circumstances), bothersome ones and much more.
- Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman-Parshat Nitzavim: The Proper Way To Say L’Shana Tova Teikaseiv….
What’s the proper greeting on and after Rosh Hashana morning? It’s got to do with who is written down, when and for what! Perhaps we should look at others as tzadikim and ourselves as beinonim!
- Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz-Q&A- Mikva, Teshuva Tactics & Rav Nachman of Breslov
Q&A including: copper snake’s efficacy, secular studies/parnasa, aliya decision making¸ HKBH judges on a curve, kabala’s force and source, carrot vs stick of Elul, dead sea scrolls/septuagint, abortion, mikdash, chareidi dress (team/uniform), tznius dress standards, history of kipa sruga, Breslov issues, exercise (OK), dress conformity (new thing), and army service.
- Rabbi Tanchum Cohen-The Unique Avodos of Tzom Gedalya: An Adventure in Tanach and Aggada
Recounting of Yishmael’s internecine “civil war” sealing the galut from Yerushalayim. He felt he should be leader so we need to correct this on tzom gedalia. We also need to learn from Gedalia’s error of not taking responsibility for himself (ignoring warnings).
- Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman-Hilchot Erev Yom Kippur and Yom Kippur
Discussion includes: kaparot, purpose of eating erev yom kippur (implications for women, choleh), does eating the night before count, being mfayes chaveiro, seudah mafseket, mikveh, vidui, and bracha on the tallit in the morning (covers the whole day?)
- Rabbi Hershel Schachter-Parshas Nitzavim
Parsha topics including: accuracy of count from briat olam, method for choosing haftaroth, mitzvot changing over time, galut haschina, bechira chofshit, tshuva, talmud torah-thinking counts), nistarot and niglaot, am hanivchar, and arvut/yatza/motzi.
- Rabbi Yudel Shain ,Simcha Eichenstein ,Avi Shick-9/24/22 – Shiur 389 – The Kashrus scandal in the Chinese Restaurant | The New York State Board of Regents vote regarding Yeshivos
The Manalapan Chinese restaurant fiasco was the fault of the OK according to a former mashgiach. The OK did not comment.The NY Times piece on Chassidic education was a hatchet job but there’s some disagreement as to whether there is actually a problem with Chassidic education.
- Rabbi Jeremy Wieder-Sichah – be-Shrirut Libbi Eilekh – Focus on the Self
We are surrounded by a society which doesn’t feel bound by authority and has an entitlement ethic which doesn’t consider the impact on others. We need meaning in our lives and to focus on our impact on others (and HKBH).
- Rabbi Moshe Taragin-Sichat Erev Rosh Hashana: Raise Your Imagination
Pre-Rosh Hashana mussar to gap year students. Incorporate the totality of Jewish history (galut and partial geulah) in your Rosh Hashana experience. It’s a heavy day yet a joyful one. Practical tips provided, some specific to Yeshivat Har Etzion. My favorite – stay in rosh hashana mode all day.
- Rabbi David Hirsch-Rav Hirsch’s Chabura – Sfeik Sfeika
Sfek sfeika is a very complex topics including factors such as: choshesh miuta, dita or dleta kamman, need to be able to reverse order, trei gufei and combining different types of sfeikot (halacha,mtziut)
- Rabbi Michael Rosensweig-Hashkafa Shiur – Teshuva and Our Relationship with Hashem 2
Geirushin may be required to improve our marriages and meet overarching Torah goals. Chazal made various takanot in this regard as times changed. While marriage may be a metaphor for our relationship with HKBH, there’s no divorce between the Jewish people and HKBH.
- Rabbi Hershel Schachter-Parshas Ki Teitze
Parsha thoughts on ki teitzei including: it’s not just zchirat amalek but also miriam, miriam’s sin – lashon hara or not recognizing Moshe’s unique status as a prophet, women and parshat zachor, do cohanim go to war? haftarat ki tzetzei, kesef for kiddushim (TSBP source to counteract karaites), Remarry divorced wife, pi shtaim inheritance issues, kdushat hamakom (all wars caused by bitul torah??), darshening smuchim, who to bury next to whom, yibum child naming (exception to pshat understanding) and more.
- Rabbi Yosef Blau-The Role of the Tzibbur in Selichos
Tzibbur (unlike yachid) has minimum merit to ask for rachamim and thus can say 13 midot and ask aneinu.
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-Ten Minute Halacha – Yichud in the Shark Pool
Can cameras defeat yichud (is yichud concerned about biah or a gzeira) need to look at each case separately!
- Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky-עניני ראש השנה
Rosh hashana topics including: what makes a shofar, defining a tkia, the nature of the mitzva, and bracha of shofar, is it a chag of simcha and are hamelech/yaaleh vyavo/morid hageshem intrinsic or extrinsic to the amida?
- Rabbi Shay Schachter-Why Don’t We Daven For Any of Our Personal Needs on Rosh Hashanah?
The main theme of rosh hashana as yom hadin is want HKBH to reveal himself to the world. We need to see ourselves all as one community and pray for the community as our main focus (vs our individual necks).
- Rabbi Shay Schachter-Desecrating Shabbos to Save the Life of a Non Jew
The application of halacha changes dramatically over time based on the lesser of two evils theory (eg R SZA on giving water to someone who won’t make a bracha in today’s world) (me-what is the halachic mechanism?). This isn’t Conservative Judaism since only the gedolim can make this call.
- Rabbi Dovid Miller-Shiur klali- Hilchot Rosh HaShana
Review of rosh hashana topics include: slichot, hatarat nedarim, cemetery and mikvah visits, hair cutting special clothes, crying in tfilah, nusach importance, simanim and second night practices.
- Rabbi Hershel Schachter-Taanis Tzibur and Rosh Hashana
Topics include: why no neilah but yes aneinu on taanit tzibur, how many fasters needed for vayichal? reading from pasul sefer torah rules, duchuning at mincha, 13 middot, differences in luchot why additions to amida are allowed for yamim noraim, malchiyot/shofrot and tkiyot, R YBS minhagim, and aleinu.
- Rav Yitzchak Etshalom –Special – Hashem Ori veYish’i – Psalm 27
In looking at tehilim one must look at the form structure and music and message. When a perek is tied to a “ritual” (eg ldavid and elul) we must ask why? If we look at the two halves of ldavid we see overconfidence in the first half but a nadir in the second half. Whichever situation, we need to realize that it’s all dependent on HKBH.
- Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman-Parshat Kedoshim: What You Can’t Say On Shabbos
No excessive speech on Shabbat unless you enjoy it! Even chaftzei shamayim are included in the “prohibition” (or is it midot chassidut) unless there’s a need. Specific emphasis on discussion travel to be done after Shabbat.
- Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman-Parshat Shemini: Tachanun When Not Davening In A Shul
Tachanun seems to get no respect but it’s an important and powerful prayer. It represents hachnaa/pain and morah for shechina. Sources provided for nfilat apayim in the presence of a sefer torah and there’s also discussion of doing so in a room with sfarim (or nearby ones).
- Rabbi Jonathan Ziring-Frameworks For Thinking about Precedent in Psak
The role of precedent in halacha – is it due to the agreement of later generations, a recognition that earlier generations were right or a desire for stability.
- Rabbi Dovid Miller-Shiur klali- Hilchot Rosh HaShana
First a review of dinim and minhagim from erev yom kippur through havdala and kiddush levana with particular focus on minhagim of the Gruss Kollel (reflecting minhagei RIETS and eretz Yisrael). The analysis of various approaches to yom tov sheini observance in eretz yisrael
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