by Joel Rich
All other things being equal, would you choose to daven mincha ktana and eat a rushed shalosh seudot afterwards, daven mincha ktana and eat a relaxed shalosh seudot beforehand, or daven mincha gdola and eat a relaxed shalosh seudot afterwards? Why?
If there were one thing you wished they had taught you before you finished your formal Jewish education, what would it be?
- Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst,Rabbi Zalman Graus,Mr. Ben Brafman,Rabbi Ari Marbuger,Mr. Eli Fried-7/1/23 – Shiur 425 – HOT DEAL OR HOT AIR – Ponzi Schemes Proliferating – The Halachic, legal, and monetary ramifiactions“If it sounds too goo to be true it probably is” – kach mkublani mbeit avi abba (and index funds investing from studying Zinbarg, zeikel and Cohen for the actuarial exams). Don’t rely on beit din to get your money back!
- Rabbi Johnny Solomon-Modern Orthodox interiority: Men, Women, and the unspoken spiritual crisis facing our community We need to work (as a community/leadership ) on our spirituality and faith. Social orthodoxy just won’t cut it.
- Rabbi Shraga Kallus-Hilchot Berachot: Chulent, Sushi Yum A review of the general principles of ikar and tafel and then demonstration of the challenge of applying them in a number of practical cases.
- Rabbi Daniel Hartstein-The Cannabis Conundrum: Is Marijuana Mutar Primarily a review of R’ Moshe’s smoking marijuana tshuva (Me-see the 1936 movie “Reefer Madness” for more detail)
- Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst-Valuing Damage, Mazik a Jew/Goy, Paying for Various Shadchanis Continuation of the discussion of how damages are evaluated, but either way one shouldn’t damage someone else’s property (even if they are willing to pay for it) what about damaging a non-Jews property? Also discussed, cases of shidduchim of people or property- to whom and when is payment due?
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-Rav Eisen – the Posner Rav @CampKaylie We say birchat cohanim in the morning after birchat hatora because we became a nation of cohanim through the tora. The reward for supporting torah learning is great – always have a sefer (me – or mp3) with you and be an ameil btorah.
- Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz-The Paradox of Parah Aduma The source of all tuma is death – but what are its halachic and hashkafic implications?
- Rabbi Jonathan Muskat-Chassidut and Neo-Chassidut in our communities Short history of chassidim and mitagdim and their parallel evolution to suspicion of outside cultures. Neo-chassidut is about warmth within a modern context, much like the original chasidut.
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-Ten Minute Halacha – Netilas Yadayim on Pool Water Is pool water considered “used” and thus invalid for ntila with a kli? Is it considered shuvim for dipping hands? Best to avoid.
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-From The Rabbi’s Desk – A Pidyon Haben on My Eight Year Old Son When the cohain returns the coins from a pidyon, does the pidyon work? It may be dependent on understanding the intent of both parties (and the presumed intent in which there is none- arghhhh).
- Rabbi Shraga Kallus-Roadtrip!!! General rule – a road trip is a good time to grow up and take responsibility! Specific issues discussed include: taking tfilin, keep learning, get rshut, greet others, livui, don’t go back, give tzedeka, be a shaliach mitzva and daven btzibur.
- Rabbi Shraga Kallus-Roadtrip Part 2 Topics include: mezuza on rentals; answering amen without a kipa; shabbat sunbathing; washing in the ocean; tfilat haderech; brachot on natural wonders; and entering churches, mosques, and wax museums.
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-Ten Minute Halacha – Putting a Computer on Top of Seforim“Halachically” it may be OK to rest a computer on sfarim but hashkafically not so much.
- Rabbi Josh Kahn-Three Approaches to the Sin that Caused the Churban Lesson from the churban – dan lchaf zchut and be a caring person and part of a caring community.
- Rabbi Asher Weiss-פרשת בלק: קדושת בתי מדרשות ובתי כנסיות The kedusha of a beit midrash shel rabbim is greater than that of a beit knesset. What about the relative statuses of a beit medrash shel yachid, yeshiva ktana, beit knesset sometimes used for learning, ezrat nashim, cheder bet din or shaarim hamitzuyanim bhalacha (TBD)?
Why are we lenient today concerning eating and other mundane activities in holy spaces?
- Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff-Is Clapping & Dancing Allowed On Shabbos?- Part 2″ If the takanat chazal seem against dancing and clapping on shabbat, why do they seem to prevalent? A number of possible approaches discussed (eg the original takana was limited to certain circumstance, dancing changed, kavod hatora, simchat yom tov …).
- Rabbi Jonathan Ziring-Shechar and Mesibot Akum While the issur of bishul akum seems normative, not result based, the issur of shechar seems more result oriented. Does it extend to coffee houses, other drinks? Is it an issue of chatnut, idol worship, practical psak, for moshav leitzim? Applications discussed.
- Rabbi Daniel Reich-Is There any Significance to the Year 6000? There are downsides to calculating when moshiach will come.
Also discussed, what is the purpose of the galut?Description
- Rabbi Moshe Taragin-שיעור בענין איסור לא תנחשו Does nichush not work or does it work but we shouldn’t use it (be tamim)? Statistics could be the new nichush if used improperly.
- Rabbi David Hirsch-Cheirem Rabeinu Gershom & Heter Meah Rabanan – Summer Kollel 2023 Discussion of the seemingly paired cherems of rabbeinu gershom (monogamy, no forced get for wife) and when do or don’t they apply. This question has implications for when a heter meah rabbanim is needed and can be used. Also discussed, is an eved knani chayav in pru urvu or shevet?
- Dr. Avraham Steinberg-Shiur and Q&A for Rabbonim on Medical Halacha topics Q and A including: mitochondria DNA as a proof of Jewishness, what makes for a siman muvhak, use of DNA in halacha, who is the mom, genetic disclosures (shidduch issues), and medical school – must you go to a shomer shabbat program if you have a choice?
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-From The Rabbi’s Desk – Can We Swimply? If a couple rents a private pool with security cameras, is there an issue of the wife’s not being dressed in a tsniut fashion? It may depend on the specifics and who you ask.
- Dr. Avraham Steinberg-Q&A on Medical Halacha topics for doctors and community members Q and A including: surrogate mom, kidney donation, transgender, call buttons, Vatican – EOL and inter-religions council, abortion, and organ donation.
- Dr. Avraham Steinberg-Genetics in Halacha Genetics topics including: DNA identification, simanim, Jewish identity, genetics and PIGD.
- Rabbi Pinny Rosenthal-Jewish Business Law Unveiled: Unraveling the Cases of No Parking, Sticky Fingers, and Buying Stolen Goods Discussion of choshen mishpat questions including: parking on someone else’s property without permission, employer’s responsibility for employee’s theft and purchasing suspected stolen goods.
- Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman-Magic and Sorcery in Halachah and HashkafahDescription
- title Rambam v Ramban on does magic work plus defining different forms of “magic” today. Quotes one of my favorites “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” (HT – Arthur C Clarke) (me-but how did the fax machine send the paper through the telephone wire?)
- Rabbi Dr. Yosef Bronstein-Rav Kook: Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook’s Response to the Question: “Is this the State that the Nevi’im Foresaw?” R Tzvi Yehuda viewed the state as part of an ongoing, still incomplete, geula process. While we don’t understand HKBH’s “reasons”, the shoa might have been surgery to get the nation back on the right track.
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-From The Rabbi’s Desk – Speaking at Adirei Hatorah During Shiva Review of the issued raised in the appearance of R MT Bergman at the adire torah event during his shiva. The specifics of R SB Cohen’s guidelines and R Y Lichenstein’s opposition. One specific issue – when do we say rabim tzrichim lo?
- Rabbi Moshe Taragin-שיעור בענין תפילת הדרך Is tfilat haderech a tfilah or bracha? If it’s a bracha, what type is it? Perhaps it’s a matir?
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