by Joel Rich
To a maggid shiur: Just wanted to tell you that I very much appreciated your bringing in the social sciences to your discussion of tzedakah. Blum’s work on empathy is especially interesting, I always find it fascinating that people think that pure logic can answer moral questions.
Anyway, that’s the tora umada I was raised on and try to live, but unfortunately see very little of it
In Moscow in 1936 Rav Moshe was asked (Y”D 1:54) concerning a situation where non-religious children were the only source of food for their religious parents. Could such children be relied upon concerning the kosher status of the food provided. He was mchadeih that while such individuals don’t have neemanut, if the parents “knew” that the children would not lie to them on this issue, they could be relied upon in a case of great need. A “yedia brura”, based on actual experience would be required as well as an underlying theory as to why the child would not do such a thing.
It occurred to me that, even if a rabbi gave such a ruling, the ruling would be conditional on the parent’s judgment as to whether he had “yedia brura”, rather than the rabbi’s evaluation of the knowledge. Quite a burden to put on somebody who will certainly be impacted by the result, any thoughts appreciated.
- Rabbi JB Soloveitchik- The Secret of the Baal Teshuvah Powerful emotional excerpt from the 1969 tshuva drasha -we can use our shortcomings to drive us into HKBH’s arms.
- Dr. Beni Gesundheit-Tefilot in the Talmud: Comparisons Between the Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi (Part 2) The Bavli’s conception of Rosh Hashana is one of fright. The Yerushalmi’s views it as a reflection of HKBH’s empowering us and taking nachas as well as celebrating our relationship.
- Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz-Q&A- Tzimtzum, Family Member Negiah & Haredi vs Modern Orthodox Q&A including: terrorism pre-moshiach, preparation for davening, tzimtzum, ngiah with relatives, joy and fear in the blowing of the shofar, relating to reform and conservative individuals, women/srara, chareidi/religious zionists/modern orthodox, R M Kahane, and picking a community.
- Rabbi Zev Smith-“Iruy” (Pouring) in Halacha What is the status of irui for kashrut and shabbat cooking purposes? Pretty much the psak is kidei klipa. Particular applications discussed.
- Rabbi Avishai David-Hilchos Rosh Hashanah (סימן תקפא -תקפב) Analyses Halachot of slichot with a nod towards R YBS. Topics include: timing, what to say, how to dress, who should be the shatz, and slichot being a hakdama to all the day’s tfilot.
Also covered, fasting and mikveh on erev rosh hashana.
- Rabbi Yehuda Turetsky-Is There a Requirement to Purify Oneself Before Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur? Are going to the mikveh and going to see your rebbi pre-chag considered hechsher mitzvot for the chag or are they more general mitzvot which gain focus pre-chag.
- Rabbi Moshe Shulman-KOHELET! The Sphinx of Scriptures (Part 3) Examples of the voices of the yirei hashem (there is much we don’t know but HKBH runs the world) and the true hedonist (it’s all about me) TBC
- Rabbi Shay Schachter-Studying and Appreciating Science & Sharing Our Love for Hashem With Others Understanding yirat hashem and (the higher level) ahavat hashem.
- Rabbi Moshe Taragin-גילו ברעדה…במצות שופר RYBS on the lessons of the physical and spiritual involved in shofar and tfila. We each must find our balance of gila (joy) and raada (trembling)
- Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman,Rabbi Larry Rothwachs ,Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz ,Rabbi Shay Schachter-Mental Health and its Real Life Implications on Psak Halacha Panel discussion concerning mental issues within the orthodox community. Issues discussed include: OCD, exposure therapy, community sensitivity, and trade-offs between short-term transgressions and long-term torah life.
- Rabbi Dovid Miller-shiur klali- Selichot R YBS on slichot as a tfila beit tzara and the implications thereof. Timing and text slichot issues also discussed. It’s about living the 13 midot, not just saying them.
- Rabbi Moshe Taragin-Sichat Mussar for Nitzavim/Vayeilech: Standing Tall In The Face of Religious Responsibility; The “Dream” Experiment; Immutability of Torah; They Are Laughing in Heaven Mussar to change talmidim’s lives. Have vision, willpower and discipline to “answer the call”. You will love Yom Kippur!
- Rabbi Asher Weiss-שבת סליחות – פניה למלאכי השרת It’s all from HKBH but perhaps angels/tzaddikim can help/direct our prayers. Examples provided. How do human given brachot work?
- Rabbi Ezra Schwartz-Simanim on Rosh Hashana: Why, how and which? Are the simanim on rosh hashana to be eaten or looked at? What brachot are made and do you use shem hashem in the yhi ratzon? Is a new fruit for shehechiyanu a good idea?
- Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman-Are We Giving Tzedakah for the Right Reasons? Moving Beyond Empathy The impact on the giver of tzedakah is important. Empathy is useful but must be balanced by halacha. (eg legitimacy of recipient, priorities in giving). (me-did I ever mention life is about balance)
- Rabbi Larry Rothwachs-Who Me? Couldn’t Be: Confronting Our Tendency Towards Denial and Blame Examples from Tanach concerning denial and acceptance of responsibilities.
- Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner -Bikkur Cholim III: Prayer with Patients – Mentioning their Names Mikar ladin you probably don’t need to say the prayed for choleh’s name but there may be hashkafic and psychological reasons to do so.
- Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman-The nature of Safek Berachos LHakel In general, we hold safek drabanan lkula and thus safek brachot lhakel. There are counter pressures in birchat hanehenin (bracha rishona) of bracha lvatala versus not benefitting from this world without a bracha.
- The Prophet Yona and Maftir Yona (Part 3)-Simi Peters Yona would rather have died then go to ninveh. The being swallowed by the fish (and associated medrash) was to remind him of his destiny (mission). Next up – Ninveh’s immediate acceptance came from the grass roots.
- What is a Kosher Shofar?-Rabbi Dr. Ari Zivotofsky Description
- title We don’t have any details on shofar construction from the tanach but we do have mishnayot, shulchan aruch, traditions and art history. What do they teach us?
- Rabbi Jonathan Ziring-Three Approaches to Studying Aggada Rambam and his three groups of aggadic interpreters. Both the rationalists and the kabbalists accept that some midrashim are not literal but they differ on how to interpret them.
- Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky-Tzitzis 1: בגדר חיוב מצות ציצית, בגדים החייבים בציצית ח”א What is the nature of the chiyuv of tzizit? (how much kiyumit, how much strongly suggested?) what type of beged (when worn, what materials?) TBC
- Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff-What To Know When Rosh Hashonah Falls Out On Shabbos Erev Rosh Hashana issues (especially when it falls out on Friday). Do we blow shofar? (since won’t on shabbat), buy a new knife (chassidim), saying achot ketana (sfardim), say bameh madlikin/kgavneh/avinu malkeinu, and shalom aleichem.
- Rabbi Hershel Schachter-Parshas Netzavim + Beginning of 1st Perek of Brachos The first part of the shiur is parsha related including: 2000 years of tora, bchira chofshit, jewish destiny, and hester panim.
The second part is gemara brachot related including: kriat shma (what is duraita/drabanan, when said), sippur v zchirat yitziat mitzraim, and maariv before tzeit.
- Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman-Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech: Taos Akum; Can You Cash That Check? What are the sources and parameters of gneivat akum and taut akum? Perhaps a good example of when halacha is a floor, not a ceiling?
- Rabbi Moshe Dovid Lebovits,Rabbi Yosef Vigler,Reb Alter Rabinovich-9/9/23 – Shiur 435 – מי אנכי שאזכה להתפלל – The Halachos and beauty of Tefillah – The decorum in Shul Prayer issues including: quality v quantity, learning v davening, individual v tzibur tradeoffs (clothing, timing, specific prayers), waking one for kriat shma, language of prayer and don’t talk during davening!
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- Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz-The Evolution of the Mitzvah of Tekiat Shofar How did we go from nine kolot to one hundred? When are they blown?
- Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst-Interesting Shailos from the week Q&A including: mzuza fastening, fasting for a dropped sefer torah, eruv chatzeirot in a hotel, packing on chol hamoed, automatic sprinkler on shabbat, mistaken birchat hamazon on cake, putting a kvittel in the kotel, women minyanim, mayim achronim and shehechiyanu on the first time doing a mitzva.
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