Audio Roundup 2026:31
by Joel Rich
From R Rimon – Does anyone do this? If not, Why not
157 בעבר נהגו לומר “צאו לקראת האבל” לפני אמירת “מזמור שיר ליום השבת”, כדי לנחם את האבל לפני כניסת השבת וגם כדי להזכיר שכעת נכנסת שבת ואי אפשר יהיה לנחם. וכך יש לנהוג במקומות שבהם אומרים קבלת שבת לפני השקיעה. אולם כיום, ברוב בתי הכנסת אומרים “מזמור שיר ליום השבת” לאחר השקיעה, ואין זה נכון שכניסת האבל לבית הכנסת תהיה בזמן זה, מאחר שאין מנחמים בשבת. לכן עדיף שהאבלים ייכנסו אחרי תפילה מנחה, לפני “לכו נרננה”, ואז יאמר הגבאי “צאו לקראת האבל”, והמתפללים ינחמו את האבל ויאמרו “המקום ינחם אותך”.
157. In the past, the custom was to say “Let us go out to greet the Sabbath Queen” before the recitation of Mizmor Shir LeYom HaShabbat, in order to remind people to bring the food into the synagogue before the onset of Shabbat, and also so that it would still be possible for them to do so. However, today, in places where Kabbalat Shabbat is recited before sunset, there is no need to follow that practice, since saying Mizmor Shir LeYom HaShabbat is after sunset, and therefore the entrance of Shabbat occurs at that time, after people are no longer bringing food into the synagogue on Shabbat. Consequently, only after the Mizmor is completed, before Lekhu Neranena (“Come, let us sing”), does the gabbai announce, “Go out to greet the mourner,” whereupon the congregation comforts the mourner and says, “May the Omnipresent comfort you.”
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The SA OC 154:2 states that the tora is shown to the people before it’s been read. The Rama notes that the practice has become show it after the tora is read.
The Shyarei Knesset Hagedola approves of the switch in practice because the masses thought that seeing the tora was more important than reading it and therefore, since they remain to see the sefer Torah, we read it first and afterwards show it to the people.
Any thoughts on whether this was a psychological change over time that people started thinking that seeing was more important than hearing? In any event, why would people think that sseeing was more important than hearing?
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/461232
R’ Yitzchak Breitowitz-Ohr Somayach Yarchei Kallah 2026: Q&A Session
Q&A including chatzi hallel (why), hallel on yom haatzmaut, davening in a shul which was originally orthodox and now not (ok during non-occupied times), tikun chatzot/churban recognition, what were the simanim given by Rachel to Leah, chareidim/army (listen to gedolim), AI (psak – no, usage – yes), minhagei yisrael (follow in general), tzedaka as a kapara, cohanim go up when called to duchen, and waiting 6 hours.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1181378
Rabbi Shalom Rosner-Tefilah in Challenging Times
Tfila is a mitzva which reflects our emuna and allows us to change ourselves. It’s all about connection with HKB”H.
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/461527
R’ Asher Weiss-Ohr Somayach Yarchei Kallah 2026: Kriyas HaTorah
What is the halachic status of a takana of Moshe Rabbeinu? Is kriat hatorah a chovat hayachid or tzibbur? Do we too often try to interpret gemara as representing disagreements in fundamentals when the difference may only be in the details?
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1181835
Rabbi Daniel Fridman-Tzedaka as a Halakhic Response to the Three Weeks
Yechezkel compares Bnai Yisrael to Sdom – our attitude towards giving tzedaka defines us as either zera Avraham or Sdom (their not giving didn’t bother them).
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182037
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-Ten Minute Halacha – Milah on Yom Tov Sheini Through Amirah L’Yisrael
Can a ben chu”l ask an Israeli mohel to do a delayed mila on the “second day” of Yom Tov in aretz? R’ Asher Weiss says you can’t stitch rejected shitot into a heter; R’ Lebowitz isn’t sure all the shitot for this mila (including shlichut issues) are truly rejected.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182050
Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky-Licking The Silver Spoon: Judaism on Wealth
Our community is too into taavot (money, food…) and this needs to be reversed. (Me – you mean toameha, as practiced today, wasn’t designed to support local merchants or enhance Shabbat???)
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/460712?seriesId=164
R’ Shmuel Fuerst-Interesting Shailos: Children’s clothing & the 9 days, taking medicine on fast day, paying child for behavior on Shabbos, Manicure/Pedicure on same day, and more
Q&A including washing children’s clothes during the 9 days (buy enough so no need), antibiotics on a fast day (ok, but not with food), schar shabbos for katan (no), cutting toenails and fingernails on same day (if you must), no geirut l’chumra if mom is Jewish (misleading), converts no issur of yichud w/parents, kashering dishwashers, kaddish yatom at end of tfila (rshut or chova?), and nida rowing with husband (no).
https://18forty.org/podcast/finance-debate/
Finance Debate: Larry Rothwachs and Leslie Ginsparg Klein
Way too much to say so I’ll just make a few quick general observations
1) when there’s no objective data available anyone can substitute their anecdote for data
2) education is the long-term answer for everything (only long term and there’s never enough time to educate on everything)
3) listen 54 minutes in concerning the role of frum magazines!
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1181807
Rabbi Shay Schachter-Camp Simcha Question and Answer Session With Rav Shay Schachter
Pray that your prayers are answered brachamim ubratzon. No outsider can truly understand the challenges that camp HASC children face.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1181789
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-Ten Minute Halacha – Tzitzis Strings Hanging Down or Off to the Side
Tzitzit should hang from the side. If you move them to that position on Shabbat, is it a halachic tikun mana?
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1181831
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-From The Rabbi’s Desk – Right This Way Sir or Madam
You are the gender you were born as, but depending on the purpose of mechitza (seeing vs. mingling), you could argue for different seating arrangements.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182155
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-Ten Minute Halacha – An Avel Eating at a Bris
What is the simcha and mitzva status of the seudah at a brit, and what food makes it a seudah? Implications include an avel attending and eating at a brit.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182154
Rabbi Yonason Sacks-Pikuach Nefesh and Shabbos
The gemara gives a number of possible sources for the concept of pikuach nefesh. This will have implications for a number of applications, including safek pikuach nefesh and spiritual dangers.
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/461487
R’ Asher Weiss-Divrei Chizuk for The Three Weeks
A call for ahavat chinam today.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/1179903/
Rabbi Shmuel Lesher-The History of Torah Im Derech Eretz and Torah Umadda – Part 1 – Origins in the Modern Age – Rav Hirsch’s Approach and the Opposition
Torah Im Derech Eretz can best be described as religious humanism, and R’ Hirsch believed it to be lchatchila. R’ Dessler saw too much focus on the laity and not enough on producing gdolei Torah.
https://m.torahbase.org/mp3/Matos_he_86.mp3
Rav Asher Weiss-במהות מצוה האבילות
Aveilut for a loved one is about kavod hameit or tshuva, not about mitztaer. It’s raui (and human nature) to cry for three days and for the community to be mnachem (but it’s not din to cry). Yom Kippur inuyim are also not about tzaar, but tshuva.
Tisha bav tzaar and aveilut are against our and involve a mitzva.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182174
Rabbi Shmuel Lesher-The History of Torah Im Derech Eretz and Torah Umadda – Part 2 – Rav Schwab, the Gedolim, and Humanism After the Holocaust
R’ Schwab’s response to R’ Dessler and the responses R’ Schwab got from various gedolim concerning TIDE. His bottom line – eilu v’eilu.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182264
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-AYS – Answering YUr Shailos – Matos/Masei 5786
Q&A including heterim for 3 weeks/9 days practices for dating (no), special needs camp serving meat 9 days (counselors avoid, but…), wash for motzi and take something to table (OK), asking to switch airplane seats based on gender (depends), saying tehilim if not meaningful to you (learn them better, or some other mitzvot); PDAs (depends on age, place and type of display), oneg vs. kavod Shabbat in comfort situation (kavod), who can make a siyum for 9 days and on what (woman yes, many possibilities), katan fasts three times prior to Bar Mitzvah (no basis), and lice checking on Shabbat (OK, subject to restrictions).
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182150
Rabbi Daniel Fridman=The Moderation and Torah Widsom of Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai: Rabbinic Leadership in Churban
R’ Yochanan ben Zakai realized that the bet hamikdash could only exist if the Jewish people were worthy; his three requests were designed towards that end.
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/qi6ue588y97rktcx/Headlines_7-11-26.mp3
Eli Rowe,Rabbi Aryeh Kerzner,Rabbi Avraham Kaas-7/11/26 – Shiur 567 – Extreme Sports and Halacha| How to have a successful marriage
Sakanta is chamura misura, sakana is defined here as a combination of societal perception and statistical materiality.
Divorce rates in the Orthodox community are (anecdotally) higher today. Why? What can be done about it?
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182262
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-From The Rabbi’s Desk – How Eggxactly Can I Be Mesader Kidushin?
Is the gestational carrier or the DNA contributor the halachic mom? Since the answer is unclear, we require a geirut lechumra, but what if the child isn’t frum and now wants to marry. R’ A. Lebowitz tends towards no, since it affects future generations. (me: Bet Hillel married Bet Shammai – did they keep records forever of questionable cases?)
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182369
Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner-Introducing my new book – “Bedside Halacha: A Practical Guide for Healthcare Professionals
Issues discussed include the importance of frum medical professionals, AI’s impact, different types of choleh, and opportunities to educate.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182294
Rabbi Michael Taubes-Parshas Mattos-Massei “Is a Special Berachah Recited Upon Seeing the Mediterranean?”
Historical debate – is the yam hagadol that gets a special bracha the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, or something(s) else?
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182248
Rabbi Yitzchak Mandel-Can You Wear Crocs On Tisha B’av?
Are shoes defined for tisha b’av restrictions the same way they are for Yom Kippur? Is it about leather, comfort, or protection? Must your feet feel the ground? We are generally lenient, but some are strict.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182357
Rabbi Shay Schachter-Camp Simcha Campers Question and Answer Session With Rav Shay Schachter – Part 2
Some real raw emotion – Can you be angry at HKBH? Does HKBH give anyone a test they can’t conquer? How do we relate to suicides?
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/461843
R’ Yitzchak Breitowitz-Ohr Somayach Yarchei Kallah 2026: Kriyah on Makom HaMidkash
Is tearing on the mikdash designed to generate feelings of loss, or to reflect them? Are the laws of tearing on the mikdash parallel to those of losing a parent, or those of losing other relatives? What are the triggers? What are workarounds, and do they work? What about tearing on arei yehuda and jerusalem?
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/462298?seriesId=164
R’ Shmuel Fuerst-Interesting Shailos: Second 10% of Maaser Money, Raw/Cooked Egg Left Overnight, Toiveling Pots in Lake/River, Women Toiveling in Lake/River, Shabbos Feeding of Stray Cats, Avel Poter Minyan From Tachanun, Removing Breadcrumbs on Shabbos, Rainhat over Hat, RainBonnet over Sheitel, Man between Two Women, Women between Two Men
Q&A including: 2nd 10% of ma’aser can go towards mitzvot; cracked eggs left in the fridge overnight (ok); toiveling a kli in a man-made lake (not sure, other choices); toiveling in a lake rather than a mikvah (only if a big tircha); feeding a stray cat on Shabbat (ok); saying tachanun when an avel in shiva is in shul (yes, unless he is the chazan); crumbs on the table on Shabbat (nowadays the minhag is that they can be moved=mius); a rain hat over a hat (no, unless protecting the head); don’t walk between two women.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182467
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz-From The Rabbi’s Desk: Yichud With The Sister
Yichud with a sister is only rabbinically forbidden on a kavua basis (TBD). How does the presence of a sister’s friend impact the rules of yichud? A teshuva of R’ Moshe was examined.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182418
Rabbi Isaac Rice-Halachos Of Neighbors: Opening Shuls and Schools that Disturb Others
General rules of a neighbor’s hezek vs. other’s chazaka examined. Shuls (and other “public” mitzvot) have a lower threshold to allow building in a residential area (including defining need).
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1182481
Rabbi Itamar Rosensweig-Jewish Political Theory: Kingship and Government
Is appointing a king a mitzva (Rambam) or a rshut (Abarbanel)? If the latter, the executive function can be split a number of ways.