Audio Roundup 2026:34
by Joel Rich
Any thoughts on why R’ Moshe choose to open the Igrot Moshe (OC 1:1) with his teshuva on yarmulka size? I took note that it showed his trademark approach of going back to the gemara, not fearing later authorities if he’d come to a different understanding, differentiating between ikar hadin and later stringencies, and recognizing the reality of life in these United States while not undercutting stricter practices.
I recently heard a well-known rav state that acher told the Romans to stop the Jews from transmitting smicha. Anyone know of a source for this?
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/ujfx6j4hygzimjrp/Headlines_8-1-26.mp3
Rabbi Moshe Taub, Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky, Chaskel Bennett – 8/1/26 – Shiur 570 – Jews in America 1776 – Jews in America 2026 – Anti Semitism In America:
History of colonial era Jews and history of the orthodox five towns. NYC Jews should all hunker down (me – in their little Jerusalem? How has that worked out in the past?)
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/466941
R’ Zev Smith – “Smichas Geulah L’Tefillah”- Simanim: 66, 111, 236
Someich geula ltfila is a big deal (especially at netz). What’s the best way to do it and what’s with all the seeming interruptions (especially maariv?)
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184685
Rabbi Dr. Lazer Friedman – Halichos Olam: Daily Halacha: Travel: Does One Say Tfilas Haderech for Air Travel?
RYBS and the Rogatchover (for different reasons) say no tfilat haderech on airplane travel. Everyone else says yes; but when exactly should one say it?
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184354
Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner – Humanitarian Resource Allocation in Halacha: The Case of the Remaining Ethiopian Jews
Description of the Ethiopian Jewish community (poor but happy) and discussion of halachic prioritization of charitable needs (which are many).
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184410
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz – AYS – Answering YUr Shailos – Eikev 5786
Q&A including clarification of harachakot with women who aren’t your wife, chala cutting (cut first, give parent, then wife), chazarat hashatz (take it seriously), how to know if you’re ready to date is baala bir affected by cellphone locators, making up missed tora reading (general practice yes), ok to honestly protest DST changes, water bottle use after dairy and thenmeat (wash it), man davening in women’s section (don’t), and woman should make havdslah if husband had already been yotzeih
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184375
Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff – What One Needs To Know About Putting On The Tefilin Shel Yad
How many times do the rtzuot get wound around the arm and fingers and when? What are the sources of these practices? Is chatzitza an issue (eg watch, long hair)?
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184489
Rabbi Hershel Schachter – NCSY Kollel: Rav kook and His Talmidim @Mercaz HaRav
Storie of R’Shapira, the nazir, the aderet, R’ Kook, R’ Goren, and the Israeli Soloveitchiks.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184432
Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky – CBY Kollel Q and A
Q&A including how a posek addresses tech advances (mdameh milta), things we don’t do that texts say we should (so do them), “kiruv kulas” shaat hadchak), focus on learning the basics early on, how to remember sugyot (interconnect, write down), his trajectory, and learning out loud.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184468
Rabbi Howard Apfel – Does Jewish Tradition Recognize an Ethic Independent of Halacha?
Ethic outside of halacha? Dor Revii R Amital vs R Lichtenstein, and RYBS – try to understand, if can’t, surrender. 1st Perek Topics include Tzitzit tieing (#strings tcheilet vs white, length), zaken higia l’hora, halacha l’maaseh vs pilpul, acher told Romans to end smicha, R’ Yehuda Hanasi paskined against self in the mishna (sometimes), Tzitzit same color as beged?, why not just three (dam l’dam…) sidrei mishna.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184433
Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner – May One Cover an Existing Tattoo with a New One?
Ethiopian Jewish children are often tattooed by their parents with a thing that looks like a cross. R’ Rimon permits a tattoo on top to obfuscate it. Here’s his analysis.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184596
Coby Melkin – Meaning in a Post-Work Society
If AI replaces human workers how will society distribute resources (if no one works) and what will people do with their time. We believe “work” is redemptive but there are a number of valuable pursuits that can take its place (eg learning, chesed).
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184659
Rabbi Yehoshua Rubenstein – The Halachos of Tzedaka: The Importance, The Mitzvah, Tzedaka Collectors, and More..
Discussion of the importance and philosophy of tzedaka. What are the proper priorities in tzedaka and are there times you don’t have to give? (eg during tfila)
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184852
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz – AYS – Answering YUr Shailos – Re’eh 5786
Q+A including bug glue traps (tzaar baalei chayim?, probably not but don’t be achzar), relating to gay or intermarriage (spectrum of responses), anonymous donations (pros and cons), davening practice not mentioned in S”A (can’t hurt but should also do what’s in the S”A), psukim on jewelry etc. (generally bad practice), do you get credit for tzedaka if someone is taking from pushkeh (probably), better to buy locally or from Eretz Yisrael (toss up), schirat rshut for eruv, tartei dsatrei davening times-which daven btzibur, and what to do about alcohol and drugs in the frum community.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184701
Rabbi Moshe Walter – Zecher L’churban and Zecher L’mikdash: Similar or Different?
Zecher lmikdash and zecher lchurban are not identical but both reflect that we are missing something.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184646
Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner – Therapeutic Deception: Must Patients Know Why a Procedure Is Being Done?
Therapeutic lying to a patient is permitted in halacha.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184749
Rabbi Hershel Schachter – Eikev 5786
Avodah zara and related items are forbidden in the home. Is schirut kanya for this purpose?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pXUomalFOY
אם אפשר ללמוד הלכה מהשמטת הפוסקים Harav Asher Weiss
If a codifier (or posek?) doesn’t mention something, can we conclude he didn’t hold of it? It depends on the surrounding circumstances. Also covered, it’s ok for a major posek to change his mind about something but if he printed it, he must go out of his way to make sure everyone knows he was chozer.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184902
Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon – Seeing the Geula Unfold in front of Us
Case study of not fearing in war – is it to know HKBH will help, a promise that he will help, or an order not to fear. In any event, we live in redemptive times and we see HKBH’s promises being kept.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teew7qIflao
מצוות הלוואה – לא תהיה לו כנושה | שיעור שבועי מאת מרן הרב אשר וייס שליט”א
Loaning money is a mitzvah but one who knows they can’t repay the loan shouldn’t borrow. In our day, people are overly hesitant about loan collection but they shouldn’t be or else people won’t want to lend money.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184914
Rabbi Gedaliah Jaffe – Donations for an Uman Flight
Is a donation to enable a trip to Uman considered tzedakah? If you made a pledge but then the need was met from other sources, do you still have an obligation? If so, can the original intended recipient tell you who you must direct it to?
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184952
Rabbi Jonathan Muskat – Coffee at Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and 7-Eleven: Which is better… halachically?
One must know the specific mitziut concerning how coffee machines and utensils are washed and then apply bitul rules to know whether (l’chatchila or b’dieved) you can drink coffee at a non-kosher supervised provider. Also discussed, does the ban against entering a coffeehouse apply today? across the board?
https://minchasasher.com/he/shiur/%d7%a4%d7%a8%d7%a9%d7%94-%d7%a9%d7%99%d7%a2%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9d/%d7%91%d7%a2%d7%a0%d7%99%d7%9f-%d7%aa%d7%95%d7%9c%d7%a2%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%96%d7%a2%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9d/
Rav Asher Weiss – בענין תולעים זעירים
Halacha turns on normal human faculties (eg eyesight). Bugs are a good case study but if they are noticeable with a bit of effort, they are halachically noticeable. There are a number of historical leniencies but it’s easy enough to get checked veggies today.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184947
Rabbi Howard Apfel – Hashkafic Attitudes Towards Genocide What about Amalek: (Part 2 of Torah Values In a Changing World From Matan Tooran to Modern Society
Review of the prior shiur on ethics outside halacha. Then on to Amalek and how to deal with a mitzvah if you find it ethically challenging (either adjust your ethics or find meaning). TBC.
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/fj9nmuh4i39cpkr8/Headlines_8-8-26.mp3
Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaumm, Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, Rabbi Elyada Goldvich – 8/8/26 – Shiur 571 – A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A RAV!! – Hear things you’ll never see in writing – A peek behind the curtain
What is the major role of a pulpit rav? (Whatever that specific rav decides). What are the unique challenges and opportunities? (see prior). How do you give tochacha? (carefully). What chizuk can we give rabbis and laity? (God is in his heaven and all is right with the world (HT – Robert Browning))
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1185001
Rabbi Chaim Jachter – Why After Fifty Years I Still Look to Rav Schachter and Rav Willig for Guidance
Honesty and realism.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1184978
Rabbi Hershel Schachter – Making Kiddush on Whiskey
Is soup a mashke or a maachal? What about whiskey? The answer will determine whether the basic shiur is reviit or kezayit?
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/468003
R’ Asher Weiss – The Mitzvah of Building a Shul
R’ Weiss holds the “mitzvah” (d’rabbanan?) to build a shul is a din in hilchot tefila (not mikdash meat or tzorchei rabim). In chassidut the rebbe owns the shul (impacts on $ value ownership and level of kedushat bet knesset)
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/468151
R’ Zev Smith – Tashlumin” – Making Up Missed Tefillah – Siman: 108
Tashlumin is a make-up which is not equivalent to davening timely, it just gets you another shmoneh esrai (and davening is never superfluous). Lots of specific applications discussed (e.g. what is ones? should it be with a minyan…)
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1185132
Rabbi Aryeh Cohen – Altruism Fuels An Elul Journey To Hashem
What to take away from a summer learning program in eretz yisrael.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1185079
Rabbi Eli Weber – The issur of learning torah on Tisha B’Av and during Aveilut
Why is an avel forbidden to learn Torah? Either due to simcha or hemek dom (hesech hadaat) where Torah is an essential element of who he is. The differences between learning rules for avel and tisha b’av may be due to avel yeshana vs. chadasha.
https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1185091
Rabbi Noah Whittenburg=U’Lechaparas Pasha In A Leap Year
Why would kapparat pasha be added in a leap year and why not every month?
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/468231
R’ Shraga Kallus – Foodists
Eat healthy and bsimcha with proper table manners and divrrei torah. The focus on food in the orthodox community is not a good thing!
https://torahanytime.com/lectures/468335
R’ Shraga Kallus – Yud Gimmel Ikarim – Practical L’maaseh
Survey of the 13 midot and how they relate to current day issues/practices