by Joel Rich If something isn’t “mkubal”, even though it has significant mkorot, when does it become yuhara to do it? Four recent discussions I’ve had: saying al naharot bavel before birchat hamazon during the week, saying kriat shema with trop, putting on tallit and tfilin outside shul and saying hareini kaparat mishkavo for a parent in the first year ...

by Joel Rich Given that the kahal says the bracha for sfira/hallel after the shatz/rabbi, does your kahal answer Baruch hu Baruch shmo to the shatz/rabbi’s bracha? I was going to write a letter to Jewish Action concerning the artificial intelligence section, but realized it would be long enough for an article, for which I have no credentials. I just ...

by Joel Rich Iyunim B’Hilchos Brachos 2023 פרק כיצד מברכין   NOTE: These sessions have been continuing but Aguda has not posted any new ones since February. I will IY”H post the rest if, and when, Aguda posts them   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qjt_2Q1_5Zqmatmuh90-30hkjUJzNTAh/view?usp=share_link HaRav Shraga Kallus 2/1/2023-עיונים בהלכות ברכות Baked flour/water combinations make pot haba bkisnin. It’s not “chashuv” enough to be ...

by Joel Rich “One of the basic limitations of interpreting ancient text, lies, and comprehending the cultural references. When it comes to the meaning of physical gestures, biblical interpreters, engage in a good deal speculation, most of which means unsubstantiated.” This is a footnote in Dr. Yael Ziegler’s book on Lamentations (Iyov), but to me it’s a comment that reflects ...

by Joel Rich Have you ever been in an ashkenazi synagogue where a sfardi insisted on saying sfardi kaddish on an ongoing basis? If so, what was the rabbi’s/gabbai’s response, if any?? I assume at some point somebody is going to train chat GPT on responsa literature. Have you given any thought to this and the implications. Rabbi Moshe Sokoloff-Are ...

by Joel Rich Reflections on Rav Soloveitchik’s 30th Yahrtzeit https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1062585/rabbi-neal-turk/reflections-on-rav-soloveitchiks-30th-yahrtzeit/ Rabbi Neal Turk As a former shamash, R Turk introduces the program.   https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1062581/rabbi-dr-ari-berman/reflections-on-rav-soloveitchiks-30th-yahrtzeit/ Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman We continue the symposium of generations by being deeply rooted in the past but forward focused in perpetuating the Rav’s legacy.   https://www.yutorah.org/search/?teacher=80198&dtu=4&mediatypecategory=audio|video Rabbi Mayer E. Twersky The Rav represented chiddush (vs ...

by Joel Rich Listening to a shiur in the shower – recommended, permitted or forbidden? From a friend: One of the issues that has bothered me is the question of what nusach is used for reciting kaddish. For instance, does one who davens Ashkenazic but is davening in a Sephardic minyan recite kaddish in a Sephardic nusach? My understanding has ...

by Joel Rich We don’t do 39 mlachot based on mishkan building yet we do mlacha in the mishkan? Iirc rabbi rimon answers the question by saying that the building of the mishkan is really a preparation for the schina to dwell there and this preparation did not “outweigh” Shabbos. However, once the schina was there, its presence (and our ...

by Joel Rich If one has a choice of being one of the first 10 to the minyan or putting on taalit and tfillin in the entrance hallway of the building that has the shul, which gets priority? If one has a choice of being one of the the building that has the shul, which gets priority? From Tzarich Iyun ...

by Joel Rich If one wakes up before a lot, is it best to make all the birchot hashachar except lasechvi and birchat hatora or to just make the birchot hatora and learn until alot and then make all of the birchot hashachar? I wanted to ask about yaal kgam and general rules, such as the halacha is we hold ...