Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Tehilim shiur (12/31/20 at YBT) we had PLANNED on finishing Tehilim 114. Instead, I felt compelled to use this "Erev New Years" to reflect on 2020 through a Tehilim-esque lens. This led to an informal discussion on bitachon (trust in Hashem), which in turn led us to read R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam's discourse on the four ways people relate to bitachon, which ultimately led back to Tehilim 114. ---------- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה ת...
Jan 01, 2021•58 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 12/30/20) we continued R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam's essay on the midrashim of Chazal, beginning with his classification of the four types of Talmudic anecdotes. The first of these four types had four subcategories, each with a couple of examples. We spent most of the shiur reading through the examples and trying to refine our understanding of the subcategories on that basis. Part 1: h...
Dec 31, 2020•1 hr 19 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In this morning's shiur (12/25/20 at Lomdeha) we set out to accomplish three objectives: (1) to learn, on a basic level, the prophecy in Sefer Yechezkel about the event we are commemorating today (2) understand the transgressions which led to the catastrophe that are being highlighted in this prophecy (3) to translate these insights into practical ways for us to do teshuvah today This shiur was given in memory of my student, Yocheved Gou...
Dec 25, 2020•48 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This morning's shiur (12/18/20 at Lomdeha) was an adventure in "tefilah archaeology" focusing on a curious addition to the end of Al ha'Nissim involving a request for miracles. After surveying the evidence which establishes that this is the authentic version of Al ha'Nissim, we investigate the reason why most Ashkenazim don't include this request. We then analyze the ideas behind each of these approaches and conclude with practical tefil...
Dec 18, 2020•50 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 12/16/20) we continued R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam's essay on the midrashim of Chazal, completing the 4th and 5th categories of drashos, supplemented by the relevant footnotes in the new edition. Part 1: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/7068922 Part 2: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/7068943 Part 3: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/7068976 Part 4: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576...
Dec 16, 2020•1 hr 11 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This morning's shiur (12/11/20 at Lomdeha) is a continuation of our exploration of the midrash about Hashem transforming into a human barber and cut Sancheriv's hair. After a methodological introduction from the Rambam and Rav Hirsch, we conduct a general overview of seven approaches to the most difficult part of this midrash - one from the Yad Ramah, another from the Ben Yehoyada, and five from the Anaf Yosef. We dive into this seventh ...
Dec 11, 2020•46 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 12/9/20) we continued R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam's essay on the midrashim of Chazal - THIS time with the recently published critical edition. We went back and read a section from the introduction which didn't appear in our version, as well as some jam-packed footnotes from the editor - most notably about R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam's explanation of why Rebbi Yehuda ha'Nassi was called "R...
Dec 10, 2020•1 hr 15 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This morning's shiur (12/4/20 at Lomdeha) was prompted by a question I was sent by a listener about a statement in the Gemara to the effect that Hashem transformed into a human barber and cut Sancheriv's hair. I was asked what I thought about this Gemara and figured this would make for a good "midrash workshop." In Part 1 we discuss how to approach such statements in GENERAL. This coming Friday, in Part 2, we will attempt to elucidate th...
Dec 04, 2020•46 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 12/2/20) we began R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam's essay on the midrashim of Chazal. We covered his introduction, in which he praises Chazal's intellectual honesty and criticizes those people who would accept their non-halachic statements simply because Chazal said them. We then began his explanation of the five categories of drashos, which we will continue next week. Part 1: https://www....
Dec 03, 2020•1 hr 13 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This morning's Sunday shiur (11/22/20 at YBT) was inspired by a poem by Richard Feynman entitled, "The Universe in a Glass of Wine." Our aim in this shiur was three-fold: (1) to conceptualize the mitzvah of kiddush as "the universe of Torah in a glass of wine," (2) to explain a trio of strange midrashim, and (3) to provide a “sample platter” of ideas to contemplate every week when saying kiddush. ---------- Link to Feynman's Poem: https:...
Nov 22, 2020•1 hr 31 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Topics in Jewish Philosophy shiur (11/19/20 at YBT) we reviewed the Rambam's Palace Allegory in the Moreh ha'Nevuchim 3:51 in order to see what insights it yielded this time around, and in order to respond to those who accuse the Rambam of being an elitist. ---------- מקורות: רמב"ם - מורה הנבוכים ג:נא ---------- If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rab...
Nov 20, 2020•55 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 11/18/20) we learned through the Rashbam's three "introductions" to his commentary. The word "introductions" is in quotations because he doesn't have a formal introduction; rather, these are three sources in which he states his approach and differentiates it from other approaches to Chumash commentary. Afterwards we learned through Saadia Gaon's actual introduction to his Chumash co...
Nov 18, 2020•1 hr 12 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (11/13/20) we took up the juicy question in the title, focusing primarily on the framework provided by the Rambam's explanation of "al tifnu el ha'elilim" and "lo sasuru acharei levavchem v'acharei eineichem." I won't spoil the answer with any teasers. Let's just say: it's not so simple! ---------- מקורות: רמב"ם – משנה תורה, הלכות יסודי התורה, הקדמה רמב"ם – ספר המצוות, לא תעשה י רמב"ם – ספר המצוות, לא תעש...
Nov 13, 2020•59 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 11/11/20) we concluding learning the Ibn Ezra's introductions to Chumash. After reviewing the first four methods, learning the fourth one inside the text his "Shitah Acheres" commentary, we read his presentation of the fifth method - HIS method. In addition to describing his procedure for learning, the Ibn Ezra also made it very clear what little regard he has for the Masoretes' exp...
Nov 11, 2020•58 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (11/6/20, Parashas Vayeira) we took up three non-mainstream explanations of Akeidas Yitzchak: that of Shadal, Ralbag, and Rashbam. We also applied a useful three-question Chumash methodology formula to maximize what we gained from these three approaches. DISCLAIMER: some of these views might be perceived as extremely radical ... proceed with caution! -------------------- מקורות: בראשית כב:א-ב, יב שד"ל – ב...
Nov 06, 2020•46 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 11/4/20) we continued learning the Ibn Ezra's introduction to Chumash. We began with his criticism of "the third approach," in which he discusses when it is and isn't acceptable to interpret pesukim allegorically. We read about this in two other places: the intro to his second commentary on Bereishis, and his commentary on the Aseres ha'Dibros. We then moved on to his criticism of "...
Nov 04, 2020•1 hr 18 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (10/30/20) we took up the midrash in Berachos 5a about how to vanquish the yetzer ha'ra: "le'olam yargiz adam yetzer tov al yetzer ha'ra etc." We learned through the commentaries of R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam and the Meiri, then attempted to come up with our own cohesive understanding making use of both approaches. We may or may not have succeeded, but after all, the title of this Lomdeha Seminar series is ...
Oct 30, 2020•52 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 10/28/20) we began learning the Ibn Ezra's introduction to Chumash. We spent the first part of shiur defining "pshat" according to Ibn Ezra, and then we delved into his intro. Ibn Ezra says that he's going to analyze five approaches to Chumash, and we discussed the first two. ---------- מקורות: אבן עזרא - הקדמה לתורה אבן עזרא - פירוש הקצר לשמות כ:א אבן עזרא - הקדמה למגילת איכה -----...
Oct 29, 2020•1 hr 14 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (10/23/20) we addressed what some might consider to be a controversial topic: the questions and problems raised by science against the narrative of The Flood in Parashas Noach. We began with an overview of four major problems. After briefly outlining three possible approaches to addressing these problems, we learned (what I currently consider to be) the ONLY viable solution that answers all of the questio...
Oct 23, 2020•1 hr 16 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In tonight's Chumash shiur (given at YBT on 10/21/20) we began learning the Ralbag's commentary on Gan Eden. We encountered some Aristotelian bumps along the way - most of which had to do with the Active Intellect - but we at least got most of what he was saying. Certainly an original and creative approach! ---------- מקורות: רלב"ג בראשית ב:ד-יד, ביאור המלות ---------- If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear fr...
Oct 21, 2020•1 hr 29 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (10/16/20) we took up the midrash in Sukkah 48b about the two heretics, Sasson and Simchah. We learned and evaluated three approaches, and concluded with a fourth quasi-original approach, with plenty of methodological insights along the way. -------------------- מקורות: שמואל הנגיד - מבוא התלמוד תלמוד בבלי סוכה דף מח עמוד ב רש"י שם רשימות שיעורי הגרי"ד שם מהרש"א – חדושי אגדות שם משמואל – סוכות פרק א אות ל...
Oct 16, 2020•1 hr 7 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! The topic of tonight's Chumash shiur (given at YBT on 10/14/20) was the Ralbag's preface to his allegorical commentary on Gan Eden. We began with the Abravanel's objections to taking Gan Eden as a mashal. We then learned through the Ralbag's intro to Gan Eden in which he gives an overview of the ideas in the nimshal. Whether or not we embark on learning through his commentary in the upcoming weeks remains to be seen. ---------- מקורות: א...
Oct 15, 2020•1 hr 43 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In this third and final installment in this series (given at YBT on 9/30/20) we conclude our learning of the Ralbag's Introduction to Chumash. This was a jam-packed shiur in which we: - revisit the last two paragraphs we rushed through last time, raising questions, giving answers, and providing clarifications along the way - read through the Ralbag's exalted yet tragic plan for the two major works he intended to write, but didn't - take ...
Sep 30, 2020•1 hr 36 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This is a video of the YBT Sunday shiur on 9/27/20, Erev Yom ha'Kippurim 5781. The aim of this shiur is threefold: (1) to provide a general framework for understanding the 13 middos ha'rachamim in context, (2) to define each middah, and (3) to learn how to incorporate the recitation of these middos into our davening in a manner that obtain rachamim from the Av ha'Rachamim. To access the original recording, which has more discussion and q...
Sep 27, 2020•1 hr 35 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This evening (9/23/20) we continued our learning of the Ralbag's Introduction to Chumash, going back to what we skipped last time and finishing the main part of the intro, up until the Mekomos. The Ralbag discusses the limitations on our knowledge of Torah, the interrelationship between the parts of the Torah regimen, and the corresponding components in the Talmud. ---------- מקורות: רלב"ג - פתיחה לביאור התורה ---------- If you have ques...
Sep 23, 2020•1 hr 31 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Out of all the Chumash commentaries I've learned and loved, nothing has impacted me more than the Ralbag's framework, as set forth in the introduction to his Torah commentary. I decided that this would be a fitting place to start my inaugural Chumash shiur at YBT (given on 9/16/20). After a brief intro to who the Ralbag was, we learned his definition of Torah (and its place in creation) and began his description of the Torah's components...
Sep 17, 2020•1 hr 24 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Today (9/11/20) was our inaugural Lomdeha Friday Seminar shiur! In this shiur we aimed to answer three questions: (1) What, exactly, is the Yom ha'Din? (Judgment Day)? How does the judgment work? (2) Why is the Written Torah silent on the Yom ha'Din aspect of Rosh ha'Shanah? Why is Yom ha'Din only mentioned in the Oral Torah? (3) What is the relationship between the Yom ha'Din and Yom Teruah (a.k.a. the name given to the Yom Tov of Rosh ...
Sep 11, 2020•48 min
