Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 4 minutes 2 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote on 4/2/23, entitled: Maaseh b’Rebbi Eliezer: Abravanel’s Framing of Insomnia on Pesach Night . Ever wonder why we talk about the Sages in Bnei Brak staying up all night? Better question: Have you ever gotten a bad sleep after the seder? If the answer to both question is "yes," check this out. If you enjoy these 1-page articles (and my other writ...
Apr 02, 2023•5 min•Season 11Ep. 31
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 35 minutes Synopsis: As I mention in the introductory disclaimer for the shiur I gave this morning (3/31/23) in our Machshavah Lab series for women, I wasn't sure how this shiur would turn out. At best, it could yield some earthshattering insight into the four cups and how we relate to them; at worst, it would just be an overview/review of basic ideas and sources about the four cups. It ended up being closer to the latter,...
Mar 31, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Season 11Ep. 30
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 45 minutes Synopsis: This morning (3/31/23), in our Friday Q&A, we took up four questions: (1) If you know you're closeminded in a certain area, whether in learning or in life, what steps can you take to overcome that closemindedness? (2) What can be done to maximize the potential for chidushim in learning, as opposed to remaining with your current understanding of the area? (3) What should we do when we experience shame? (4)...
Mar 31, 2023•46 min•Season 11Ep. 29
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 4 minutes 20 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote on 3/29/23, entitled: Tzav: Korban Todah – Thanking God with a Chametz and Matzah Party . Even though we are currently unable to bring korbanos, the ideas are as relevant to our lives as ever, provided we ask the right questions and look for the right kinds of answers. Here's an example. If you enjoy these 1-page articles (and my other written ...
Mar 29, 2023•5 min•Season 11Ep. 28
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 4 minutes 4 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote on 3/26/23, entitled: Vayikra: Shadal's View of Korbanos . 67% of this article was written by Shadal. Yet, I wanted to highlight Shadal's radical theory, compare and contrast it with Rambam's view, and use it to answer a common question about tefilah. If you enjoy these 1-page articles (and my other written content), be sure to subscribe (for fr...
Mar 26, 2023•5 min•Season 11Ep. 27
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: The shiur I gave this morning (3/24/23) in our Machshavah Lab series for women was inspired by a pet-peeve of mine: symbolic explanations of the mitzvos regarding chametz on Pesach. The first hour of the shiur is devoted to my presentation of why the NON-symbolic understanding of chametz is fundamental - not just for the observance of the mitzvah, but for the continued existence of Torah and Judaism as...
Mar 24, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Season 11Ep. 27
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 45 minutes Synopsis: This morning (3/24/23), in our Friday Q&A, we spent the first 25 minutes on an excellent question posed by Rabbi Scott Kahn: (1) "Why are you Orthodox?" Everyone gave their own answers, which we discussed and debated, and then I gave my own answer. In the remaining 20 minutes we tackled three more questions: (2) What should you do if you and your chavrusa are having an "off-day"? (3) What ought to be our ...
Mar 24, 2023•45 min•Season 11Ep. 26
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 35 minutes Synopsis: This evening (3/23/23), in lieu of our Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, we did a Chumash Exploration shiur on Sforno's view that the Egyptian exile was NOT decreed by Hashem, but was entirely our fault, and could have been avoided. We read and discussed Sforno's commentary on the first fourteen pesukim of Sefer Shemos and the three pesukim of the Bris Bein ha'Besarim, along with the newly published no...
Mar 23, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Season 11Ep. 25
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 4 minutes 30 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote on 3/17/23, entitled: Vayakhel: The Meaning of the Mirror Donation . I only had enough space in this article to convey a simple idea. For an elaboration on the ideas here, check out the 3/17/23 shiur I gave (on YouTube or my Machshavah Lab podcast) with the same title. If you enjoy these 1-page articles (and my other written content), be sure t...
Mar 17, 2023•5 min•Season 11Ep. 24
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 19 minutes Synopsis: This morning (3/17/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we tackled a topic that I've been working on for my article this Friday: the women's donation of the bronze mirrors to make the laver and its base in the Mishkan. We examined two approaches - that of Rashi and R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam - and discussed their differences and the implications. I wasn't sure whether we'd emerge with any nice id...
Mar 17, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 11Ep. 23
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 46 minutes Synopsis: This might be the best Q&A of the year. At the very least, it was the most practical. This morning (3/17/23), in our Friday Q&A, we took up a single VERY multi-faceted question (at least seven parts!) about how to deal with a situation (in the past, present, and future) where you're with a group of friends who engage in prohibited speech (whether rechilus, lashon ha'ra, motzi shem ra, letzanus, etc.) ...
Mar 17, 2023•47 min•Season 11Ep. 22
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 34 minutes Synopsis: This evening (3/16/23), in our Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, we learned a mishnah in Pirkei Avos which was much more oriented towards the practical than many other mishnayos we've learned. Part of what made this so practical is that it discussed behaviors that many of us engage in, such as sleeping in, hanging out with amei ha'aretz, and using TikTok (!). We learned through the approaches of severa...
Mar 17, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Season 11Ep. 21
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 10 minutes 43 seconds Synopsis: This is the eulogy I delivered at the funeral of my Popo (grandmother), Helen Chang (10/5/1924 - 2/2/2023) on 3/13/23 in Honolulu, HI. Click here for the video of my eulogy, and click here for the transcript. Be sure to check out the beautiful eulogy given by my brother, Jonny, by clicking here ....
Mar 13, 2023•11 min•Season 11Ep. 20
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 4 minutes 47 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote on 3/10/23, entitled: Ki Tisa: Is Shabbos a Day of Simchah? If so, why isn't it presented this way in the Torah and in halacha? And if not, then why are there so many references to Shabbos joy in the songs we sing on Shabbos? If you enjoy these 1-page articles (and my other written content), be sure to subscribe (for free!) to my substack at ra...
Mar 10, 2023•6 min•Season 11Ep. 19
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This morning (3/10/23), in lieu of our Friday Q&A, we continued working on the Gemara we started on Wednesday. We reviewed what we covered last time, read and elucidated a summary of an idea from the Nefesh ha'Chayim, and then attempted to figure out the machlokess of the pesukim (if there IS a machlokess). While we didn't arrive at any conclusions, we did take some significant steps, and gained some insight along the way. We also re...
Mar 10, 2023•47 min•Season 11Ep. 18
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This morning (3/8/23), in lieu of a morning Mishlei shiur, we set out to answer a question posed by one of my talmidim to our Rosh ha'Yeshiva at the Purim seudah last night: How does one become a chacham? We identified three sources which talk about Step #1, and we decided to work on the most problematic one: "Ha'Kadosh Baruch Hu only gives chochmah to those who [already] have chochmah" (Berachos 55a). The question is: How are you suppos...
Mar 08, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 11Ep. 17
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 8 minutes 5 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote on Megilas Esther, entitled: Megilas Esther: How Esther Stayed Religious . This article, which I cranked out over Taanis Esther and Purim day, offers insight into Esther's character via a set of bizarre midrashim about her observance of hilchos niddah with Achashveirosh. If you enjoy these 1-page articles (and my other written content), be sure ...
Mar 07, 2023•9 min•Season 11Ep. 16
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: This morning (3/3/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, I presented an idea I happened upon in Purim 5780 (March 2020) but didn't finish developing. R' Yosef ibn Kaspi asks: How can the Torah wage a war of vengeance against Amalek when revenge is a reprehensible trait and is prohibited by the Torah? His answer is shocking - so much so that even he doesn't feel comfortable spelling it out explici...
Mar 03, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Season 11Ep. 15
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 56 minutes Synopsis: Last night I gave a special Purim shiur to my women's group on my current (radical?) understanding of the mitzvah to get drunk on Purim. That shiur ended up being 1 hour and 46 minutes long. Because I know that time is valuable, I wanted to do my best to produce a shorter version, and that's what this is. The difference is that last night we first learned through all the relevant sources about drinking INSIDE...
Mar 03, 2023•57 min•Season 11Ep. 14
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In lieu of tonight's (3/2/23) regularly scheduled Pirkei Avos shiur for women, I gave a special Purim shiur on a well-trodden topic. Each year I attempt to review ALL the halachic positions on Purim drunkenness, but only in the past couple of years have I formed my own view. In one sense, this is a synthesis of different ideas I've learned from various traditional sources. In another sense, it's a new approach inspired by a non-tradition...
Mar 03, 2023•1 hr 47 min•Season 11Ep. 13
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Have you ever checked your phone while learning in a shiur, chavrusa, or even by yourself? This might seem innocuous, but Chazal teach us in Pirkei Avos that if you interrupt your learning to remark on the beauty of a tree or a field, then the Torah considers it as though you are "liable for your soul." This morning (2/26/23), I gave a YBT Sunday Shiur on that mishnah. After a brief methodological intro, we learned and discussed four dif...
Feb 26, 2023•1 hr 56 min•Season 11Ep. 12
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 5 minutes 34 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page (half-)article I wrote, entitled, Mishpatim: The Sanctuary-Altar Sanctuary (or Mizbeach as Refuge for Killers) . No, this isn't Parashas Mishpatim, and no, this is NOT a complete dvar Torah. I've been working on this question for two weeks, and I decided to present it, even though I don't yet have the answers. If you enjoy these 1-page articles (and my other w...
Feb 24, 2023•6 min•Season 11Ep. 11
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 13 minutes Synopsis: This morning (2/24/23), in our second Friday Q&A (this one for women), we took up five questions: (1) If the texts of Torah she'baal Peh "evolved" to suit the needs of the times, why can't this happen with the text of tefilah as well? (2) What advice do I have for how to insert personal requests in the amidah? (3a) When doing chesed, should we prioritize people we know or strangers? (3b) What is ou...
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 11Ep. 10
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 47 minutes Synopsis: This morning (2/24/23), in our first Friday Q&A, we took up five questions: (1) Is there a halachic way to thank God for it being a nice day? (2a) Is God bound by human logic? (2b) How do we navigate discussions about God with people who hold false ideas about Him? (3) What do you do if you're confronted with two equally plausible sevaros? (4) How should a person balance inyanei d'yoma learning with one's...
Feb 24, 2023•48 min•Season 11Ep. 9
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This evening (2/23/23), in lieu of our regularly scheduled Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, I gave a Chumash Exploration shiur on a topic I've been vexed by for the past two weeks: the obscure halacha stated in Parashas Mishpatim that the Mizbeach provides sanctuary for killers under specific conditions. I gave this shiur because I needed - and still need, as of this morning - help developing the insights I've encountered. I'm happy wit...
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 43 min•Season 11Ep. 8
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today's Friday morning "Machshavah Lab" shiur for women (2/17/23), I was asked to give a shiur on techiyas ha'meisim. Since I really don't know much about the topic and don't think I have much to offer by way of chidushim (new insights), I figured I'd just present everything I know - so I did! We raised other questions along the way, which I hope to be able to answer some day, and we ended with a few take-aways. If you have more info ...
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 11Ep. 7
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 49 minutes Synopsis: This morning (1/6/22), in our Friday Q&A, we took up five questions: (1) What do we hold about the authorship of the "wisdom literature" in Tanach? (2) How do you know if you're using your time wisely? (3) Are food forests feasible? (4) What's the deal with matrilineal descent? (5) Why don't we focus on the Geonim as much as the Rishonim? ----- מקורות: משלי כה:א רש"י רלב"ג שד"ל מצודת דוד ר"י אבן כספי פירו...
Feb 17, 2023•50 min•Season 11Ep. 6
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 4 minutes 22 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled, Mishpatim: Does Hashem Reward Good Dogs? Rambam maintains that the notion of Divine reward and punishment for animals is a non-Jewish concept. What are we to do when we encounter statements of Chazal which talk about God rewarding animals? If you enjoy these 1-page articles (and my other written content), be sure to subscribe (for fr...
Feb 17, 2023•5 min•Season 11Ep. 5
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This evening (2/16/23), in our Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, we took up the next mishnah in Chapter 3. This week's mishnah was short but sweet. We learned three different approaches, each with practical applications for those on a very high level and for the rest of us. ----- מקורות: אבות א:יג רבינו יונה רשב"ץ רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות יסודי התורה ה:יא Rabbi Israel Chait, D-143: Kiddush Hashem and Chilul Hashem https://www.y...
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 11Ep. 4
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 6-page article I wrote, entitled, Spectral Clergy, Living Torah, and My Izzet Grieving Process . Instead of writing a 1-page article on the parashah, I decided to write a lengthier reflection on my grieving process over the course of these past seven days. You can decide if it counts as Torah. ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sarah and Moshe Eisen, w...
Feb 10, 2023•20 min•Season 11Ep. 3
