Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 7 pages Length of the audio: 20 minutes 36 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 7-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/10/23 (originally published on Kol ha'Seridim on 12/15/20), entitled: Asking for Miracles on Chanukah: Updated for 2023, in Light of the War with Hamas . Most versions of Al ha'Nissim include a request for Hashem to do miracles for us. This article examines...
Dec 10, 2023•21 min•Season 14Ep. 33
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 6 minutes 30 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/8/23, entitled: Vayeishev: The Consequences of Tattling and Misguided Rebuke . Yosef brought "bad reports" about his brothers to his father. Was he correct in doing so? What lessons can we learn from his example? As usual, Ralbag spells out these practical l...
Dec 08, 2023•7 min•Season 14Ep. 32
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 15 minutes Synopsis: This morning (12/1/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we took up a "classic" question in the first aliyah of this week's parashah: If Hashem promised to protect Yaakov, why was he afraid? After reviewing the "classic" answer, we raised a major problem which touches upon the fundamental principles of prophecy and providence. Towards the end of the shiur, we drew out some of the ethical implica...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 14Ep. 31
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 56 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/1/23, entitled: Vayishlach: When Should the Righteous Bow Before the Wicked? In this week's article we look at Yaakov's dealings with Eisav through the lens of Mishlei in an attempt to gain insight into Israel's present war with Hamas and our confrontations ...
Dec 01, 2023•9 min•Season 14Ep. 31
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 31 minutes Synopsis: This evening (11/30/23), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the very last mishnah in Chapter 3. This was certainly a weird one, but still led us to some important insights into how we relate to the various subjects we learn and aspire to learn. ----- מקורות: אבות ג:כ ר' עוביה מברטנורא מאירי רמב"ם - מורה הנבוכים א:לד Mortimer J. Adler, "The Paideia Program: An Educational Syll...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 32 min•Season 14Ep. 30
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 55 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/24/23, entitled: Vayeitzei: Hashem’s Love-Hate Relationship With Stone Monuments . The stone pillar set up by Yaakov is presented by the Torah as a good thing - yet, the Torah subsequently says that Hashem "hates" such pillars. Which is it? Surely He didn't ...
Nov 24, 2023•10 min•Season 14Ep. 29
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 9 minutes 15 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/23/23, entitled: Vayeitzei: Leah’s Thanksgiving Revolution . Thank God I was able to crank out this last-minute article in under two hours. Pardon the shoddiness of the writing, recording, and art. But hey - it's a dvar Torah on Thanksgiving AND the parashah...
Nov 23, 2023•10 min•Season 14Ep. 28
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 8 minutes 11 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/17/23, entitled: God of Time or Dog Eating Its Own Vomit? I wrote this in lieu of a parashah article because I needed to write it for myself. If I don't write for myself, who will write for me? And if not now, when? (parashah article can be found at the end) ----- The Torah content for the remainder...
Nov 17, 2023•9 min•Season 14Ep. 27
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 50 minutes Synopsis: This morning (11/17/23), in our surprise Q&A, we took up six questions: (1) How should one go about learning Shir ha'Shirim? (2) Why didn't Yitzchak realize what was going on with his sons? (3) What is the best way to teach YBT's derech ha'limud, and to get people interested in ideas? (4) What is your view on the photo circulating around about the IDF soldier using a knife as a yod for Krias ha'Torah? (5)...
Nov 17, 2023•51 min•Season 14Ep. 26
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: This evening (11/16/23), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned the second statement of R' Elazar ben Azaryah comparing a person whose wisdom exceeds his deeds and a person whose deeds exceed his wisdom. As usual, we raised lots of questions, but found that many of our "go to" meforshim said that they already explained the idea earlier in the chapter in their commentaries on the ...
Nov 17, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Season 14Ep. 25
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 35 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/10/23, entitled: Chayei Sarah: The Virgin Rivka - Plain Pshat and Wild Drash . The Torah spotlights Rivkah's virginity in a strange way, but what's REALLY strange is the wild midrash about how Yitzchak assumed she LOST her virginity. As a friend of mine quip...
Nov 10, 2023•9 min•Season 14Ep. 25
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Avos 3:19 - Kemach (Flour) Plus Torah Length: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This evening (11/9/23), in Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned the final clause in our multi-clause mishnah. This one proved to be the easiest of the four - yet, in was still enlightening!. We learned three approaches to this clause and translated all of them into practical applications for people such as ourselves. ----- מקורות: אבות ג:יט רבינו ...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 14Ep. 24
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 16 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/3/23, entitled: Vayeira: A Lesson in Tznius from Lote's Daughters . One would not expect to find a lesson in tznius (modesty) in the rape of a father by his daughters - yet, this is what we learn from the conduct of Lote's two daughters. ----- This week's To...
Nov 03, 2023•9 min•Season 14Ep. 23
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: This evening (11/2/23), in Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we moved on to the next clause in our mishnah about the interrelationship between binah and daas. We tackled what I believe is one of the most difficult Rambam's I know. With Hashem's help - after a crash-course style review of the Aristotelian concepts of form and material - we were able to actually uncover a nice and useful idea i...
Nov 03, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Season 14Ep. 22
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 36 minutes Synopsis: I've heard it said that "Amalek" refers to any nation or group which harbors an antisemitic ideology and poses an existential threat to the Jewish people (e.g. the Nazis, or Hamas). This position is ascribed to the Rav (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik) in the name of his father, R' Moshe Soloveitchik. I have no objection to this view per se. I do, however, object to the claim that this is the Rambam's vie...
Oct 27, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Season 14Ep. 21
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/27/23, entitled: Lech Lecha: Avraham’s Origin Story and the Torah’s Silence . For years I've been bothered by the Torah's silence on Avraham's backstory. I recently stumbled upon an answer which caused me to rethink how I learn pshat. ----- This week's Torah content ha...
Oct 27, 2023•9 min•Season 14Ep. 20
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 35 minutes Synopsis: This YBT Sunday Shiur (10/23/23) is an updated version of a shiur I gave two years ago (10/23/21), the goal of which is to understand each and every step in Avraham's dialogue with Hashem about the fate of Sedom as explained by Sforno, and to extrapolate ideas about God's righteousness and justice. We concluded by reflecting on the implications and applications of these insights to the present war with...
Oct 23, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Season 14Ep. 19
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 3 pages Length of the audio: 11 minutes 36 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/20/23, entitled: Noach: Searching for Meaning in the Post-Diluvian Genealogy . I set out to write an article on a small question but ended up writing one about how to find meaning in the sections of Torah which appear to be meaningless, as explained by Ramb...
Oct 20, 2023•12 min•Season 14Ep. 18
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 23 minutes Synopsis: Tonight (10/19/23), in Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we began a new mishnah. Each clause follows the pattern of "without X, there is no Y, and without Y, there is no X." Tonight we analyzed the first of these: "without derech eretz, there is no Torah, and without Torah, there is no derech eretz." We came up with a few ideas on our own, and then learned three approaches from the meforshim....
Oct 20, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 14Ep. 17
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 27 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/13/23, entitled: Bereishis/Noah - Why God Hates Hamas (חמס and حماس) . I may have taken liberties, cut corners, strayed into next week's parashah, and almost missed my deadline, but once I thought this up, I had to write it. Sadly, it will still be relevant ...
Oct 13, 2023•9 min•Season 14Ep. 16
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 12 minutes Synopsis: This morning (10/12/23), in our first Machshavah Lab (for Women) Q&A of the year, we took up six questions: (1) What are the different ways people "cry out" to Hashem when in dire straits? (2) What can we do when we feel so powerless in situations of crisis like this? (3) What do we mean when we say "in the Name of Hashem" or "for His Name's sake"? (4) Practically speaking, how do we go about doing...
Oct 13, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 14Ep. 15
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 37 minutes Synopsis: This morning (10/12/23), in our first Q&A of the year, we took up six questions: (1) What is idea of an "eis ratzon"? (2) Is there any connection between the COVID pandemic and the current war in Israel? (3) How do we achieve practical and emotional balance in our lives, given the situation in Israel? (4) Why are we fasting today? Or why do we fast in general? There was an additional unrecorded question a...
Oct 12, 2023•38 min•Season 14Ep. 14
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 28 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/11/23 entitled Thoughts on the Role of Jewish Educators at a Time of War . I began writing this article on Monday (10/9/23). I wrote it primarily for myself, but if you, too, are feeling helpless, I hope my thought-process will be of value to you at this tim...
Oct 11, 2023•8 min•Season 14Ep. 13
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 3.5 pages Length of the audio: 11 minutes 48 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/9/20 - yes, you read that right! - entitled: Shemini Atzeres 5781: The Festival of Holding On . I wrote this during the Fall of 2020, as we headed into the winter of the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm glad I encountered this idea at that time, and incorporated ...
Oct 05, 2023•13 min•Season 14Ep. 12
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 3 pages Length of the audio: 11 minutes 10 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/29/23, entitled: This is Your Mind on Lulav: The Psychoactive Properties of the Four Species (Part 1) . I believe that the four species we take on Sukkos have psychoactive properties, as do many other mitzvos - that is, if you understand what "psychoactive" ...
Sep 29, 2023•12 min•Season 14Ep. 11
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 1 page Length of the audio: 4 minutes 39 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/26/23, entitled: The Beneficial Effects of Torah Wine on Metaphysical Heart Rate Recovery . Looking for a VERY weird article to prepare you for the upcoming holiday season? Look no further! In my effort to be spontaneous in my writing, this is what my brain ge...
Sep 26, 2023•6 min•Season 14Ep. 10
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 5 minutes 53 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/22/23, entitled: Shabbos Shuvah 5784: How to Do Teshuvah, Little by Little . Have you ever felt intimidated by teshuvah? Have you felt pressured to radically change yourself? Hoshea (according to Ibn Ezra) has some advice: SLOW DOWN! How? One answer can be fo...
Sep 22, 2023•7 min•Season 14Ep. 9
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour Synopsis: This morning (9/22/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we reviewed the halachos of interpersonal teshuvah in the Rambam and raised a bunch of questions - several of which were new to me this year. These new questions gave rise to a new theory of interpersonal teshuvah which, I believe, answers all of the questions and yields a richer understanding of why we ask our fellow Jews for their forgiveness. Let ...
Sep 22, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 14Ep. 8
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 2 minutes Synopsis: This morning (9/15/23), in our first Machshavah Lab series for women this season, we decided to review the Rambam's procedures for regular teshuvah and teshuvah on interpersonal sins. Even though many of us have learned this before, I certainly feel like we arrived at a greater level of clarity than in previous years. We asked and answered all of our questions on the basic teshuvah procedure, and then r...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 14Ep. 7
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: Tonight (9/14/23), in our first Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur of the season, we tackled a long and difficult mishnah filled with mixed metaphors. TBH, I didn't have a clear understanding of the main idea when I started giving shiur. Thank God, with the help of the Meiri, we managed to successfully analyze each and every clause, and to come away with a grasp of an allegory which has the potential to ...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Season 14Ep. 6
