Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 21 minutes 24 seconds Synopsis: I was originally going to record an episode for tomorrow, Tishah b'Av itself, but I ended up discussing the halachos of seudah ha'mafsekes (the concluding meal before the fast) with my chavrusa this afternoon, and decided to record an episode about that instead, hoping that some people will be able to hear it before Tishah b'Av starts for them. These thoughts are somewhat scattered, but even if you...
Aug 12, 2024•23 min•Season 12Ep. 29
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 12 minutes 23 seconds Synopsis: We conclude the fifth chapter of Hilchos Taaniyos with the halachos of tearing our garments when we encounter the Cities of Judah, Jerusalem, and the Mikdash in their states of destruction. The final halacha is about the status of these fast days in the time of Moshiach. I share a beautiful article from Rabbi Joshua Maroof on this topic and apply his insight to this final halacha in the Rambam. ---...
Aug 12, 2024•13 min•Season 12Ep. 28
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 9 minutes 50 seconds Synopsis: Today's halachos are about the enactments and decrees that Chazal set up to commemorate the destruction of the Mikdash and Yerushalayim. Some of these are familiar to us; others seem to no longer be practiced, or at least, are not as visible. Nevertheless, the halachos are here to guide us in how we should think about the destruction and its place in our lives. Rambam on Music Part 1: https://www.yo...
Aug 09, 2024•11 min•Season 12Ep. 27
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 15 minutes 22 seconds Synopsis: Today we finish the Rambam's halachos of Tishah b'Av itself, stopping to discuss an interesting minority manuscript and its implications. Tomorrow we'll move on to the next topic in the chapter: the commemorative practices that Chazal instituted to recall the destruction of the Mikdash. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות תעניות ה:י-יא CUL: T-S F7.46+ ----- The second month of the new...
Aug 08, 2024•16 min•Season 12Ep. 26
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 7 minutes 52 seconds Synopsis: We continue in Hilchos Taaniyos 5 with the halachos pertaining to the month of Av and Erev Tishah b'Av. As I said, we're keeping this in a "strictly bekius" mode for now to ensure that we finish the chapter before Tishah b'Av itself. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות תעניות ה:ו-ט ----- The second month of the newly relaunched Rambam Bekius Podcast has been sponsored by Joey and Estee...
Aug 07, 2024•9 min•Season 12Ep. 25
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 11 minutes 20 seconds Synopsis: We'll be taking another detour into the Laws of Fasts in order to prepare for Tishah b'Av, "Rambam Bekius style." Today we read the introductory halachos in which the Rambam tells us about each of the national fast days, why we fast on them, and what we're commemorating. Tomorrow we'll read the halachos about the period of time leading up to Tishah b'Av. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, ...
Aug 06, 2024•12 min•Season 12Ep. 24
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 12 minutes 2 seconds Synopsis: Today we examine the Rambam's examples of the different ways that different people used to daven. There are some nuances in the Rambam's language that I never noticed before. We end off with a CORRECTED reading of the statement about facing Mikdash (which, turns out, I had been reading and teaching incorrectly for years). This will set us up for a bit of a deep dive into the halacha of facing the Mi...
Aug 01, 2024•13 min•Season 12Ep. 23
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 13 minutes 32 seconds Synopsis: Today we reread the Rambam's formulation of the obligation of tefilah from the Torah and make several inferences from the nuances of his formulation. These nuances help us to know what the actual chiyuv de'oraisa is, and also shed further light on the nature of tefilah. And if anyone has a good answer to the question raised by the Lechem Mishneh on the Kesef Mishneh, please share! ----- מקורות: רמב...
Jul 31, 2024•15 min•Season 12Ep. 22
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 14 minutes 15 seconds Synopsis: Well, THIS episode took an unexpected turn! I intended to just review one point we covered yesterday and read ten words from the Meiri on how to "make" God have mercy on you, but that little addition turned into a whole episode which touched upon the fundamental mechanisms of how tefilah works. We'll return to the halacha in the Mishneh Torah tomorrow. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכ...
Jul 30, 2024•15 min•Season 12Ep. 21
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 11 minutes 26 seconds Synopsis: And we're BACK to "actual bekius"! In this episode we cover two topics: (a) my mini-rant on how publishers (a.k.a. doofuses) screwed up the Rambam's division of the mini-halachos, and (b) how to understand the Rambam's use of the phrase "mispalel u'mischanein" in his definition of the Torah obligation of tefilah. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכות תפלה וברכת כהנים א:ב יד פשוטה שם רמב"...
Jul 29, 2024•13 min•Season 12Ep. 20
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 6 minutes 26 seconds Synopsis: We conclude this examination of women's obligation in tefilah by reading the Mishnah Berurah, who arrives at a similar conclusion to the Aruch ha'Shulchan but spells out a few more details in terms of practicality. Note: I recorded this late into the taanis and I had just woken up from a taanis nap; I apologize for the grogginess. ----- מקורות: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים קו:א-ב משנה ברורה שם ס"ק ד ----- T...
Jul 25, 2024•8 min•Season 12Ep. 19
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 11 minutes 45 seconds Synopsis: Today we finish the Aruch ha'Shulchan's analysis of how the machlokess on the mitzvah of tefilah de'oraisa plays itself out for women. After taking up the positions of Rashi, Tosafos, Ramban, and Talmidei Rabbeinu Yonah, the Aruch ha'Shulchan arrives at his practical conclusion. Note: I recorded this late into the taanis and I had just woken up from a taanis nap; I apologize for the grogginess. ---...
Jul 24, 2024•13 min•Season 12Ep. 18
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 20 minutes Synopsis: Because today is the 17th of Tammuz, I wanted to take a brief pause in our topic to address inyanei d'yoma , and what better way to do so than to review one thing that the Rambam and the Ramban both agree on: that zaakah b'eis tzarah (crying out to Hashem at a time of trouble) is a mitzvah from the Torah. In this episode we review some of the major ideas, as guided by the Yad Peshuta (R' Nachum Rabinovitch). ...
Jul 23, 2024•21 min•Season 12Ep. 17
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 10 minutes 49 seconds Synopsis: The next step in our analysis of the machlokess between the Rambam and Ramban and its impact on women's obligation in tefilah is to learn Gemara according to both sides. Turns out, this issue is complicated by the fact that there are three different girsaos (textual versions) of the Gemara. Using the Aruch ha'Shulchan as our guide, we'll begin with comparing Rambam's version of the Gemara with Rash...
Jul 22, 2024•12 min•Season 12Ep. 16
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 7 minutes 26 seconds Synopsis: Instead of continuing what we started yesterday, we're gonna slow down. After three weeks of Rambam Bekius, there's one change I'd like to make. ----- The Torah Content for the remainder of July has been sponsored by the Lichters in honor of Jonny Schneeweiss, just "for being Jonny." ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/r...
Jul 19, 2024•9 min•Season 12Ep. 15
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes 32 seconds Synopsis: Guess what? We're taking another detour! Since the machlokess between the Rambam and Ramban on tefilah de'oraisa has a direct bearing on the nature and parameters of women's obligation in tefilah , we're going to take up that topic for the next few episodes. In this episode, we go over the Gemara according to the Rambam as explained by the Rav. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות תפלה ...
Jul 18, 2024•19 min•Season 12Ep. 14
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 20 minutes 8 seconds Synopsis: Well, I can't put it off any longer: here's the approach my chavrusa and I have been developing to explain the machlokess betweenthe Ramban and the Rambam on tefilah de'oraisa . I did my best to present it clearly, which means that the fact that this episode ended up being 20 minutes is either a good thing or a bad thing. Either way, let me know what you think! ----- מקורות: רמב"ן - השגות לספר המצוו...
Jul 17, 2024•21 min•Season 12Ep. 13
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 9 minutes 13 seconds Synopsis: Before I share the theory that my chavrusa and I have been working on, I'd like to share what the Aruch ha'Shulchan wrote. Like the Rav, he attempts to minimize the machlokess between these two "pillars of the world." What do you think of his line of reasoning? ----- מקורות: ערוך השולחן פט:א-ה ----- The first month of the newly relaunched Rambam Bekius Podcast has been sponsored anonymously. May the...
Jul 16, 2024•10 min•Season 12Ep. 12
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 12 minutes 11 seconds Synopsis: Last time we read the Ramban's critique of the Rambam's view that daily tefilah is a mitzvah from the Torah. Before I share the theory that my chavrusa and I have been working on, I'd like to share a famous explanation given by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (a.k.a. the Rav). ----- מקורות: The Rav on Tefillah: an Anthology of Teachings by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik on Jewish Prayer (ed. Jay Goldmin...
Jul 15, 2024•13 min•Season 12Ep. 11
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 21 minutes 29 seconds Synopsis: Today we'll go over the facts of the Ramban's machlokess with the Rambam regarding the mitzvah of tefilah from the Torah. If you've heard of this machlokess , do yourself a favor: BEFORE you listen to the episode, summarize what you THINK the Ramban's view is, then listen to the episode and see how well your recollection lines up with what the Ramban ACTUALLY writes. I was surprised by the gap betw...
Jul 12, 2024•23 min•Season 12Ep. 10
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 11 minutes 22 seconds Synopsis: I could have moved on after answering yesterday's question, I figured that once we were already discussing the Rambam's take on Rabbinical hermeneutics, I might as well recap my current understanding of his position, as explained by Moshe Halbertal in Maimonides: Life and Thought (and developed further in Nahmanides: Law and Mysticism ). This is obviously not intended to be a full treatment of this...
Jul 11, 2024•12 min•Season 12Ep. 9
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 15 minutes 24 seconds Synopsis: Today we take up another question from a different listener. Unbeknownst to the listener, this question cuts deep to the core of a HUGE machlokess between the Rambam and the Ramban about the nature of the Torah text and Rabbinic authority. Although we aren't going to delve TOO deeply into this, I do want to use this as an opportunity to provide an outline of what the Rambam holds Chazal are doing w...
Jul 10, 2024•16 min•Season 12Ep. 8
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes 23 seconds Synopsis: Before we take up the question about the inclusion in the Sefer ha'Mitzvos of the halacha about facing Mikdash during tefilah, I'd like to attempt to answer three questions that were sent to me by a listener, and in so doing, refine our understanding of avodah as tefilah and as talmud Torah . ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - ספר המצוות: עשה ה רלב"ג - שמוה כג:כה ----- The first month of the newly relaunched Ra...
Jul 09, 2024•18 min•Season 12Ep. 7
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 15 minutes 8 seconds Synopsis: We last left our hero (i.e. Rambam) on an open question: "What is the Rambam's idea of the mitzvah of 'avodah' such that it encompasses all mitzvos AND is a specific commandment for tefilah AND an injunction to study Torah?" Here is how the Ralbag answers that question. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - ספר המצוות: עשה ה רלב"ג - דברים ו:יג ----- The first month of the newly relaunched Rambam Bekius Podcast has ...
Jul 08, 2024•16 min•Season 12Ep. 6
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 11 minutes 2 seconds Synopsis: Yesterday we read the Rambam's formulation of the mitzvah of tefilah in the Sefer ha'Mitzvos. Today we raise several questions on this formulation, and then acquaint ourselves with the facts of his three formulations in the Mishneh Torah. We will spend the next week (if not more) delving into the Rambam's formulation in the Sefer ha'Mitzvos in an effort to understand his foundational concept of tefi...
Jul 05, 2024•12 min•Season 12Ep. 5
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 14 minutes 3 seconds Synopsis: We begin our learning of Hilchos Tefilah with the Rambam's formulation of the mitzvah in the Sefer ha'Mitzvos. Right away we are confronted with an anomaly: according to one of the rules set forth by the Rambam in the introduction to the Sefer ha'Mitzvos, this shouldn't be counted as a mitzvah! We didn't even have time to delve into the questions. That will have to wait until tomorrow. In the meanti...
Jul 04, 2024•15 min•Season 12Ep. 4
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 13 minutes 13 seconds Synopsis: The Rambam urged his student, R' Yosef, to "make [the Mishneh Torah] your book par excellence." In this episode, I share the methodology I was taught by one of my Rambam rabbeim for how to do that. This methodology will serve as the blueprint for how we approach Hilchos Tefilah tomorrow. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - אגרת לרב יוסף Letter from me to Rabbi Saul Zucker Letter from Rabbi Saul Zucker to me רמב"...
Jul 03, 2024•14 min•Season 12Ep. 3
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 11 minutes 31 seconds Synopsis: Before we start learning Hilchos Tefilah, I'd like to review two pillars of my Mishneh Torah methodology. Today we'll discuss how the Rambam intended for his magnum opus to be read, and tomorrow I'll share how one of my own Rambam mentors advised me to master the Mishneh Torah. ----- The first month of the newly relaunched Rambam Bekius Podcast has been sponsored anonymously. May the merit of our l...
Jul 02, 2024•13 min•Season 12Ep. 2
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes 55 seconds Synopsis: Welcome BACK to the Rambam Bekius Podcast! In this inaugural episode, I discuss what we mean by "Rambam Bekius," what our goals are for this podcast, and what the format will be. Whether you're a new or returning listener, be sure to check out this episode before proceeding. In the next two episodes we'll go over some basic Mishneh Torah methodology and then commence our learning of Hilchos Tefilah...
Jul 01, 2024•19 min•Season 12Ep. 1
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of audio: 47 minutes Synopsis: Have you been what I'll be up to this coming year? Have you heard me allude to a MAJOR update that I said I'd announce about my professional life in the near future? Are you aware of one of these updates, but not the other? Well, if none of this interests you, then by all means, feel free to skip this. But if you are at all curious about my exciting plans for 2023-2024, then here is the FULL story. I...
Aug 23, 2023•48 min
