Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 23 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/22/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we learned about the strangely structured mitzvah of charoses, and the botanically ambiguous mitzvah of maror. We concluded by answering a question we raised last week about whether a person would be obligated in sippur if they don't have matzah and maror in front of them. Next week (בג"ה) will be devoted to chapter 8! ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה:...
Mar 23, 2023•24 min•Season 10Ep. 24
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/22/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we began by going over one more idea about haseivah and another idea about Mah Nishtanah. We then learned the remaining halachos of the four cups, taking some brief detours to see if there was overlap with other halachic cup requirements. Tomorrow we'll aim to finish the perek. ----- מקורות: Rav Yosef Dov ha'Levi Soloveitchik, Festival of Freedom: Ess...
Mar 22, 2023•20 min•Season 10Ep. 23
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 16 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/21/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we moved on to the two topics of the four cups and reclining. We covered most of the halachos, with a brief detour into the Rambam's procedure for the obligatory eatings of the night in Chapter 8. Tomorrow we'll continue, with the goal of finishing Chapter 7 by the end of the week. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות חמץ ומצה ז:ז-ח; ח:ו-...
Mar 21, 2023•18 min•Season 10Ep. 22
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/20/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we didn't focus We started off with a halacha we learned last week, but only so that I could make sure that everyone was familiar with the two ways to translate the word "Pesach." This led us to look into the pesukim, the Targum, and some Rashis. We then finished reading the halacha in the Rambam, which prompted me to share my favorite explanation of ...
Mar 20, 2023•20 min•Season 10Ep. 21
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 18 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/16/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we took up the classic question of liros vs. leharos in the Rambam. I hope I was able to take it a little further than it's usually taken, thanks to all the resources on AlHaTorah, plus R' Qafih and the Yad Peshutah. I also did teshuvah for inadvertently speaking lashon ha'ra about Rav Nachman. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות חמץ ומצ...
Mar 16, 2023•19 min•Season 10Ep. 20
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 22 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/15/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we read through select portions of the Yad Peshutah's commentary which provided insights into the halachos we learned last week, and answered some of our questions. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות חמץ ומצה ז:א-ה עם פירוש היד פשוטה רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכות קריאת שמע א:ג עם פירוש היד פשוטה רמב"ם - ספר המצוות, עשה קנ"ז (תרגום ...
Mar 15, 2023•23 min•Season 10Ep. 19
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 26 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/9/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, our goal was to cover all the halachos which the Rambam collectively refers to as "hagadah," so that we can get the big picture - and we did just that! Next week (בג"ה) we'll either delve into the questions we raised or we'll do more bekius. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות חמץ ומצה ז:א-ה רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכות קריאת שמע א:...
Mar 09, 2023•26 min•Season 10Ep. 18
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 39 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/8/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we kicked off our Pesach-prep by reviewing the Rambam's four formulations of the mitzvah of sippur: (1) in the Sefer ha'Mitzvos, (2) in the Mishneh Torah's minyan ha'mitzvos, (3) in the koseres for Hilchos Chametz u'Matzah, and (4) in the first halacha in chapter 7. We raised the major questions and problems that arose from his differences in formulati...
Mar 08, 2023•40 min•Season 10Ep. 17
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 26 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/2/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we had one mission: to gain insight into the idea of emulating the shechinah by increasing our matanos la'evyonim and by giving tzedakah to aniyim in a manner that enlivens their souls. It took us longer than I anticipated to go through the facts, and we didn't have time to develop a full idea, but we did come up with an approach which I hope to be abl...
Mar 02, 2023•26 min•Season 10Ep. 16
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 21 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (3/1/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we attempted to understand the halachos of matanos la'evyonim, but ended up with more questions than answers. Tomorrow our goal is to understand Yeshayahu 57:15 in context, now that we know it's a universal principle in relating to the poor and downtrodden and not just a particular halacha about Purim. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות ...
Mar 01, 2023•22 min•Season 10Ep. 15
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 20 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/28/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we concluded this year's analysis of the Rambam's shitah on mishloach manos. We finished reading the Yad Peshutah and attempted to answer our remaining questions and tie up the loose ends. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות מגילה וחנוכה ב:טו יד פשוטה שם מגילה דף ז עמוד א-ב רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות עירובין א:א ----- The Torah ...
Feb 28, 2023•21 min•Season 10Ep. 14
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 22 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/27/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we continued on in the halachos of Purim with the mitzvah of mishloach manos. We learned through the Rambam, raised several questions, and then began reading the Yad Peshutah. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות מגילה וחנוכה ב:טו יד פשוטה שם מגילה דף ז עמוד א-ב ----- The Torah content for the rest of Adar has been sponsored by my friend ...
Feb 27, 2023•23 min•Season 10Ep. 13
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 25 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/23/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we spent the first 15 minutes of shiur reading excerpts from Avraham Feintuch's article about the methodoloy of R' Nachum L. Rabonivitch in his Yad Peshutah commentary on the Rambam. We then read his Yad Peshutah on the halacha in the Rambam about the Purim seudah and Purim drunkenness and saw his methodology in action. We were left with a clear impre...
Feb 23, 2023•26 min•Season 10Ep. 12
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/22/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we took our first steps into THIS year's understanding of Simchas Purim. We read through an excerpt on the Yad Peshutah's commentary which we used as the basis for understanding the "classic" problem of how the Rambam can hold that drunkenness is antithetical to simchah - yet, still require us to get drunk on Purim. We didn't work everything out, but ...
Feb 23, 2023•19 min•Season 10Ep. 11
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 20 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/21/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we began our review of Hilchos Megilah. Since we only have (בג"ה) seven sessions of Rambam Bekius before Purim, and since we wanted to examine the halachos of the mishteh and matanos la'evyonim, we figured it would be good to start with the halachos about the days of Purim as ymei mishteh v'simchah. Today we read the first halacha, along with some oth...
Feb 21, 2023•21 min•Season 10Ep. 10
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/20/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we learned through the Aruch ha'Shulchan on the Rambam's eight levels of tzedakah with the goal of reviewing, refining, and filling in the gaps of some practical questions we had. I'd say we met these goals. Seeing as how we're at a natural stopping point and Rosh Chodesh Adar is tomorrow, we will be taking another break from Hilchos Matnos Aniyim to ...
Feb 20, 2023•20 min•Season 10Ep. 9
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 16 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/16/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we had one goal: to read through the halachos of the eight levels of tzedakah in order to get the facts - and we succeeded! We raised some questions and posited some ideas along the way, but we'll have to wait until next week to dig in deep (בג"ה). ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זרעים, הלכות מתנות עניים י:ח-טו ----- The Torah content for this we...
Feb 16, 2023•17 min•Season 10Ep. 8
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 20 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/15/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we spent most of the time discussing a short but interesting halacha in the Rambam about the relative rewards for giving tzedakah vs. getting other people to give tzedakah. After that, we began the section on the eight levels of giving tzedakah. We read through the first two, and (בג"ה) we'll read the remaining levels tomorrow. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - מ...
Feb 15, 2023•21 min•Season 10Ep. 7
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 18 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/14/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we revisited the halachos we learned yesterday about how to and not to interact with aniyim. We gained more clarity today and answered most of our questions. We plan to move on tomorrow. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זרעים, הלכות מתנות עניים י:ד-ה רש"י - דברים ג:כג (ריש פרשת ואתחנן) ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sa...
Feb 14, 2023•19 min•Season 10Ep. 6
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 15 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/13/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we resumed the halachos of how to give tzedakah and the virtues of tzedakah with a topic which combines them both. We got some nice ideas about the MANNER in which a person should and shouldn't give tzedakah, and we'll continue in these halachos tomorrow (בג"ה). ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זרעים, הלכות מתנות עניים י:ג-ה ----- The Torah conten...
Feb 13, 2023•16 min•Season 10Ep. 5
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 37 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/8/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we continued our brief break from our tzedakah topics to review the halachos in the Rambam about talmud Torah and aveilus. Since I was interested in the practical halacha, we ended up extending our session in order to learn through the Aruch ha'Shulchan on this topic. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר שופטים, הלכות אבל ה:א,טו-טז; יג:ט שולחן ערוך יור...
Feb 09, 2023•38 min•Season 10Ep. 4
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/6/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we took a brief break from our tzedakah topics to review some practical laws about comforting mourners, as well as some of the philosophical ideas embedded in the halachos. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר שופטים, הלכות אבל יג:א-ד,יב Tishah b'Av 5782: Kinnah #28 - Eich Enacheim? (How Can I Be Consoled?) https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/2022/08/tis...
Feb 06, 2023•20 min•Season 10Ep. 3
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/1/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we revisited yesterday's questions and managed to find answers. We found a helpful approach in the Torah Temimah and developed three different ideas from that approach. We then set up the next halacha for tomorrow's analysis. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זרעים, הלכות מתנות עניים י:ג תורה תמימה - דברים טו:ט שמות כב:כה-כו רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר ה...
Feb 01, 2023•18 min•Season 10Ep. 2
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Hiding Your Eyes from Tzedakah (Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 10:3) Length: 26 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/31/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we picked up where we left off last time in the 10th chapter of Hilchos Matnos Aniyim. Today's topic was the Rambam's statements about the person who hides their eyes from aniyim in order to not give tzedakah. We focused on the three levels of condemnation listed by the Rambam, and brainstorm...
Jan 31, 2023•27 min•Season 10Ep. 1
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 30 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/11/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we finished our re-learning of the Rambam's perek on chesed, mishpat, and tzedakah with the commentary of R' Makbili. I don't know about everyone else, but I found this to be absolutely mindblowing. Suffice it to say, simple statements like "Hashem is merciful" or "Hashem is just" do NOT mean what people imagine them to mean. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - מור...
Jan 11, 2023•31 min•Season 9Ep. 47
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 20 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/10/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we delved into the three citations from pesukim that the Rambam uses to develop his idea of tzedakah. Thanks to R' Makbili, we were able to appreciate the nuances in the Rambam's concept of tzedakah. Tomorrow we'll see if we can round out our understanding by finishing the perek. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - מורה הנבוכים ג:נג (מקבילי) ----- The Torah content...
Jan 10, 2023•21 min•Season 9Ep. 46
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Chesed, Mishpat, Tzedakah Revisited - Part 1 (Moreh ha'Nevuchim 3:53) Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/9/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we decided to revisit the Rambam's treatment of these three key concepts, as part of our preparation for understanding Hilchos Matnos Aniyim Chapter 10. And now that I own R' Makbili's edition, we can use it to aid our understanding! We read through around half of the Rambam with som...
Jan 09, 2023•20 min•Season 9Ep. 45
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 12 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/5/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we answered some of the questions we raised on the Rambam's statement that "a person never becomes poor from tzedakah, and nothing bad or harmful comes from tzedakah." Unfortunately (for viewers/listeners), I had to pause the recording for the main part of the shiur because the Rambam told me to. But there should still be enough that was recorded to as...
Jan 05, 2023•13 min•Season 9Ep. 44
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! How You Will Be Treated Based on Your Tzedakah and Rachamim - Questions (Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 10:2) Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/4/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we learned three halachos spanning two topics: how God relates to those who do tzedakah and show mercy, and how we regard those who do and don't display the Jewish trait of mercy. We raised several questions which we will attempt to answer tomorrow. ---...
Jan 04, 2023•20 min•Season 9Ep. 43
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (12/29/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we managed to take a few more steps towards answering the questions we raised yesterday. Although we still didn't arrive at definitive answers for everything, we managed to come up with some good ideas. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זרעים, הלכות מתנות עניים י:א מאירי - בית הבחירה: בבא בתרא דף ט עמוד א מהר"י קרא - ישעיהו א:כז מהר"י קרא הגהות לפ...
Dec 29, 2022•18 min•Season 9Ep. 42
