Machshavah Lab artwork

Machshavah Lab

441 episodes - English - Latest episode: 27 days ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratings

My name is Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss. My goal as a Torah educator is not merely to teach my students my OWN hashkafah. Rather, my goal is to equip them with the foundations, the methodological training, and the tools which will enable them to arrive at their OWN understanding of Judaism and cultivate their OWN relationship with Hashem and His Torah. This podcast is devoted to the shiurim I give which are geared specifically towards that end. As such, the range of topics covered here will be diverse. There will be shiurim on Jewish philosophy, Chumash methodology, aggadic midrashim, maybe even some non-Jewish philosophy as well. Merriam-Webster defines "laboratory" as a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study. I call this podcast "Machshavah Lab" because this is where we will conduct Torah "experiments" by exploring questions, texts, and ideas in an effort to develop our machshavah in a "hands on," exploratory, firsthand manner.

Judaism Religion & Spirituality Education
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Episodes

Ki Tisa – “Please Erase Me From Your Book”

March 01, 2024 05:00 - 17 minutes - 11.7 MB

Length of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 15 minutes 48 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/1/24, entitled: Ki Tisa – “Please Erase Me From Your Book.” What was Moshe thinking when he asked Hashem to erase him from His book? I began writing an article, based on Sforno, which turned into 90% of a written shiur. I hope you still find it insightful! ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Jo...

Tetzaveh: Urim v’Tumim – the Emergency (Outdated?) Divine Telegraph System

February 23, 2024 05:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MB

Length of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 15 minutes 34 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/23/24, entitled: Tetzaveh: Urim v’Tumim – the Emergency (Outdated?) Divine Telegraph System. In this article we examine three reasons why the staves of the Ark may not be removed. Each reason has implications for the way we relate to the Torah today. ----- This week's Torah content has been made possible by my P...

Q&A #37: Moshiach, Moshiach, Moshiach, Short-Torah Recommendations, AI, When to Listen to Podcasts

February 16, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 42.9 MB

Length: 1 hour 1 minute Synopsis: This morning (2/16/24), in a women's Q&A, we took up four questions - or at least, a cluster of related questions, followed by three isolated questions: (1) LOTS of questions about moshiach! (2) What short-form shiurim/Torah would I recommend? (3) What steps can we take to make sure that we don't become too dependent on AI? (4) When should and shouldn't a person listen to podcasts? ----- מקורות: מגילה דף יז עמוד ב רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר שופטים, הלכות מלכים ו...

Avos 4:3 - Don't Diss Anyone or Anything

February 16, 2024 02:00 - 1 hour - 47.4 MB

Length: 1 hour 8 minutes Synopsis: This evening (2/15/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the next mishnah in our perek. This one was also authored by Ben Azzai, but unlike the last one, this did NOT seem like it belonged in Avos. It felt much more like a pasuk from Mishlei, in content and in style. But we were still able to get some nice Avos(ish) ideas from it! ----- מקורות: אבות ד:ג רמב"ם רבינו יונה רשב"ץ בראשית רבה סג:ח מאירי ספורנו רש"י ר' יעקב ב"ר שמשון ר...

Q&A #36: Dealing with Guilt, Strengthening Halacha Observance, and Self-Diagnosis of Trends

February 15, 2024 14:00 - 38 minutes - 26.6 MB

Length: 37 minutes Synopsis: This morning (2/15/24), in our Q&A, we took up three questions, in what turned out to be the most important Q&A of the 2023-2024 year thus far: (1a) What role should guilt play in our lives and (1b) how should we deal with it? (2) What strategies can we use to strengthen our attachment to and observance of halacha? and (3) How do you know whether a change in your behavior is a result of the temporary circumstances or is indicative of a more substantial change? I ...

Terumah: Badei ha’Aron (The Staves of the Ark)

February 15, 2024 06:00 - 9 minutes - 6.24 MB

Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 50 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/15/24, entitled: Terumah: Badei ha’Aron (The Staves of the Ark). In this article we examine three reasons why the staves of the Ark may not be removed. Each reason has implications for the way we relate to the Torah today. ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Isaac, out of Hakaras HaTov to ...

Mishpatim: Which Gerim Shouldn’t We Oppress?

February 09, 2024 17:00 - 9 minutes - 6.38 MB

Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 2 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/9/24, entitled: Mishpatim: Which Gerim Shouldn’t We Oppress? We're familiar with the Torah's repeated warnings about how we treat a ger. We assume that "ger" is one who converted to Judaism. But is this necessarily true? R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam begs to differ. ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponso...

Avos 4:2 - Mitzvah Goreres Mitzvah, v'Aveirah Goreres Aveirah (Part 2)

February 09, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 59.8 MB

Length: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This evening (2/8/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we spent a second night analyzing Ben Azzai's teaching about mitzvos and aveiros. After reviewing our questions and the basic ideas we came up with last time, we learned the Rambam's approach, followed by the Sforno's. Both were difficult, but I'm happy with what we came up with. What I love most is how this mitzvah has actually impacted my real-world decisions I've made about how I ...

That Time Onkelos Resurrected Jesus Through Necromancy (Gittin 56b) Part 2

February 02, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 66.9 MB

Length: 1 hour 36 minutes Synopsis: This morning (2/2/24), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we continued our analysis of the wacky midrash we started last week. I was nervous because I had only had a few steps to bring to the table prior to starting shiur, but thanks to the combined powers of the minds of those who attended, we managed to take MANY more steps and emerge with a unified understanding of this midrash! We also touched upon a number of methodological tips along the way, in...

Avos 4:2 - Mitzvah Goreres Mitzvah, v'Aveirah Goreres Aveirah (Part 1)

February 02, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 64.9 MB

Length: 1 hour 33 minutes Synopsis: This evening (2/1/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we began a new mishnah about how we should relate to mitzvos and aveiros. We spent the first half of shiur raising questions and taking some steps on our own, and we spent the second half of shiur learning the approaches of Rabbeinu Yonah and Meiri, which answered all of our questions. I'd like to spend at least one more week on this mishnah, beginning with the Rambam. ----- מקורות: ...

ChatGPTorah Talk: Berachah on Milah, "Can ChatGPT Give Brisker Sevara?" (and a Salmon Recipe)

February 01, 2024 17:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MB

Length: 25 minutes Synopsis: I got so much feedback on my first experimental episode of ChatGPTorah Talk that I decided to do another spontaneous one. In this talk, I discuss two topics with ChatGPT4: (1) I raise some questions that we tackled in my tefilah shiur last night and we engage in a little chavrusa learning, (2) I raise a question posed to me by one of my listeners about the limitations of ChatGPT and, specfically, whether it'll be able to come up with sevara which meets the standa...

Yisro: Rambam – On Miracles as a Foundation of Belief

February 01, 2024 12:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MB

Length of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 16 minutes 52 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/1/24, entitled: Yisro: Rambam – On Miracles as a Foundation of Belief. I was asked by several people to clarify the Rambam's view on the different roles played by the pre-Sinai miracles and the Revelation at Sinai. This article reflects my current understanding, and is essentially a walkthrough of the major poin...

Q&A #35: Vengeance, Struggles with God, Footnote 4, Changing Jobs, Prioritizing Emotional Quiescence

January 31, 2024 16:00 - 46 minutes - 31.8 MB

Length: 45 minutes Synopsis: This morning (1/31/24), in our unplanned Q&A, we took up four questions: (1) How do we reconcile a yearning for God to avenge the deaths of Jews with the fact that revenge is prohibited? (2a) What should a person do if they're encountering struggles in their relationship with God? (2b) In attempting to answer that question, I ended up reading almost the entirety of Footnote 4 from Halakhic Man, (3) Judaism addresses most situations in life, but what does it have ...

That Time Onkelos Resurrected Jesus Through Necromancy (Gittin 56b) Part 1

January 26, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 59.8 MB

Length: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This morning (1/26/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we took up a wild midrash involving Onkelos raising Titus, Bilaam, and Jesus from the grave to ask him whether he should convert to Judaism. We read through the midrash, raised a bunch of questions, then took a first step in our analysis by familiarizing ourselves with R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam's six categories of aggadic drashos and five categories of Talmudic anecdotes. Next time (בג"ה) we'll...

Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Mechubad? (Who is Honored?)

January 26, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 42.8 MB

Length: 1 hour 1 minute Synopsis: This evening (1/25/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned the fourth and final clause of Ben Zoma's statement. But we didn't do JUST that. We learned the Sforno's commentary on the entire mishnah, which ties all four clauses together from the final one. We didn't end up revisiting Rashi from the last shiur, but I'm satisfied by all the ideas we came up with. Time to move on to the next mishnah and say hadran alach to this one! ---...

My Eulogy for Rabbi Daniel Rosenthal, the "Johnny Appleseed of Torah"

January 26, 2024 02:00 - 7 minutes - 5.09 MB

Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 6 minutes 30 seconds Synopsis: Rabbi Daniel Rosenthal passed away on Tu bi’Shvat 5784. You may not know who he was, but all the Torah I teach is thanks to him. If you've learned from me, I implore you to read or listen to this. ----- This eulogy is dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Daniel Rosenthal, zt"l, whose Torah changed worlds. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/ra...

Bo: Eizov – The Humble Herb that Ended Egypt

January 19, 2024 05:00 - 8 minutes - 5.77 MB

Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 9 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 1/19/24, entitled: Bo: Eizov – The Humble Herb that Ended Egypt. Have you ever wondered why Hashem us to use eizov (hyssop) to smear the blood of the Korban Pesach on the doorposts? Here's my favorite answer, from Ralbag, with a speculative addendum of my own. ----- The Torah content for the remainder of January has...

Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Ashir? (Who is Wealthy?) Part 1

January 19, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 62.5 MB

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: This evening (1/18/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we tackled the third clause of Ben Zoma's teaching. We began with the straightforward explanation of the Meiri, then moved on to Rashi and Rabbeinu Yonah. We spent the remaining time analyzing Rabbeinu Yonah and succeeded in gleaning some major insights from his approach. Next time (bli neder) we'll come back to Rashi and perhaps some other meforshim. ----- מקורות: אבות ד:א מאירי רש...

Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Ashir? (Who is Wealthy?)

January 19, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 62.8 MB

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: This evening (1/18/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we tackled the third clause of Ben Zoma's teaching. We began with the straightforward explanation of the Meiri, then moved on to Rashi and Rabbeinu Yonah. We spent the remaining time analyzing Rabbeinu Yonah and succeeded in gleaning some major insights from his approach. Next time (bli neder) we'll come back to Rashi and perhaps some other meforshim. ----- מקורות: אבות ד:א מאירי רש...

Why I Identify With Radak

January 17, 2024 05:00 - 11 minutes - 7.96 MB

Length of article: 3 pages Length of audio: 10 minutes 20 seconds Synopsis: Which classical Biblical commentator do YOU identify with? With whom do you connect on a personal or existential level, and why? In this experimental piece I explain why, for me, the answer is: Radak. ----- The Torah content for the remainder of January has been sponsored by someone who would like to remain anonymous, in honor of Hashem and all His kindness! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, pleas...

Rambam: On Beating Tetris (and Rabbi Moskowitz: On Playing Tiddlywinks)

January 12, 2024 05:00 - 14 minutes - 9.76 MB

Length of article: 4 pages Length of audio: 12 minutes 58 seconds Synopsis: What might the Rambam say about professional gamers? What might he say about recreational gamers? I don't know for sure, but this is what I think, guided by the wisdom of my rebbi. ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Avital as a way of saying "thank you for your teaching advice and philosophy." Thank YOU, Avital, for continuing to learn Torah with me for seven years and counting! ----- If you'...

Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Gibor? (Who is Mighty?)

January 12, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MB

Length: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This evening (1/11/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we tackled the second clause of Ben Zoma's teaching, and we went about it in a different way than we usually do. Instead of learning multiple meforshim, we pretty much stuck to the Abravanel. We were rewarded with a new and nuanced take on what it means to be a gibor! ----- מקורות: אבות ה:כא אברבנאל רשב"ץ ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Avital as a way o...

ChatGPTorah Talk with Rabbi Schneeweiss on Proverbs 16:32

January 09, 2024 17:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MB

I've been obsessed with ChatGPT 4 and the voice interface option on the ChatGPT phone app. I decided on a whim to do a little demonstration this morning of how sophisticated ChatGPT has become. Listen to the following discussion in which I discuss Mishlei (Proverbs) 16:32 with ChatGPT and you'll see that this technology has moved far past the cutesy uses we played with a little over a year ago. You'll also be astonished by how realistic the AI voice is. Sure, you'll hear a few quirks and err...

ChatGPTorah Talk: On Proverbs 16:32

January 09, 2024 17:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MB

I've been obsessed with ChatGPT 4 and the voice interface option on the ChatGPT phone app. I decided on a whim to do a little demonstration this morning of how sophisticated ChatGPT has become. Listen to the following discussion in which I discuss Mishlei (Proverbs) 16:32 with ChatGPT and you'll see that this technology has moved far past the cutesy uses we played with a little over a year ago. You'll also be astonished by how realistic the AI voice is. Sure, you'll hear a few quirks and err...

Sforno's Counterintuitive Take on Makkas Bechoros and Korban Pesach (REDUX)

January 07, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 66.3 MB

Length: 1 hour 35 minutes Synopsis: The YBT Sunday Shiur I gave this morning (1/7/24) is an updated version of a shiur I gave exactly two years ago (1/7/22). The focus of the shiur is the Sforno's answer to two basic questions: (1) Who carried out Makkas Bechoros (the Plague of the Firstborn)? (2) What is the purpose of the Korban Pesach (Passover sacrifice)? What makes Sforno's approach counterintuitive? Because he holds that the Korban Pesach has absolutely nothing to do with Makkas Bechor...

Rabbi Moskowitz on Shalom Bayis and Toilet Paper

January 05, 2024 15:00 - 4 minutes - 3.12 MB

Length of the article: 1.5 pages Length of the audio: 3 minutes 17 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 1/5/24, entitled: Rabbi Moskowitz on Shalom Bayis and Toilet Paper. A chance encounter with a unique toilet paper holder reminded me of an idea from Rabbi Moskowitz that I wanted to share with all of you. May you think of this every time you see a toilet paper roll. ----- The Torah content for the remainder of ...

Avos 5:21 - Pirkei Avos: On Turning Forty

January 05, 2024 03:00 - 1 hour - 60.8 MB

Length: 1 hour 27 minutes Synopsis: This evening (1/4/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took a break from the mishnah we've been working on to do something timely. Next week is my 40th birthday, and whenever I reach a numerical milestone like that, I like to revisit the mishnah in Pirkei Avos about the different ages of our lives. Tonight we read through the entire mishnah but focused on the ages of 20, 30, 40, and 50. In addition to the ideas we learned about those ...

The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack Update: Three Changes for January 2024

January 02, 2024 05:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MB

Length of the article: 6.5 pages Length of the audio: 18 minutes 44 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 6.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 1/1/24, entitled: The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack Update: Three Changes for January 2024. This is my announcement for a major change I intend to make in my substak writing, and a chronicle of the epiphany which led to that change. Feel free to skip to the end for the bottom line. ----- The Torah content for thi...

Vayechi: Don’t Stop Working Or Else You’ll Die (Especially If You’re Not Jewish)

December 29, 2023 19:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MB

Length of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 15 minutes 39 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/29/23, entitled: Vayechi: Don’t Stop Working Or Else You’ll Die (Especially If You’re Not Jewish). Did you know that, according to Rashi, a non-Jew is forbidden to take a day off of work? Torah Temimah's elucidation of a strange midrash on Yaakov Avinu's death sheds light on Rashi's strict view. ----- The Torah...

Vayigash: May [the Word of] God Be With You (Rough Draft)

December 22, 2023 03:00 - 10 minutes - 7.17 MB

Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 9 minutes 11 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/22/23, entitled: Vayigash: May [the Word of] God Be With You (Rough Draft). I intended to write about a specific pasuk in this week's parashah, but ended up writing all the background info and concepts without getting to the main topic. Oh well. I hope you learn something! ----- The Torah Content for Chanukah ha...

Asarah b'Teves 5784: Ezkerah Matzok (Selichos Exploration)

December 21, 2023 03:00 - 1 hour - 49.3 MB

Length: 1 hour 11 minutes Synopsis: This evening (12/20/23), in our Wednesday night Tefilah shiur, we decided to see if we could gain some insights into Asarah b'Teves, which is coming up this Friday. We began by going over some basic facts about the events we commemorate, as well as some NOT so basic facts, including the questions about the events of the 8th and 9th of Teves. We then read through the selichah and made our initial observations. Then we read through the Iyun Tefilah commentar...

Mikeitz: Self-Deprivation in Solidarity With Others Who Are Suffering

December 15, 2023 19:00 - 9 minutes - 6.28 MB

Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 53 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/15/23, entitled: Mikeitz: Self-Deprivation in Solidarity With Others Who Are Suffering. Chazal learn from Yosef that it is prohibited to have marital relations during a famine. What is the nature of this prohibition? How should this be applied during the current Israel-Hamas war? ----- The Torah Content for Chan...

Mikeitz: Rabbeinu Bachya on Rabbeinu Bachya on Bitachon (Trust in Hashem)

December 15, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 45.7 MB

Length: 1 hour 5 minutes Synopsis: This morning (12/15/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we read and discussed Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher's introduction to Parashas Mikeitz (which I had NOT prepared in advance) in which he expounds on Mishlei 3:5 by summarizing the eight levels of bitachon in the writings of Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Paquda. This was never intended to be a full shiur, but it adequately served as an introduction to the topic of bitachon and gave us plenty to think about a...

Avos 4:1 - Eizehu Chacham? (Who is Wise?) Part 1

December 15, 2023 03:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MB

Length: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This evening (12/14/23), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we began Chapter 4 with Ben Zoma's well-known teaching. Tonight we focused on his treatment of "chacham." We learned the views of five Rishonim. I'd like to stick with this same topic next week, not only because of its importance, but because there are some particular questions which came up that I'd like to investigate in more depth. ----- מקורות: אבות ד:א תהלים קיט:צז-קד חגיגה דף...

Chanukah 5784: Maimonian Doughnuts and My Current Understanding of Minhag (FREE version)

December 14, 2023 12:00 - 7 minutes - 5.22 MB

Length of FREE article: 1 page Length of FREE recording: 6 minutes 20 seconds Length of FULL article: 2 pages Length of FULL recording: 8 minutes 23 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the FREE version of the article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/14/23, entitled: Chanukah 5784: Maimonian Doughnuts and My Current Understanding of Minhag. I thought sufganiot were not a real minhag until a surprising source made me reconsider. I explain my former reasoning in t...

Asking for Miracles on Chanukah: Updated for 2023, in Light of the War with Hamas

December 10, 2023 21:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MB

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 why Ashkenazim don't say it, and why all of us can and ...

Vayeishev: The Consequences of Tattling and Misguided Rebuke

December 08, 2023 05:00 - 7 minutes - 5.33 MB

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 lessons for us. ----- The Torah Content for Chanukah has...

Vayishlach: Does Hashem Always Keep His Promises and Should We Follow His Lead?

December 01, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 52 MB

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 implications for our own conduct. This shiur is truly worthy o...

Vayishlach: When Should the Righteous Bow Before the Wicked?

December 01, 2023 05:00 - 9 minutes - 6.31 MB

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 with antisemitism. ----- This week's Torah Content is d...

Avos 3:20 - Entrées and Appetizers in Learning

December 01, 2023 03:00 - 1 hour - 63.7 MB

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 Syllabus" Chapter 5 – Mathematics (by Charles van Doren) ר...

Vayeitzei: Hashem’s Love-Hate Relationship With Stone Monuments

November 24, 2023 05:00 - 10 minutes - 6.99 MB

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 "change His mind"! In this article we examine two comple...

Vayeitzei: Leah’s Thanksgiving Revolution

November 23, 2023 17:00 - 10 minutes - 7.21 MB

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! ----- This week's Torah Content has been sponsored by ...

God of Time or Dog Eating Its Own Vomit? (a "The Stoic Jew Podcast" Crossover Post)

November 17, 2023 19:00 - 9 minutes - 6.48 MB

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 of this week has been sponsored by those who make rec...

Q&A #34: Shir ha'Shirim, Yitzchak's Blindness, Teaching the Derech, Knife Yod, "Right" Use of Time

November 17, 2023 15:00 - 51 minutes - 35.5 MB

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) Is there always a "right" way to use your time? If so, how...

Avos 3:19 - A Tale of Two Trees

November 17, 2023 00:00 - 1 hour - 62.8 MB

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 statement of R' Chanina ben Dosa. We reviewed those com...

Chayei Sarah: The Virgin Rivka - Plain Pshat and Wild Drash

November 10, 2023 05:00 - 9 minutes - 6.76 MB

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 quipped, "This one isn't in The Little Midrash Says." ----- ...

Avos 3:19 - Kemach (Flour) Plus Torah

November 10, 2023 03:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MB

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 יונה מאירי רבינו בחיי ספורנו רשב"ץ רמב"ם - משנה תורה:...

Vayeira: A Lesson in Tznius from Lote's Daughters

November 03, 2023 20:00 - 9 minutes - 6.54 MB

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 Torah content has been sponsored anonymously in the hope t...

Avos 3:19 - Binah Plus Daas

November 03, 2023 02:00 - 1 hour - 62.4 MB

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 in the Rambam's commentary! We might not have learned ot...

Neither Hamas Nor the Nazis Are Halachically Amalek According to the Rambam

October 27, 2023 17:00 - 1 hour - 67 MB

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 view. This morning (10/27/23), in our Machshavah Lab serie...

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