Machshavah Lab
456 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 9 ratingsMy 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.
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Episodes
Tehilim 100: Mizmor l'Todah (A Psalm of Thanksgiving)
November 24, 2022 03:00 - 1 hour - 50.1 MBThis evening (11/23/22), in our Wednesday night Tehilim/Tefilah shiur which fell out on Erev Thanksgiving, it would be apropos to take up "inyanei d'yoma" as it were. Since this perek is only five pesukim long, I was fairly confident we might be able to get at least one main idea tonight, and - despite what seemed like a scattered initial analysis - I believe we succeeded! We ended by reading the thanksgiving words of another national leader, George Washington, which were surprisingly in lin...
Chayei Sarah: Musings on Judaism's Response to Animal Suffering
November 18, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 50 MBIn today's Friday morning "Machshavah Lab" shiur for women (11/18/22), we approached a broad topic via a narrow focus. Everyone agrees that the Torah shows concern for Tzaar Baalei Chayim (animal suffering), but the parameters and implications are far from simple. This shiur was prompted by an incident that happened in yeshiva a few weeks ago, and an incident that takes place in this week's parashah. Although it is by no means a comprehensive treatment of the subject, I am confident that it ...
Q&A #09 - Is Belief a Choice, Tefilah vs. Avodah Zarah, How to Safely Attend a Red Carpet Event
November 18, 2022 14:00 - 46 minutes - 31.9 MBThis morning (11/18/22), in our Friday Q&A, we addressed three topics: (1) Is belief/emunah a choice? (2) If we can't have any positive knowledge of Hashem and all the praise we say in davening is, strictly speaking, blasphemy, then what's the difference between our tefilah and the tefilah of an idolater? (3) Is there a way to attend "red carpet" luxury events without endangering one's "spiritual well-being"? Please feel free to leave your questions, insights, and feedback in the comments!...
Chayei Sarah: The Pshat of "Place Your Hand Under My Thigh"
November 18, 2022 12:00 - 5 minutes - 3.58 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled, Chayei Sarah: The Pshat of "Place Your Hand Under My Thigh." Is Rashi's commentary always pshat? What if the majority of other commentators claim that THEIR explanation is the real pshat? Should we ban publications which present non-Rashi commentaries as pshat? If these questions interest you, check out this part dvar Torah and part teaser for my reaction to the Lakewood ban on the Chumash Pshuto Shel Mikra. ----- T...
Avos 3:5 - DIY Soul-Endangerment
November 18, 2022 01:00 - 1 hour - 51.5 MBThis evening (11/17/22), in our Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, we learned our next mishnah which, despite the ambiguity in the clauses, proved to be much more straightforward than the last two. We learned three radically different approaches to the mishnah, at least two of which are eminently practical. ----- מקורות: אבות ג:ה רבינו יונה ספורנו מאירי רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות תלמוד תורה ג:יג רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות דעות ג:ג; ד:א מאירי - משלי כב:כב-כג רבינו בחיי מאירי -...
The Prohibition to Gaze at a Rainbow (or Those Who Gaze at Rainbows Are Better Off Never Being Born)
November 11, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 70.6 MBIn today's Friday morning "Machshavah Lab" shiur for women (11/11/22), we took up a topic I've been asked about by countless high school students: "Is it prohibited to stare at a rainbow? If so, why?" This shiur represents my current best attempt at answers to those two questions. ----- מקורות: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים רכט:א ספר אבודרהם ברכת הראיה, שבח והודאה חגיגה פרק ב משנה א חגיגה יד:;טז. רמב"ם - פירוש המשניות חגיגה ב:א מאירי - בית הבחירה חגיגה דף יא עמוד ב ריטב"א - קידושין דף מ עמוד א רמב"ן ...
Q&A #08 - Stoicism, Commanding Emotions, Productivity Compulsion, and Embracing Mortality to Make the Most of Life
November 11, 2022 14:00 - 45 minutes - 31.6 MBThis morning (11/11/22), in our Friday Q&A, we addressed four topics: (1) Is Judaism conducive to Stoicism? (2) How can the Torah command us to feel things, like joy? (3) What is the secret to maximizing the productive use of one's time in a healthy manner? (4) How am I supposed to choose what to learn if there is SO MUCH TORAH? I responded only briefly to the first question, since I address it at length in the episode of The Stoic Jew Podcast entitled Why Do You Value Stoicism as a Jew? ...
Vayeira: Don't Deviate from the Minhag: XTREME Edition
November 11, 2022 05:00 - 5 minutes - 3.49 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled, Vayeira: Don't Deviate from the Minhag: XTREME Edition. How could the angels who visited Avraham eat what he served them? DID they even eat? And either way, what are we supposed to learn from this? ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored anonymously. May Hashem grant a refuah shleimah to Rachel bas Rivka Chana. ----- If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please fee...
Avos 3:4 - Three Who Eat With or Without Torah
November 11, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 69.3 MBThis evening (11/10/22), in our Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, we took up a somewhat famous mishnah about saying words of Torah at a meal. I'm not gonna lie: I did NOT think we'd arrive at any real ideas tonight. My chavrusa and I struggled with this mishnah and all I had when we started shiur was a good lead. But thanks to the superlative analysis of the participants, we were able to answer all our questions and arrive at an idea that is 85-90% complete! ----- מקורות: אבות ג:ד ישעיהו כח...
Noach's Unwillingness to Procreate - Part 2 (Some Answers)
November 04, 2022 17:00 - 54 minutes - 37.7 MBIn today's Friday morning "Machshavah Lab" shiur for women (11/4/22), we answered SOME of the questions we raised in Part 1. Although not all the ideas came to full fruition, I'm satisfied with the approaches we developed. Note: towards the beginning of the shiur I mention that I intended to open a can of worms. I decided to make that into a separate recording, and to not share it. If you're really interested, reach out to me and ask whether I'm okay sharing it. ----- מקורות: ויקרא יח:א-ג,כד...
Lech Lecha: Is Circumcision "Mutilation"?
November 04, 2022 14:00 - 5 minutes - 3.59 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled, Lech Lecha: Is Circumcision "Mutilation"? The answer may surprise you ... Be sure to check out my new substack at rabbischneeweiss.substack.com! ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by my friend and colleague, Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder. Rabbi Feder recently published a book called Gematria Refigured: A New Look at How the Torah Conveys Ideas Through Numbers (2022, Mosaica Press). The approach to gematria...
Q&A #07 - Tefilah Technicalities, Pas b'Melach Tochal, & Prioritizing Animal Care Over Talmud Torah
November 04, 2022 13:00 - 26 minutes - 18.1 MBThis morning (11/4/22), in our shorter-than-usual Friday Q&A, we discussed two questions: (1) What do we say about a case in which you had a REALLY meaningful tefilah, but weren't yotzei due to a halachic "technicality"? (2) Is there a way to effectively simulate the conditions for the "darcho shel Torah" of "eat bread with salt, sleep on the ground, etc."? (3) If you encounter a wounded animal on your way to shiur, should you tend to the animal and skip shiur or go to shiur and tend to the ...
Avos 3:3 - The Shechinah Among Friends
November 04, 2022 01:00 - 1 hour - 63.6 MBThis evening (11/3/22), in our Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, we took up the next mishnah in chapter 3. Specifically, we analyzed the first part of the mishnah which talks about the difference between those who sit and exchange words of Torah and those who don't. The mishnah makes it seem like the difference is extreme, but once we arrived at an understanding of the main idea, we realized ... that the difference really IS extreme! I truly hope that the idea in this shiur impacts all our i...
Beur Tefilah: Who is the "Aleinu" in Sim Shalom?
November 02, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.76 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled, Beur Tefilah: Who is the "Aleinu" in Sim Shalom? If you, like me, never even noticed this question before, then I encourage you to take a moment to think about how you would answer it before reading or listening to my approach. Let me know what you think! Be sure to check out my new substack at rabbischneeweiss.substack.com! ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by my friend and colleague, Rabbi Dr. ...
Noach's Unwillingness to Procreate - Part 1 (Facts and Questions)
October 28, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 52.2 MBIn today's Friday morning "Machshavah Lab" shiur for women (10/28/22), we took up a question I had never noticed before: Why doesn't Noach have any more kids after the flood? In this shiur we build a case from Rashi's reading of the pesukim which argues that Noach INTENTIONALLY refrained from having more kids - a decision which was initially endorsed by Hashem, but which ultimately led to disastrous consequences, due to Noach's inexplicable decision to plant a vineyard instead of procreating...
Noach: Shadal's Radical Application of Dibra Torah ki'Lshon Bnei Adam
October 28, 2022 18:00 - 7 minutes - 5.1 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled, Noach: Shadal's Radical Application of Dibra Torah ki'Lshon Bnei Adam. We're familiar with the notion that the Torah is "forced" to use anthropomorphisms when speaking about Hashem, but what about the "extreme" anthropomorphisms, like how the pasuk states that "Hashem smelled the soothing fragrance" of Noach's korbanos? Shadal offers an answer which might knock your socks off when you consider its implications. Be ...
Q&A #06 - Sim Shalom, Singular vs. Plural, Current Meditation Practice, Shogeg, pre-Ashrei Pesukim
October 28, 2022 13:00 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MBQ&A #06 - Sim Shalom ALEINU v’Al Kol Yisrael, Singular vs. Plural in Tefilah, My Current Meditation Practice, Shogeg, and pre-Ashrei Pesukim This morning (10/28/22), in our Friday Q&A, we covered five questions: (1) In Sim Shalom, when we say "aleinu v'al kol Yisrael amecha," who does "aleinu" refer to? (2) Are there examples of "legit" tefilos which we say in the singular rather than in the plural? (3) What are my current meditation practices? (4) What is the scope of shogeg? (5) What's th...
Avos 3:2 - Davening for the Peace of the Government
October 28, 2022 02:00 - 1 hour - 55.7 MBThis evening (10/27/22), in our Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, we took up the next mishnah in chapter 3. If you were to take a poll of Americans at any time in recent history and ask them how they'd feel about davening for the government, it's likely that half of them wouldn't be so keen on doing so, and a percentage of that half would downright refuse. Yet, the mishnah in Avos seems to be saying that we should ALWAYS daven for the government. Why? Listen and find out! ----- מקורות: אבות...
Q&A #05 - Learning Neviim, Hashgachah Pratis Meetings, Non-Jews and Yomim Noraim, Koheles on Sukkos, and Moshiach as an Ikkar
October 20, 2022 13:00 - 46 minutes - 32.3 MBThis morning (10/20/22), in our Friday Q&A (bumped up to Thursday because there's no shiur tomorrow), we covered five questions, depending on how you count: (1) How should one go about learning neviim and why is it so difficult? (2) What assumptions do we make about the role of hashgachah pratis in meeting people? (3) How should non-Jews relate to Rosh ha'Shanah and Yom ha'Kippurim? (4) Why is Koheles read on Sukkos, and (5) Why is Moshiach one of the 13 ikkarim? ---------- מקורות: מגילה דף ...
The Four Days Between Yom ha'Kippurim and Sukkos
October 07, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 68.4 MBIn today's Friday morning "Machshavah Lab" shiur for women (10/30/22) we took up a rather obscure topic: What does Judaism have to say about the four days between Yom ha'Kippurim and Sukkos? At first glance, it seems like there's not much going on here, but upon closer examination of the halachos, minhagim, and midrashim, this short time period is far more important than meets the eye. I can pretty much guarantee that if you watch/listen to this shiur during these four days, it will enhance ...
Q&A #04 - Al Cheit, Discerning Hashgachah, Trolly Problems, Birkas ha'Gomel, and Idyllic Torah Life
October 06, 2022 14:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MBThis morning (10/6/22), in our Friday Q&A (bumped up to Thursday because I'll be leaving for Sukkos), we covered five questions, depending on how you count: (1) Why are there so many "Al Cheit"s in the Yom ha'Kippurim Vidui which pertain to speech? (2) How can one tell whether something is hashgachah pratis or not? (3) What does Judaism say about "the trolly problem"? (4) What are the parameters of Birkas ha'Gomel? and (5) How do we reconcile the reality we see with the Torah's portrait of t...
Yom ha’Kippurim 5783: Musings on Erev Yom ha’Kippurim Anxiety
October 04, 2022 20:00 - 6 minutes - 4.3 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I cranked out a few hours before Yom ha'Kippurim, entitled, Yom ha’Kippurim 5783: Musings on Erev Yom ha’Kippurim Anxiety. Perhaps this shouldn't have been written as a 1-page article. My hope is that I wrote it in such a manner that it will yield truth and insight regardless of what your premises and preconceived notions are. ---------- This week's Torah learning has been sponsored by Joey and Estee, whom I'd like to thank for being...
Yom ha'Kippurim 5783: Ne'ilah - It's Not What You Think It Is
September 30, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 42.6 MBIn today's Friday morning "Machshavah Lab" shiur for women (9/30/22) we took up a very basic question. I can PRETTY much guarantee that if I ask you, "What is Neilah?" the answer you give will be incorrect. There are some basic facts about Neilah of which most people are unaware. In today's shiur we examined Neilah in light of those facts, and in so doing, arrived at a new - and more accurate - understanding of Ne'ilah and its place within the halachic system. ---------- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה...
Q&A #03 - Assorted Aseres Ymei Teshuvah Questions
September 30, 2022 13:00 - 48 minutes - 33.6 MBThis morning (9/30/22), in our Friday Q&A, we covered a number of questions relevant to the Aseres Ymei Teshuvah, including: (1) How does the judgment on Rosh ha'Shanah and Yom ha'Kippurim work? (2) Why do we stand when the Aron ha'Kodesh is open? (3) How can we live up to the seemingly impossible ideal of making use of every moment we have? (4) How do we live each as if it's our last while simultaneously planning for the future? (5) What can we do to up our mitzvah observance during the Ase...
Avos 4:11 - Mitzvos and Aveiros as Defenders and Prosecutors
September 29, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 62 MBThis evening (9/29/22), in our Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, we took up a mishnah in Chapter 4 in hopes that it would help us to up our mitzvah and teshuvah game for the Aseres Ymei Teshuvah. We examined two approaches: an original approach inspired by the Rambam, and an attempt at understanding Rabbeinu Bachya's approach which was ALSO inspired by the Rambam, as well as the Malbim on Iyov. We didn't answer all our questions, but we did emerge with a new way to look at mitzvos, aveiros, ...
R' Akiva's Guidelines for a Good Judgment on Rosh ha'Shanah
September 25, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 65 MBEarlier this year I gave a three-part shiur (in my Machshavah Lab series for women) on a mishnah in Pirkei Avos about how Hashem judges the world. The question that sparked the shiur was: What is this doing HERE? Avos is a practical masechta about ethics - not metaphysics! Thankfully, we found a commentator who translates these seemingly metaphysical ideas into practical guidelines for receiving a good judgment. Whether you missed last year's shiur or could use a review, I can promise you th...
Nitzavim: Is Teshuvah/Torah Really THAT Easy?
September 23, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBNitzavim: Is Teshuvah/Torah REALLY That Easy? In today's Friday morning "Machshavah Lab" shiur for women (9/23/22) we focused on a question that bothers me every year. Devarim 30:11-14 describes how easy and accessible "ha'mitzvah" is. There's a machlokess Rishonim whether "ha'mitzvah" here refers specifically to teshuvah, or whether it's talking about the entire Torah. Either way, my question is: is it really THAT easy and accessible? That is the question we aimed to answer in today's shiu...
Ki Savo: Accursed to God
September 16, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 70.5 MBIn today's Friday morning "Machshavah Lab" shiur for women (9/16/22) we focused on the twelve transgressors which are singled out and "cursed" by Hashem. Our goal was to understand (1) what these twelve categories of transgressions have in common, and (2) what makes them more "curse-worthy" than others. With Hashem's help, we were able to answer those two questions with some nice ideas from the meforshim, and a whole lot more! ---------- מקורות: דברים כז:יא-כו רמב"ן - דברים כז:כו רד"ק - ספר...
Q&A #02 - God's Blessings, How to Emulate Him, What Makes a Good Question, and What is Hishtadlus?
September 16, 2022 13:00 - 49 minutes - 33.9 MBThis morning (9/16/22), in our Friday Q&A, we covered four topics: (1) Are the blessings described in Ki Savo (and elsewhere) natural, hashgachic, or both? (2) If God has no emotions, and we are commanded to emulate His actions, should our actions also be emotionless? (3) What makes a question a superior or inferior question? and (4) What's the deal with the popular notion of "hishtadlus"? ---------- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות דעות א:ה-ו; ג:א ספורנו - ויקרא יט:ב; בראשית א:כו...
Avos 3:1 - How to Avoid Transgression (Part 2: Answers and Ideas)
September 16, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 65.6 MBThis evening (9/15/22), in our Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur, we began by reviewing the facts and questions from last time. After hearing some more approaches from the participants, we learned four commentaries: Rambam, Bartenura, and Rabbeinu Bachya - who all shared an approach - and Sforno, who unlocked our understanding of the main idea, answered all our major questions, and left us with a practical take on this mishnah! ---------- מקורות: אבות ג:א אברבנאל - נחלת אבות ג:א רמב"ם - פירו...
What I Learned About Jewish Identity and Survival from an Elder of the Crow Tribe and Rav Hirsch
September 09, 2022 17:00 - 1 hour - 58.8 MBThe first shiur of this year's "Machshavah Lab" series for women was a unique one, in which I attempted to convey the biggest insight from my philosophical-anthropological journey to the Crow Reservation in Montana in August 2022. The crux of this insight derived from two sources: (1) my conversation with a Crow Elder, and (2) a commentary from Rav Hirsch, supplemented by ideas from the Sefer ha'Chinuch and R' Yochai Makbili. Although today's shiur deviates from my usual style (i.e. collabor...
Q&A #01 - Proofs of God's Oneness, Emotions & Perfection, and Emily Dickinson's Judgment of Bible
September 09, 2022 17:00 - 42 minutes - 29 MBI am pleased to announce that this year I'm going to record my Q&A sessions! This morning (9/9/22), in our Friday Q&A, we covered three broad topics: (1) exploring the implications of Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Paquda's proofs of God's Oneness, (2) how emotions can interfere with perfection, and (3) what do we think of Emily Dickinson's condemnation of the Bible's condemnation? ---------- מקורות: רבינו בחיי אבן פקודה - חובות הלבבות, שער היחוד ר' יוסף אלבו - ספר העיקרים ג:כה רמב"ם - ספר המצוות, עשה...
Avos 3:1 - How to Avoid Transgression (Part 1: Intro, Facts, and Questions)
September 09, 2022 01:00 - 57 minutes - 39.6 MBThis evening (9/8/22), in our first Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur of the year, we began with an overview of Pirkei Avos to set the stage. We then read and translated Akavya ben Mahalalel's method of avoiding transgression, raised a bunch of questions and problems, and took a few tentative steps towards answering them. Next time (בג"ה) we'll learn the commentaries and attempt to answer our questions. ---------- מקורות: מיוחס לרש"י - אבות ו:ה רמב"ם - פירוש המשניות, הקדמה למשנה רמב"ם - פירוש...
Memento Mori Musings on the First Day of Yeshiva (Koheles 7:1-2)
September 06, 2022 13:00 - 29 minutes - 20.5 MBMemento Mori Musings on the First Day of Yeshiva (Koheles 7:1-2) (א) טוֹב שֵׁם מִשֶּׁמֶן טוֹב וְיוֹם הַמָּוֶת מִיּוֹם הִוָּלְדוֹ. (ב) טוֹב לָלֶכֶת אֶל בֵּית אֵבֶל מִלֶּכֶת אֶל בֵּית מִשְׁתֶּה בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא סוֹף כׇּל הָאָדָם וְהַחַי יִתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ. This morning (9/6/22) we kicked off our inaugural Mishlei shiur of year with Koheles. I shared some musings inspired by a recent levaya I attended in yeshiva (of Rivka Nachmias z"l) in conjunction with the start of the 2022-2023 year of yeshi...
Rav Hirsch on Bad Biographies
August 16, 2022 04:00 - 13 minutes - 9.43 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote, entitled, Rav Hirsch on Bad Biographies, in which I compare Lawrence Kaplan's critique of Hillel Goldberg's Between Berlin and Slobodka to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch's critique of Heinrich Graetz's History of the Jews, concluding with the question of whether I should continue reading Goldberg's book. Even if you're not interested in MY article, I highly recommend reading Rav Hirsch's critique, which I cite in full. It's one ...
Tishah b'Av 5782 - Kinnah #28: Eich Enacheim? (How Can I Be Consoled?)
August 07, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 53.2 MBNote: This is the first time I've livestreamed a shiur on Facebook AND the first time I've had to strip the audio from a Facebook livestream using an audio extractor. If you notice any problems in the video or audio, please bring them to my attention! This morning (8/7/22), at The Island Synagogue (a.k.a. Shevet Achim) on Mercer Island, I gave my annual Tishah b'Av shiur, which I livestreamed on Facebook (hence, the sub-Zoom-quality video and audio). This year's focus was Kinnah #28, which...
Is it Permissible to Enjoy Learning on Tishah b’Av?
August 04, 2022 04:00 - 4 minutes - 3.44 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled, Is it Permissible to Enjoy Learning on Tishah b’Av? I rarely write my articles about halacha, but after stating in an earlier article that Tishah b'Av used to be "the most enjoyable day of every summer," on account of the learning we'd do with Rabbi Moskowitz zt"l, I felt it would be appropriate to examine this phenomenon in light of the halachos. ---------- The Torah content for these two weeks has been sponsored b...
How to Make Kinnos Real
August 03, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.7 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled, How to Make Kinnos Real, which showcases two applications of my continually evolving approach to kinnos. The Series: Part 1: The Induction of Metaphysical Trauma Part 2: The Necessity of Metaphysical Trauma for National Teshuvah Part 3: An Approach to the Blasphemy in Eichah and Kinnos Part 4: EFT (Episodic Future Thinking) Training: A Summer 2022 Experiment Part 5: The Role of Episodic Memory in the Three Weeks ...
Wishful Thinking and Prophetic Interpretation
August 02, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.46 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled, Wishful Thinking and Prophetic Interpretation, in which we examine a machlokess between Ibn Kaspi and Rashi on how to learn Neviim and its ramifications for those who attempt to uncover the true meanings of their prophecies today. ---------- The Torah content for these two weeks has been sponsored by Ariel Rachmanov, a friend and Mishlei talmid of mine. Ariel works for Keller Williams Real Estate and has generously ...
Review of R' Shagar's book: "Faith Shattered and Restored: Judaism in the Postmodern Age"
August 01, 2022 04:00 - 24 minutes - 17 MBSynopsis: In lieu of a 1-page article, here is the audio version of the book review I wrote on Faith Shattered and Restored: Judaism in the Postmodern Age, by R' Shagar. I don't usually post my book reviews on my blog or record them as podcasts, but I felt like I had to make an exception here, for reasons which I explain in the preface to what is essentially an essay on my first thoughts about R' Shagar's approach. I'll note that while I was making the recording, it dawned on me that this pa...
Masei: How to Read the Travels of Bnei Yisrael
July 29, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.79 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled Masei: How to Read the Travels of Bnei Yisrael, in which we learn the Rambam's answer to the question, "Why does the Torah 'waste' so many pesukim by listing all 42 encampments of Bnei Yisrael in the Wilderness?" and discuss its implications for how we read this perek. ---------- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Ellis and Janice Cohen in memory of Rabbi Moskowitz zt"l. ---------- If you have q...
Why Talk About Other Religions?
July 28, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.74 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled Why Talk About Other Religions? which is a response to a series of questions asked by a friend of mine about why I made a statement comparing Judaism to other religions in one of my articles last week. Related Content: - Minhag Mythbusters: Does a Husband Sing Eishes Chayil for His Wife? - Is Judaism a Religion? (Version 2.0) - Hillel and the Converts ---------- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by...
Sefer Mishlei's Jargon-Filled Introduction (Mishlei 1:1-6)
July 27, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.48 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled Sefer Mishlei's Jargon-Filled Introduction (Mishlei 1:1-6). I recently initiated a project to learn Mishlei from the beginning again (as opposed to my usual practice of learning and teaching pesukim from Chapter 10 and on). I can't promise that I'll write up ALL my findings as articles, but I decided to make an attempt with this first set of pesukim. We'll how things go from here. ---------- The Torah content for ...
Ralbag on the Speculative Nature of Taamei ha’Mitzvos
July 26, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.79 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled Ralbag on the Speculative Nature of Taamei ha'Mitzvos, in which I defend the Ralbag (using his own words) against those who take issue with his Aristotelian explanations of mitzvos. ---------- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Ellis and Janice Cohen in memory of Rabbi Moskowitz zt"l. ---------- If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contac...
Abandonment by Hashem as a Catalyst for Teshuvah
July 25, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.71 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled Abandonment by Hashem as a Catalyst for Teshuvah, in which I share my new theory of how national catastrophe will lead Klal Yisrael to engage in teshuvah - a theory inspired by a passage in Amor Towles's The Lincoln Highway. ---------- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Ellis and Janice Cohen in memory of Rabbi Moskowitz zt"l. ---------- If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love t...
Haftaras Parashas Pinchas: Goyishe Jews
July 22, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.99 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote, entitled Haftaras Parashas Pinchas: Goyishe Jews. Here's my lengthy disclaimer: I wasn't in the mood to write a dvar Torah article for this Friday. I almost didn't write anything at all, but I told myself, "I'll just start writing and see if I end up with anything good." Well, I ended up with something, but it ain't a dvar Torah! I don't even know if there are any "ideas" per se, other than some insight into prophetic rhetori...
My Rejected Kiruv Article on the Purpose of Life
July 21, 2022 04:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 7-page article I wrote entitled, My Rejected Kiruv Article on the Purpose of Life. I begin by providing you with the assignment I was given and the circumstances surrounding that assignment. I then read the article I wrote. After that, I share the feedback I received and my thoughts on that feedback. I conclude by asking you what you think, and I hope that at least some of you will share your thoughts! Related Content: - My Personal Stance on Kiruv...
“Hump Day,” Wednesday, and Yom Revii l’Shabbos
July 20, 2022 04:00 - 4 minutes - 3.45 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote entitled, "Hump Day," Wednesday, and Yom Revii l'Shabbos, in which I explain why hearing a Starbucks customer wish the barista a "happy hump day!" made me grateful to be Jewish. ---------- The Torah content for these two weeks has been sponsored by Judah and Naomi Dardik in loving memory of Rabbi Moskowitz zt''l, who taught his students to pursue truth by asking questions, who modeled love of Torah and learning, and who exempl...
Minhag Mythbusters: Does a Husband Sing Eishes Chayil for His Wife?
July 19, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.6 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote entitled, Does a Husband Sing Eishes Chayil for His Wife?, in which we answer the titular question by engaging in some "halachic archaeology" in an attempt to trace the minhag back to its origins. ---------- The Torah content for these two weeks has been sponsored by Judah and Naomi Dardik in loving memory of Rabbi Moskowitz zt''l, who taught his students to pursue truth by asking questions, who modeled love of Torah and lea...
The Role of Episodic Memory in the Three Weeks and Tishah b'Av
July 18, 2022 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.66 MBSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote entitled, The Role of Episodic Memory in the Three Weeks and Tishah b'Av, in which I attempt to articulate the current framework I'm working with as we enter into the three weeks this year. For the sake of convenience, here are the links to the audio versions of the six articles I reference. - The Induction of Metaphysical Trauma - The Necessity of Metaphysical Trauma for National Teshuvah - Tishah b’Av 5781: An Approach to t...