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The Gemara in Shabbos 119b says that anyone who says Yehei Shmei Rabba Mevorach will all his might, tears up his (bad) decree. The Gemara in Brachos 21b entertains interrupting Shmona Esrei and even Maaseh Merkava to say Yehei Shmei Rabba Mevorach. Tosafos in Brachos 3a suggests that we say it in Aramaic so the Malachim (who don’t understand Aramaic) won’t be jealous that we’re saying such a beautiful tefilla. What’s so special about Yehei Shmei Rabba Mevorach?

We analyze the bracha of Asher Yatzar based on the Gemara in Brachos 60b. We also discuss the Gemara’s Halacha of addressing angels before going to the bathroom.

Adam named his wife Isha. Rashi (Bereishis 2:23) says that this teaches that the world was created with Lashon HaKodesh. What does this mean?

The Torah (Bereishis 5:28) says Noach was named because he would bring rest to man after the curse of Adam. Rashi says this refers to the fact that he invented the plow. How did Lemech, his father, know this?

In Bereishis 1:21, the Torah describes the creation of the taninim gedolim (big sea-giants). Rashi cites a Gemara in BB 74b that says this refers to the Livyasin and its mate that Hashem created, but killed the female and preserved it for tzadikim in the world to come, because if they would reproduce, the world wouldn’t be able to continue with them (because they’d take over the world). We analyze this gemara and suggest that the Livyasan refers to an amazing feature of Hashem’s Creation.

The Gemara in Yomah 86a discusses three types of Teshuva: from love, from fear, and from afflictions. We analyze these types and their features.

Why do we say this paragraph after each of the middle Brachos of musaf Rosh Hashana. How is it different from Zichronos? And what’s it all about?

Zoom summary: The meeting focused on understanding the meaning and context of the Vidui Maaser prayer, particularly the phrase "look out from Your holy abode from the heavens." Elie explored the anthropomorphic language and its implications, referencing Rashi and Ramban to discuss the nature of Hashem's providence and how it relates to the mitzvot performed by the Jewish people. The group examined the structure of the three-year cycle of tithing and the significance of the confession at its conclusion, questioning why it is called a "Vidui" and what it means to ask Hashem to "look out" and bless the nation and the land. Elie suggested that the prayer reflects a request for Hashem's specific attention and blessing, based on the completion of a multifaceted system of mitzvot, rather than just individual actions. The discussion also touched on the uniqueness of this prayer in asking for justice rather than mercy.

Rashi tells us that Hashem tricks idolaters to worship the heavenly bodies (Devarim 4:19) and Baal Tzefon (Shmos 14:2). Why would He do this? It doesn’t seem just.

We discuss the two Halachik aspects of Tisha B’av and show how they have philosophical analogues which motivate two different types of Teshuva.

The Gemara in Brachos 3a recounts a story of Rabbi Yossi going into one of the ruins of Yerushalayim to daven, where he hears a bas kol singing like a bird and has a conversation with Eliyahu Hanavi about what he heard. We analyze this story and present tentative theories about Gemaras that discuss Eliyahu Hanavi and those that discuss bas kols. We also gain insight about how to think about the Churban and the tragedies of Tisha Bav.

Devarim: Rashi (Devarim 1:9) says that Moshe (and Shlomo) couldn’t judge the people alone because Hashem punishes Jewish judges for mistakes they make. We analyze the unique role, responsibility, and challenge of Jewish judges and see what Moshe’s hesitation was all about.

Parshas Mattos: While Moshe got angry that the Jews left the daughters of Midyan alive, Rashi (Bamidbar 31:13) introduces a different problem that’s seemingly absent from the text: that the children were taking some spoils of war. This episode investigates where Rashi gets this idea and analyzes its connection to the explicit sin of sparing the women.

This shiur was given on the 13th Yahrtzeit of my mother, Shani Feder A’H.

What would have happened if Bilaam was able to curse the Jews? Did his curses somehow have power?

Parshas Korach: When the plague threatened to wipe out the Jews, Moshe instructed Aharon to muse the ketores to stop it - a secret Moshe learned from the Malach Hamaves. Rashi (Bamidbar 17:13) describes the argument between Aharon and the Malach Hamaves about stopping the mageifa. This Rashi provides a good example of a midrash creating a story that elaborates on ideas that are implicit in the pesukim.

Parshas Shelach: After the sin of the spies, Moshe begged Hashem to make His strength great, as He had previously said, “Hashem, who is slow to anger…” Rashi (Bamidbar 14:17-18) explains that this tefilla was based on a previous dialogue between Moshe and Hashem about whether it’s appropriate to be slow to anger only for tzadikim or even for resha’im. We analyze this dialogue to reveal insights about Hashem’s Middah of Erech Apayim.

Rashi (Bamidbar 12:4) explains how Hashem miraculously simultaneously spoke to Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam in order to rebuke Aharon and Miriam for speaking against Moshe. Because they hadn’t been Tahor from being with their spouses, they couldn’t handle the experience - they said, “Water! Water!” (Presumably they were looking for a Mikvah.) We analyze this strange Rashi and learn how Hashem taught them an important lesson.

The Gemara in Sanhedrin 92a-b discusses nine different approaches to understanding the Dry Bones Nevuah of Yechezkel 37, including whether it was literal or metaphorical, and who the resurrected people were.

Parshas Naso: We follow Rashi’s path (Bamidbar 5:15-17) in explaining the details of the Minchas Sotah, the sacrifice brought by the suspected adulteress. We derive relevant lessons about the allure of sexual sins and how to avoid them.

The Gemara in Shabbos 88b discusses a lengthy argument between Moshe and the Malachim whether man was fitting to receive the Torah.

The Gemara in Sanhedrin 100a tells a story of Rav Yochanan claiming that in the future, the gates of Yerushalayim will be massive pearls (30x30 Amos) that are hollowed out. When a student mocked this claim, he ended up seeing angels actually hollowing out such pearls. After Rav Yochanan criticized him for mocking Chachamim, he turned into a pile of bones.

When quoting your parent after their death, the Gemara in kiddushin 31b says that it’s kavod for you to say “I should be an atonement for their bed.” What does this mean? Rashi says that you’re asking for the punishment for their sins to come upon you. This doesn’t seem like a Jewish idea?! Also, how is this kavod?

The Gemara in Menachos 68b discusses a question Rav Tarfon asked in the Beis Midrash: why is a korban brought before the Omer passul while one brought before the shtei halechem, while not allowed, is kasher. After Yehuda bar Nechemia gave the correct answer, with a big smile, Rabbi Akiva told Yehuda that he’d be shocked if he would live out the year. And he didn’t.

This Shiur is a mix of Halacha and Hashkafa. First it analyzes the difference between a Korban brought before the Omer and one brought before the shtei halechem. Then it analyzes the story of Rabbi Akiva and Yehuda Ben Nechemia, and explains why he was deserving of death.

Sanhedrin 89a and Melachim I:22

The Navi/Gemara describes how Hashem sent the spirit of Navos to seduce Achav to go to war (and get killed, as punishment for the death of Navos). We analyze this strange story.

Source sheet for the shiur

Steps in Giving a Shiur

1. ​Intro/Hook: sometimes vitally important, sometimes not needed at all
2. ​The Facts: read and explain clearly
3. ​The Questions: from students, then you add questions they missed. No answers allowed at this step. Try to ignore your answers at this stage
4. ​Student Answers: Invite students to present answers and you listen, critique, agree, disagree, question, push them to develop or clarify their ideas. Ignore your ideas at this stage. Be open to hearing and accepting new ideas that are different than yours.
5. ​Your Answer: clear, step by step presentation of your approach/answer. Allow for clarification questions along the way.
6. ​Defense: Open up the floor to questions. Be ready to change, reject, extend, develop your idea
7. ​Conclusion: not necessary but often a good idea. Leave them with a question, thought, takeaway, direction of further analysis

Rashi in Vayikra 10:17 deduces from the passuk that the kohanim eating a korban chatas brings atonement to the person who brings the korban. Why should this be?

Though we ordinarily think a metzora is isolated in order to break his addiction to social approval, Rashi (13:46) provides a different explanation: because he separated with his lashon hara between a man and his wife or a man and his friend, he too must be separated from people.

The Torah (Vayikra 10:12) refers to Elazar and Isamar as Aharon’s remaining sons. Rashi explains that they too were supposed to die because Aharon’s role in the egel warranted total obliteration of his sons. But Moshe’s tefilla helped to atone halfway and save these two remaining sons while Nadav and Avihu got killed.

This is very difficult indeed. Didn’t they die for their own sin? It doesn’t seem just to kill a son for his father’s sin! If so, Elazar and Isamar are alive because they didn’t sin!

The first Rashi in Vayikra says that before speaking to Moshe, Hashem called him - in a loving manner - unlike the way he speaks to non-Jewish prophets. He then says that this “calling” didn’t apply to the gaps between the parshios. Rather the gaps served to give Moshe a chance to think about what he just heard. This episode analyzes these Rashis and derives an important lesson about how to learn from a Rebbe.

Rashi (Shemos 39:33) says that when the Mishan was too heavy for anyone to erect, Hashem told Moshe to pretend to lift it and Hashem would help him. Why?

The Gemara in Sukkah 25a says an avel doesn’t wear tefillin because thy are called a pe’er — an adornment. Firstly, how so? And more importantly, so what? Why does this create an exemption? In three different places, Rashi gives three subtly different explanations.

Was it the river or fasting on Pesach?

What sense is there to numbers being raised to the 0 power? Or to a negative power? Or to the 1/2 power? To answer these questions, we have to define what exponents really are.

See here for the shiur on The Benefits of Learning Gemara: https://open.spotify.com/episode/08Wv2qXlQp4DmslRM0JzUi?si=50alzn6oQNi2Z7T1GkMo5A

The Gemara in Megilla 13b says that Esther would go right from sleeping with Achashverosh (and washing herself off) to sleeping with Mordechai. It’s hard to believe that such a risky move would be literal, but if not, what is it teaching us?

The gemara in Megilla 13a cites a 5-way machlokes about which was her real name and which name teaches an idea about her. We analyze these five positions and see what they're all trying to explain.

The Gemara in Megilla 13b says that Haman was happy that his lottery landed on the month Moshe died. But he didn’t realize it was also the month he was born. What’s the significance of all this?

What’s the import of Zachor and Shamor being said by Hashem simultaneously ? And how does it relate to the other three examples of dibur echad that Rashi (Shemos 20:8) cites (musaf on Shabbos, shatnez in tzitzis, and yibum).

The Rambam describes the origin of Avoda Zara as giving honor to created beings as a means of giving honor to God. Isn’t this what we do when we honor our parents?

Why did Hashem tell Moshe to stop davening for the Jews when the Egyptians were chasing them? Rashi (Shemos 14:15) gives two explanations.

Why is the tefillin shel rosh called totafos? Rashi (Shemos 13:16) has two pshatim.

Why is a donkey the only nonkosher animal that has a mitzvah with its bechor? Rashi (Shemos 13:13) gives two difficult answers.

The first Rashi in Vayechi gives two explanations why Parshas Veyechi is stuma (closed)—that is, it doesn’t start with a break as other parshios do. We analyze these two explanations and discover the sadness of Parshas Veyechi.

After being told Yosef was alive, Yaakov offered korbanos to “The God of his Father Yitzchak” (Breishis 46:1). Why not just say God or connect God with Avraham as well? Rashi explains that a person is obligated to honor his father more than his grandfather. This episode analyzes this cryptic Rashi.

Rashi in Sanhedrin 101b cited an Aggada about Moshe’s discussion with Hashem about removing a Jewish baby (who ended up becoming Micha) from a wall in Egypt. This episode analyzes this midrash and reveals its significance in Jewish history and in the development of Avoda Zara in klal yisrael.

This episode discusses two Rashis on the pesukim describing when Yosef met Binyamin.

Shabbos 23b discusses the reward for certain mitzvos and says the mitzvos of lighting candles

(Shabbos and Chanukah) leads to children who are talmidei chachamim. We analyze this connection.

This episode takes up the Rashis that discuss the idea that each of the Shevatim was born along with a twin sister — and Binyamin was born along with two twin sisters.

We analyze Yaakov’s rebuke to the shepherds for not grazing their sheep.

Rashi (Bereishis 27:15) tells us that Yaakov wore the clothing that Eisav took from Nimrod. The Gemara in Psachim 54b says that these clothing originally belonged to Adam Ha‘Rishon and were created at Bein Hashmashos on Erev Shabbos.