Classes by Mordechai Dinerman – Details, episodes & analysis

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Classes by Mordechai Dinerman

Mordechai Dinerman

Arts

Frequency: 1 episode/10d. Total Eps: 124

Text-based classes on assorted Judaic topics, with a special emphasis on Jewish history. New episodes every week. Made Possible by Unzer-Chadash Shul, Brooklyn NY.

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Data updated on 04/07/2026

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🇬🇧 Great Britain - Books
02/06/2025
#96
🇨🇦 Canada - Books
21/04/2025
#77

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https://www.nli.org.il/en/discover/manuscripts/hebrew-manuscripts/viewerpage?vid=MANUSCRIPTS#d=
11 shares
https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-TS-NS-00286-00043/1
4 shares
https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-TS-AS-00044-00005/1
2 shares

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U4sp8gXQWwus9j8WGR92TaurHSClmyhf/view?usp=sharing
1 share

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Score global : 28%

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Up High or Down Low? The Battle Over the Proper Trop for the Aseres Hadibros

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 • Duration 01:13:40

In 1725, Rabbi Zalman Hena published Shaarei Tefilah and sparked controversy by calling for a complete stop to the use of taam ha’elyon—the unique system of trop traditionally used for reading the Aseres Hadibros. Rabbi Yaakov Emden wasn’t having it and fired back forcefully in his Luach Eresh. This class unpacks their debate, the sources they cite, the Alter Rebbe’s position, and what we know about the two competing systems of trop for reliving Matan Torah.

Up High or Down Low? The Battle Over the Proper Trop for the Aseres Hadibros

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The Great Semicha Controversy, Part II

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 • Duration 01:14:55

Today, we’re picking up where we left off in the story of chidush hasemicha. We’ll look at what unfolded after Rabbi Levi ibn Chabib pushed back against Rabbi Yaakov Beirav’s plan and how the controversy evolved in the decades that followed. We’ll dive into Rabbi Yosef Caro’s role in the debate and then turn to the remarkable mission in the 1830s, spearheaded by Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov, to find the Ten Lost Tribes in a bold attempt to revive semicha.

The Great Semicha Controversy, Part II

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The Great Semicha Controversy, 1538

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 • Duration 01:13:58

After the Spanish Expulsion, a group of leading rabbis in Tzfas, led by Rabbi Yaakov Beirav, set out to revive semichah—the original form of judicial ordination that linked back to Moshe Rabbeinu. They planned to reestablish semichah through broad rabbinic consensus, but not everyone was on board. In Jerusalem, Rabbi Levi ibn Chabib strongly objected, raising serious questions about the halachic basis and the broader implications of the move. This class explores the halachic arguments, the historical backdrop, and the deeper motivations behind one of the boldest and most controversial rabbinic initiatives.

The Great Semicha Controversy, 1538

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The Doctored Talmud: Prague, 1728

Tuesday, May 6, 2025 • Duration 01:21:14

There’s a long and painful history of the Gemara being censored in Christian lands, but in 1728, a draconian form of censorship led to the publication of a heavily redacted Maseches Berachos. A fierce debate erupted within the Jewish community: was it better to print a mutilated Gemara, or not to print it at all? In this class, we explore the rabbinic voices on both sides, the arguments they advanced, and actual examples of the edits. It’s a compelling glimpse into a community grappling with impossible choices under the weight of galus.

Link to this 1728 edition:

https://books.google.com/books?id=IW9iAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=true

The Doctored Talmud: Prague, 1728

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The Marranos’ Secret Pesach

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 • Duration 01:11:26

Sometime in the mid-1400s, Rabbi Shlomo Duran of Algiers penned a remarkable teshuvah directed at a group of conversos in Spain. These individuals, who had been forced to embrace Christianity since the 1391 persecutions, had managed to maintain their Jewish faith in secrecy. Their question centered on how they could refrain from the worst forms of chametz on Pesach without drawing the suspicion of the authorities—an endeavor fraught with challenges. This teshuvah touches on many halachic elements regarding chametz and reveals the Marranos' historical struggles in mid-fifteenth-century Spain.

The Marranos’ Secret Pesach

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The Machine Matzah Controversy

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 • Duration 01:19:20

In the 1850s, a groundbreaking innovation was introduced in Galicia: machines to facilitate matzah production. What followed was a fierce and dramatic conflict that shook the Jewish world. Pamphlets were published on both sides, each defending its position with vigor, leading to intense debates over halachah, minhag, and economic policy. In this class, we jump into the heart of the controversy as it played out in the late 1850s—the first phase of this conflict—and then explore how later Chabad sources engaged with this issue.

The Machine Matzah Controversy

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The Story of the Alter Rebbe’s Script

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 • Duration 01:19:49

The Alter Rebbe’s unique script for safrus has a rich and winding history. It has been inked, shelved, revived, and debated—and everyone seems to have an opinion. So, what is the story behind this ksav? What sets it apart? Why do some embrace it wholeheartedly while others remain unsure? This class explores its historical trajectory, some of its writing nuances, and the ongoing conversation around its adoption.

Links to images:

Megilah of Rebbe Maharash in Aguch library:

https://hebrewstam.blogspot.com/2013/03/blog-post_120.html

Megilah attributed to Rebbe Maharash, Carlebach family:

https://yeshivasstam.com/maharash

Tefillin of the Frierdiker Rebbe:

https://hebrewstam.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-post_19.html#comment-form

Tefillin attributed to Reb Reuven Sofer, Gurary family:

https://hebrewstam.blogspot.com/2016/01/blog-post_21.html

The Story of the Alter Rebbe’s Script

Rambam, the Almohads, and the Secret Jews

Thursday, March 13, 2025 • Duration 01:09:08

In the mid-12th century, the Almohads swept across North Africa and Spain, driven by a vision of a strictly unified Muslim society. For the Jewish communities under their rule, the choice was stark and unforgiving: convert, flee, or face death. Many outwardly embraced Islam while secretly maintaining their Jewish faith. A rabbi from afar denounced these covert Jews, insisting that their hidden devotion was meaningless. Rambam, however, fiercely rejected this view. In his Igeres Hashmad, he offered a scholarly and compassionate perspective, guiding his brethren through one of the most harrowing dilemmas in Jewish history.

Rambam, the Almohads, and the Secret Jews

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Rambam to the Rescue: His Legendary Letter to Yemen

Friday, February 28, 2025 • Duration 01:03:30

In the 1170s, the Jewish community in Yemen faced an existential crisis: a radical ruler forced them to convert to Islam, an apostate Jew spread anti-Jewish propaganda, and a self-declared Messiah sowed confusion. In response, the Rambam penned one of his most powerful letters, offering guidance and encouragement. As we approach the 44th Siyum HaRambam, we revisit this extraordinary letter, its historical context, and its enduring lessons.

Rambam to the Rescue: His Legendary Letter to Yemen

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The Regensburg Blood Libel

Friday, February 21, 2025 • Duration 01:06:22

In the 1470s, a series of outrageous blood libels were leveled against Jewish communities in the Germanic lands, including one in Regensburg. To secure their acquittal, the Jews of Regensburg needed an enormous sum of money—far beyond their means. The rabbis gathered in Nuremberg to strategize and ultimately turned to Rabbi Yosef Colon in Pavia with a pressing question: Could they obligate all Jewish communities in the Holy Roman Empire to contribute to helping the Jews in Regensburg? Rabbi Yosef Colon’s response is a masterful work of Talmudic analysis and a sobering reflection on the historical realities of the time.

The Regensburg Blood Libel

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Classes by Mordechai Dinerman – Details, episodes & analysis

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Classes by Mordechai Dinerman – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other49

Google Drive1

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other49

Google Drive1