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Length of article: 1 page Length of audio: 4 minutes 58 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/22/24, titled: Bereishis: (How) Did Hashem Speak to Kayin? In lieu of an article on Chayei Sarah, I've decided to publish an article on Bereishis which is a sequel to last week's article on Vayeira. If you thought that Radak was controversial, check this out! ----- The Torah content for the remainder of November has been sponsored by Ed Zack. When I asked him for a sponsorship message, he replied, "MAGA." While I appreciate the support, I told him I'd prefer to keep things less politically divisive. After some discussion, we settled on something we can all agree with: Make America Think Again. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length: 1 hour 21 minutes Synopsis: Last night (11/14/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned the next mishnah. Like the previous one, this mishnah is a warning to judges not to judge alone, no matter what their level of expertise, and what not to do once they're on a court with peers who aren't experts. After familiarizing ourselves with the facts about the cases in which one is permitted to judge alone, we learned through three interpretations of our mishnah, and even though none of us are expert judges, we walked away with practical lessons for our everyday lives. ----- מקורות: אבות ד:ח רמב"ם – משנה תורה: ספר שופטים, הלכות סנהדרין והעונשין המסורין להן ב:י-יא רמב"ם – פירוש המשניות בכורות ד:ג-ד רמב"ם – פירוש המשניות סנהדרין ג:א רבינו יונה רש"י, אבן עזרא, רלב"ג ביאור המילות - בראשית ג:ו מאירי ספורנו רש"י - בראשית יא:ה; יח:כא ----- This week’s Torah content has been sponsored by Yael Weiss. I forgot to ask her for a dedication message in advance, but in the meantime, I’ll dedicate this Torah content to the entire Weiss family: Rabbi and Sara, Yael and Esti, Eli and Benji, with a special shout-out to Rabbi Weiss Sr. Thank you for supporting what I do and for being part of my learning life, each in your own way! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length: 1 hour 31 minutes Synopsis: Tonight (9/26/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the next mishnah in the fourth chapter, where we left off in June. This one certainly struck us as odd, speaking of Torah almost like a voodoo doll. We raised a ton of questions and successfully learned two approaches from three meforshim (Rashi, Rambam, and Meiri), which answered all our questions. We also attempted to learn Rabbeinu Yonah but couldn’t quite resolve it. We didn’t get to the Maharal, but if you’re learning this on your own, be sure to check him out! This Mishnah ended up being far more practical than it initially seemed, and it was really satisfying to learn!
Please feel free to leave your questions, insights, and feedback in the comments! ----- מקורות: אבות ד:ו רש"י רמב"ם רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות תלמוד תורה ד:א רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכות תפילין ומזוזה וספר תורה י:יא מאירי רבינו יונה ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integrates coffee directly into the lid, offering a cleaner, more convenient, and eco-friendly coffee experience. By eliminating the need for machine contact, it reduces contamination risk, minimizes steps, cuts down on waste, and keeps the aroma around longer while delivering every last drop of flavor. If you love coffee and want to get in on the ground floor of BrewLid, check out the Kickstarter! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 this week has been sponsored anonymously “in honor of Moshe Zucker, friend extraordinaire.” ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 content for the remainder of 2023 has been sponsored by Rivkie and Dovi Siderson with the following message from Rivkie: "Thank you to Rabbi for providing me with a solid foundation of Torah and Jewish philosophy, and for 8+ years of great learning! And to Avital on her 23rd birthday (even though we can’t be there in person). I’m so grateful for your friendship, mind, and support. I love learning with you and from you, and can’t wait to continue, IY”H. Happy birthday from the Sidersons!" ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 has been sponsored by Malky M. with gratitude for introducing her to a new way of thinking and learning. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 commentary to get more facts and theories. By the time we were done with that, shiur was almost over! We concluded by sharing some theories approaches to understanding the unity in all the events we're commemorating, and some suggestions for how to engage in national teshuvah on a personal level. This may not be a "complete" shiur, but if you want something to think about on the taanis, then this will give you plenty of that.
If you're interested in a COMPLETE Asarah b'Teves shiur, check out the one I gave on 12/25/20 (video or audio) which I reference throughout this shiur. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם – משנה תורה: ספר זמנים, הלכות תעניות ה:א-ב ערוך השולחן אורח חיים תקמט:ב שולחן ערוך אורח חיים תק"פ:א-ב מגילת תענית פרק בתרא מסכת סופרים א:ז סליחות לעשרה בטבת - אזכרה מצוק סידור אוצר התפילות - פירוש עיון תפילה https://frumheretic.blogspot.com/2009/01/fast-of-9th-of-tevet.html אגרות שי"ר - שלמה יהודה ליב בן אהרן חיים רפפורט, מכתב לג ----- The Torah content for the remainder of 2023 has been sponsored by Rivkie and Dovi Siderson with the following message from Rivkie: "Thank you to Rabbi for providing me with a solid foundation of Torah and Jewish philosophy, and for 8+ years of great learning! And to Avital on her 23rd birthday (even though we can’t be there in person). I’m so grateful for your friendship, mind, and support. I love learning with you and from you, and can’t wait to continue, IY”H. Happy birthday from the Sidersons!" ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 Chanukah has been sponsored by Malky M. with gratitude for introducing her to a new way of thinking and learning. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 and discuss. For further reading, check out the Shaar ha'Bitachon in Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Paquda's Chovos ha'Levavos and the section on Bitachon in Rabbeinu Avraham ben ha'Rambam's Hamaspik l'Ovdei Hashem. ----- מקורות: משלי ג:ה רבינו בחיי בן אשר - בראשית מא:א מצודת דוד - משלי טז:כ רש"י - בראשית מ:יד רלב"ג - בראשית מ:יד; מא לאחר התועלת השמיני https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/vayeishev-should-this-rashi-be-taught https://open.substack.com/pub/bentorah/p/trust-in-times-of-triumph-and-trouble?r=1sp5sj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web ----- The Torah Content for Chanukah has been sponsored by Malky M. with gratitude for introducing her to a new way of thinking and learning. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 יד עמוד ב רש"י רבינו יונה רבינו בחיי - הקדמה לפרק ד מאירי ספורנו ----- The Torah Content for Chanukah has been sponsored by Malky M. with gratitude for introducing her to a new way of thinking and learning. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 the free part of this article and my current understanding behind the paywall.
If you are interested in accessing the FULL version of the article, in which I explain my current understanding of minhag by citing an unpublished essay from my rebbi, AND if you are interested in supporting my Torah content via substack, consider becoming a paid subscriber. $10 per month or $100 per year will give you access to the full versions of all my articles and more! (I have more plans for paid subscribers in 2024.) ----- The Torah Content for Chanukah has been sponsored by Malky M. with gratitude for introducing her to a new way of thinking and learning. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 should say it - especially at this time. ----- The Torah Content for Chanukah has been sponsored by Malky M. with gratitude for introducing her to a new way of thinking and learning. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 been sponsored by Malky M. with gratitude for introducing her to a new way of thinking and learning. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length: 1 hour 19 minutes Synopsis: This evening (9/19/24), in lieu of our regularly scheduled Pirkei Avos Shiur for women, we took up a question on the parashah that I'm trying to write about for this week's article. This is a good example of how, if you keep asking questions even when you think you've reached the end of the line, you'll sometimes break through to a new vista with new discoveries waiting to be made. I set out to give a shiur on the parashah which includes some methodology for understanding mitzvos, but we ended with an enhanced appreciation of this particular mitzvah and its place in the system. ---------- מקורות: רמב"ם - ספר המצוות: עשה ח משנה תורה: הקדמה, מנין המצוות, עשה ח רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות דעות א:ה ר' אברהם בן הרמב"ם - שו"ת סג יד פשוטה - הלכות דעות א:א נצי"ב - דברים כח:ט ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integrates coffee directly into the lid, offering a cleaner, more convenient, and eco-friendly coffee experience. By eliminating the need for machine contact, it reduces contamination risk, minimizes steps, cuts down on waste, and keeps the aroma around longer while delivering every last drop of flavor. If you love coffee and want to get in on the ground floor of BrewLid, check out the Kickstarter! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 of the title "Machshavah Lab" because it's an experimental theory which is still in progress! ----- מקורות: בראשית כח:י-טו; לא:ג; לב:ד-יג רש"י - בראשית לב:יא ברכות דף ד עמוד א תורה תמימה - בראשית לב:ח ירמיהו יח:ה-י רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות יסודי התורה י:ד רמב"ם - הקדמה לפירוש המשניות דרשות הר"ן - הדרוש הב' רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות דעות א:ה-ו ר' יוסף בכור שור - שמות לד:ו דעת זקנים שם ----- This week's Torah Content is dedicated to all my generous friends and students who chipped in to get me a new laptop to replace my current one, which has been slowly getting slower and slower. Thank you SO MUCH for this Chanukah gift which literally makes it possible for me to continue giving free shiurim, writing articles, and making podcast episodes for all of you! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 dedicated to all my generous friends and students who chipped in to get me a new laptop to replace my current one, which has been slowly getting slower and slower. Thank you SO MUCH for this Chanukah gift which literally makes it possible for me to continue giving free shiurim, writing articles, and making podcast episodes for all of you! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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"י מלוניל - שבת דף עה עמוד א ספורנו Some Random Armillary Sphere-wielding Endodontist ----- This week's Torah Content is dedicated to all my generous friends and students who chipped in to get me a new laptop to replace my current one, which has been slowly getting slower and slower. Thank you SO MUCH for this Chanukah gift which literally makes it possible for me to continue giving free shiurim, writing articles, and making podcast episodes for all of you! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.com. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel
Vayeitzei: Hashem’s Love-Hate Relationship With Stone Monuments
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 completely different approaches to this question and those like it. ----- This week's Torah Content has been sponsored by Lou Landau in honor of launching his new business. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 Lou Landau in honor of launching his new business. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 recurring contributions via Patreon and Chase. You are the bedrock of support for everything I teach. If you're interested in becoming a Patron, go to www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, become a paid subscriber to my substack at rabbischneeweiss.substack.com and you'll gain access to exclusive Torah content. Thank you ALL my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 does one determine this? If not, what is an alternative model? (6) Unrecorded questions, for which I recorded one full source and one partially explained source.
Rabbi Yaakov Trachtman's shiur on Shir ha'Shirim Rabbi Yaakov Trachtman's follow-up series on Shir ha'Shirim Rabbi Joshua Maroof's shiurim on Shir ha'Shirim ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות יסודי התורה ז:א משלי ל:לג רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות דעות ז:ד ----- The Torah content for the remainder of this week has been sponsored by those who make recurring contributions via Patreon and Chase. You are the bedrock of support for everything I teach. If you're interested in becoming a Patron, go to www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, become a paid subscriber to my substack at rabbischneeweiss.substack.com and you'll gain access to exclusive Torah content. Thank you ALL my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 commentaries and attempted to figure out what nuance was added to our mishnah, and even though there was a lot more to discuss, I had to end shiur on schedule because I was dead tired.
In you're interested in an in-depth exploration of the ideas we reviewed, check out the shiur I gave on that mishnah, entitled Avos 3:11-12 - The Relationship Between Chochmah, Fear of Sin, and Deeds. ----- The Torah content for the remainder of this week has been sponsored by those who make recurring contributions via Patreon and Chase. You are the bedrock of support for everything I teach. If you're interested in becoming a Patron, go to www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, become a paid subscriber to my substack at rabbischneeweiss.substack.com and you'll gain access to exclusive Torah content. Thank you ALL my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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." ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored anonymously in the hope that we will hear less sad news about things we can't control and learn more Torah to bring about change in ourselves, and in those aspects of the world which we can control. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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: ספר המדע, הלכות דעות ג:ב רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זרעים, הלכות שמיטה ויובל יג:יב-יג ----- The Torah content for the remainder of Cheshvan has been sponsored anonymously in memory of those who were murdered by Hamas. May our Torah learning lead to living in line with G-d's will and all the goodness that entails. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 8 minutes 12 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/6/24, titled: Shofetim: Three Philosophies of Bal Tashchis (Wasteful Destruction). Some mitzvos have well-hidden reasons. Others suffer the opposite fate: everyone assumes they understand their reasons without bothering to learn what the Torah says. Bal tashchis is one of those. ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integrates coffee directly into the lid, offering a cleaner, more convenient, and eco-friendly coffee experience. By eliminating the need for machine contact, it reduces contamination risk, minimizes steps, cuts down on waste, and keeps the aroma around longer while delivering every last drop of flavor. If you love coffee and want to get in on the ground floor of BrewLid, check out the Kickstarter! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 that we will hear less sad news about things we can't control and learn more Torah to bring about change in ourselves, and in those aspects of the world which we can control. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 other meforshim this time, but I'm really happy with what we learned from the Rambam! ----- מקורות: אבות ג:יט משלי ג:יט-כ; כד:ג-ד רש"י - משלי א:ה רש"י - דברים א:טו רמב"ם - אבות ג:יט רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות יסודי התורה ב:ג; ד:ז רמב"ם - מורה הנבוכים א:סח Leon Kass, "The Hungry Soul" pp.35-36 -----
This week's Torah content has been sponsored anonymously in the hope that we will hear less sad news about things we can't control and learn more Torah to bring about change in ourselves, and in those aspects of the world which we can control.
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If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
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 series for women, we review the position of the Rav and his father, after which I attempt to demonstrate why it is IMPOSSIBLE to learn the Rambam this way. I raise seven objections to this view, the majority of which come from R' Nachum Rabinovitch. I conclude by sharing my thoughts on why this misconception matters, and on what those who have clung to this view may think and feel as an alternative. ----- מקורות: שמות יז:ח-טז דברים כה:יז-יט רמב"ם - משנה תורה:ספר שופטים, הלכות מלכים ומלחמות הקדמה; ה:א,ד-ה רדב"ז - שם ה:ד רמב"ם - משנה תורה: הקדמה, מנין המצוות, עשה קפ"ז-קפ"ט, לא תעשה מט,נט רמב"ם - פירוש המשניות ידים ד:ד רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר קדושה, הלכות איסורי ביאה יב:כה קול דודי דופק, דפים לג-לד, הערה כג Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik - "Fate and Destiny: From the Holocaust to the State of Israel" (translated by Lawrence Kaplan) abbi David Holzer, "The Rav Thinking Aloud: Transcripts of Personal Conversations with Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik") ר' מיכל זלמן שורקין - הררי קדם חלק א סימן רט ר' נחום רבינוביץ מלומדי מלחמה ג:ג, גדר מצות מחיית עמלק רמב"ם - ספר המצוות, עשה קפז-קפח מורה הנבוכים ג:מא,נ Rabbi Stanley Boylan - "A Halakhic Perspective on the Holocaust," p.212 n.3 (published in B. Rosenberg and F. Heuman eds., "Theological and Halakhic Reflections on the Holocaust") José Faur, "The Horizontal Society: Understanding the Covenant and Alphabetic Judaism," Appendix 25: Erasing the Memory of 'Amaleq ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored anonymously, in honor of everyone who is doing the work of "lech lecha'ing."
----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/27/23, entitled: Lech Lecha: Avraham’s Origin Story and the Torah’s Silence. For years I've been bothered by the Torah's silence on Avraham's backstory. I recently stumbled upon an answer which caused me to rethink how I learn pshat. ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored anonymously, in honor of everyone who is doing the work of "lech lecha'ing."
Question from talmid: What is "lech lecha'ing"? Answer from sponsor: "Exiting comfortable stasis for the sake of achieving (likely uncomfortable, but divinely necessary) purpose." ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length: 1 hour 35 minutes Synopsis: This YBT Sunday Shiur (10/23/23) is an updated version of a shiur I gave two years ago (10/23/21), the goal of which is to understand each and every step in Avraham's dialogue with Hashem about the fate of Sedom as explained by Sforno, and to extrapolate ideas about God's righteousness and justice. We concluded by reflecting on the implications and applications of these insights to the present war with Hamas. ----- מקורות: בראשית יא:ה; יג:יג; יד:ב; יח:טז-לג יחזקאל טז:מט ספורנו - בראשית יא:ה; יח:טז-לג עם הערות הרב יהודה קופרמן זצ"ל שיעורי ר' עובדיה ספורנו ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored anonymously, in honor of everyone who is doing the work of "lech lecha'ing." ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 3 pages Length of the audio: 11 minutes 36 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/20/23, entitled: Noach: Searching for Meaning in the Post-Diluvian Genealogy. I set out to write an article on a small question but ended up writing one about how to find meaning in the sections of Torah which appear to be meaningless, as explained by Rambam and Shadal. ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Ann in honor of her son, Shmuel, who is currently serving in the IDF. May Hashem protect Shmuel Rachamim ben Alter Chaim, along with all the other members of the IDF and Am Yisrael. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length: 1 hour 23 minutes Synopsis: Tonight (10/19/23), in Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we began a new mishnah. Each clause follows the pattern of "without X, there is no Y, and without Y, there is no X." Tonight we analyzed the first of these: "without derech eretz, there is no Torah, and without Torah, there is no derech eretz." We came up with a few ideas on our own, and then learned three approaches from the meforshim. Next time we'll tackle chochmah and yirah! ----- מקורות: אבות ג:יט רמב"ם תוספות יום טוב ר' יצחק שילת - ביאור לפירוש המשניות לרמב"ם רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכות ברכות פרק ז ירמיהו ט:כב-כג רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות תלמוד תורה ד:א רבינו יונה מאירי ספורנו ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Ann in honor of her son, Shmuel, who is currently serving in the IDF. May Hashem protect Shmuel Rachamim ben Alter Chaim, along with all the other members of the IDF and Am Yisrael. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.com. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel
Bereishis/Noah - Why God Hates Hamas (חמס and حماس)
Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 27 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/13/23, entitled: Bereishis/Noah - Why God Hates Hamas (חמס and حماس). I may have taken liberties, cut corners, strayed into next week's parashah, and almost missed my deadline, but once I thought this up, I had to write it. Sadly, it will still be relevant next week. ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Ann in honor of her son, Shmuel, who is currently serving in the IDF. May Hashem protect Shmuel Rachamim ben Alter Chaim, along with all the other members of the IDF and Am Yisrael. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length: 1 hour 12 minutes Synopsis: This morning (10/12/23), in our first Machshavah Lab (for Women) Q&A of the year, we took up six questions: (1) What are the different ways people "cry out" to Hashem when in dire straits? (2) What can we do when we feel so powerless in situations of crisis like this? (3) What do we mean when we say "in the Name of Hashem" or "for His Name's sake"? (4) Practically speaking, how do we go about doing teshuvah in response to a catastrophe? (5) How do we reckon with the civilian deaths in Gaza? (6) How do we make sense of Hamas's evil? [This last question and most of the answer were not recorded.]
The shiur I referenced in the Q&A regarding Question #5 can be found here; the topic starts at 7:40. ----- מקורות: Why Did Hashem Redeem Us From Egypt? Sforno's Counterintuitive Take ספורנו - שמות ב:כג-כה רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות תשובה ג:ד, ה:ב משלי יב:י רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר שופטים, הלכות מלכים ומלחמות ה:א; ו:א Chazon Ovadia vol. 6 pg. 58 ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Ann in honor of her son, Shmuel, who is currently serving in the IDF. May Hashem protect Shmuel Rachamim ben Alter Chaim, along with all the other members of the IDF and Am Yisrael. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.com. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel
Q&A #32: Eis Ratzon, Covid-Gaza Connection, Balancing Life and Emotions During Wartime, Why We Fast
Length: 37 minutes Synopsis: This morning (10/12/23), in our first Q&A of the year, we took up six questions: (1) What is idea of an "eis ratzon"? (2) Is there any connection between the COVID pandemic and the current war in Israel? (3) How do we achieve practical and emotional balance in our lives, given the situation in Israel? (4) Why are we fasting today? Or why do we fast in general?
There was an additional unrecorded question about the halachos of civilian casualties in war. We read these halachos in the Rambam, but I didn't know how to apply this to contemporary times. I searched for a short shiur on this and found this one (linked here). It's actually less than minutes, since he doesn't actually address the topic until 7:40 and he concludes with a message which is also unrelated to the halachic question. In the shiur itself, he quotes a number of contemporary poskim and applies them to the present war. ----- מקורות: תהלים סט:יד ספורנו ר' אליה די נולה רד"ק https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/fasting-as-literal-self-sacrifice רבינו בחיי - כד הקמח: תענית ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Ann in honor of her son, Shmuel, who is currently serving in the IDF. May Hashem protect Shmuel Rachamim ben Alter Chaim, along with all the other members of the IDF and Am Yisrael. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.com. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel
Length: 1 hour 39 minutes Synopsis: Last night (9/5/24), in our first Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women of the 2024-2025, we took up a tefilah-related Mishnah from chapter 2, since I've been in tefilah mode all summer and I wanted to share some ideas. If you're looking for an eye-opening perspective on tefilah filled with potential, be sure to listen all the way to the end of the shiur, when we learn the Meiri's interpretation. We picked up lots of other nice insights along away, from the participants in shiur and from the meforshim. ----- מקורות: אבות ב:יג רמב"ם רבינו יונה מאירי רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכות קריאת שמע א:יא רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר אהבה, הלכות תפילה וברכת כהנים ג:א ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integrates coffee directly into the lid, offering a cleaner, more convenient, and eco-friendly coffee experience. By eliminating the need for machine contact, it reduces contamination risk, minimizes steps, cuts down on waste, and keeps the aroma around longer while delivering every last drop of flavor. If you love coffee and want to get in on the ground floor of BrewLid, check out the Kickstarter! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 28 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/11/23 entitled Thoughts on the Role of Jewish Educators at a Time of War. I began writing this article on Monday (10/9/23). I wrote it primarily for myself, but if you, too, are feeling helpless, I hope my thought-process will be of value to you at this time of calamity. ----- This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Ann in honor of her son, Shmuel, who is currently serving in the IDF. May Hashem protect Shmuel Rachamim ben Alter Chaim, along with all the other members of the IDF and Am Yisrael. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 3.5 pages Length of the audio: 11 minutes 48 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/9/20 - yes, you read that right! - entitled: Shemini Atzeres 5781: The Festival of Holding On. I wrote this during the Fall of 2020, as we headed into the winter of the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm glad I encountered this idea at that time, and incorporated my thoughts and feelings into the article. ----- The Torah Content from now through Isru Chag has been sponsored by Yael in honor of the birthday of her father, Rabbi Chaim Weiss, which is on the 17th of Tishrei. Happy birthday, Rabbi Weiss! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 3 pages Length of the audio: 11 minutes 10 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/29/23, entitled: This is Your Mind on Lulav: The Psychoactive Properties of the Four Species (Part 1). I believe that the four species we take on Sukkos have psychoactive properties, as do many other mitzvos - that is, if you understand what "psychoactive" actually means and what mitzvos really are. ----- The Torah Content from now through Isru Chag has been sponsored by Yael in honor of the birthday of her father, Rabbi Chaim Weiss, which is on the 17th of Tishrei. Happy birthday, Rabbi Weiss! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 1 page Length of the audio: 4 minutes 39 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/26/23, entitled: The Beneficial Effects of Torah Wine on Metaphysical Heart Rate Recovery. Looking for a VERY weird article to prepare you for the upcoming holiday season? Look no further! In my effort to be spontaneous in my writing, this is what my brain generated this morning. Enjoy! ----- The Torah Content from now through Isru Chag has been sponsored by Yael in honor of the birthday of her father, Rabbi Chaim Weiss, which is on the 17th of Tishrei. Happy birthday, Rabbi Weiss! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 5 minutes 53 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/22/23, entitled: Shabbos Shuvah 5784: How to Do Teshuvah, Little by Little. Have you ever felt intimidated by teshuvah? Have you felt pressured to radically change yourself? Hoshea (according to Ibn Ezra) has some advice: SLOW DOWN! How? One answer can be found in a poem. ----- The Torah Content for the remaining Aseres Ymei Teshuvah has been sponsored by Alex. Thank you, Alex! And I'd like to start off this new year by thanking everyone else who has supported my Torah - whether through sponsorships, Patreon membership, paid substack subscriptions, free substack subscriptions, reading my articles, watching my videos, listening to my shiurim, attending my Zoom classes, or even just reaching out to let me know that you appreciated an idea. I am grateful to you all. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length: 1 hour Synopsis: This morning (9/22/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we reviewed the halachos of interpersonal teshuvah in the Rambam and raised a bunch of questions - several of which were new to me this year. These new questions gave rise to a new theory of interpersonal teshuvah which, I believe, answers all of the questions and yields a richer understanding of why we ask our fellow Jews for their forgiveness. Let me know what you think! ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - ספר המדע, הלכות תשובה ב:ט-יא; ט:א ויקרא טז:ל יומא דף פו עמוד א דברים כט:כח ----- The Torah Content for the remaining Aseres Ymei Teshuvah has been sponsored by Alex. Thank you, Alex! And I'd like to start off this new year by thanking everyone else who has supported my Torah - whether through sponsorships, Patreon membership, paid substack subscriptions, free substack subscriptions, reading my articles, watching my videos, listening to my shiurim, attending my Zoom classes, or even just reaching out to let me know that you appreciated an idea. I am grateful to you all. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length: 1 hour 2 minutes Synopsis: This morning (9/15/23), in our first Machshavah Lab series for women this season, we decided to review the Rambam's procedures for regular teshuvah and teshuvah on interpersonal sins. Even though many of us have learned this before, I certainly feel like we arrived at a greater level of clarity than in previous years. We asked and answered all of our questions on the basic teshuvah procedure, and then raised a bunch of questions on the interpersonal teshuvah process, which we will attempt to answer next time (בג"ה). ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - ספר המדע, הלכות תשובה ב:ב,ט-יא רמב"ם - פירוש המשניות, פאה א:א רלב"ג - ויקרא א:ד + התועלת הראשון רמב"ם - מורה הנבוכים ג:לו Rabbi Pesach Chait's 2008 shiur on Malchiyos, Zichronos, and Shofros ----- The Torah Content for the month of Elul has been sponsored anonymously in loving memory of Henya bas Tzirel - a mother who cared deeply about her children's engagement with Judaism. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: Tonight (9/14/23), in our first Thursday Night Pirkei Avos shiur of the season, we tackled a long and difficult mishnah filled with mixed metaphors. TBH, I didn't have a clear understanding of the main idea when I started giving shiur. Thank God, with the help of the Meiri, we managed to successfully analyze each and every clause, and to come away with a grasp of an allegory which has the potential to change the way we relate to transgression and teshuvah. This was an appropriate mishnah to learn as we enter into the Aseres Ymei Teshuvah! ----- מקורות: אבות ג:יח מאירי - אבות ג:יג,יח בראשית רבה סז:ד ----- The Torah Content for the month of Elul has been sponsored anonymously in loving memory of Henya bas Tzirel - a mother who cared deeply about her children's engagement with Judaism. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.com. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel
Nitzavim: What Would Teshuvah Look Like If It Were Easy?
Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 12 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/8/23, entitled: Nitzavim: What Would Teshuvah Look Like If It Were Easy? This may very well be the most radical idea about teshuvah I've ever written about. I'm not even certain that it's correct, but if it is, it's a game-changer. I'd love to hear what you think. ----- The Torah Content for the month of Elul has been sponsored anonymously in loving memory of Henya bas Tzirel - a mother who cared deeply about her children's engagement with Judaism. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 45 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/5/23, entitled: Ki Tavo: Lone Learning vs. Group Learning. In this (late) dvar Torah article, we examine a drashah from Chazal about the superiority of group-learning, as interpreted by the Maharal with some help from Ralbag and Maharsha. ----- The Torah Content for the month of Elul has been sponsored anonymously in loving memory of Henya bas Tzirel - a mother who cared deeply about her children's engagement with Judaism. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 6 minutes 14 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I originally wrote on 8/14/15, which I edited and republished on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 8/30/24, titled: Re'eh: MEAT IS MURDER!!! P.E.T.A. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) equates slaughtering animals for food with murder. Does Judaism agree? The answer may surprise you! ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integrates coffee directly into the lid, offering a cleaner, more convenient, and eco-friendly coffee experience. By eliminating the need for machine contact, it reduces contamination risk, minimizes steps, cuts down on waste, and keeps the aroma around longer while delivering every last drop of flavor. If you love coffee and want to get in on the ground floor of BrewLid, check out the Kickstarter! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 6 minutes 48 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/3/23, entitled: Some Thoughts on Rabbi Moskowitz's Unveiling. I was unable to attend the Hakamas Matzeivah (Unveiling) of my rebbi, Rabbi Morton Moskowitz zt"l, but here are my personal thoughts on the inscription and the timing of the event in my own life. ----- The Torah Content for the month of Elul has been sponsored anonymously in loving memory of Henya bas Tzirel - a mother who cared deeply about her children's engagement with Judaism. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 6 minutes 23 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 8/25/23, entitled: Ki Teitzei: Ramban - On Cruelty to Animals. What are we to make of the halachos and principles in the Torah which are geared towards the humane treatment of animals? In this article we examine the Ramban's view, with some input from Rambam. ----- The Torah Content for the month of Elul has been sponsored anonymously in loving memory of Henya bas Tzirel - a mother who cared deeply about her children's engagement with Judaism. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.
Length of audio: 47 minutes Synopsis: Have you been what I'll be up to this coming year? Have you heard me allude to a MAJOR update that I said I'd announce about my professional life in the near future? Are you aware of one of these updates, but not the other? Well, if none of this interests you, then by all means, feel free to skip this. But if you are at all curious about my exciting plans for 2023-2024, then here is the FULL story. I intended to make this short, but failed miserably because there's just so much to update you on! If you want a tl;dr or a teaser, here it is:
Update #1 (0:00 - 26:00): I will be switching from full-time rebbi and administrator at YBT to part-time rebbi in order to explore and expand my own Torah content creation horizons.
Update #2 (26:00 - end): I will be returning to the high school classroom … sort of! ----- The Torah Content for the month of Elul has been sponsored anonymously in loving memory of Henya bas Tzirel - a mother who cared deeply about her children's engagement with Judaism. ----- The Torah content for remainder of Chodesh Av has been sponsored by my Patrons on Patreon. Your generosity is the foundation which makes it possible for me to continue giving free shiurim, writing free articles, and sharing my content freely on YouTube and my podcasts. It means a great deal to me that you support what I do enough to support what I do. If you're not currently a Patron but have gained from what you've learned from me, consider joining for as little as $3 per month. Go to www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss and sign up today! ---- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.