Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

What exactly is הַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת עִם אֱלֹהֶיךָ?

Bil'am the spinmeister could have (through his rhetorical skills) united the various kingdoms into an anti=Jewish Alliance...

What is the difference between the זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל and the אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל?

The survey of the אוֹר הַחַיִּים of the opinions re: the sin of Moses and his critique of all of the opinions

The ר"ש מִשַּׂאנְץ as a participant in The Maimonidean Controversies of the late 12th century. His sober and balanced approach.

The Controversial Quadripartite Atonement Scheme of R Ishmael & Co. Historically Considered

Was it an insulting dumping of a righteous prophet? Or was it rather a legitimate concern re: who would take-over after the prophet's death?

The Third of the Three Great Rabbis who produced the Tosafos

Does כְּבַד פֶּה mean Moshe had a speech impediment? Or does it mean he was not quick and sharp in political give-and-take?

The interesting arguments between the 13th century Hebrew Translators of the מוֹרֵה נְבוֹכִים

The man who converted 12th C. Fench Lomdus into Tosafos

Taking seriously the concept of גֵּר שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּר כְּקָטָן שֶׁנּוֹלַד דָּמֵי

The bizarre denouement in 1295

The impetus to do תְּשׁוּבָה comes from the יֵצֶר טוֹב but the יֵצֶר הָרַע often inserts itself in the implementation of the repentance

When G-d so disposes, even enemies of the Jews come to their aid

Also, why did he marry the Cushite woman at this particular time?

From the case of the מְשִׁיחַ שֶׁקֶר of Avila (in 13th century Spain)

Is the course of Propaedeutics for the purpose of intellectual comprehension? Or is it to elicit the proper emotional response?

Did Manoah and is wife encounter an angel, or was it a (prophetic) dream? If a dream, who had the dream, Manoah or his wife?

A tricky person can manipulate the Sotah rules...

Keep an eye on the following two relationships: a.) Syria-China b.) Syria-Hezbollah

Two trends in Jewish Memory - The Reception-History of The giving of the Torah in Jewish Mesorah.

Was David worried that the halachic שְׁאֵלָה of מוֹאָבִי וְלֹא מוֹאָבִית would be raised against him in future generations, who might choose to pasken גַּם מוֹאָבִי וְגַם מוֹאָבִית לֹא יָבוֹאוּ בִּקְהַל הַשֵּׁם and retroactively disqualify his entire dynasty?

The רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם sends a message from the Active Intellect to the rational faculty (hopefully to filter out error) and from thereto the imaginative faculty. But what does this mean?

Was this a reaction to the concentrated Christian theological attack on Judaism and its nomianism that reached its peak in the 13th century?

The Left-Wingers vs. the (non extreme) Right Wingers among the "מְפָרְשֵׁי הַ"מוֹרֵה נְבוֹכִים

The Rabbi preaches about Zionism but the (anti-Zionist) בַּעֲלֵי בַּתִּים hear what they want to hear

Who were the member of Moshe's secretariat? Who kept the records of the Jewish People's vital statistics?

How could the women of Israel SING the praises of Saul and David as they passed by in triumph, what about אִסּוּר קוֹל בְּאִשָּׁה עֶרְוָה?

A brilliant explication of the Tannaic dispute re: whether or not Moses did the right thing when he "hid his face" rather than look at God.

What is the meaning of the statement of חֲזַ"ל that the בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ pre-existed the physical-universe?

They are punished but do not repent. By the end of the תּוֹכֵחָה the punishments have been ratcheted-up 2400 times (7x7x7x7)!

A tale from the era of problematic הֶכְשֵׁרִים from leading רַבָּנִים וְתַלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים

Throughout Jewish History, גְּדוֹלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל followed the policy of R Yehudah, not R Shimon, though the Jewish People in its folk-wisdom came to celebrate the frank expressions of R Shimon bar Yochai. They admired the one who "called a spade a spade" even though in practice they imitated R Yehudah

Throwing clothes onto a coffin was an (incorrect but emotionally understandable) practice in Talmudic days expressing an excess of grief. With Rashbi (described as ascending to Heaven in a Pillar of Fire), the tossing of clothes morphed into burning them to celebrate his unique petirah.

The difference between Protestant notions of toleration in Early-Modern Europe vs. Catholic ones. Hypocrisy was not a problem!

Perhaps the special regulations in the haftorah (which caused so much controversy in the Talmud) are a reward for those kohanim who stayed loyal to the Torah at a time when others (kohanim and regular Jews) went off the derech

The interesting distinction between one who voluntarily converts vs. one who is forced to convert

"Break the News to the Kohanim Gently. They are going to have even more marriage restrictions than those of regular Jews"

Shabbos as a powerful enforcer through mimesis of the Jewish Family unit, with the parents playing roles reflecting their exalted status in the family-unit

The modern State of Israel already includes territory that is שְׁאֵרִית אֱדוֹם

Do you have to give honor and respect to a bad king? an antisemitic king?

What mistakes has Israel made recently? How can they be fixed?

Their crying over it was not simply a matter of petulance!

The Left has tried to assimilate Jews, the Right to exterminate (because in their eyes assimilation does not work)

The Talmudic metaphor of מַפְתֵּחוֹת בְּיָדָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא and its culinary application in 18th century Hasidic Practice

Some ideas for your seder

The passionate speeches of the נוֹדַע בִּיהוּדָה and his son against the theft of their intellectual property

In Israel right now, people are praying the enemy missiles should "pass over"!

Some thoughts on בַּל יֵרָאֶה עַל בְּלִיעוֹת וְחָמֵץ הַטַּל בְּשִׁשִּׁים. Plus, plagiarism in rabbinic literature, eradicating bad traits, and other matters.

Why were the Jews told to lie to the Egyptians? Isn't that the ultimate חילול השם? "Jews are all about money!"