Make a Bracha, Learn Halacha

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Weekly class exploring practical topics in halacha

eliyahu rapoport


    • May 29, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 57m AVG DURATION
    • 151 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Make a Bracha, Learn Halacha

    152. Why Do Some Mitzvos Follow Reason While Others Defy It?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2025 61:41


    The paradox of mitzvos; are they about submission to the incomprehensible? Or are we meant to integrate Torah's perspective into our lives? In this class we examine the Rambam's assertion that all mitzvos serve to improve us, alongside his acknowledgement that some remain beyond human understanding. By analyzing all of his relevant works, we gain a clear picture that we can apply to our daily lives.

    151. Ta'amei Hamitzvos, Good Taste Or Bad Philosophy?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 65:28


    Finding the perfect balance between a personal and relevant Yiddishkeit and submission to the Divine will.

    150. Centuries of Confusion, Explained At Long Last

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 28:57


    A few notes: 1) As the Maharsha and others point out, there are in fact many sources that attribute the mitzva of אותו ואת בנו to compassion on the animal. The specific question of Tosfos is that the Kalir instituted it to be said by the שליח ציבור during שמונה עשרה, which is precisely what the Gemara forbids and tells us to silence such a person! 2) Now that we have the full text of the קדושתא, it turns out that מחשבותיך לרחמנו is in fact an entirely unrelated phrase, designed to link the last word of the last pasuk (מאוד עמקו מחשבותיך) to the conclusion of the bracha. 3) Even on Rosh Hashana, we do in fact include מעין החתימה סמוך לחתימה by adding the words מלך עוזר ומושיע ומגן after זכרנו. In its original form though, the מעין החתימה of the Kalir substituted מלך עוזר...

    149. When Rabeinu Tam Cracked Down On Rampant Robbing of The Dead

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 77:00


    A question about drinking water on Shabbos afternoon reveals a deep schism between Rabbeinu Tam and Rabbeinu Meshulam and the divergent worldviews that shaped their halachic approach.

    148. A Unique Sandak For Each Son - Socialism Or Mysticism?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 53:56


    Exploring the origins of this custom

    147. Did You Even Fulfill The Mitzvah If You Think 'Pesach' Means Passover?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 52:25


    In part 3 of this series we delve into the true meaning of Pesach and discover how Rashi changed the trajectory of Hagadahs for centuries.

    146. How Many Questions Are There In The Four Questions?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 56:27


    Do you have to be the wise son in order to follow the Haggadah?

    145. What's That Egg Doing On Your Seder Plate?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 66:33


    Making A Seder of The Seder

    144. Selichos for Ta'anis Esther - An Overview

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 53:40


    Exploring the meaning of the piyutim for taanis esther

    143. Achashverosh Knew All Along That Esther Was A Jewess!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 41:11


    A novel approach to the story of Megilas Esther

    142. Is Shabbos an Unlucky Day?!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025 36:03


    The impact of the planets on mundane activities performed on Shabbos

    141. Do Angels Understand English? What language can you best concentrate in?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 46:01


    Overview of the laws of prayer in Aramaic and other languages other than Hebrew (Mic error - please excuse audio quality)

    140. Can You Find the Hidden Code in Kaddish? How We Elude Illiterate Angels!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 49:56


    Why do we say kaddish in Aramaic? Did it used to be said in Hebrew? What do the angels have against Kaddish?

    139. Is It Forbidden To Write 'BH' On Letterhead?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2025 36:39


    On the Rebbe's earliest published letter, 100 years later.

    138. Selichos for Hey Teves?!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 46:02


    Exploring the structure and the meaning of selichos, and specificaly the piyutim that we recite on the fast of the 10th of Teves. Should we be fasting on the 5th or the 10th of Teves? When Rabeinu Tam argued with Moshe Rabeinu. Will Tzom Gedalya be transformed into celebration with the coming of Mashiach? Source sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sKfVwiXKZFFHlyFE7loTigYeLcltSnBi/view?usp=sharing

    137. Chanukah Insights from the Books of Maccabees

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 50:34


    Chanukah Insights from the Books of Maccabees

    136. Is Turkey Kosher?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 44:46


    In order for a bird to be considered kosher, we must have a tradition that explicitly tells us that this bird is allowed. How does a new-world bird such as the turkey come to be kosher? For an overview of the calendar topic mentioned in this class see here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3LLQYeSi067muibodtjGGo?si=072fe88de7d54f54

    135. The Everlasting Impact of the Destruction of Sedom

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024 51:48


    The bracha on seeing Lot's wife, the smoke and infertile land in the region. Links to videos mentioned in class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh0q2NcVRfE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzjHE3UtE0A

    134. Brief Overview & Highlights of Slichos for Tzom Gedalya

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 28:38


    Brief Overview & Highlights of Slichos for Tzom Gedalya

    133. Brief Overview & Highlights of Slichos for Erev Rosh Hashana

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 24:57


    Brief Overview & Highlights of Slichos for Erev Rosh Hashana

    132. Reciting L'Dovid Ori

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 65:29


    Exploring the history, the reasons and the controversies related to the practice of saying the chapter during the months of Elul and Tishrei

    131. When The Younger Sibling is Actually Older

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 56:41


    Exploring a fascinating halachic controversy.

    130. Can we really confuse the Satan? Why do we blow shofar in Elul?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 49:53


    Overview of various customs, and of various approaches to the notion of confusing the Satan

    129. Kiddush Standing or Sitting? (revisited)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 66:25


    In this class we discuss the underlying principles that pertain to one person making a bracha on behalf of another. Along the way we address many practical questions, such as: May a husband who has heard kiddush in shul make kiddush for his wife at home? When listening to havdala, do I recite my own bracha on bsamim? Should one sit or stand for Kiddush?

    128. Birchas Kohanim On A Daily Basis Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 64:04


    The origins of the Ashkenazi practice to limit the priestly blessing to yom tov.

    127. Akdamus. Its Murky History and The Halachic Debates Surrounding It

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2024 39:29


    126. Training Oneself By Saying Mashiv Haru'ach 90 Times

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2024 50:17


    Understanding this practice

    125. Is Matza Baked Before Erev Pesach Kosher?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2024 49:47


    Baking matza on erev pesach

    124. The History of Gebrokts | Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2024 65:19


    Many Jews refrain from eating knaidlech, matzah brei or any wet matza on Pesach. What is the basis for this chumra? Link to video mentioned in class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czDhgQ0M_gM&t=853s

    123. The History of Gebrokts | Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2024 66:50


    Many Jews refrain from eating knaidlech, matzah brei or any wet matza on Pesach. What is the basis for this chumra?

    122. Purim Parodies & Their Halachic Implications

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2024 55:15


    121. Artwork in the Megillah

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2024 44:01


    Overview of the history of the halachic considerations.

    120. Parental Favoritism & Consanguineous Marriages

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2024 61:59


    The marriage proposal between the Rebbe Mahara"sh & his niece and the ensuing turmoil

    119. An Eye For An Eye, Literally!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2024 65:16


    How to exact payment for damages in Torah law.

    118. 'Tu Bishvat'; Happy New Year?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024 63:15


    The history of celebrating the 15th of Shevat.

    117. Why Were the Jews Enslaved to Pharoh?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2024 47:18


    Did the Jews deserve to suffer so much in Egypt?

    116. Brazilian Summer & European Winter

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2024 52:02


    When should Jews in the southern hemisphere make the seasonal changes to their prayers? Does it make sense for them to be asking for rain when it would be detrimental to them?

    115. The History of Gaza Part 3 - Contemporary Israel

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2023 57:53


    The halachic ramifications of Israel occupying or annexing new territory

    114. The History of Gaza Part 2 - The Era of Joshua

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2023 65:21


    Can a husband unilaterally decide to move to Gaza and 'obligate' his wife to join him? Exploring the halachic complexities of the Gaza strip through the lens of 16th century halachic authorities. Source sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rx78sku-YY5KuvjWNASXHgo-xB-7QBkJ/view?usp=drive_link

    The History of Gaza Part 1 - The Era of The Patriarchs

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2023 63:41


    What is the status of the 'Land of Pelishtim' in the 'Promised Land'? In Peshat and in Chasidus.

    112. Akeidas Yitzchak, The Ultimate Self Sacrifice

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2023 64:33


    What makes Jewish mesirus nefesh unique? Source sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VKvDA5rcg_SNmXw0zeF-oripWO3m-Aup/view?usp=sharing

    111. Prisoner Exchanges

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2023 61:45


    What does halacha say about paying exorbitant sums of money or releasing prisoners in exchange for Jewish hostages?

    110. The Land of Israel As Gift & Inheritance

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2023 56:15


    Understanding the basis for the eternal sanctity of the Holy Land based on an analysis of the verses in this week's parsha and on the Rambam.

    109. A Deep Dive Into V'chol Ma'aminim

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2023 63:47


    Understanding this famous piyut

    108. When Should We Start Putting On Tefillin?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 53:30


    We train children to do all mitzvos even before they turn 13. Is there any reason that tefillin should be different?

    107. Understanding the Law of the Three Weeks

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2023 59:58


    An overview of the laws

    106. Moshe Rabeinu Hitting the Rock

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2023 59:31


    What exactly were Moshe & Aron at fault for?

    105. Controversies of the Jewish Calendar

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2023 73:03


    Understanding the fabric of the Jewish calendar and various challenges that it faced over the years. Note: Ben Meir's view does indeed effect the regular 'noon' postponement. See our full Kiddush Hachodesh playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9ktvnrkglK3GNxy8P-gP5L2LW1v3_OK

    104. Kohanim Visiting the Resting Place of Tzadikim

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2023 60:35


    Are these laws suspended for a tzadik?

    103. Further Elaboration on Tefilas Haderech

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2023 27:03


    Clarifying some lose ends from previous episode - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eliyahu-rapoport/episodes/102--Tefilas-Haderech---Prayer-for-Dangerous-Journeys-If--When--How-e25777r

    102. Tefilas Haderech - Prayer for Dangerous Journeys; If, When & How?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2023 71:53


    Overview of the laws pertaining to Tefilas Haderech.

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