Rambam's Sefer ha-Mitzvot

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This series of classes addresses the theoretical introduction to the Sefer ha-Mitzvot (Book of Commandments) of the Rambam (Maimonides). Sefer ha-Mitzvot begins with fourteen methodological principles, known in Hebrew as shorashim, that present a uniquely comprensive view of Jewish law. All classes were offered at Congregation Israel in Springfield, NJ by Marc Herman. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

Marc Herman


    • Jun 20, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 42m AVG DURATION
    • 23 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Rambam's Sefer ha-Mitzvot

    23 Closing: Counting the Mitzvot

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2022 43:27


    This closing class reviews some of the principles and explores how Maimonides counted negative and positive commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM23. A special thanks to all listeners and to Congregation Israel of Springfield for hosting. Please be in touch with any comments, questions, and suggestions: hermanm@yorku.ca. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    22 Counting punishments

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2022 41:06


    This class deals with the question of how to count the punishments as distinct commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM22. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    21 Parts of Commandments

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2022 51:47


    This class looks at some of the ways that Maimonides identifies "parts" and "whole" commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM21. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    20 Commandments and Parts of Commandments

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2022 42:41


    This class begins the discussion of how Maimonides distinguished between whole commandments and parts of commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/SHm20. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    19 Classifying lav shebe-khlalot prohibitions

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2022 39:14


    This class evaluates two distinct complications of the lav shebe-khlalot prohibitions in the second half of Principle Nine. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM19. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    18 Overly broad prohibitions (lav shebe-khlalot)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2022 46:36


    This class introduces the second half of Principle 9 and the various ways that Maimonides defines the talmudic term lav shebe-khlalot (loosely, overly broad prohibitive language) . Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/Shm18. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    17 Shoresh #9, Identifying "Concepts"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2022 43:57


    This class focuses on the first half of Principle 9 and investigates the ramifications of Maimonides's claims that repeated verses teach a single commandment and the violation of each negative incurs just one punishment. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM17. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    16 Shoresh #9, Introduction

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2022 45:46


    This class introduces Principle #9 and outlines some evidence that Maimonides uses for identifying distinct "concepts" that constitute distinct commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/Shm16. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    15 Shoresh #8, Prohibitions and Negations

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2022 46:06


    This class considers the scope of Maimonides's insistence to count only prohibitions ("do not") and not negations ("is not). Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM15 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    14 Shoresh #7, Manifestations of a Commandment

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2022 45:25


    This class explores Maimonides's attempts to identify different "manifestations" or "expressions" of a single commandment. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/Shm14 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    13 Shoresh #7, "Rules" of a commandment

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2022 42:43


    This class investigates one aspect reducing Jewish law to precisely 613 commandments, Maimonides's claims about the "manifestations" of larger commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/shm13 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    12 Shoresh #6, Overlapping positive and negative commandments

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2022 40:49


    This class explores the how Maimonides and Saadia Gaon treat overlapping positive and negative commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/shm_12. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    11 Shoresh #5, Reasons for commandments

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 39:32


    This class explores the complications of Maimonides's claim that verses formulated as "reasons" do not count as commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/ShM11. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    10 Shoresh #4, All-encompassing commandments

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2022 42:54


    This class investigates Maimonides's understanding of biblical verses that cover all of the commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/Seferhm10. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    09 Shoresh #3, Temporary commandments

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2022 40:27


    This class turns to some of the ways that the Rambam navigated ambiguities that pertain to permanent and temporary commandments. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/shm09. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    08 Shoresh #3, Eternal commandments

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2022 39:15


    This class addresses Maimonides's claim that the list of the 613 commandments contains only eternal laws. Sources are available here: https://bit.ly/SHM08. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    07 Shoresh #2, Categorizing unwritten law

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2022 41:31


    This class explores Maimonides's categories for unwritten law, such as mi-pi ha-shemu'ah, divre kabbalah, and divre sofrim. Sources are available here: bit.ly/ShM07. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    06 Shoresh #2, Identifying Sinaitic Midrash

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2022 40:07


    This class identifies some of Maimonides's guidelines for the determination of whether or not a midrash contains a Sinaitic tradition. Sources are available here: bit.ly/SeferhaMitzvot06 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    05 Shoresh #2, What is the subject of the second principle?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2022 44:07


    This class proposes that the second shoresh (principle) addresses only the enumeration of a small number ("three or four") of commandments. Sources available here: https://bit.ly/ShM05 (PDF file) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    04 Shoresh #2, Introduction to Rambam on midrash

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2021 41:52


    This class begins treating the second shoresh (principle) and examines the Rambam's view of laws found in midrash. Sources available here: https://bit.ly/ShM04 (PDF file) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    03 Shoresh #1, Rambam on the Written Torah

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2021 43:13


    This class looks at Maimonides's view of the Written Torah. Sources available here: https://bit.ly/ShM3 (PDF file) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    02 Shoresh #1, Counting "rabbinic" commandments

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2021 41:52


    This class examines the geonic view of the 613 commandments. Sources available here: https://bit.ly/ShM02 (PDF file) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

    01 Introduction to the Sefer ha-Mitzvot

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2021 44:21


    This first class looks at the genre of commandment enumeration and Maimonides's contribution in particular. Sources available here: bit.ly/ShM01 (PDF) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marc-herman0/support

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