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Welcome to our Anava series. The Midrash Raba Bereshit 81:2 tells the following story: Rabbenu HaKadosh, also known as Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the redactor of the Mishna, was passing by the town of Simonia , where the residents of came out to greet him and made a request. They said, " Rebbi, provide us with a person who will teach us both the Tanach and the Mishna and we'll judge our disputes." Rebbi gave them none other than Rav Levi BarSisi. When Rav Levi came to the town they constructed a large platform for him and seated him upon it so that he would address them, at which time the words of the Torah became hidden from his mouth. In other words, he forgot some of his learning. They asked him three questions on the laws of chalitza and he was not able to answer them. They said, Well, maybe this rabbi is more of an expert in Aggada, in the Musar aspects and not so much in Talmudic law. So they asked him a question on a pasuk , and again, he wasn't able to answer. When Rav Levi saw how dire the situation was, he got up early the next morning and returned to Rabbenu HaKadosh, hoping that Rabbenu HaKadosh would relieve him of his post, seeing the difficulty he was having. Rebbi asked him, " So how'd it go? How's it going in your new position?" He said, " Please, don't even bring it up. Don't remind me of my troubles." What happened? "They asked me these questions,and I wasn't able to answer them. " Rebbi said, What questions did they ask you ? Rav Levi repeated the questions and gave all the answers. Then he repeated the question from the pesukim and gave those answers. Rebbe then asked, " So why didn't you answer them like you answered me?" Rav Levi said, " They made a large platform for me and seated me upon it, and my spirit became conceited and the words of the Torah became hidden from me." Unbelievable. Why did this happen? Rav Yerucham Levovitz, in his sefer Da'at Chochma UMussar (vol 2, page 53) has an essay called Kedushat HaTorah/the Holiness of Torah . He writes, I was just in the town of Vilna and I was hosted in a house that was directly opposite of the university. I was looking at the students as they were going and coming from the school and I saw something strange. As they were walking in, they were combing their hair, making themselves look good. And on the way out, they were also doing that. The boys and girls were lightheadedly coming and going. And I assume that it was pretty similar when they were inside the classes as well. That's the way they learn their secular wisdom. It seems not to bother their studies, because they're graduating and everything is going fine. Maybe it bothers them a little bit, but it's not so terrible. On the other hand, let's look at how our study halls look. What if we would have that going on? It's a total contradiction. In a situation of lightheadedness, you can't learn Torah. You can't even think Torah in situations where it's unclean or unbecoming, because it disturbs the Torah. He says, You know what that shows me? That Torah comes from heaven. It's holy, it's pure. And therefore it doesn't tolerate anything that is contrary to holiness impurity. Which is why, as we said, You can't learn Torah opposite something that's not clean. You can't pray opposite something that's unclean. That's how holy our religion is. The nature of the Torah is kodesh kodashim. We have to make ourselves befitting to receive the Torah. We have to make sure that we're all shiny clean, not externally shiny and clean, but internally- we have to be shiny clean. Otherwise, the Gemara will not stay with us; Our learning will not stay with us. He says, Torah, due to its holiness and its purity, does not tolerate anyone with bad Middot. A drop of arrogance, or a drop of being makpid/ being exacting is enough to make it leave. As we may know, there are 48 ways to wisdom and most of them are character refinements. After this, he quotes this story of Rav Levi Bar Sisi, and says that because of a little bit of arrogance that he felt, he started to forget his learning. This is unbelievable. We don't find this in any other realm. Torah is compared to water, as we've said. Just like water flows downward, the Torah flows downward, like it says in Shir HaShirim 1:19. Therefore a person has to make himself fit for the Torah. A drop of arrogance, a drop of conceit, a drop of holiness , and it leaves. He says, professors have no problem standing on the highest of platforms with their hearts full of all kinds of abominations, with Middot that are off. It doesn't bother them at all. Why not? Because Torah is min Hashamayim . Torah is holy. That's why we need that refinement. What refinement are we talking about? The ultimate refinement is the refinement of humility . That's why we see that all the Gedoleh Yisrael are extremely humble. There's a famous story about Rav Akiva Eiger. Somebody wrote him a letter and he wrote back to the man with all kinds of great titles, "To the great leader in Israel, to the light of our nation." The person he was writing to was a simple rabbi, and when asked why he had addressed the rabbi this way, Rabbi Akiva Eiger replied, " Well, I see people write like that to me. I thought it was proper etiquette, so that's the way I wrote to him." Rabbi Eiger was not saying to himself, " Of course I'm the Gadol Hador and that's why they write like that to me. " He figured it was probably the way you're supposed to do it. This was the way of all our greats. It's not a coincidence. Rav Akiva Eiger was a giant of giants. When he asked a question, we call them bomb questions. And on the side of the Gemara there's a little gloss and a little sign that looks one of these warnings of a nuclear reactor. We used to say it's like a nuclear bomb, his questions. And he sometimes ends off his questions with, " God should enlighten my eyes," as if I'm the proble m. My glasses are foggy . They train us in Yeshiva that when you don't understand something, you don't say. Tosafot doesn't make any sense . You say, I don't understand this. Okay, very nice. That's good for me. But the greats say, " Oh, how lacking I am. I don't understand this Tosafot. I don't understand this Gemara. I have a weakness . This is what makes the great leaders great. It's not that they're great leaders and by the way, they're also humble. No, without the humility, they wouldn't have their Torah. They wouldn't be able to do it. And that, Rav Yerucham Levovitz says, is the message of that story. That's why it's very scary when we sometimes see people that know a lot of Torah but they're very arrogant people. What's going on? The answer is, quoting a term that the Chassid Yaavetz uses, " He's not a learned person. He's a Yodeah Torah." He knows Torah but that doesn't mean he's a Talmid Hacham . Similarly, there's a Gemara in Masechet Megila 28 B, where someone was asked to give a Hesped for a person that knew a lot of Torah. They asked Rav Nachman to give a eulogy, and his answer was, What should I say at the eulogy? That a basket full of books has been gone? I heard this from my Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Abba Berman. This man learned a lot, but the learning did not become part of him. It was just knowledge . If a person does not have the proper Middot , its not that he can't have knowledge , but that knowledge is just like secular knowledge. The reason Rav Levi Barsisi's Torah left him is because his Torah was Torah Kedosha which can not tolerate bad Middot. If it's just knowledge of Torah, that's a different story. That's the importance of humility when it comes to holding your Torah.
Rachel, after years of barrenness, gave birth to Joseph, saying, "God has taken away my disgrace." His birth was a joyous turning point in her life.
The "Sin of the Spies" and Tish'a BeAv, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom By analyzing the accounts in both Shelach and Devarim, we will assess the connection between these two events? Chazal, in a famous Aggada (at the end of Masekhet Ta'anit) generate a calendar in order to "time" the arrival of the scouts at the camp on the afternoon of the 8th of Av so that the weeping "that night" coincides with Tish'a BeAv. The connection between these two events, along with the commands (mentioned at the beginning of Devarim) that we are not to conquer "the land of the children of Lot" is assessed. Source sheet >>
⚖️ Civility or Torah Study?
Ep. 21 | Ki Sisa: Who is your real father? Explore a surprising answer from the Midrash in this episode.
⚠️ I regret to not mention that the Midrash reads the verse (Genesis 5:2) that when the verse says Hashem created "THEM" it referring to Adam, hence he had the pronouns "Them"
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Rabbi Chaim Jachter is a prominent rabbi who serves as the rabbi at Congregation Shaarei Orah, the Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck, NJ and is a popular Torah teacher at the Torah Academy of Bergen County, NJ. He also serves as a Dayan on the Beth Din of Elizabeth, NJ and has acquired an international reputation of excellence in the area of Get administration. He has authored fifteen books on issues ranging from contemporary Halacha, Tanach, Aggada, and Jewish Thought. His weekly columns are available at www.koltorah.org, www.yutorah.org, and www.jewishlink.news and are read by thousands worldwide. He is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America's Halacha Committee and chairs its Igun resolution committee. Rabbi Jachter lectures worldwide on subjects of vital concern to the Jewish community. He is also called upon by over seventy communities throughout North America to assist in constructing, expanding, and maintaining their Eruvin. Gems:Learn your style of teaching.Aim to be the best you can be.Be flexible.Find out what is needed.Speak about Hashem all the time.If you have are curious and have a sense of involvement you can teach.Giving over information is not the answer.Inspire the students to want to learn more.Make learning appealing and enjoyable.Parents must also take interest in their child's education.Share your energy.Once you learn, teach because you'll gain as much from teaching.Keep up with what your students are interested in.Find a point of connection.Think about the privilege to teach Torah.Watch master educators and find what works for you.Parenting On Purpose This course will help you better understand your child and build a deeper connection.Amazon We receive a small commission for any items purchased through my Amazon link.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show
Study Guide Nedarim 37 Today's daf is sponsored by the Hadran Zoom group in honor of Shira Farber 's army service and with gratitude to your parents for raising you with such strong values. "As Shira Farber drafts to צה"ל, defending the Jewish people and ensuring our security, we are reminded of what we learned with her mother in Masechet Berachot: "Rav Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “He has made everything beautiful in its time?" This teaches that each and every individual, God has made their work (umanut) pleasant for them in their own eyes." Shira, we wish you years of meaningful and impactful service, and that your umanut will bring you great satisfaction." Today's daf is dedicated to Mimi and Rafi Schachat on the birth of a baby boy last night! Why did the Mishnah differentiate and say that it is possible to teach Midrash, Halakha and Aggada from one who is prohibited to benefit from them, but not Torah? Shmuel establishes the Mishna in the case that a fee is charged for studying the Torah and not for studying Midrash. As a difficulty is raised, the Gemara explains that the Mishna comes to teach us that it is forbidden to charge a fee for learning Midrash, but it is permitted for studying Torah. However, why should it be permitted to charge for teaching Torah if the reason that it is forbidden to receive a salary for studying Midrash is learned from several verses from Moshe Rabbeinu - as he didn't charge money, we shouldn't either? Rav and Rabbi Yochanan give two different explanations - it is possible to charge a fee for watching (babysitting) the children or for learning the punctuation of the text with the ta'amim (cantillation). The Gemara brings two difficulties about Rav's explanation (babysitting) - one from our Mishna and one from a braita. To resolve the difficulty from the Mishna, they suggest that the Mishna is referring only to minors and add words to make the Mishna work with that explanation. To resolve the difficulty from the braita, they explain the braita two other possible ways. Why didn't Rav hold like Rabbi Yochanan and why didn't Rabbi Yochanan hold like Rav?
Study Guide Nedarim 37 Today's daf is sponsored by the Hadran Zoom group in honor of Shira Farber 's army service and with gratitude to your parents for raising you with such strong values. "As Shira Farber drafts to צה"ל, defending the Jewish people and ensuring our security, we are reminded of what we learned with her mother in Masechet Berachot: "Rav Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “He has made everything beautiful in its time?" This teaches that each and every individual, God has made their work (umanut) pleasant for them in their own eyes." Shira, we wish you years of meaningful and impactful service, and that your umanut will bring you great satisfaction." Today's daf is dedicated to Mimi and Rafi Schachat on the birth of a baby boy last night! Why did the Mishnah differentiate and say that it is possible to teach Midrash, Halakha and Aggada from one who is prohibited to benefit from them, but not Torah? Shmuel establishes the Mishna in the case that a fee is charged for studying the Torah and not for studying Midrash. As a difficulty is raised, the Gemara explains that the Mishna comes to teach us that it is forbidden to charge a fee for learning Midrash, but it is permitted for studying Torah. However, why should it be permitted to charge for teaching Torah if the reason that it is forbidden to receive a salary for studying Midrash is learned from several verses from Moshe Rabbeinu - as he didn't charge money, we shouldn't either? Rav and Rabbi Yochanan give two different explanations - it is possible to charge a fee for watching (babysitting) the children or for learning the punctuation of the text with the ta'amim (cantillation). The Gemara brings two difficulties about Rav's explanation (babysitting) - one from our Mishna and one from a braita. To resolve the difficulty from the Mishna, they suggest that the Mishna is referring only to minors and add words to make the Mishna work with that explanation. To resolve the difficulty from the braita, they explain the braita two other possible ways. Why didn't Rav hold like Rabbi Yochanan and why didn't Rabbi Yochanan hold like Rav?
Rabbi Ari Kahn's The Crowns on the Letters: Essays on the Aggada and the Lives of the Sages (OU Press, 2020) represents a major achievement in the study of the lives of our Sages, as well as in the study of rabbinic Aggada. This work is an immensely learned and deeply creative interpretation of many fundamental aggadot relating to the intellectual biographies of the Tannaim and Amoraim, including Hillel and Shammai, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Resh Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan, and many others. Additionally, it covers aggadot dealing with major themes in Jewish thought, including the nature of the Oral Law, mysticism and its perils, the messianic era, teshuvah and Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Kahn presents close readings of Talmudic and Midrashic sources about events in the lives of the Sages, together with the gamut of interpretations, especially those of Kabbalistic and Hasidic commentators, to arrive at original and compelling conclusions. His insights shed light on the Talmudic narrative as well as on broader philosophical questions. Full Hebrew sources are included to enable readers to study the source material on their own. For all those interested in rabbinic lives and rabbinic Aggada, The Crowns on the Letters is essential reading. Matthew Miller is a graduate of Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah. He studied Jewish Studies and Linguistics at McGill for his BA and completed an MA in Hebrew Linguistics at Queen Mary University of London. He works with Jewish organizations in media and content distribution, such as TheHabura.com and RabbiEfremGoldberg.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Rabbi Ari Kahn's The Crowns on the Letters: Essays on the Aggada and the Lives of the Sages (OU Press, 2020) represents a major achievement in the study of the lives of our Sages, as well as in the study of rabbinic Aggada. This work is an immensely learned and deeply creative interpretation of many fundamental aggadot relating to the intellectual biographies of the Tannaim and Amoraim, including Hillel and Shammai, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Resh Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan, and many others. Additionally, it covers aggadot dealing with major themes in Jewish thought, including the nature of the Oral Law, mysticism and its perils, the messianic era, teshuvah and Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Kahn presents close readings of Talmudic and Midrashic sources about events in the lives of the Sages, together with the gamut of interpretations, especially those of Kabbalistic and Hasidic commentators, to arrive at original and compelling conclusions. His insights shed light on the Talmudic narrative as well as on broader philosophical questions. Full Hebrew sources are included to enable readers to study the source material on their own. For all those interested in rabbinic lives and rabbinic Aggada, The Crowns on the Letters is essential reading. Matthew Miller is a graduate of Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah. He studied Jewish Studies and Linguistics at McGill for his BA and completed an MA in Hebrew Linguistics at Queen Mary University of London. He works with Jewish organizations in media and content distribution, such as TheHabura.com and RabbiEfremGoldberg.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies
Rabbi Ari Kahn's The Crowns on the Letters: Essays on the Aggada and the Lives of the Sages (OU Press, 2020) represents a major achievement in the study of the lives of our Sages, as well as in the study of rabbinic Aggada. This work is an immensely learned and deeply creative interpretation of many fundamental aggadot relating to the intellectual biographies of the Tannaim and Amoraim, including Hillel and Shammai, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Resh Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan, and many others. Additionally, it covers aggadot dealing with major themes in Jewish thought, including the nature of the Oral Law, mysticism and its perils, the messianic era, teshuvah and Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Kahn presents close readings of Talmudic and Midrashic sources about events in the lives of the Sages, together with the gamut of interpretations, especially those of Kabbalistic and Hasidic commentators, to arrive at original and compelling conclusions. His insights shed light on the Talmudic narrative as well as on broader philosophical questions. Full Hebrew sources are included to enable readers to study the source material on their own. For all those interested in rabbinic lives and rabbinic Aggada, The Crowns on the Letters is essential reading. Matthew Miller is a graduate of Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah. He studied Jewish Studies and Linguistics at McGill for his BA and completed an MA in Hebrew Linguistics at Queen Mary University of London. He works with Jewish organizations in media and content distribution, such as TheHabura.com and RabbiEfremGoldberg.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history
Rabbi Ari Kahn's The Crowns on the Letters: Essays on the Aggada and the Lives of the Sages (OU Press, 2020) represents a major achievement in the study of the lives of our Sages, as well as in the study of rabbinic Aggada. This work is an immensely learned and deeply creative interpretation of many fundamental aggadot relating to the intellectual biographies of the Tannaim and Amoraim, including Hillel and Shammai, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Resh Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan, and many others. Additionally, it covers aggadot dealing with major themes in Jewish thought, including the nature of the Oral Law, mysticism and its perils, the messianic era, teshuvah and Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Kahn presents close readings of Talmudic and Midrashic sources about events in the lives of the Sages, together with the gamut of interpretations, especially those of Kabbalistic and Hasidic commentators, to arrive at original and compelling conclusions. His insights shed light on the Talmudic narrative as well as on broader philosophical questions. Full Hebrew sources are included to enable readers to study the source material on their own. For all those interested in rabbinic lives and rabbinic Aggada, The Crowns on the Letters is essential reading. Matthew Miller is a graduate of Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah. He studied Jewish Studies and Linguistics at McGill for his BA and completed an MA in Hebrew Linguistics at Queen Mary University of London. He works with Jewish organizations in media and content distribution, such as TheHabura.com and RabbiEfremGoldberg.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rabbi Ari Kahn's The Crowns on the Letters: Essays on the Aggada and the Lives of the Sages (OU Press, 2020) represents a major achievement in the study of the lives of our Sages, as well as in the study of rabbinic Aggada. This work is an immensely learned and deeply creative interpretation of many fundamental aggadot relating to the intellectual biographies of the Tannaim and Amoraim, including Hillel and Shammai, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Resh Lakish and Rabbi Yochanan, and many others. Additionally, it covers aggadot dealing with major themes in Jewish thought, including the nature of the Oral Law, mysticism and its perils, the messianic era, teshuvah and Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Kahn presents close readings of Talmudic and Midrashic sources about events in the lives of the Sages, together with the gamut of interpretations, especially those of Kabbalistic and Hasidic commentators, to arrive at original and compelling conclusions. His insights shed light on the Talmudic narrative as well as on broader philosophical questions. Full Hebrew sources are included to enable readers to study the source material on their own. For all those interested in rabbinic lives and rabbinic Aggada, The Crowns on the Letters is essential reading. Matthew Miller is a graduate of Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah. He studied Jewish Studies and Linguistics at McGill for his BA and completed an MA in Hebrew Linguistics at Queen Mary University of London. He works with Jewish organizations in media and content distribution, such as TheHabura.com and RabbiEfremGoldberg.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion
Rabbi Chaim Rapoport, born in Manchester, England, attended the Yeshivot of Manchester, Gateshead, Torat Emet in Jerusalem and the central Lubavitch Yeshivah in New York. We are an online and global Bet Midrash with international students, striving to know God by embracing the world through the lens of Torah. Web: www.TheHabura.com WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LAurH2Lw3y92gF31PhzN42Instagram: @TheHabura Facebook: The Habura A project of the Senior Rabbi's Office (www.seniorrabbi.com), S&P Sephardi Community of the UK, Montefiore Endowment, and Dangoor Education.#torah #talmud #yeshiva #betmidrash #sephardi #sepharadi #sephardic #sefardi #sefardic #rambam See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What is snaky about the Oven of Akhnai, and what can that tell us about the meaning of its story?
06 Divrei Aggada: The Maalos of Eretz Yisroel