Podcasts about zakkai

The Fear of Punishment and the Fear of God Welcome to the "Heshbon HaNefesh" (Soul Accounting) series. The 26th reflection asks: What happens when a person in authority gives you a command and you're afraid of being punished if you don't listen? The parallel for us today isn't a king, but a police officer, a mayor, or a governor. Think about driving on the highway and seeing a police car with its lights on in your rearview mirror. Your heart drops in fear of getting a ticket, and then you realize the officer is chasing someone else. That moment of relief can be a powerful trigger for self-reflection. This event is a mashal (parable or analogy) for our relationship with God. Why are we so concerned with the arbitrary rules of society—like a speed limit that can change from 35 mph to 25 mph—and so afraid of their consequences, yet we are not equally concerned with God's commandments? The fear of getting a ticket feels immediate and real, but the fear of God's punishment often feels distant. What's the difference? A human authority figure has limitations. They can't always see you and are often distracted. God, on the other hand, is constantly watching. He is never preoccupied or deterred. This realization should lead to a profound question: Why do I not have a similar fear of God? Lessons from Judgment and the High Holidays This is especially relevant as we approach the High Holidays. There is a story about a great rabbi who would visit a court during the month of Elul (leading up to the High Holidays). He would sit and watch people's fear as they were judged, observing how much time and effort they put into their cases. This, for him, was a living mashal for the coming Day of Judgment. Rabbeinu Yonah , in the second gate of his work Shaarei Teshuva , discusses the Aseret Yemei Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance). He uses the example of a person in a real-life court case to inspire repentance. He writes that an intelligent person should feel a certain shame. Here we are, standing before God, whose decrees are everlasting and who is constantly overseeing our actions, yet we go through life without a fear of God or a fear of punishment, continuing to sin while He watches. The Supernatural Disconnect Rav Yitzchak of Petersburg , a student of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter , offered a profound insight: There is an almost supernatural trait in humans that prevents us from fearing God as we fear people. If we truly grasped that God is all-powerful, ever-present, and could punish us at any moment, our free will might disappear. We would be so terrified that we could never sin. God, in His mercy, created this "disconnect" that allows us to ignore this fear and maintain our freedom of choice. This is the deeper meaning behind the famous story of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai telling his students on his deathbed, "May you fear God as you fear a human." When they responded, "Is that all?" he replied, "Would that it were! Fearing a human is a great thing." We are able to be ashamed of our actions in front of others, but we struggle with the same shame before God. Arrogance and Inattentional Blindness So why do we lack this fear? A verse from Psalms (10:4) may provide an answer: "Due to his arrogance, the wicked one does not seek; all his thoughts are, 'There is no God.'" The verse uses the term " bal yidrosh " ("he does not seek"), which is particularly striking when we remember that the Ten Days of Repentance are called "Drashu Hashem Behimatzo" ("Seek God when He is to be found"). The wicked person's arrogance blocks them from seeking God. This is also supported by another verse: "Your heart will become arrogant, and you will forget." Arrogance causes us to forget God. This concept can be understood through "inattentional blindness," a psychological phenomenon where a person fails to notice a fully visible, unexpected object because their attention is focused on something else. We are so focused on our own affairs and our own ego that we fail to see God's presence in the world. Our arrogance creates an interference. It's not just inattention; it's an attentional blindness driven by our desire to see ourselves, not God. Like a clinician who is so hyper-focused on looking for one specific thing on an X-ray that they miss something else, we become so focused on our own lives that we don't see God unless we actively look for Him. Arrogance causes us to not want to see Him. That's why we fear the police officer but not God—our arrogance gets in the way. This leads to the crucial first step of Rosh Hashanah : humility . By humbling ourselves, we can remove the arrogance that blinds us. Only then can we begin to see God and truly turn back to Him.

This morning we emphasize the need to prepare now to acknowledge God as HaMelech (the King) on Rosh Hashanah. We show the critical importance of this from a story of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai and Vespasian. And we describe what this means with a story from Rabbi Biderman about the 402 bus from Bnei Brak to Jerusalem. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FLcsC6xz5TmkirT1qObkA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mining-the-riches-of-the-parsha/id1479615142?fbclid=IwAR1c6YygRR6pvAKFvEmMGCcs0Y6hpmK8tXzPinbum8drqw2zLIo7c9SR-jc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG5GR8zygw4ZNsSmO Please contact Rabbi Whitman (rabbi@adath.ca) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.

What is the single most important quality a person can hold onto in life? In this episode, we dive into the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot where Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai asks his students: What is the best path a person should cling to? Each student suggests something different—generosity, friendship, foresight, kindness—but Rabbi Elazar says: a good heart.Why did Rabbi Yochanan declare this the most valuable path of all? What does it mean to truly have a “good heart”—and how does that shape the way we see others, ourselves, and even God?Join us as we explore:The different answers the students gave and why each mattersWhy a good heart includes all the other qualitiesThis Mishnah invites us to reframe success—not by what we achieve or acquire, but by the quality of our inner world and how it radiates outward.

Heraclitus taught that change is life's only constant—yet many leaders refuse to change when disaster looms. But not all. From Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, to William of Orange, to Moses in Parshat Devarim, history's great leaders understood when to "recalculate" their approach. As we read Devarim and approach Tisha B'Av, Rabbi Dunner explores how embracing necessary change, rather than clinging to failed strategies, offers the best path forward.

התוכן מסופר בגמ' (גיטין נו) שלאחרי שראה שאת הגזירה מלמעלה ש"הלבנון [ביהמ"ק] באדיר יפול" לא תתבטל, ביקש ר' יוחנן בן זכאי מאספסינוס "תן לי יבנה וחכמי'" – כ"תחליף" לביהמ"ק, וכמאחז"ל "משחרב ביהמ"ק אין לו להקב"ה אלא ד' אמות של הלכה", ויתירה מזו – זה מזרז את בנין ביהמ"ק. ונמצא שעוד לפני החורבן בפועל, הסכים הצד-שכנגד לביטול החורבן. דהנה, אע"פ שצריך לזכור שכללות ענין הגלות הוא עונש וצרה ומצוקה שאין כמוה ואי"ז מעמד-ומצב טבעי לבנ"י ח"ו, וצ"ל תמיד במצב של "נתאוו . . [ל]ימות המשיח" כאשר כל ישראל "ישיגו דעת בוראם" – אבל לא מספיק לקונן על הגלות בלבד אלא צריך לעשות הכל כדי לבטל את חושך הגלות, ע"י לימוד התורה וקיום המצוות. החידוש של ר' יוחנן בן זכאי הי' שהקדים ה"רפואה" ל"מכה", ע"י שקיבל את "יבנה וחכמי'", ה"ד' אמות של הלכה".ב' חלקים משיחת וא"ו תשרי ה'תש"מ ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=31-07-2025 Synopsis The Gemara states (Gittin 56b) that after Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai saw that the heavenly decree that, “the Levanon [the Beis Hamikdash] will fall by a mighty one” was going to be fulfilled, he asked Vespasian, “Give me Yavne and its Sages,” as a substitute for the Beis Hamikdash, as our Sages said, “Since the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, the Holy One, blessed be He, has only the four cubits of halachah.” Since “Yavne and its Sages” hasten the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash, it emerges that even before the actual destruction, the opposing side had already agreed to the undoing of the destruction. Although one must always remember that the whole concept of exile is a punishment and unparalleled suffering and distress, and certainly exile is not the natural state of the Jewish people chas v'shalom and one must constantly “yearn… for the days of Moshiach,” when the entire Jewish people will “attain knowledge of their Creator” – but it is not enough to merely lament the exile: one must do everything in their power to nullify the darkness of the exile by studying Torah and performing mitzvos. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai's unique contribution was that he arranged the “remedy before the blow” by securing “Yavneh and its Sages,” the four cubits of halachah.2 excerpts from sichah of 6 Tishrei 5740 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=31-07-2025 לע"נ הרה"ח הר"ר יואל ב"ר רפאל נחמן הכהן קאהן ליום היארצייט שלו ו' מנחם אב. ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.נדבת הרה"ח ר' יוסף יצחק שי' פריז

R' Chaim Vital notes that before Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, Rosh Hashanah in Eretz Yisrael was observed for one day. Tosafot suggest this was the case even in Ezra's time, though the Rebbe explains it was an exception. While some propose observing only one day today, halacha does not support this view. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/015/011/5619

No one really knows what happens after we die, and even if we live within a tradition (as Judaism is) that is quite clear that there is a heaven and a hell, who is to say which way you and I are going? Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai was one of the greatest of all time, and he didn't know either. That should give us pause.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is a singular phenomenon throughout the generations.There is no other gravesite or yahrzeit of an individual that draws the masses as Rashbi, Meron, and Lag BaOmer do. Compare this to Rashbi's teachers and colleagues: few visit the grave of the great sage of the generation during the time of the Beis Hamikash's destruction, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. Not everyone visits the grave of the great Tanna Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Shimon's own teacher. Yet the holy site in Meron is the second most visited religious destination in Israel—after the Kosel.What is the uniqueness of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai?

The gemara in Brachos 28b recounts that when Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai's students came to visit him when he was deathly ill, he began to cry? His surprised students asked him why...

Today's Talmud pages, Sanhedrin 40 and 41, dive down into the life of the great Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain why we need to know so much about this sage's life, and what his example can teach us about living in an imperfect world. How can we find the language of divinity in the narrative of our lives? Listen and find out.

On the brink of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, Yohanan ben Zakkai made an astonishing decision.  When faced with an opportunity to ask for anything from the new Roman emperor, Vespasian, rather than choosing to ask him to spare the Temple, Yochanan asked only for permission to start a school and preserve Jewish teachings in Yavneh, south of modern day Tel Aviv.  Rabbi Marc Katz argues that this decision underscores how the Rabbis were the ultimate pragmatists in his new book Yochanan's Gam­ble: Judais­m's Prag­mat­ic Approach to Life. Is Katz right, and how should we consider pragmatism through a modern perspective?

The volume of outrage in our world has hit a crescendo. All the time I hear questions like, “how can you bear to be around someone who voted like that?!” or “how can you stand working with people who are so anti-Zionist or who are so pro-Israel?” As if people who do not rage against those they disagree with are somehow condoning or supporting evil perspectives. Young people, already stressed by the pressures of their own lives, feel pressured to respond to hateful social media posts and/or to present content that will fight against what they see as evil lies. Everything is pitched as though the conversation is an existential battle between good and evil and each one of us is either fighting for good or conceding to forces of evil. We saw this so sharply this week. When Luigi Mangione murdered Brian Thompson in broad daylight, the story on the street and on social media wasn't about a horrific crime against humanity. People lionized Luigi, they asked him on dates, they offered to be his alibi, they fundraised for his legal costs, they even competed in dress-alike competitions. Why? Because they see him as someone willing to take decisive action against the evils of our world, never mind that he committed an atrocious crime and never mind that killing Brian Thompson does nothing to fix our broken health care system nor address the real pain of the American people. There's a word for this energy in our tradition: zealotry. Zealots are people who are inspired by passion, who take action without due process, and who force the world to align with their vision. The most famous zealots in our tradition arose in a tumultuous time in our history. Way back in the first century, during the Second Temple Period, our ancestors were fighting to build a life in the shadow of the Roman Empire. At the time, the future of Judaism and Jewish community was precarious and there were different groups that had different ideas about what should happen. Some groups fought for justice and against elitism and classism that they felt were destroying society. Some believed that the Roman Empire was the way of the future. They promoted assimilation and Hellenization and worked to try to suppress Jewish revolt against the occupying power. While others raged against Roman rule, encouraging resistance to Roman culture and strict adherence to Jewish cultic rites. According to the Talmud, the elders of the Jewish community wanted to mobilize their community thoughtfully. But the zealots didn't have the patience for this. They felt an existential threat and believed it was their duty to force the Jewish community into action. They provoked and attacked the Romans, trying to incite violence. And when their guerilla tactics worked and the Romans laid siege to Jerusalem, the zealots burned the granaries and food stores in the city so our ancestors would be forced to fight for their lives. When we tell this story, we focus on our survival. We focus on Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai's improbable escape in a coffin. We focus on his heroic journey to Yavne and the way he preserved the Judaism that he and the other rabbis believed in. But that leaves out a critical piece of our history. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai had to escape because of the zealots, because their radical ideology created a toxic culture of violence which threatened our very existence. Today, more than ever, we need to remember the zealots.

A practical example, of one who found his children to be lacking and gave all of his property to Yonatan ben Uziel instead of to his official heirs. The sage gave a portion of that gift back to the children, which opened a tussle with Shammai, over the standing of the benefactor's wishes. Also, the 80 students of Hillel the Elder, and their greatness, including the least of them being R. Yochanan ben Zakkai, and how accomplished and steadfast he was in learning Torah. Also, a new mishnah! When man who specifies his heirs, he's largely believed - and then his wife would be proven exempt from yibum. Which is more of a "yibum" issue than an "inheritance" issue, but it applies to both.

When Hashem makes a decree upon a person, there are many ways in which it can be carried out, and our deeds can change things for the good. The Gemara says, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai had a dream on Rosh Hashana that his relative was destined to lose a certain amount of money. Over the course of the year, he advised his relative to give large sums of money to tzedaka. By year's end, the man had given to tzedaka everything he was destined to lose except six dinarim. The king levied a large tax upon everyone, but this man was only charged six dinarim. He was able to fulfill the decree by giving tzedaka instead of losing it a different way. He got the merit of helping people and gained eternal reward. A man said, This past Elul, his bet midrash was asking people to contribute money to buy air conditioners. The air conditioners would help them be able to concentrate more on their learning and have more kavana in tefila. The man wanted to contribute, but he wasn't sure how much he wanted to give, and eventually he forgot about it. A couple of weeks later, his very own home air conditioner stopped working. He called some people who knew about these things, and they all said it sounded like the problem was not fixable. He then called two different repairmen to come down, and they both said he needed to switch the circuit board inside the unit, which would cost at least eight hundred shekels. The man then realized, this was min hashamayim. They were collecting for air conditioners in the bet midrash, and he hadn't given anything yet. He immediately called the gabbai and said he wanted to donate one entire air conditioner. He was not surprised by the end of this story. He called another air conditioning technician, and he told him to try putting his finger on a certain button for a long time. He tried it, and the air conditioner started working again, as though nothing was ever wrong. It seems like this man was decreed to pay a certain amount of money for an air conditioner, and he fulfilled it by donating the money to tzedaka, and then no longer needed the trouble of fixing his own air conditioner. Another man told me he rented an apartment starting in September, and he received a phone call from someone saying he had been providing the sukka for the tenants of that apartment in the past, and offered it to him now. It was a very large and beautiful sukka, which would cost him fifteen hundred dollars to use, plus six hundred and fifty dollars to build. The man usually rented a sukka for twelve hundred, but it was not that nice. So he told this person he was willing to spend the extra money to do the mitzva in a more beautiful way. The next day the sukka came, and the following day the builder came. The builder asked him where the brackets were. The man didn't know what he was talking about. The builder said he needed at least twenty brackets to put the sukka together. The man immediately called the person who delivered the sukka to inquire about the brackets. He said the brackets should be stored in the apartment somewhere. The man searched the apartment, and there were no brackets. To buy new ones would cost another six hundred and fifty dollars. The man was livid. He wasn't told about the brackets, and now he wanted to back out of the whole thing. He was going to yell at this man for not telling him about the brackets in advance. But then he caught himself. Although he admits he does have a problem with his temper, he wanted to start the new year the right way. He told Hashem he was going to swallow it and go and buy the brackets. This also meant a lot of time with traffic and lines at the sukka store. But he overcame his nature and got in the car to go. When he was just two blocks away from his house, he saw his brother-in-law turning the corner and said hello, and then told him he was going to buy brackets for his sukka. His brother-in-law replied, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Last week I was driving by your house, and I saw your housekeeper put out a whole bunch of good brackets by the garbage. I took them for you but forgot to tell you about it. Come to my house now, and I'll give you them." The man immediately thanked Hashem.He said to himself, Hashem was testing my anger. Once I passed the test, He gave me the brackets. What were the odds that on the way to buy the brackets, he would see his brother-in-law, the only person in the entire world, who had his brackets at that time? There are many ways things can play out. Our decisions will determine the outcome.

Study Guide Bava Batra 115 Rabbi Yochanan quotes a statement of Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Shimon that a mother inherits her son. However, Rabbi Yochanan rejects this statement as it is contradicted by our Mishna which clearly states that a mother does not inherit her son. Rabbi Yehuda responded that he doesn't know who the author of the Mishna is and therefore is not concerned with the contradiction. The Gemara first explains why the Mishna cannot be explained according to Rabbi Zacharia ben haKatzav and then proceeds to explain that the Mishna has an inner contradiction regarding the drasha of the word 'matot'. However, they resolve the contradiction. The Mishna discusses the order of inheritance - at each stage, if the person who should inherit is not alive, it does to their descendants before moving on to the next in line. There was a big debate between the Saducees and the rabbis. In a case where there are two siblings, a son and daughter, and the son is no longer alive but has a daughter, the rabbis ruled that the son's daughter precedes his sister for their father's inheritance. The Saducees held that the sister and the granddaughter split it 50/50. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai debates them and wins and sets the law according to the rabbis' understanding.

Study Guide Bava Batra 115 Rabbi Yochanan quotes a statement of Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Shimon that a mother inherits her son. However, Rabbi Yochanan rejects this statement as it is contradicted by our Mishna which clearly states that a mother does not inherit her son. Rabbi Yehuda responded that he doesn't know who the author of the Mishna is and therefore is not concerned with the contradiction. The Gemara first explains why the Mishna cannot be explained according to Rabbi Zacharia ben haKatzav and then proceeds to explain that the Mishna has an inner contradiction regarding the drasha of the word 'matot'. However, they resolve the contradiction. The Mishna discusses the order of inheritance - at each stage, if the person who should inherit is not alive, it does to their descendants before moving on to the next in line. There was a big debate between the Saducees and the rabbis. In a case where there are two siblings, a son and daughter, and the son is no longer alive but has a daughter, the rabbis ruled that the son's daughter precedes his sister for their father's inheritance. The Saducees held that the sister and the granddaughter split it 50/50. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai debates them and wins and sets the law according to the rabbis' understanding.

Further discussion of the laws that pertain weights and measures, with a mnemonic to help them remember 11 beraitot, all pertaining to weights and measures, including those pertaining to the norms of the given place. For example, whether a serving might be flat or level, as compared to rounded or heaping. Plus, a caution against using "large" or "small" weights, with the goal, of course, against preventing cheating. Plus, punishments for those who messed with weighs and measures. Also, the injunction against metal weights and measures, and uneven levels, and less precise pacing for leveling the goods. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai wasn't sure whether he should teach all of these halakhot in public - lest they teach the dishonest people how to be dishonest. But if he didn't teach them, what would that imply about the Torah and the knowledge of the Torah scholars?

J.J. and Dr. Yair Furstenberg contextualize the ethical teachings of the Tannaim. Follow us on Twitter (X) @JewishIdeas_Pod to get into arguments with other listeners about Seneca and Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai. Please rate and review the the show in the podcast app of your choice!We welcome all complaints and compliments at podcasts@torahinmotion.orgFor more information visit torahinmotion.org/podcastsYair Furstenberg is associate professor and currently serving as head of the Talmud Department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His research focuses on the history of early rabbinic literature and law within its Greco-Roman context. In his publications he examines the emergence of Jewish legal discourse during the Second Temple period and its later transformation by the Rabbis. His current project "Local Law under Rome" funded by the European Research Council aims to integrate rabbinic legal activity into its Roman provincial context. Among his publications: Purity and Identity in Ancient Judaism: From the Temple to the Mishnah, University of Indiana Press 2023; Jewish Martyrdom in Antiquity: From the Books of Maccabees to the Babylonian Talmud, CRINT, Brill 2023 (with J.W. van Henten and F. Avemarie); “The Rabbinic Movement From Pharisees to Provincial Jurists”, Journal for the Study of Judaism 55 (2024): 1-43; and particularly relevant to this talk:  ‘Rabbinic Responses to Greco-Roman Ethics of Self-Formation in Tractate Avot', M. Niehoff and J. Levinson (eds.), Self, Self-Fashioning and Individuality in Late Antiquity, Mohr Siebeck: Tübingen, 2020, 125-148.

Reb Yochanans connection to Malchus Bais Dovid and his meeting with Vespasian   The Monumental takanos of Reb Yochanan Ben Zakkai   Reb Yochanan's fascinating letter to the Jews of Rome regarding the rising movement of one Yeshu Hanotzri 

Deux questions vont nous intéresser pour cet épisode qui couvre les années 74 à 132. La première concerne l'immédiate après-guerre avec son tragique bilan. Que va devenir la Judée mais également le Judaïsme, privé de son Temple ? Et la seconde : comment, après le drame de 70 et la destruction du Temple, une autre rébellion a-t-elle pu advenir ?   NOTES·        BIBLIOGRAPHIE | CARTES | CHRONOLOGIE (télécharger)·        Plateformes d'écoute | Réseaux Sociaux | @mail | Infolettre | RSS·        Génériques : Erwan Marchand (D.R.) | Épisode enregistré en Vendée (85, France), mai 2024 | Image de couverture : Yohanân ben Zakkaï, image générée par IA. «Au Large Biblique » est un podcast conçu et animé par François Bessonnet, bibliste. Sous Licence Creative Commons (cc BY-NC-ND 4.0 FR)  Soutenez le podcast avec Tipeee  ou Ko-fiVous avez lu ces notes jusqu'à la fini. Bravo ! Rendez-vous ici.  CHAPITRES 00:00 Générique et introduction 01:50 (1) Le constat après la révolte 06:20 (2) Yohanân ben Zakkaï (70-80 ?)13:35 (3) Flavius Josèphe (37-100) 19:40 (4) Trajan et les révoltes juives (98-117)25:15 (5) Hadrien et le retour au calme (117-132)26:25 Générique de fin

In today's Talmud pages, Kiddushin 21 and 22, Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai expresses the special place that the ear plays above all other parts of the body. A dedicated lover of music and all things audio, Tablet producer Josh Kross joins us to discuss the importance that sound plays in how we experience the world. In addition to discussing the centrality of the sense of hearing, we share a segment from a recent episode of Unorthodox about the National Library of Israel's music and sound archive. If forced to choose between losing sight or hearing, which would our guest choose? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is a Tablet Studios production. The show is hostedby Liel Leibovitz, and is produced and edited by Darone Ruskay, Quinn Waller and Elie Bleier. Our team also includes Stephanie Butnick, Josh Kross, Robert Scaramuccia, and Tanya Singer.  Check out all of Tablet's podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai (1/2)- perspective for one who learns much Torah, 5 great students of RYbZ and uniquenesses

This morning we analyze the controversial compromise of Rabbi Yochanan be Zakkai to the Roman General (later Caesar), Vespasian: "Ten Li Yavneh V'Chachomeha," allow Jews to move to the north, and continue studying Torah and observing Mitzvot, and we will relinquish the Temple, Jerusalem, and national sovereignty. Rabbi Avraham Kook explains this shifted the emphasis of Judaism from the passionate spiritual to the detailed and often dry ritual. This shift is a major component of what we mourn on Tisha B'Av, and we are heartened to see it returning, slowly and gradually, in our day. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/adathyoutube Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/miningtheriches1 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/miningtheriches3 Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/miningtheriches4 Please contact Rabbi Whitman (rabbi@adath.ca) with any questions for feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.

In today's Talmud page, Gittin 56, we hear a story of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai who while visiting with Vespasian at the moment when a messenger arrived to let Vespasian know that he was the new Emperor of Rome. Tevi Troy, former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and the author of Fight House: Rivalries in the White House from Truman to Trump, joins us to reflect on the moments in American history when vice presidents have the mantle of leadership thrust upon them. What can we learn about being prepared to take on leadership responsibilities? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is a Tablet Studios production. The show is hosted by Liel Leibovitz, and is produced and edited by Darone Ruskay, Quinn Waller and Elie Bleier. Our team also includes Stephanie Butnick, Josh Kross, Robert Scaramuccia, and Tanya Singer.  Check out all of Tablet's podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

Another very long daf with the stories about the destruction of the Second Temple. Encountering some of the personalities of that era... During the time described, there was a serious famine, which is important backdrop. Also, Rabbi Tzadok fasted for a very long time in his prayer for the salvation of Jerusalem. Which brings us to the story of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, and how he fundamentally saved Judaism being destroyed along with the Temple. Note the conflict among the Jews - Zealots and the main faction - including, in opposition to Rome. And what happens to the Roman leadership at this time, especially after Titus' disgusting behavior in the Holy of Holies.

El pragmatismo de Rabban Yojanan ven Zakkai

Gittin 56 : Marc Chipkin : 2023-07-11 The story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai's three requests of Vespasian. Titus's wickedness, and his punishment through the gnat. Link to article mentioned in the shiur https://aish.com/51207337/

In the “Year of Four Emperors,” a great sage receives an audience with Vespasian and serves as the link between destruction and redemption.

Welcome to our live show series @RhythmnFlowShow on IG and wherever these are being held.Thank you so much for watching/listening to our podcast and live shows. Plz share w a friend or family member who can benefit from what we do and will enjoy. We are here to learn and offer valuable information about the cannabis and wellness space! Please like this video and subscribe for weekly podcasts, meditations, and affirmations. If you'd like to support us directly, check out our patreon here: www.patreon.com/disciplinedstoners Get Ellevan's book: STFU: Thoughts and Feelings shorturl.at/pIS08 Follow us on Instagram: Disciplined Stoners: https://www.instagram.com/disciplinedstoners/Winny Clarke: https://www.instagram.com/winnyclarke/Ellevan: https://www.instagram.com/ellevanmusic/ Follow us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XDoMv08pT9EfyBaCXNnaj?si=7a557f0e0bf14d4d Follow and Listen to Ellevan on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0G1sZ8clT2oSvzQ3IL2ZRd?si=vJVw9FLyS6GtF453Ny21kQ Sign up for Winny's Mailing List here: http://eepurl.com/gCIZg1#podcast #mindfulness #mindfulpodcast #podcasting #comedy #fun #podcasting #wellness #meditation #disciplines #entrepreneurEvery episode we travel deeper into unfolding who we believe we are. Through these conversations of self reflection, often comedic, often topical, always grounded, we try to uncover a deeper meaning to this life. Thank you for joining us on this special discovery and we hope to continue to inspire you and the choices you make to better your life. You are loved. You are well. We are growing. Love n Light --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/disciplinedstoners/message

Study Guide Sotah 29 The Gemara continues and explains the dispute between Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva in the drasha on the verses about  with whom can she not have relations and what else is the sotah prohibited to do? There is another source for the rule that a  doubt regarding impurity is treated strictly only if there is a person involved who theoretically could have known if it was impure.  Why do we need two sources for this? Where did Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai learn that a second vessel defiles a third if not from the verse of Rabbi Akiva? He learned it from a kal vachomer from a tvul yom. If so, why did he fear that others would reject this? On what basis would they reject it? From where do we derive that there is a fourth degree of impurity in sacrificial items? Rabbi Yosi learns it from a kal vachomer from a mechusar kipurim. Rabbi Yochanan raises a difficulty with the kal vachomer.

On the interpretation of the verses that address the women we cannot marry kohanim - or is it those who can't eat terumah? Delving into the fine points of the text for the sake of the interpretations. Plus, R. Yochanan ben Zakkai's handling of halakhah when he didn't have the proof he thought he needed and would one day (theoretically) get. Including a comparison (attempted) to a tivul yom.

Study Guide Sotah 29 The Gemara continues and explains the dispute between Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva in the drasha on the verses about  with whom can she not have relations and what else is the sotah prohibited to do? There is another source for the rule that a  doubt regarding impurity is treated strictly only if there is a person involved who theoretically could have known if it was impure.  Why do we need two sources for this? Where did Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai learn that a second vessel defiles a third if not from the verse of Rabbi Akiva? He learned it from a kal vachomer from a tvul yom. If so, why did he fear that others would reject this? On what basis would they reject it? From where do we derive that there is a fourth degree of impurity in sacrificial items? Rabbi Yosi learns it from a kal vachomer from a mechusar kipurim. Rabbi Yochanan raises a difficulty with the kal vachomer.

Finishing one chapter and starting the next. Wrapping up some possible cases - for the relationships where the husband isn't present or available to continue with sotah proceedings, but his warning to her negates her claim on her ketubah even though she doesn't drink the bitter waters. Also, a mishnah that lists many of the halakhot that were taught in the Beit Midrash when R. Elazar ben Azariah took over the leadership, when Rabban Gamliel was deposed. The laws are far-ranging, though beginning with Sotah, and reporting the prowess of R. Akiva, in solving some issues that R. Yochanan ben Zakkai (who was no longer alive) predicted would be resolved by subsequent generations.

Thank you so much for watching/listening to our podcast. We are here to learn and offer valuable information about the cannabis and wellness space! Please like this video and subscribe for weekly podcasts, meditations, and affirmations. Todays Guest: Brandon Zakkai! Comedian! Actor! Producer! Lovely Man! Follow him here: https://www.instagram.com/brandonzakkai/ Come see us live! Details to Rhythm & Flow here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/rhythm-flow-freestyle-and-comedy-tickets-379334288067 If you'd like to support us directly, check out our patreon here: www.patreon.com/disciplinedstoners Get Ellevan's book: STFU: Thoughts and Feelings shorturl.at/pIS08 Follow us on Instagram: Disciplined Stoners: https://www.instagram.com/disciplinedstoners/ Winny Clarke: https://www.instagram.com/winnyclarke/ Ellevan: https://www.instagram.com/ellevanmusic/ Follow us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1XDoMv08pT9EfyBaCXNnaj?si=7a557f0e0bf14d4d Follow and Listen to Ellevan on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0G1sZ8clT2oSvzQ3IL2ZRd?si=vJVw9FLyS6GtF453Ny21kQ Sign up for Winny's Mailing List here: http://eepurl.com/gCIZg1 #podcast #mindfulness #mindfulpodcast #podcasting #comedy #fun #podcasting #wellness #meditation #disciplines #entrepreneur #Podcastcouple Every episode we travel deeper into unfolding who we believe we are. Through these conversations of self reflection, often comedic, often topical, always grounded, we try to uncover a deeper meaning to this life. Thank you for joining us on this special discovery and we hope to continue to inspire you and the choices you make to better your life. You are loved. You are well. We are growing. Love n Light --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/disciplinedstoners/message

Malcolm Clemens Young                                                                        Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA 2C51                                            2 Advent (Year A) 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Eucharist                    Sunday 4 December 2022                                                                       Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 Romans 15:4-13 Matthew 3:1-12 Are There Reasons to Have Hope? An Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that… by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15). Let me speak frankly. I see you might be the, “sort of person who, on principle, no longer expects anything of anything. There are plenty, younger than you or less young, who live in the expectation of extraordinary experiences: from sermons, from people, from journeys, from events, from what tomorrow has in store.” “But not you. You know that the best you can expect is to avoid the worst. This is the conclusion you have reached, in your personal life and also in general matters, even international affairs. What about [sermons]? Well, precisely because you have denied it in every other field, you believe you may still grant yourself legitimately this youthful pleasure of expectation in a carefully circumscribed area like the field of [sermons], where you can be lucky or unlucky, but the risk of disappointment isn't serious.”[1] The twentieth century novelist Italo Calvino (1923-1985) wrote these words about books and I begin here because it is human nature to be wary about hoping too much. We have been disappointed enough in the past to wonder, are there reasons to have hope? I have been reading several recently published books by authors who do not believe in God. I'm grateful to have this chance to walk with them and to try to see the world from their perspectives. Last week I finished reading Kieran Setiya's book Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way. His last chapter describes hope as, “wishful thinking.” He goes on to say, “In the end, it seems, there is no hope: the lights go out.” And later in a slightly more positive vein he says, “We can hope that life has meaning: a slow, unsteady march towards a more just future.”[2] The other book is William MacAskill's What We Owe the Future about how we might try to prevent the collapse of human culture from threats like nuclear war, engineered pathogens, and runaway Artificial General Intelligence. He points out the massive amount of suffering among human beings and animals. He uses a scale from -100 to +100 to measure the lifetime suffering or happiness of an abstract person and wonders if, because of the total amount of suffering, life is even worth living. By the way the question “does life have meaning,” is not something that we see in ancient writings or even in the medieval or early modern period. The phrase, “the meaning of life” originates only 1834.[3] Before that time it did not occur to ask this question perhaps because most people assumed that we live in a world guided by its creator. Although these books might seem so different they share a common spirit. First, you may not know what to expect but it will be a human thing. There is no help for us beyond ourselves. Second, they exaggerate the extent to which human beings can comprehend and control the world. Third, they fail to recognize that there are different stories for understanding our place in the universe and that these have a huge influence on our fulfillment. Well-being is in part subjective: we have to decide whether to accept our life as an accident, or to accept it as a gift. Finally, these authors lack a sense that human beings have special dignity or that we might experience God as present with us. In my Forum conversation with Cornel West the other week he mentioned how much he loved Hans-Georg Gadamer's book Truth and Method. It's about the importance of interpretation in human consciousness and begins with a poem from the twentieth century Austrian writer Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926). “Catch only what you've thrown yourself, all is mere skill and little gain; / but when you're suddenly the catcher of a ball / thrown by an eternal partner / with accurate and measured swing / towards you, to your center, in an arch / from the great bridgebuilding of God: / why catching then becomes a power - / not yours, a world's.”[4] How do we catch the world God is offering to us? This morning I am going to discuss an interpretation of the Book of Matthew by my friend the biblical scholar Herman Waetjen. I am not trying to communicate facts to you or to explain something. I long to open a door so that you might experience the truth of hope, the recognition that at the heart of all reality lies the love of God. Today is the second Sunday in the church calendar. Over the next twelve months during worship we will be reading through the Gospel of Matthew. Scholars say that 600 of the 1071 verses in it, along with half of its vocabulary come from the Gospel of Mark. An additional 225 verses come from a saying source and other oral traditions.[5] And yet this Gospel is utterly original. Although the first hearers are highly urban people living in the regional capital of Antioch, really Matthew speaks directly to us. In the year 70 CE a catastrophic event threatened to obliterate the entire religion of the Jews. Roman forces crushed an uprising in Jerusalem destroying God's earthly residence, the temple, and many of the rituals and traditions that defined the Jewish religion. Without the temple a new way of being religious had to be constructed. Let me tell you about three alternative visions for the faith from that time. First there was the way of the Pharisees led by Yohanan ben Zakkai (50-80 CE). Legend held that he had been secreted out of Jerusalem during the destruction in a coffin. HE then made an arrangement with Roman authorities to remain subject to them but with limited powers of self-government. Zakkai asserted that the study of Torah was as sacred as the Temple sacrifices. “He substituted chesed (kindness or love) in place of the demolished temple.”[6] God can be at the center of people's lives through “a reconciliation that is realizable through deeds of mercy that are fulfilled by observing the law.”[7] Waetjen asserts that the Gospel of Matthew criticizes this vision because it leads to a distinction between righteous (moral) people who are clean and sinful outsiders. A second solution to this religious crisis comes from apocalyptic literature about the end of the world, especially the Second Book of Baruch. This author writes about the Babylonian destruction of the Jewish Temple in 487 BCE. In his vision an angel descends to the Temple, removes all the holy things and says, “He who guarded the house has left it” (2 Baruch 8:2). The keys are thrown away almost as if it was de-sanctified. According to this view,“in the present the temple has no significance.” But in the future it will be renewed in glory through the power of God. So the people wait for God's return. Although Matthew is aware of both these answers to the religious crisis he chooses a third way beyond a division between clean and unclean people, or simply waiting for a new Temple. Matthew writes that Jesus as Son of David comes out of a particular people, with its history, etc., but Jesus is also a new creation which Waetjen translates as the Son of the Human Being.[8] We see this dual anthropology in the Hebrew bible with its division of soul/self (or nephesh) and flesh (basar). In Greek this is soul/self (psyche) and body (soma). Jesus says, “Do not continue to fear those who kill the body (soma) but cannot kill the soul; but rather continue to fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna” (Mt. 10:28). In a physical body Jesus is born in Bethlehem as part of the Jewish community where he teaches and heals those who come to him. Jesus also exists also as soul, as the divine breath that gives all creatures life, as the first human being of the new creation, as one who shows God's love for every person. He teaches that at the heart of all things lies forgiveness and grace. There are no people defined by their righteousness or sinfulness. At the deepest level of our existence we are connected to each other and to God. The novelist Marilynne Robinson writes about how in modern times some people claim that science shows that there are no non-material things, that we do not have a soul. In contrast she writes about our shared intuition that the soul's “non-physicality is no proof of its non-existence… [It is] the sacred and sanctifying aspect of human being. It is the self that stands apart from the self. It suffers injuries of a moral kind, when the self it is and is not lies or steals or murders but it is untouched by the accidents that maim the self or kill it.” She concludes writing, “I find the soul a valuable concept, a statement of the dignity of a human life and of the unutterable gravity of human action and experience.”[9] Can we have hope? Does life have meaning? Let me speak frankly. I see you might be the “sort of person who, on principle, no longer expects anything of anything.” But you have a soul. God is closer to us than we are to ourselves. At the heart of all reality exists the love of God. The more thankful we are, the more we receive the gift of hope. My last words come from a poem by Mary Oliver called “The Gift.” “Be still, my soul, and steadfast. / Earth and heaven both are still watching / though time is draining from the clock / and your walk, that was confident and quick, / has become slow.// So, be slow if you must, but let / the heart still play its true part. / Love still as you once loved, deeply / and without patience. Let God and the world / know you are grateful. That the gift has been given.”[10] [1] Italo Calvino, If on a Winter's Night a Traveller tr. William Weaver (London: Vintage Classics, 1981) 4. [2] Kieran Setiya, Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way (NY: Riverhead Books, 2022) 173, 179, 180. [3] “The meaning of life” first appears in Thomas Carlyle's novel Sartor Resartus. Ibid., 153. [4] Rainer Maria Rilke, “Catch only what you've thrown yourself” in Hans-Georg Gadamer, Truth and Method, 2nd Revised Edition tr. Joel Weinsheimer and Donald G. Marshall (NY: Crossroad, 1992). [5] Herman Waetjen, Matthew's Theology of Fulfillment, Its Universality and Its Ethnicity: God's New Israel as the Pioneer of God's New Humanity (NY: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2017) 1-17. See also, https://www.biblememorygoal.com/how-many-chapters-verses-in-the-bible/ [6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesed [7] Ibid., 2. [8] Ibid., 7. [9] Marilynne Robinson, The Givenness of Things: Essays (NY: Picador, 2015) 8-9. [10] https://wildandpreciouslife0.wordpress.com/2016/09/27/the-gift-by-mary-oliver/

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas' website.After breakfast, it's time to talk (v.15ff). Notice the setting: the charcoal fire. Here Jesus will serve Peter breakfast; previously, standing by the fire, Peter had denied his Lord.The rest of the chapter is about Peter, and also his relationship to the disciple whom Jesus loved.15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep."Peter knew he'd forfeited his right to be Jesus' partner in ministry.Jesus gently reminds him of his lapse, and "reinstates" him, confirming him in his position of leadership and trust (vv.15-19).See also Luke 22:31.Who are "these" in v.15? They are probably the other disciples.Peter had boasted of having a greater love, or loyalty, to Jesus than all the others. (See Matthew 26:33.)Three times Jesus asks the same basic question, parallelling Peter's triple denial of Christ. This must have been painful for Peter.There is no real difference between the two verbs for love (agapan and philein).John's gospel uses lots of synonyms, and the words for love are no exception.  The Greek nouns for love are agape, philia, storge, and eros. The fine distinctions are hammered out in C.S. Lewis' masterful The Four Loves. This is also available in audiobook read by -- yes! -- C.S. Lewis himself. But here we are only now concerned with agape and philia.Philia has overtones of friendship, agape of disinterested giving. The corresponding noun forms are philia and agape. The noun form agapedoes not appear in Classical Greek, although the verbal form agapao does.These words are used interchangeably throughout John, as you will see below.Man's love for man (13:34 - agape; 15:19 - philia)Man's love for Jesus (8:42 - agape; 16:27 - philia)Jesus' love for man (11:5 - agape; 11:3 - philia)God's love for man (3:16 - agape; 16:27 - philia)The Father's love for the Son (3:35 - agape; 5:20 - philia)If we've been guilty of throwing around third-hand linguistic "insights," not having done our homework, repentance is in order.Likewise, in verses 15-17 there are three different words for sheep (arnia, probata, and probatia). Once again, it is doubtful that any distinction between the words is intended.Peter is hurt (v.17) not so much by change of verb, but by the three-fold challenge to his faith.Loving Jesus means loving his sheep -- the responsibility of any shepherd or leader in the church. See 1 Peter 5:1ff.18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”Jesus then predicts Peter's death by crucifixion, which is recorded in extrabiblical sources.Peter will die as an old man.In Acts of Peter 37 [8] the apostle says, "So I ask you, executioners, to crucify me head-downwards." Yet this source comes from late in the 2nd century; the upside-down-ness of the crucifixion is questionable.20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” 23 So the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”Peter inquires about Jesus' special disciple (v.20ff).He is moving the spotlight away from his own heart and life to another believer.Jesus insists that Peter is the one Peter needs to be most concerned about (v.22).We are frequently tempted to ask the same question: People in whom we detect hypocrisy -- "What about them?"Less committed disciples -- "What about them?"Members of other groups -- "What about them?"Rumors are rumors. Jesus never said that his beloved disciple would live until the second coming.There is early and strong tradition that this is John, who in later life settled and ministered in the area of Ephesus.A minority of scholars suggest that this unknown disciple is Lazarus. He had already died once, and so it would be natural to wonder whether he would have to die again.Regardless, the important thing for us is the challenge Jesus gave Peter. No matter what is happening in the lives of our brothers and sisters, we must follow the Lord.24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.The theme of witness / testimony is very strong in John (v.24). The Greek noun martys and verb martyrein appear in Matthew 12x, Mark 10x, Luke 9x, but in John 35x. The evidence has been presented, and we must weigh it. We're all being called to a decision, a verdict.The writer adds that he has selected only a fraction of Jesus' words and deeds.Though he has faithfully told the story, much, much more could be said!The hyperbole of verse 25 has ancient parallels.The first-century Jewish philosopher Philo wrote: "Were [God] to choose to display his own riches, even the entire earth with the sea turned into dry land would not contain them" (De posteritate Caini, 144).And Johanan ben-Zakkai, "If all the heavens were parchment, and all the trees were pens, and all the seas were ink, that would not be enough to write down my wisdom which I have learned from my teachers; and yet I have tasted of the wisdom of the wise only so much as a fly who dips into the ocean and takes away a little of it" (Tr. Sopherim 16, §8).As scholars have noticed, there are several parallels between the Counselor and the Beloved Disciple. Each activity of the Spirit below is just what the author of the fourth gospel has done:The Spirit is to remain with the disciples (14:7).He is to teach them everything (14:26).He is to remind them of what Jesus had said (14:26).He is to declare what he has heard (16:13).He is to glorify Jesus by declaring Jesus to us (16:14).The gospel of John begins with the Logos, the Word of God, and ends with a comment about the impossibility of relating Jesus' entire life.Our libraries could never accommodate a complete written record of Jesus' words and deeds, or do them justice.Thought questions:Have I ever denied the Lord, later experiencing his grace, acceptance, and rehabilitation?If loving the Lord means caring for his sheep (not abandoning them), then how much do I love the Lord?It seems easier for some people to be Christians than for others. Do I compare myself to others, when I should be working on my own walk with the Lord?  

Brandon Zakkai (@brandonzakkai) is a comedian and actor located in Toronto, Canada. He has a unique perspective as an Iraqi and Iranian Jew, combining traditional Jewish humor with old school Arabic tradition. He is best known for his electric performances, bringing energy and excitement to crowds across Canada. His comedy combines absurdity, nonsense, wordplay and an eye for self deprecation. He is also an actor whose work can be seen on Netflix, YouTube, CBC, HBO and Amazon prime. He has been featured on Private Eyes, 12 Monkeys, Wayne, Fear Thy Neighbor, V-Wars, and Titans- just to name a few. CONNECT WITH THE GUEST: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonzakkai/ Upcoming Shows: https://linktr.ee/zakkaib IMDB: https://imdb.to/3FYLKkC ---- ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Thejohnnyrogers ✔️ Subscribe

This morning we discuss Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' application of focused praise, modeled by Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai in Pirkei Avot, and by God in Bereishit, plus an incredible story of how a teacher's creative praise turned around a boy's life. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/adathyoutube Instagram: #adathmichael Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/miningtheriches1 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/miningtheriches3S... https://tinyurl.com/miningtheriches4 Please contact Rabbi Whitman (rabbi@adath.ca) with any questions, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.

Synopsis: In today's episode we unpack a popular saying - "tafasta merubeh lo tafasta" - as explained by Epictetus and Mark Nepo, and as exemplified by the wisdom of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai. Sources: - Epictetus, Discourses 3:9:22- Wikipedia, Tafasta merube lo tafasta- Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening, March 7th- Talmud Bavli, Gittin 56b- Avos d'Rebbi Nosson 4:5- Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau, The Sages: Character, Context, & Creativity, Volume 1: The Second Temple Period----------The Torah content from now through Shushan Purim has been sponsored anonymously. This is the last sponsorship we have lined up. If you would like to sponsor a week's worth of content, you know how to find me!----------If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.----------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/Chase QuickPay 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 an article, shiur, or podcast episode, 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.----------Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissBlog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comGuide to the Torah Content of Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/2021/04/links-to-torah-content-of-rabbi-matt.htmlAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharelSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss)

How angels were created, daily, for the purpose of singing the praises of God... Or via the utterances of God. Plus, R. Akiva's foray into aggadic interpretation and the double rebuke he receives for his efforts. Also, how R. Yochanan ben Zakkai taught, or didn't, the Ma'aseh Merkavah to R. Elazar ben Arakh. And what happens to R. Elazar ben Arakh when he delves in on his own, including the creation of angel(s), and the connection of his enterprise to Avraham Avinu. Plus, the rainbow in the cloud when R. Yehoshua and others were learning Ma'aseh Merkavah.

Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 30 Today's daf is sponsored by Laura Shechter in loving memory of Cili Tzivia bat Moshe in honor of her 1st yahrtzeit. "She may have been my husband's grandmother in blood, but I loved her like my own. I know she would be proud of my continued learning of the daf, since she herself had the legacy of her grandmother teaching Torah weekly in her village in Czechia. I love you and miss you, Savta, and hope to honor your memory always."  In what places can shofar be blown on Shabbat once the Temple is destroyed? The rabbis who disagree with Rabbi Elazar hold that either in Yavne or any place where there is a beit din. Rav Huna says it must be done with the beit din. This means in front of the beit din. Rava raises a question from the Mishna but it is answered. Others hold that Rav Huna was referring to the shofar blown on Yom Kippur in the jubilee year and "with beit din" meant the time that the beit din met. Rava raises a question on this as well from a braita, but the question is answered. Rav Sheshet raises a difficulty as well and it is resolved. Some other things that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted after the destruction were that the lulav would be taken all seven days and that the day that the new crop of wheat would be forbidden for the entire day of the 16th of Nissan (the day that in the Temple the Omer sacrifice was brought). The lulav was as a remembrance that in the time of the Temple, the lulav was taken all seven days. Why was the new crop not permitted midday of the 16th of Nissan as was done in the time of the Temple for those living farther away who would not be able to know exactly when the sacrifice was brought? The concern is that if the Temple would be rebuilt on the 15th toward the end of the day or the night of the 16th, there will not be enough time to do prepare the Omer sacrifice by midday. They originally accepted the testimony of witnesses on the thirtieth day of Elul all day in the Temple to determine that it was Rosh Hashanah. But once witnesses came after mincha and the Levites said the wrong song as they hadn't known it was Rosh Hashanah. As a result, they would no longer allow witnesses after mincha. When the Temple was destroyed Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai returned it to the original way and accepted witnesses all day. What had the Levites messed up – had they not said any song or had they said the wrong song – the song of the weekday? There is a debate between the Babylonians and Rabbi Zeira and attempts are brought to prove Rabbi Zeira's side that they said the wrong song.

Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 30 Today's daf is sponsored by Laura Shechter in loving memory of Cili Tzivia bat Moshe in honor of her 1st yahrtzeit. "She may have been my husband's grandmother in blood, but I loved her like my own. I know she would be proud of my continued learning of the daf, since she herself had the legacy of her grandmother teaching Torah weekly in her village in Czechia. I love you and miss you, Savta, and hope to honor your memory always."  In what places can shofar be blown on Shabbat once the Temple is destroyed? The rabbis who disagree with Rabbi Elazar hold that either in Yavne or any place where there is a beit din. Rav Huna says it must be done with the beit din. This means in front of the beit din. Rava raises a question from the Mishna but it is answered. Others hold that Rav Huna was referring to the shofar blown on Yom Kippur in the jubilee year and "with beit din" meant the time that the beit din met. Rava raises a question on this as well from a braita, but the question is answered. Rav Sheshet raises a difficulty as well and it is resolved. Some other things that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted after the destruction were that the lulav would be taken all seven days and that the day that the new crop of wheat would be forbidden for the entire day of the 16th of Nissan (the day that in the Temple the Omer sacrifice was brought). The lulav was as a remembrance that in the time of the Temple, the lulav was taken all seven days. Why was the new crop not permitted midday of the 16th of Nissan as was done in the time of the Temple for those living farther away who would not be able to know exactly when the sacrifice was brought? The concern is that if the Temple would be rebuilt on the 15th toward the end of the day or the night of the 16th, there will not be enough time to do prepare the Omer sacrifice by midday. They originally accepted the testimony of witnesses on the thirtieth day of Elul all day in the Temple to determine that it was Rosh Hashanah. But once witnesses came after mincha and the Levites said the wrong song as they hadn't known it was Rosh Hashanah. As a result, they would no longer allow witnesses after mincha. When the Temple was destroyed Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai returned it to the original way and accepted witnesses all day. What had the Levites messed up – had they not said any song or had they said the wrong song – the song of the weekday? There is a debate between the Babylonians and Rabbi Zeira and attempts are brought to prove Rabbi Zeira's side that they said the wrong song.

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Today's learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/ODUwOTU= Another takanah established by Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai after the churban: that the day of the Omer offering should be forbidden to eat chadash all day. Summary According to the shittah of the gemara now, chadash is permitted at the break of day on the 16th of Nissan, since there is no Omer offering*. The reason for this takanah is: When the beis hamikdash will be rebuilt people will remember that in the previous year (eshtakad is a portmanteau of shatta kodmo) they ate at daybreak and they will not know that now it is necessary to wait for the Omer. Challenge: When will the beis hamikdash be rebuilt that would pose a problem? If it is rebuilt on the 16th of Nissan, then it already became permissible at daybreak! If it is rebuilt on the 15th, then it should be permissible by chatzos already, as we learned in a mishna: “Those who live far away are permitted from chatzos and on, because beis din does not tarry with the Omer”. Resolution: In case it is rebuilt late in the day on the fifteenth or on the night of the sixteenth and they won't have time for the Omer process. Rav Nachman bar Yitzchok: Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai follows the shittah of Rabbi Yehuda that chadash on the sixteenth is forbidden min haTorah [not like we learned previously that it would be permitted at daybreak] because it's written “up until the day itself”, it means up to and including that day. Challenge: But Rabban Yochanan doesn't follow the shittah of Rabbi Yehuda, as we learned: “After the churban Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted that the day of the Omer offering should be forbidden to eat chadash all day. Rabbi Yehuda (the word “lo” is omitted because he came later): But it is a Torah prohibition as it states: “up until the day itself”, it means up to and including that day.” Resolution: Rabbi Yehuda was in error, he thought Rabban Yochanan was referring to a rabbinic enactment, actually it was the Torah law. Challenge: But it states that Rabban Yochanan “instituted” it? Resolution: He instituted it in practice on the first year after the churban, but the practice was based on the law of the Torah. _________ * Tosfos: A Beis Hamikdash is not necessary for korbanos but there must be a mizbeach, since we don't have the mizbeach we cannot bring korbanos.

Today's learning sponsored by Issak Rodriguez Baruch Hashem! In gratitude to Hakodosh Boruch Hu for the making the lectures of HaRav Yisroel Brog, Shlit"a available online. May this gemarah learning be for the merit of the Rav, I've learned so much from him. Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/ODUwOTU= Summary Beraisa: Hillel Hazakein had 80 talmidim. (There's a remarkable lesson here, there were 80 talmidim but only 2 are named. Throughout the ages there were very many great men who are not known to us at all. There were 1.2 million nevi'im in our history and yet we only know the names of about 10. The gemara is not a history of the tzadikim, that's written in the records of Hakadosh Baruch Hu alone. Jews don't labor in order to be remembered for posterity, all our labor is for Hakadosh Baruch Hu alone. Thirty were worthy of nevuah like Moshe Rabeinu. Thirty were worthy of having the sun stop for them like Yehoshua. Twenty were in between. The greatest of them was Yonason ben Uziel, the smallest was Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai (some say it means the smallest in age). They said about Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai: He did not neglect (he studied it by heart) Mikra, Mishna or Gemara (this means the explanation of mishnayos, it was an integral part of Torah Shebaal Peh only it was not memorized word for word like the mishnah. The wording was set in the days of Abayye and Rava and sealed by Rav Ashi). Halacha l'Moshe Misinai, Aggadic moral teachings, Dikdukim - logical inferences that can be derived from the Torah, Dikdukei Sofrim (this refers either to lessons gleaned from the shapes of the letters, or to the study of takanos chachomim), Kal Vachomer, Gezeiros Shavos, the calculations of the seasons, Gimatriyaos, stories that were told about Malochim, Sheidim, or Trees. Meshalim (these were said by the chachomim to teach various ethical lessons but they were set in story form to capture interest) of poor laborers [laundrymen], of foxen (such as the story of the fox and the lion, or the fox and the fish). Great things and Small things: Great things refer to Maaseh Merkavah. Small things refer to the discussions of Abayye and Rava (although they didn't live yet, all their discussions had already been discussed and debated). This is what the possuk means: “I have plenty to give to those who love me, and I will fill their treasure houses”. (When a man learns more Torah, it's Hakadosh Baruch Hu giving him the most important wealth. For more on this subject, see Toras Avigdor on Bar Mitzvah). If this was the youngest disciple, then those of a previous generations were surely even greater: They said about Yonason ben Uziel (they began calling people with the title “Rabbi” only at the time of the churban, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai lived until after the churban. The Nasi was already called Rabban some time before): When he would sit and study Torah it was with such a fire that any bird flying overhead was burned.

Today's learning sponsored   Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/ODUwOTU Summary Mishna: It happened that they brought a pottage for Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai to taste, and two dates and some water for Rabban Gamliel. They said: Take it up to the sukkah [on the roof]. When they would give Rabbi Tzadok less than a k'beitzah of food [even bread], he would take it with a cloth (he ate with tahara and would wash his hands before touching food, but for such a small amount he wouldn't wash, so he would avoid touching the food directly), he would eat it outside of the sukkah, and he wouldn't recite the blessing after it. Gemara: Challenge: Is the mishna quoting a story that contradicts the law it is teaching [Rabbi Tzadok didn't follow the stringency of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and Rabban Gamliel]? Resolution: The mishna is telling us that with regard to this law one can be stringent and is not considered arrogant (in general it's not good to be demonstrative with one's stringencies, but here it's permitted). When they would give Rabbi Tzadok less than a k'beitzah of food [even bread], he would take it with a cloth, he would eat it outside of the sukkah, and he wouldn't recite the blessing after it. Challenge: It seems that Rabbi Tzadok would not permit eating a full k'beitzah outside of the sukkah. This would be a challenge to the opinions of Rav Yosef and Abayye (21.6). Resolution: Perhaps the mishna is only teaching Rabbi Tzadok's law of a beitzah with regard to the laws of netilas yodayim* and birchas hamazon, but one is still allowed to eat a beitzah or more outside of the sukkah.   _________ * Tosfos: More than a k'beitzah cannot be eaten by covering one's hands with a cloth because we're concerned that he might touch the bread with his hands. But there is a difficulty here, because Rabbi Tzadok was a kohen who is permitted to eat more than a k'beitzah with a cloth.

In this episode, R' Mike describes the destruction of Jerusalem from without and from within. In order to do so he compares the perspectives of the great Jewish historian Josephus and the leading Sage R' Yochanan ben Zakkai. In the end it is clear that the real question is not how was Jerusalem destroyed, but rather - why?