Episodes
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Rashi (Devarim 29:12) brings out the logic of the flow of pesukim from the tochacha until Nitzavim. This episode develops the ideas we can learn from this flow.
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In describing the reward weâll receive for keeping the mitzvos, the Torah says (Devarim 28:6), âBlessed will you be in your comings and blessed will you be in your goings.â While the plain meaning is that youâll have blessing in your travels, Rashi says it means âYouâll exit this world without sin just like you entered the world (without sin).â A few problems: (1) This interpretation doesnât fit with the plain meaning of these rewards as referring to reward in this world; (2) The idea of innocence of youth doesnât seem like a Jewish idea. After all, the Torah describes manâs inclination as evil from his youth. So how can Rashi compare the perfected state of a tzadik who leaves this world to the instinctual state of a baby who enters this world? This episode addresses these questions while presenting important ideas about the Torahâs promised reward for doing the mitzvos.
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Episodes manquant?
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The passuk in Devarim 10:17 says Hashem
doesnât play favorites. Yet, Rashi on Arami Oved Avi (Devarim 26:5) says that by nonjews, Hashem considers their evil plan as if they did the evil act (as opposed to by Jews). Likewise, says the Yerushalmi Peah 1:1, Hashem treats the good plan of Jews as if they did the good act (as opposed to by nonjews). Why isnât this favoritism?
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Rashi (Devarim 25:1) says that an argument doesnât lead to peace. This episode analyzes this and a parallel Rashi (25:11) and tries to figure out whatâs wrong with arguing and what does lead to peace.
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Rashi (Devarim 22:8) explains the flow of some pesukim in Ki Seitzei based on the principle of mitzvah goreres mitzvah - a mitzvah drags a mitzvah. This episode analyzes this principle. For a shiur I gave on this topic in 2014, see https://ybt.org/audio-recordings.html?page=lecture&shiurID=817450&teacherFullName=Rabbi-E-Feder&shiurTitle=Mitzva-Goreres-Mitzva
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This episode discusses a halachik Shayla: If one accepts early Shabbos and designates something away from usage at the moment he accepts Shabbos, is it muktza? Or does muktza always go by bein hashmashos?
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A few Rashis in Parshas Shoftim (16:20 and 20:1) express the importance of justice in the success of Bnei Yisrael. This episode analyzes this connection and thereby uncovers an important idea about reward and punishment.
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The Torah (Devarim 19:11) tells of a person who hates his fellow and kills him. Rashi says this teaches that if a person violates a lenient mitzvah (hating), he is likely to violate a strict mitzvah (killing). This episode analyzes the truth of this statement and what it teaches us about mitzvos.
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Eliyahu bringing a korban to Hashem at Har HaCarmel is a classic example of horaas shaah, a case where a navi temporarily suspends the halachik system. Rashi (Devarim 12:13) seems to imply differently - that Eliyahu was using a built in exception to the prohibition of bringing a korban outside of the mikdash. This episode addresses this apparent contradiction. It also discusses a contradictory Rashi in Devarim 18:22 and the Rambam in the ninth perek of Yesodei Hatorah.
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The Torah generally demands that we treat other Jews - even great sinners - with love and compassion. Thereâs one exception: the meisis (a person who privately tries to convince another Jew to worship avoda zara). This episode discusses why the meisis is treated differently than all other sinners.
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Some suggest that even though dinosaur bones seem to attest to the fact that the world is older than 6,000 years, they are merely a test from Hashem as to whether we will accept scientific knowledge or our tradition. They support this type of idea from the passuk in Reâeh (Devarim 13:4) which Rashi interprets to mean that Hashem gives a false prophet a miraculous sign to test us and determine whether we love Hashem with all our hearts and souls. This episode analyzes this idea and assesses the validity of the comparison.
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In the second Parsha of krias shema (Devarim 17:11), the Torah tells us that if we turn to idols in the land of Israel, then weâll perish quickly. Two Rashiâs on this passuk discuss (1) why this is an appropriate punishment; and (2) why itâs quickly given that the dor hamabul was given 120 years. This episode analyzes these Rashis and questions whether it really was so quickly.
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At the beginning of Vaâeschanan (Devarim 3:23) Moshe asks Hashem to go into Eretz Yisrael. Rashi deduces from the extra word âlaimorâ that he also âdemandedâ to know how Hashem would answer his request. Rashi cites 2 or 3 other examples of such requests by Moshe. This episodes analyzes this type of request and discusses if/when itâs appropriate.
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This episode discusses Rashiâs claim (Vaâeschanan 4:19) that Hashem âtrickedâ the nations into worshipping the heavenly bodies.
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This informal discussion took place around the first yahrtzeit of my mother Shani Feder A'H.
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This episode analyzes the first three pesukim of Eichah 2 and then presents some thoughts about how to relate to this especially challenging Tisha Bâav.
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The Gemara in Taanis 29a describes an event just before the destruction of the first Mikdash. Young kohanim went to the roof, said to Hashem that since they werenât appropriate treasurers of the mikdash, and that He should take they keys back. Then they threw the keys of the Mikdash to the heaven and a form of a hand caught them. This episode analyzes this story, discusses whether itâs literal, and finds its takeaways.
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The Gemara in Taanis 29a says that because the Jews cried for nothing upon hearing the report of the spies, Hashem established that day (Tisha Bâav) as a day of crying for all generations. This episode analyzes this strange connection.
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The Gemara in Moed Kattan 27a teaches about several decrees, the bulk of which demand treating rich and poor equally to prevent the poor from embarrassment. This episode explores these exceptional decrees which seem to lean towards Communism.
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This episode deals with an apparent contradiction between two Rashis (Bamidbar 27:15-16) which present differing views on Moshe’s concern upon hearing about his immanent passing.
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