Mesukim Midvash is a compendium of Torah articles published in 2003-2004. Each issue of this publication, the complete set of which covered the entire Torah, contains essays on Machshavah, Mussar, and Tefillah. It was published for a year, but the content is timeless. Enjoy!
Intimate Knowledge of G‑d
Compassion Toward People
Splendor in Mind and Heart
Avodah
approx 6000 short halacha and hashkofa Q & As with Horav Shlomo Miller Shlita (with intro to the Q from R Bartfeld) from [ https://baisdovyosef.com/rabbis-past-questions/ ]( https://baisdovyosef.com/rabbis-past-questions/ ) download here [...]
His answer: ?The Rav had many minhagim of tefillah, some quite unique, and while we follow some in our shul (e.g., my rabbi reinstituted saying all the selichot on YK [...]
I am surprised (this is a rhetorical figure, I am not) that no one in this conversation has yet mentioned that Ashkenazim are not fit to do birkath kohanim on [...]
Since we?ve been discussing duchaning, simcha, and attempting to reinstitute duchaning every day in chutz la-aretz, I thought that as a kohen I?d add my two bits. First, I never [...]
On Wed, Oct 30, 2024 at 02:34:16PM EDT, I replied to RJR: >> Interesting new book: The Priceless Treasure of Bircas Kohanim by Naftali >> Weinberger. ... >> he recounts [...]
We often discussed emunah, how rishonim took the central role of proofs for granted but modern philosphy wouldn't, whether emunah is an idea or an experience, etc... A translation of [...]
On Thu, Oct 31, 2024 at 02:10:32PM +1100, isaac--- via Avodah wrote: > On 31 Oct 2024, at 1:12PM, R' Micha Berger wrote: > > One could have taken this [...]
On 31 Oct 2024, at 1:12PM, R' Micha Berger wrote: > One could have taken this far broader: > The Gra's and RCV's motive was fundamentally based on the relative [...]
Blogs
- YGB - יג"ב
- Aspaqlaria
- Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
- | Modern Uberdox
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT5Y7TEPJ5Q?si=hqCihWmEodLGNJQm]Idealism in the wake of World War. The symbolism of the Magen David.Podcast format at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/The reason you don't see the text is explained at the beginning of the [...]
Rischa D'Araisa Season 10 Episode 7:?דידן נצחThe Enticement of Swagger:Reflections on Trump's Victoryhttps://jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/90389Please click on this link to contribute whatever you can to keep this podcast on the air: https://thechesedfund.com/yeshivaofnewarkpodcast/keeping-the-ark-afloatWith downloads approaching [...]
Davening and serving Hashem by habit and rote vs. with novelty and renewal. Second of two unfinished pieces on bursting out of constriction into broad expanses. Supplemented with material from [...]
Rischa D'Araisa Season 10 Episode 6:וַיִּ֤פֶן כֹּה֙ וָכֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖רְא כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין אִ֑ישׁElection Special:Looking Back and Forthhttps://jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/89827 [...]
History and the Future should impact the Present, not vice versa. First of two unfinished pieces on bursting out of constriction into broad expanses.Podcast format at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/89930https://www.aishdas.org/raek/2shehein1.pdf beginning on p. [...]
Iggeres D'Rav Sherira Gaon, part 5: Two Versions, Two Opinions as to When the Mishnah Was WrittenThe major difference between two versions of the letter: Was the Mishnah written by [...]
Atzvus and Simcha(Sadness and Happiness) Go Together[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPc7ZMhQMTs?si=U_qs7qxpT8yXrGzh]A talk at the Leil Hoshannah Rabbah Simchas Beis HaSho'eivah of Cong. Anshei Palisades about how to approach Simchas Torah 5785 in light of [...]
The Remarkable Gemara About Sasson and SimchahSukkah 48b[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFnzALoaUh0?si=1WTx6Wb2aoE1LIyO]The text and translation of the passage from Sefaria:הָנְהוּ תְּרֵי מִינֵי, חַד שְׁמֵיהּ שָׂשׂוֹן וְחַד שְׁמֵיהּ שִׂמְחָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ שָׂשׂוֹן לְשִׂמְחָה: אֲנָא עֲדִיפְנָא [...]
Rischa D'Araisa Season 10 Episode 5:Nurturing The Essence on Yom Kippur:The Chesed of Realistic Teshuvahhttps://jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/89145APlease click on this link to contribute whatever you can to keep this podcast on the air: https://thechesedfund.com/yeshivaofnewarkpodcast/keeping-the-ark-afloat With [...]
On our responsibility, attitude and relationships with non-Jews. On the hierarchy of the Seven Noahide Laws. Conclusion of the unfinished essay.Podcast format at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/89147 https://www.aishdas.org/raek/2shehein1.pdf beginning on p. 39[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsfqXqb2FOk?si=S7HyVAoxg1YcJ4PW] [...]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8_r_YB9AVc?si=QudVVEzFEt0T-4Or]This is a brief synopsis of the chiddush of my Shabbos Shuvah Drosho. The Drosho was given at Cong. Anshei Palisades on Shabbos Shuvah 5785 and the synopsis was [...]
Rischa D'Araisa Season 10 Episode 4:לִפְקֹד עַל צְבָא מָרוֹם בַּדִּיןJustifying Resistance (theirs and ours)Before the Highest Courthttps://jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/88806Please click on this link to contribute whatever you can to keep this podcast on [...]
May a congregation eliminate piyutim? From RSZA zt"l. Shalmei Moe'd vol. 1 p. 33A recording for the BHP daily Halachic Whatsapp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gz8rrxqRcfy9rMOXRLG6GS[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvyE3OTbUY8?si=B8arOhtqQeFtaKCH] [...]
An Introduction to ימי הרחמים והסליחותדברי התעוררות at Cong. Anshei Palisades, First Selichos before Rosh HaShanah 5785[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_G-WnPoGsA?si=FY87d4owkBIsK02B]The six points from the Sefer HaBris, slightly abridged:ספר הברית - חלק ב [...]
On our responsibility, attitude and relationships with non-Jews.https://www.aishdas.org/raek/2shehein1.pdf page 37[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1PHcIYTCgA?si=ayjpiv9yuPLfzmla]Podcast format at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/88892 [...]
Rischa D'Araisa Season 10 Episode 3:Za'akas HaGolah:A failed Asifah reveals the difficulty of escaping ideological strait-jackets.With Rav Meyer Schillerhttps://jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/87130Please click on this link to contribute whatever you can to keep this [...]
Rav Dovid Lifshitz zt”l (whose 31st yahrzeit is today) often spoke about the connection between shaleim as wholeness, and that of another conjugation, “shalom“, peace. Shalom is not simply a cessation of violence. That [...]
Parashas Behar is a list of mitzvos. The first section is all about shemittah and yovel. A family’s ancestral land cannot be sold into perpetuity. Instead, if someone is forced [...]
This week I’d like to discuss three seemingly unrelated questions about the words of the tephillah: The focus of Shabbos Mussaf davening is the paragraph that begins “Tiqanta Shabbos…” What [...]
Here’s my theory about the origin of this minhag. My point here is not really about advocating for the minhag. I just feel a need to push back when people [...]
והיה רגיל להוכיח אותי על שראה שאינני משתתף בצערא דאחרינא. וכה היה דברו אלי תמיד שזה כל האדם. לא לעצמו נברא רק להועיל לאחריני ככל אשר ימצא בכחו לעשות. [My [...]
Micha’s note: The following was a post written to the Mesorah email list by Rabbi Dr. Seth Mandel zt”l, a rebbe-chaver of mine (more: a rebbe who insisted on treating [...]
(I put these thoughts together for a reply for my daughter Gavi, who pointed me to a medrash that “everyone in her neighborhood” were talking about, but I then was [...]
“Poteach et Yadekha“, oil on canvasHaim Masliach, 2021 A comment by Ilana Elzafun* brought this Seforno to my attention. This week’s parashah (Lekh Likha), Bereishis 16:13, describes Hagar’s prayer to [...]
Dear R Dr Broyde (Cc: Avodah), Over Shabbos, I read your article about getting ChatGPT to discuss whether a kohein in a same-sex marriage may go up to duchen. I [...]
Nephesh Hachaim 1:13 1. T The things we say can also link celestial worlds, rectify this one, and interconnect with the upper worlds, as we’ll now see. After all, we’re [...]
Da’at Tevunot 3:7 (¶ 118 [middle]) 1. We’d do well to take something into consideration, Ramchal adds here. It’s that just because something or someone is imperfect doesn’t mean [...]
The Way of G-d 2:6:4 1. G-d allowed for a prosecutor in His court, famously known as satan 1. His role is to argue against the accused, which them enables [...]
Nephesh Hachaim 1:12 1. R. Chaim already spoke 1 of the fact that we could only link celestial worlds, rectify this one, and interconnect with those upper worlds after we’d [...]
Da’at Tevunot 3:6 (¶ 118 [beginning]) 1. Ramchal reiterates here 1 that wrong is a created entity 2 that was only designed to last for as long as G-d wanted [...]
The Way of G-d 2:6:3 1. Given the above, the fact is that G-d doesn’t judge the world according to His foreknowledge but rather according to the way He wants [...]
Nephesh Hachaim 1:11 1. Following up on the thought offered in the last chapter that despite our being connected to physicality we’re nevertheless superior to angels, R’ Chaim now [...]
Da’at Tevunot 3:5 (¶s 116 [end] – 117) 1. Ramchal says that he’s going to expand upon things he’d said above 1 and reveal things that are “deep” about [...]
The Way of G-d 2:6:2 1. G-d appears in each Sanhedrin and court, influences it, and sees to it that justice is served 1. Now, in some instances [...]
Nephesh Hachaim 1:10 1. Given all of the above concerning our makeup and capacities, it’s reasonable to wonder whether angels are loftier than we are or we’re loftier than they. [...]
Da’at Tevunot 3:4 (¶ 116 [beg.]) 1. Ramchal is about to offer something that will serve as a prelude to what’s to follow 1. It’s that even though G-d [...]
Derech Hashem 2:6:1 In the course of His interactions with the world 1, G-d arranged it so that phenomena that affect both the things that humankind brings about 2 and [...]
Nephesh Hachaim 1:9 1. Following through on the discussion of the previous chapter, R’ Chaim contrasts the situation of the generation that dwelt in the Sinai Desert 1 with that [...]
Da’at Tevunot 3:3 (¶’s 103- 115) 1. It seems logical, doesn’t it, that goodness would be a product of something that emanates goodness while wrongfulness would be a product of [...]
Da’atTevunot 3:2 (# 98 – 102) 1. Ramchal starts to explain the role of wrong and injustice in the world with a proposition derived from Rambam1. It’s that when G-d [...]
Nephesh Hachaim 1:8 1. R’ Chaim offers a rather complex discussion here about the positioning of the Cherubs in the Tabernacle and Holy Temple in order to illustrate his point [...]
The website 18FORTY has a fantastic and thoughtful multimedia post on OTD that is worth watching, reading, and listening to. If you are reading this then you know I don’t [...]
Spoiler, there isn’t much substance to I what have to say. Also, I am spoiling the end of the Skywalker saga. After reading an excellent essay by Rabbi Harry Maryles [...]
I checked my recent writing history today and the last legit post of mine was really 3.5 years ago. For some that’s a long chunk of time. In that time [...]
My wife’s comment on Simchas Torah pretty much summed it up, “I feel like this is the biggest tease for you.” You see, my mom a”h was niftar right before [...]
When today comes around I usually think about things my father missed since he has been gone. I decided that this year I’ll attempt to list a number of things [...]
Walking out of shul, the morning after Yom Kippur, a follow early Sunday morning riser casually said to me, “Back to normal, right?” I was taken off guard (and also [...]
I have started this post about 2 dozen times over the past 3 years and I never seem to get more than about 300 words written about why I stopped [...]
I want to share something that Rav Efraim Twerski said at his Shabbos HaGadol drasha. After starting off with 10 questions Rav Twerski said over an amazing Torah from Rav [...]
So, tonight’s the 6th yahrtzeit for my dad, Avraham ben Zorach a”h (Al, of blessed memory). Like everyone else that has lost a parent I lit my 24 hour yahrzeit [...]
“WARMED BY THE FIRE OF THE AISH KODESH– Torah from the Hilulas of Reb Kalonymus Kalman Shapira of Piaseczna” by Rav Moshe Weinberger and adapted by Binyomin Wolf is more [...]