Rischa Daraiisa Podcast

Rischa Daraiisa

ריתחא דאורייתא

yeshivaofnewark.jewishpodcasts.org

The Yeshiva of Newark

proudly presents a new discussion program on issues confronting the Jewish World today, applying a Torah learning perspective with passion and respect.

featuring

Rav Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer and Rav Avraham Kivelevitz

Subscribe and never miss an episode!

yeshivaofnewark.jewishpodcasts.org

Talk on Parashas Bo: Makkas Choshech and Other Issues

A talk to the students of Shalhevet High School for Girls in Vancouver, BC. A talk touching on similar points to the last Holocaust Q&A shiur, as well as other basic nekudos in Yahadus.

Synopsis of the talk, written by the Menaheles, Mrs. Meira Federgrun:

Sarah Elias Guest Lecturer Series

In memory of Sarah bat Mazal Tov

Each week at Shalhevet, we are privileged to hear divrei Torah from a Rabbi or Rebbetzin in our community, a visiting guest speaker, or an out-of-town speaker. The inspirational words they share with us will be written in this column to enhance your Shabbos. This week we were privileged to learn with Rabbi Bechhofer, Rabbi and teacher in Monsey.

Chazal teach us "Chamushim alu Bnei Yisrael miMitzrayim." This phrase can be understood in a variety of ways: 1/5 of the Jews left Egypt, 1/50, 1/500, and different commentaries explain it differently. Either way, Chazal are saying that a significant amount of Jews died during makkas choshech because they were not worthy of being redeemed.

Perhaps another way to understand this medrash would be as follows: because the Jews were so mired in tumah, only 1/5 of them was worthy of redemption.  We learn in Kabbalah that the Jewish soul is comprised of five parts. Perhaps they sank so low that 4/5 of their souls were not worthy of redemption; only the last 1/5 was worthy: the yechida klalis - which represents the unity between Klal Yisrael and Hashem and the unity we have with each other.

R' Bunim of Peshischa asks: how can we anticipate Mashiach coming in our generation? The generations before us were so great, yet they didn't merit to greet Mashiach. How are we better? He answers that even though those generations were greater, our nekuda penimis is greater. That means that the trials we face today are greater than those faced by previous generations. And they would not be able to withstand our challenges.

R' Zevin explains that Klal Yisrael throughout history is like a body: the first generations were the dor deah - they represent the head, the intellect. The last generations before Mashiach are called ikvesa d'meshicha - the heel. The heel may not be smart or sensitive, but it is well-protected. It's true we're a more coarse, unrefined dor, but we are better safeguarded from the challenges of today. That's our ma'alah.

In makkas choshech, the Torah tells us, "Ulechol Bnei Yisrael hayah ohr b'mmoshvosam." The Jews saw there was light in their communities. That was then and also applies today: wherever we are settled, there is light: the inner light we each have. Our job is to take that light and spread it - be an ohr lagoyim, as it says in Yeshayahu. We must take the tremendous ohr that we have and use it to spread the light of Torah to those around us.

Reasons Given for the Holocaust, Students' Q&A Part 3 (last part)

After having heard a shiur similar to the one at https://youtu.be/jV2sQvSDjjU my students at YBH had several questions they wanted to ask and matters they wanted to discuss. The questions were excellent and the matters important. This is Part 3 (the last part) of my responses, with additional questions and issues interspersed.

Reasons Given for the Holocaust, Students' Q&A Part 2

After having heard a shiur similar to the one at https://youtu.be/jV2sQvSDjjU my students at YBH had several questions they wanted to ask and matters they wanted to discuss. The questions were excellent and the matters important. This is Part 2 of my responses, with additional questions and issues interspersed.

Reasons Given for the Holocaust, Students' Q&A Part 1

After having heard a shiur similar to the one at https://youtu.be/jV2sQvSDjjU my students at YBH had several questions they wanted to ask and matters they wanted to discuss. The questions were excellent and the matters important. This is Part 1 of my responses, with additional questions and issues interspersed.

The Holocaust: Reasons and Martyrs, touching on Israeli Soldiers As Well

A Toras Dovid (formerly Ohr Somayach) shiur. 

Overview of reasons given and not given for the Holocaust, analysis of the perspectives, and of attitudes towards the martyrs of the Holocaust and Israeli soldiers killed fighting for Eretz Yisroel. 

 A source sheet can be downloaded at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tVTbgnf3ZDVnDA5JkCOR6zrXRnml-JN0/view?usp=sharing

 

A Revolutionary Take on Yom Tov Sheni, A Teshuvah from the Cairo Genizah...

Eighth in a series (IYH) on Minhag Avoseihem b'Yedeihem/Al Teshanu Min ha'Minhag.You can find the teshuvah at https://drive.google.com/open?id=1I4_f-f5j7o1y0PEYnGT1KVIcZpi0LQ3Y

A Revolutionary Take on Yom Tov Sheni, A Teshuvah from the Cairo Genizah...

Fifth in a series (IYH) on Minhag Avoseihem b'Yedeihem/Al Teshanu Min ha'Minhag.You can find the teshuvah at https://drive.google.com/open?id=1I4_f-f5j7o1y0PEYnGT1KVIcZpi0LQ3Y

Judaism and Racism Part 5: A disturbing video, Ohr LaGoyim, Edot HaMizrach

Addressing a disturbing video about non-Jews and the Jews' role as Ohr LaGoyim.

Also a discussion of discrimination against Edot HaMizrach.

A digression into the meaning of the word שור.

 In the wake of the Jersey City and Monsey attacks, fifth and final part of an overview of Judaism and Racism. A Toras Dovid (former Ohr Somayach) shiur.

The Rov (RYBS) on Forgetting of the Brain vs. Forgetting of the Heart

A correspondent forwarded this video (really audio with slides) to me. It is evidently a continuation of the one I posted a few days ago.

Again, Yiddish with good English subtitles.

Again, Powerful and moving.

Again, Much to be learned from it. 

About Torah, V'Hagisa Bo, and RYBS zt"l himself.

Again, I don't know the source or the occasion. 

Again, I don't think they matter that much.

Judaism and Racism Part 4: A Dialogue

A dialogue (in shiur) with an individual whose opinions I reject... This was supposed to be a regular shiur, but turned into a continuation of Judaism and Racism parts 2 and 3.

In the wake of the Jersey City and Monsey attacks, fourth part of an overview of Judaism and Racism. A Toras Dovid (former Ohr Somayach) shiur.

  

A Revolutionary Take on Yom Tov Sheni, A Teshuvah from the Cairo Genizah...

The Rov (RYBS) on Birchas HaTorah (etc.)

A correspondent forwarded this video (really audio with slides) to me. 

Yiddish with good English subtitles.

Powerful and moving.

Much to be learned from it about Torah, Ahavas Hatorah, and RYBS zt"l himself.

I don't know the source or the occasion. I don't think they matter that much.

Judaism and Racism Part 3

In the wake of the Jersey City and Monsey attacks, third part of an overview of Judaism and Racism. A Toras Dovid (former Ohr Somayach) shiur. Same shiur as part 2, the second part of that shiur. I would have spliced them, but I only was alerted to the fact that the shiur was in two files after posting. and sharing the first file.

Judaism and Racism Part 2

In the wake of the Jersey City and Monsey attacks, second part of an overview of Judaism and Racism. A Toras Dovid (former Ohr Somayach) shiur.

My grandfather, HG"R Dov Yehuda Schochet zt"l, in a a still from today's Siyum HaShas

My grandfather,

HG"R Dov Yehuda Schochet zt"l,

in a a still from today's Siyum HaShas at Met-Life Stadium.

It is at 3:47:35 in the video at https://thesiyum.org/

My grandfather is the second from left, the person sitting, with the bow tie.

I am not sure where the AIA got the picture, this is the original.

Yasher koach to my cousin Harav Chaim Schochet shlita,

for spotting the picture.

I do not know who the others in the picture are, but the odds are overwhelming that they were killed in the Holocaust.

This is the  entire clip l'zecher ha'Kedoshim, הי"ד זי"ע.