Sitting Down During Hakafos While People Are Dancing With Sifrei Torah

A recording for the BHP daily Halachic Whatsapp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gz8rrxqRcfy9rMOXRLG6GS

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 14 Episode 5: The Naza Film and the Point of Free Choice

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 14 Episode 5:

The Naza Film and the Point of Free Choice

(Collateral Damage and the Nekudas HaBechirah)

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/123152

The Gemara About Simchat Beit HaShoeivah (Sukkah 5th Perek) - Uganda Shiur

 Fathom Summary:

Uganda Shiur - September 24

Meeting Purpose

To explore the spiritual significance and historical practices of Sukkot.

Key Takeaways

• Simchat Beit HaShoeva: The Temple's water-drawing ceremony was a legendary celebration of atonement and prayer for rain, so bright it lit all Jerusalem.
• Hillel's Philosophy: Hillel taught that every person's participation is essential ("If I am here, everyone is here") and that one's location is divinely ordained.
• Joy as a Mitzvah: The Sages' juggling acts (e.g., Rabbi Gamliel with 8 torches) demonstrated that even leaders must use joy to inspire the community.
• Halakhic Source: The women's balcony built for the celebration is the source for the men's/women's separation (mechitza) in synagogues.

Topics

Simchat Beit HaShoeva: The Temple Celebration

• A legendary Sukkot celebration marking atonement (post-Yom Kippur) and praying for rain.
• Water-Drawing Ceremony (Nisuch HaMayim):
  • Water was drawn from the Siloam spring and poured on the Temple altar, a unique Sukkot ritual.
  • The Yerushalmi Talmud says the prophet Yonah received his prophecy at this event, interpreting the "drawing of water" as the "drawing of divine spirit" (Ruach HaKodesh).
• The Spectacle:
  • Lighting: Four giant golden candelabra, each with a 120-load oil basin, were lit using wicks made from worn priestly garments.
  • Illumination: The light was so bright it illuminated all of Jerusalem, enabling a woman to sort wheat by its glow.
  • Music & Dance: Levites played instruments on the 15 steps between courtyards (corresponding to the 15 Shir HaMa'alot Psalms), while pious men danced with flaming torches.

Hillel's Teachings on Community & Divine Providence

• Essential Participation: Hillel's statement, "If I am here, everyone is here. If I am not here, who is here?" emphasizes that every individual's contribution is vital.
• Divine Presence: Hillel taught, "If you come to my house, I will come to your house. If you do not come to my house, I will not come to your house."
  • Interpretation: One must seek out holy places (like the Temple or synagogue). If unable, mentioning God's name anywhere invites His presence.
• Divine Providence: The Gemara states, "The feet of a person are responsible for him. To the place he is in demand, there they lead him."
  • King Solomon's Scribes: Solomon tried to save his scribes from death by sending them to Luz, a town where people don't die. However, the Angel of Death's mission was to take them in Luz, so Solomon's action inadvertently fulfilled their destiny.
  • Lesson: One's location is divinely ordained for a reason—either for a specific purpose or for atonement.

The Sages' Joyful Example

• The Sages actively participated in the celebration, demonstrating that joy is a holy act.
• Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel: Juggled eight flaming torches and performed a kidah (a prostration so deep one's thumbs touch the ground).
• Other Sages: Juggled knives (Levi), wine glasses without spilling (Shemuel), and eggs (Abaye).
• Lesson: Leaders must use joy to inspire the community and make others happy.

Halakhic & Spiritual Insights

• Synagogue Separation (Mechitza): The women's balcony at the Simchat Beit HaShoeva is the source for the men's/women's separation in synagogues.
• Sukkot Sleep: The Gemara questions how people stayed awake all night for the celebration. The answer is they "dozed on each other's shoulders" but did not get a full night's sleep.
• Lulav & Etrog: The mitzvah can be fulfilled at home.
  • Procedure: Recite two blessings on the first day (one on subsequent days), then shake the four species in all four directions and up/down.

Next Steps

• Fulfill the mitzvah of the four species at home by reciting the blessings and shaking the lulav and etrog.

The Gemara About Yom Kippur (Teshuvah, Categories of Sin, Chillul Hashem), Yoma 86a - Uganda Shiur

Uganda Shiur - September 17

Meeting Purpose

To review the Jewish concept of repentance (Teshuvah) and atonement for Yom Kippur.

Key Takeaways

• Atonement is a process: It requires repentance (Teshuvah) and Yom Kippur, with death necessary for the most severe sins. Yom Kippur alone does not atone for sins.
• Sins against people require human appeasement: Yom Kippur atones for sins against God, but not for sins against others until the wronged party is appeased.
• Desecrating God's name (Chilul Hashem) is the worst sin: It requires Teshuvah, Yom Kippur, suffering, and death for full atonement.
• Fasting rules are strict: Healthy adults must fast. Breastfeeding women must fast unless medically unable, in which case they eat/drink small amounts (<28g - not 50g as mistakenly mentiond in the shiur) every 7 mins. Children start fasting at 12 (boys) or 11 (girls).

Topics

The Atonement Process

• Mishnah Yoma Framework:
  • Sacrifices: Atoned for specific, severe sins (e.g., sin offerings for accidental karet).
  • Teshuvah (Repentance): Atones for minor sins.
  • Yom Kippur + Teshuvah: Atones for severe sins.
  • Death + Teshuvah: Atones for all sins.
• Rabbi Mattia ben Charash's Four Levels of Atonement:
  1. Positive Mitzvah Violation (Omission): Teshuvah alone atones immediately.
  2. Negative Mitzvah Violation (Commission): Teshuvah suspends punishment; Yom Kippur completes atonement.
  3. Karet/Death-Penalty Sin: Teshuvah & Yom Kippur suspend punishment; suffering (e.g., self-imposed fasts) completes atonement.
  4. Chilul Hashem (Desecration of God's Name): Requires Teshuvah, Yom Kippur, suffering, and death for full atonement.

Chilul Hashem (Desecration) vs. Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification)

• Chilul Hashem: Any act by a Jew that causes non-Jews to view Judaism negatively.
  • Examples:
    • A public figure failing to pay a butcher immediately (Rav).
    • A scholar walking without Torah study or tefillin (Rabbi Yochanan).
    • Friends being embarrassed by one's reputation (Yitzhak).
• Kiddush Hashem: Any act that causes non-Jews to view Judaism positively.
  • Examples:
    • Being pleasant and honest in business.
    • Learning Torah and serving scholars.
  • Outcome: People praise the person and the Torah that guided them.

Yom Kippur Fasting Rules

• Breastfeeding Women: Must fast unless medically unable. If unable, they should eat/drink small amounts (<28g) every 7 minutes to avoid a full break.
• Children: Begin fasting at age 12 (boys) or 11 (girls)

Shalom Aleichem When Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah Coincide

Shalom Aleichem (and Kabbalat Shabbat) when Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah (or another Yom Tov) Coincide.

A recording for the BHP daily Halachic Whatsapp group https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gz8rrxqRcfy9rMOXRLG6GS

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 14 Episode 4: Does the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Figure Into Our Rosh HaShanah's Zichron Teru'ah?

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 14 Episode 4:

להיזכר מעשים רבים והמון בריות לאין תכלית:

Does the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Figure Into Our Rosh HaShanah's Zichron Teru'ah?

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/122150

The Gemara About Rosh HaShanah (Forgiveness and Forgoing) part 7, Rosh HaShanah 17a - Uganda Shiur

 

Uganda Shiur - September 07

VIEW RECORDING - 29 mins (No highlights)

Meeting Purpose

To understand the Jewish concept of Gehenna and divine judgment.

Key Takeaways

• Gehenna is spiritual shame, not physical fire. It's the soul's unrelenting remorse for its sins, a pain described as 60 times worse than physical fire.
• Divine judgment is based on patterns, not isolated acts. God overlooks initial sins, but a repeated pattern establishes a sinful identity and retroactively counts all prior related acts.
• Forgiving others is the most effective path to divine forgiveness. Applying the principle of Midah Kinneged Midah (measure for measure), God forgives those who forgive others.
• Prayer and kindness are the primary tools for a favorable judgment. Sincere prayer can uplift a person with little merit, and kindness toward others directly earns divine kindness.

Topics

Gehenna: Spiritual Shame

• Gehenna is a spiritual state of intense, unrelenting shame and remorse for one's sins.
• The rabbinic metaphor of "fire 60 times stronger" than physical fire illustrates the soul's profound pain when it is fully exposed to its own wrongdoing.
• The physical location, Gei Ben-Hinom, was a valley outside Jerusalem associated with idolatrous fire sacrifices, serving as the metaphor's origin.

The Soul's Journey & Cleansing

• After death, the soul enters a transition period called the "catapult," where it pursues unfulfillable physical desires.
• This phase continues until the soul realizes the futility of its worldly pursuits and develops genuine remorse.
• Only then can the soul enter Gehenna for purification, which is a temporary process.

Divine Judgment: Balancing the Scales

• The Gemara describes God "tilting the scales" for middling people (50/50 merits vs. sins) who did not commit "rebellious sins."
• Two interpretations explain this divine kindness:
  • Rabbi Lez: God adds weight to the merit side.
  • Rabbi Yosef Gavriel: God lifts weight from the sin side.
• Both interpretations achieve the same result: a favorable judgment, showing God's mercy.

"Rebellious Sins" & Their Consequences

• "Rebellious sins with the body" are considered especially severe, requiring full purification in Gehenna.
• Examples:
  • Men: Never wearing tefillin (phylacteries).
  • Women & Non-Jews: Engaging in forbidden relations.
• Rationale: These sins misuse the body, which is a divine loan.
• Exception: A person with these sins can still receive mercy if their overall deeds are balanced (50/50).

Prayer & Forgiveness: Paths to a Good Judgment

• Prayer: Sincere prayer can uplift a person with little merit, earning a favorable judgment.
• Forgiveness: Forgiving others for injustices is the most powerful path to divine forgiveness.
  • Principle: Midah Kinneged Midah (measure for measure).
  • Action: Forgiving others → God forgives your sins.
  • Action: Holding grudges → God holds grudges against you.

Next Steps

• To prepare for Rosh Hashanah, focus on two actions:
  • Prayer: Engage in sincere, personal prayer to express a desire for self-improvement.
  • Kindness: Act kindly and forgivingly toward everyone, especially those who have wronged you.

Torah Im Derech Eretz: Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer's Moriah pt 11: The of Mission of Avraham & the Exodus

Fathom Summary:

Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer - September 06

Meeting Purpose

To introduce Rabbi Dr. Isaac Breuer's concept of Judaism as a national, not individual, mission.

Key Takeaways

• Judaism is a national mission to fulfill God's plan for humanity (family, society, nation, state), not an individual religion.
• Jewish history is "Meta-History," a divine narrative that transcends "General History" (the natural cycle of power struggles).
• Egypt was the "Crucible" where the Jewish people were forged, learning that autonomous states prioritize political power over justice and that social exploitation is an inherent evil.
• Religious Zionism is an aberration because it seeks to make Israel "like all the nations," ignoring the Jewish people's unique, divinely ordained mission.

Topics

The National Mission of Judaism

• Judaism is a national mission, not an individual religion.
• Core Principle: Humans are social animals. God's plan for creation requires nations and states to "be fruitful, multiply, and conquer the land."
• Avraham's Role: Chosen to restart this plan after humanity's failures (Adam, Tower of Bavel).
  • He is the "father of the masses of nations" (Av Avamogayim), tasked with instructing all nations in God's ways.
  • This role is largely forgotten today.

General History vs. Meta-History

• General History (HaHistory HaKalilis): The natural cycle of power struggles where the strong oppress the weak.
• Meta-History (Meta-Historia): The divine history of the Jewish people, which transcends natural laws.
  • Avraham's Exodus: God removed Avraham from this natural cycle, placing him "above the stars" to found a new, purposeful history.
  • Yitzchak's Birth: A "ridiculous" event by natural standards, symbolizing the start of a history that defies nature.
  • Egypt as the Crucible: The nation was forged in exile (Golus), learning that its destiny is to be "foreigners in a land not theirs."
  • Perpetual Exile: The Second Temple period was a continuation of exile, not true independence, as Israel remained a vassal state.

The Lessons of Egypt

• Egypt was the "Crucible" where the Jewish people were forged.
• Lesson 1: The State vs. Humanity
  • Autonomous states prioritize political advantage over justice, creating an "abyss" between the state and humanity.
  • This legacy creates an intrinsic Jewish restlessness for justice, even in secular Jews.
• Lesson 2: Social Justice
  • The experience of slavery instilled a deep understanding of social exploitation.
  • This legacy explains the historical Jewish solidarity with the working class.

The Exodus as a Metaphor

• The Exodus from Egypt is the foundational principle of Judaism.
• Meaning: Not just a physical departure, but an exodus from "General History" into "Meta-History."
• Personal Application: Every Jew must leave their own "Mitzrayim" (personal limitations) to enter the nation's Meta-History and fulfill their divine purpose.

Next Steps

• Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer: Continue the discussion on Breuer's concepts of General History and Meta-History in the next session.

 

The Gemara About Rosh HaShanah (The 12 Months in Gehennom) part 6, Rosh HaShanah 17a - Uganda Shiur

Uganda Shiur - September 03

VIEW RECORDING - 23 mins (No highlights)

Meeting Purpose

To explore the Gemara's teachings on post-mortem judgment and atonement.

Key Takeaways

• Atonement Tiers: Most sinners face a 12-month judgment in Gehenna, after which their souls are redeemed via their connection to the righteous. A specific class of arch-wicked individuals (e.g., heretics, informers) face eternal punishment.
• Communal Merit: A person's connection to the community provides a crucial source of merit. This is the basis for saying Kaddish for 11 months (not 12) for parents and for the "soft judgment" on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.
• The Shekhinah: Human actions directly affect the divine presence (Shekhinah) in the world. Sin pushes the Shekhinah away, while mitzvot bring it closer, creating a "dwelling place for Him below" (Dira Batachtonim).
• Judgment's Unmasking: In the afterlife, a person's inner essence is revealed. The faces of the wicked appear "black and sooty," exposing their true nature regardless of their worldly appearance.

Topics

The Afterlife: Judgment & Atonement

• The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 17A) describes post-mortem judgment for Jews and non-Jews.
• Standard Sinners: Face a 12-month judgment in Gehenna.
  • Outcome: After 12 months, their souls are "burned" (purified) and then redeemed by their connection to the righteous.
  • Mechanism: "Wind scatters them under the soles of the feet of the righteous." This is interpreted as:
    1. A righteous person's merit elevating a connected individual.
    2. A person's own good deeds for others providing a path to redemption.
• Arch-Wicked Individuals: Face eternal punishment.
  • Category: Heretics, informers, apostates, Torah deniers, resurrection deniers, community separators, fear-mongers, and those who cause the masses to sin (e.g., King Yerovam).
  • Rationale: Causing others to sin is worse than sinning oneself, as it stems from malicious intent rather than personal weakness.
  • Punishment: "Worms shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched." The punishment outlasts Gehenna itself.

Communal Merit & Judgment

• A person's connection to the community provides a source of merit, especially for those lacking sufficient individual merit.
• Kaddish for Parents: Recited for 11 months, not 12.
  • Rationale: To avoid implying a parent was so wicked they required the full 12-month judgment.
• Rosh Hashanah Judgment: The Zohar describes two days of judgment.
  • Day 1 (Hard Judgment): Based on individual merit.
  • Day 2 (Soft Judgment): Based on communal merit. A person can receive a good year by being a valuable part of the community, even if their individual merit is low.
• Biblical Precedents:
  • Elisha & the Shunamite Woman: The woman refused special favors, preferring to be judged "among my people" (within the community).
  • Yaakov's Prayer: Yaakov cited his role in God's plan (founding the tribes) as a reason for salvation, not just his personal merit.

The Shekhinah: Divine Presence & Human Action

• The severity of the arch-wicked's punishment stems from their actions against "God's dwelling" (Beit HaMikdash).
• Interpretation: "God's dwelling" refers to the Shekhinah, the divine presence on earth.
• Shekhinah as a Feminine Word: In Kabbalah, masculine = giving, feminine = receiving.
  • Significance: The Shekhinah is the aspect of God that receives from humanity.
  • Mechanism: Human actions (Torah & mitzvot) bring the Shekhinah closer, creating a "dwelling place for Him below" (Dira Batachtonim). Sin pushes it away.
• Pride as an Obstacle: An arrogant person's pride pushes the Shekhinah away, making it impossible for God to "live together with him."

Judgment's Unmasking

• In the afterlife, a person's inner essence is revealed.
• Appearance: The faces of the wicked appear "black and sooty like the bottom of a pot."
• Meaning: This is not a literal physical change but an unmasking of true character.
  • Interpretation 1: On the day of resurrection, a person's inner wickedness is visibly reflected on their face.
  • Interpretation 2: In the heavenly realm, one's true nature is immediately apparent to all.
• Rav's Example: Rav believed even the most "upstanding" people of Mechoza were wicked, demonstrating that worldly appearance is deceptive.

Next Steps

• Odupa Abram: Ask about the nature of Gehenna in the next session.
• Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer: Explain Gehenna in more detail during the next shiur.

Action Items

• Email Abram copy of today's shiur - WATCH (5 secs)
• Ask Yosef next session re: Gehenna; he'll explain - WATCH (5 secs)

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 14 Episode 3: No "Strings" Attached! Insisting On Traditional Selichos

 

Rischa D'Araisa Season 14 Episode 3: 

No "Strings" Attached!

Insisting On Traditional Selichos

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/122001