Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Rav Kook for People who are not Adherents of Rav Kook's Thought: Orot part 60 and Yud Shvat

Orot HaTechiyah 17:

Emunah, Ahavah, Hiskashrus, Yud Shvat (Chabad) and Eretz Yisroel

subsequent episodes will be listed in the comments here.

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 21: Klal Yisroel as Guardians of the Environment

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 21:

שְׂאוּ־מָר֨וֹם עֵינֵיכֶ֤ם:

Klal Yisroel

as

Guardians of the Environment

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/113797

Monday, January 26, 2026

The Parameters of Dan L'Kaf Zechus, Judging People Favorably, Snow Day Shiur for Talmidos

The Parameters of Dan L'Kaf Zechus

(Judging People Favorably)

An optional snow day shiur given to the talmidos of the 8th grade at YBH.

Is There Value in Learning Secular Studies? Snow Day Shiur for Talmidim

Is There Value in Learning Secular Studies?

An optional snow day shiur given to the talmidim of the 8th grade at YBH.

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 20: 138th Yartzheit Special: Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch 1. RSRH on Medinas Yisroel 2. RSRH as a Halachist

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 20:

138th Yartzheit Special:

Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch

1. RSRH on Medinas Yisroel

2. RSRH as a Halachist

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/113611

Monday, January 19, 2026

Proper Intentions in Reciting Hashem's Name

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

Zohar Al Pi Pshat Day 559. 69b: Fearsome Waves & the String that Arrests...

I think this was a particularly good one!

Sunday, January 18, 2026

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch zt"l Yahrzeit Webinar Remarks

The complete recording of the webinar is at Chumashshiur.com/RSRHWebinar

This was my contribution.

Yasher koach to Rabbi Avrohom Aaron Elias of chumashshiur.com,

the driving force behind this endeavor.

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episodes 18-19: The American and Israeli Episodes

There were two different episodes of Rischa this past week, an American and an Israeli version.

The American version is Rabbi Schiller and myself on the current events of Protests and Leadership and on the societal issues of Middos Tovos and Chinuch.

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 19:

Dor Shekulo Chayav?

Protests or Riots?

Presidents or Robber Barons?

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/113445

The full audio is at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11xapUnsqgV-tO_Q5_Fzj0JOOruysVfq0/view?usp=drive_link

and the video is at:

https://youtu.be/Z6ZWuxhgfz0

The Israeli version, hosted by Rabbi Kivelevitz in Eretz Yisroel where he attended a simcha, is:

Rischa D'Araisa Season 12 Episode 18:

Signs of Change:

Hope Springs from Eretz Yisroel

with Dayan Yehoshua Pfeffer

and Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/113312

Two Questions I was Asked About Tehillim

I was asked two question about the Tehillim:

1. Is the Yehi Ratzon an impediment and if you get to 150 you must say the YhR before beginning again?

2. If you are saying Tehillim for two people, do you have to say the kapitel twice, once for each person?

(I guess the same question would apply to two causes.)

So, my response was that saying Tehillim is a form of davening. There is, of course, a minimal component of the zechus of the specific Tehillim said, but it's really the kavannah behind the Tehillim that is primary, and the Tehillim themselves are a tool to focus, engage and arouse that kavannah. It is fundamentally different than doing a Mitzvah for a merit, say, giving Tzedakah for a cause, where if you gave Tzedakah for two causes, it would seem that the merit might be divided for the two causes. This is discussed at length, and argued, in the case of Yissaschar-Zevulun: If you give money for someone to learn Torah, do you split the reward, or is the reward duplicated for the learner and the supporter.

But that's not the way davening works. In davening, the primary aspect is the Avodah She'Ba'Lev.

So, it follows that the YhR is never essential. It, too, helps people focus and direct - and develop - their kavannah. But the tefillah of the Tehillim stands on its own. And it also follows that it is fine to say one kapitel for two people. Perhaps some people will have more kavannah is they say the kapitel twice for the two separate people. But you davened for the two people regardless. Indeed, some people may have less kavannah in repeating the kapitel. I would!