Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Rabbi Avrohom Eliyahu Kaplan Episode 11: Bameh Kokheinu Gadol?

History and the Future should impact the Present, not vice versa.

First of two unfinished pieces on bursting out of constriction into broad expanses.


also referencing the poem "Zimri" at


Sunday, October 27, 2024

Iggeres D'Rav Sherira Gaon, part 5: Two Versions, Two Opinions as to When the Mishnah Was Written



Iggeres D'Rav Sherira Gaon, part 5:
Two Versions, Two Opinions
as to When the Mishnah Was Written

The major difference between two versions of the letter:
Was the Mishnah written by Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi
or by the Rabbanan Savurai?

Big difference!


Links to subsequent episodes in the series will appear in the comments here.

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Atzvus and Simcha (Sadness and Happiness) Go Together

Atzvus and Simcha
(Sadness and Happiness) 
Go Together


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 events of the past year. How sadness and happiness are not contradictory but complementary, and the unique happiness of Ditzah.

The story of Maran Reb Yisroel Salanter zt"l and Simchas Torah appears in the Seridei Eish zt"l's LePrakim:




Sunday, October 20, 2024

The Remarkable Gemara About Sasson and Simchah, Sukkah 48b


The Remarkable Gemara 
About Sasson and Simchah

Sukkah 48b


The text and translation of the passage from Sefaria:

הָנְהוּ תְּרֵי מִינֵי, חַד שְׁמֵיהּ שָׂשׂוֹן וְחַד שְׁמֵיהּ שִׂמְחָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ שָׂשׂוֹן לְשִׂמְחָה: אֲנָא עֲדִיפְנָא מִינָּךְ, דִּכְתִיב: ״שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּ וְגוֹ׳״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ שִׂמְחָה לְשָׂשׂוֹן: אֲנָא עֲדִיפְנָא מִינָּךְ, דִּכְתִיב: ״שִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשׂוֹן לַיְּהוּדִים״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ שָׂשׂוֹן לְשִׂמְחָה: חַד יוֹמָא שָׁבְקוּךְ וְשַׁוְּיוּךְ פַּרְוַונְקָא, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי בְשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ שִׂמְחָה לְשָׂשׂוֹן: חַד יוֹמָא שָׁבְקוּךְ וּמָלוּ בָּךְ מַיָּא, דִּכְתִיב: ״וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן״.

Apropos this verse, the Gemara relates: There were these two heretics, one named Sason and one named Simḥa. Sason said to Simḥa: I am superior to you, as it is written: “They shall obtain joy [sason] and happiness [simḥa], and sorrow and sighing shall flee” (Isaiah 35:10). The verse mentions joy first. Simḥa said to Sason, On the contrary, I am superior to you, as it is written: “There was happiness [simḥa] and joy [sason] for the Jews” (Esther 8:17). Sason said to Simḥa: One day they will dismiss you and render you a messenger [parvanka], as it is written: “For you shall go out with happiness [simḥa]” (Isaiah 55:12). Simḥa said to Sason: One day they will dismiss you and draw water with you, as it is written: “With joy [sason] you shall draw water.”

אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא דִּשְׁמֵיהּ שָׂשׂוֹן לְרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: עֲתִידִיתוּ דִּתְמַלּוֹ לִי מַיִם לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן״, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הֲוָה כְּתִיב ״לְשָׂשׂוֹן״ — כִּדְקָאָמְרַתְּ, הַשְׁתָּא דִּכְתִיב ״בְּשָׂשׂוֹן״ — מַשְׁכֵּיהּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא מְשַׁוֵּינַן לֵיהּ גּוֹדָא וּמָלֵינַן בֵּיהּ מַיָּא.

The Gemara relates a similar incident: A certain heretic named Sason said to Rabbi Abbahu: You are all destined to draw water for me in the World-to-Come, as it is written: “With sason you shall draw water.” Rabbi Abbahu said to him: If it had been written: For sason, it would have been as you say; now that it is written: With sason, it means that the skin of that man, you, will be rendered a wineskin, and we will draw water with it.

A talk at the Sukkah of our son-in-law and daughter, Rabbi Ari and Rebbitzen Meira Federgrun, at the Simchas Beis HaSho'eivah of the shul in which they serve as Rav and Rebbitzen, Cong. Bnai Israel Ohev Zedek, of Philadelphia, PA. https://www.biozshul.org 2nd night of Chol HaMo'ed Sukkos, 5785.