Rischa D'Araisa Season 14 Episode 10: Chamisha Dinim: Five Observations from Israeli Voters on the Recent Elections

(I am not on this podcast episode.)

Rischa D'Araisa Season 14 Episode 10:

Chamisha Dinim:

Five Observations from Israeli Voters on the Recent Elections

November 06, 2026

https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/yeshivaofnewark/127359

Episode Description

This program includes interviews with

Ben Waxman at 4:17

Daniel Schuval at 21:25

Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein at 43:43

Anonymous Educator at 1:00:04

Ziva Glanz at1:14:20

Please click on this link to contribute whatever you can to keep this podcast on the air:

https://thechesedfund.com/yeshivaofnewarkpodcast/keeping-the-ark-afloat

Chamisha Dinim refers to five key expressions of divine judgment in Kabbalah, rooted in Gevurah. They are essential for structure and order, but must be balanced and transformed through spiritual work so they become a source of light and redemption rather than destruction

 

The Torah's Focus: Character Development - Uganda Shiur

Fathom Summary:

Meeting Purpose

Discussing the Torah's focus on character development over explicit laws.

Key Takeaways

• Character is paramount: The Torah's lengthy, repeated account of Eliezer's mission in Parasha Chayei Sara signals that character development (midot) is more significant than many explicit laws.
• Genesis as the "Book of the Straight": Sefer Bereshit (Genesis) is called Sefer HaYashar because it models the Avot's (Patriarchs') trait of yashar (straight, honest) conduct, providing the foundation for all subsequent laws.
• Laws as tools for refinement: Every mitzvah (commandment) is designed to refine (litzareif) character. For example, humane animal slaughter (shechita) is not for God's benefit, but to cultivate human compassion.

Topics

The Torah's Focus on Character

• Problem: The Torah's extensive, repeated narrative of Eliezer's mission to find a wife for Yitzchak seems disproportionate to its brevity on major laws like Shabbat.
• Significance: This narrative choice highlights that character development (midot) is a primary goal of the Torah.
• Nitziv's View (from HaEmek Davar):
  • Sefer Bereshit is called Sefer HaYashar (Book of the Straight) because it models the Avot's trait of yashar (straight, honest) conduct.
  • It is placed first to establish the foundation of good character before introducing specific laws.
• Ramban's View (from commentary on Parshat Ki Teitzei):
  • The Torah's purpose is to make us better people.
  • Laws like humane animal slaughter (shechita) are not for God's benefit, but to cultivate human compassion.
• Reb Chaim Vitao's Question: Why doesn't the Torah explicitly command good character traits?
  • Answer 1 (from Pirkei Avot): Derech Eretz Kadma LaTorah (Good character precedes Torah). It's a prerequisite for proper learning.
  • Answer 2 (from Sefer HaChinuch): Every mitzvah is a tool to refine character. The entire Torah is a guide to becoming a good person.

Next Steps

• None; the meeting was a brief shiur (lesson).

 

When One Leave Their House Eating a Fruit or Drinking a Coffee Do They Need a New Beracha?

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

 

Emunah: Reb Elchonon's Approach part 3

8G Sunday Zoom Shiur - November 01

VIEW RECORDING - 27 mins (No highlights)

Meeting Purpose

To explore the motivations behind belief and the role of secular knowledge in faith.

Key Takeaways

• Belief is simple; denial is often self-serving. People deny God to avoid the "yoke" of religious obligation, preferring personal freedom over divine will.
• Judaism's goal is heroism, not happiness. Its 365 negative commandments (vs. 248 positive) are a rigorous training regimen to build character, not to maximize comfort.
• Motivation is paramount for good deeds. Actions done to fulfill a divine command are superior to those done for personal satisfaction, as the latter is self-worship.
• Secular knowledge is essential for faith. Understanding science and history reveals God's greatness in creation, making it a critical component of Torah study.

Topics

The Motivation for Belief vs. Denial

• Denial of God is often a rationalization to avoid the "yoke" of religious obligation.
• This aligns with Rabbi Soloveitchik's view that Judaism's goal is heroism, not happiness.
  • Rationale: The rigorous training required to become a hero (e.g., an athlete) necessitates self-discipline and deprivation.
  • Evidence: The 365 negative commandments (vs. 248 positive) are a training regimen to build character, not to maximize comfort.

The Superiority of Commanded Actions

• The Rambam states that non-Jews are considered righteous only if their good deeds are performed because they know God commanded them.
  • Rationale: This demonstrates submission to a creator, not just personal preference.
  • Critique: Actions done for personal satisfaction are self-worship, as motivation is tied to feeling good, not to what is objectively right.
• Chazal's Principle: "One who is commanded and does is greater than one who is not commanded and does."
  • Tosafot's Explanation: The commanded person feels greater anxiety about fulfilling their duty, making their action more precious.
  • Example: A man's reward for shaking a lulav is greater than a woman's, as he is commanded and she is volunteering.

Secular Knowledge as a Path to Faith

• Secular knowledge (science, history) is essential for appreciating God's creation.
• The Vilna Gaon's Example:
  • Mastered all secular knowledge except medicine.
  • Rationale: Feared that practicing medicine would distract from Torah study.
  • Key Insight: Stated that music theory is the most important secular subject for understanding Torah.

 

Torah Im Derech Eretz: Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer's Moriah pt 15: Torah Judicial, Legislative, Executive

Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer

Meeting Purpose

To define the Jewish people's national mission and the nature of the "State of Torah."

Key Takeaways

• The "State of Torah" (Medinat HaTorah) is the ultimate goal. It's a unique union of the Nation of Torah (Am HaTorah) and the Land of Torah (Eretz HaTorah), where God's will is the sole sovereign authority.
• The mission is societal, not just individual. While individual perfection is possible, the Jewish people's purpose is to act as a nation in history, influencing the world through a "spiritual conquest" of the land.
• The State of Torah is a "divine protest" against human rebellion. It functions as a model society where God's will is the only authority, contrasting with the "curse of diplomacy" and the power struggles of other nations.
• God holds all three branches of government. The state's constitution is defined by the verse, "Hashem is our Judge, Hashem is our Lawgiver, Hashem is our King," with human leaders serving only as His agents.

Topics

The National Mission: From Desert to History

• Desert vs. Land: The desert was a place for individual perfection, but the national mission requires a historic life in Eretz Yisrael.
• Societal Purpose: Judaism's place is in human history, not isolation.
  • Why: Only a nation can fully actualize the Torah's potential from theory to practice.
  • Avraham's Precedent: His concern for Sodom and Gomorrah indicates a national responsibility for the world, a task too large for most individuals.
• "Divine Protest": The Jewish people's role is to be a divine protest against human rebellion.
  • Goal: A "spiritual conquest" of the land, not just physical occupation.
  • Why Eretz Yisrael: Its location at the crossroads of continents (Asia, Africa, Europe) forces interaction, preventing isolation.

The "State of Torah" (Medinat HaTorah)

• Three Unities: The state is the product of three unities:
  1. Unity of Name (Ichud Shem): The Nation of Torah (Am HaTorah).
  2. Unity of Place (Ichud Kan): The Land of Torah (Eretz HaTorah).
  3. Unity of Purpose: God's will (Ratzon Hashem), which governs the nation in the land.
• Distinction from Medinat Yisrael: The current State of Israel is not a Medinat HaTorah because its definition of Judaism is not based on Torah.
• Unique Structure: Unlike other nations where the people are absorbed by the state, the Nation and Land of Torah are distinct, eternal entities.
  • Analogy: A marriage, where two separate partners unite to fulfill a shared destiny.
  • Significance: The state is an expression of Judaism, but Judaism itself exists independently of the state.

The Constitution of the State of Torah

• Core Principle: The state's constitution is defined by the verse, "Hashem is our Judge, Hashem is our Lawgiver, Hashem is our King."
• Three Branches of Government: God holds all three authorities:
  • Judge (Shoftenu): Judicial branch.
  • Lawgiver (Mekokainu): Legislative branch.
  • King (Malkenu): Executive branch.
• Contrast with Other Nations:
  • No "Brazen Nation": No power struggles between states.
  • No "Curse of Diplomacy": No language used to conceal thought.
  • No Human Sovereignty: Only God's will rules, with human leaders acting as His agents.
• Justice for the Poor: The state's laws are specifically designed to protect the impoverished and save them from oppression.