Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

1

Haftarah Toldos: Malachi on Quality vs. Quantity in עֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם

Nov 10, 2026

26:17

In the old days, it was offering sub-par animal korbanos. Nowadays, it’s offering rote prayer devoid of any רוּחָנִיּוּת אוֹ דְּבֵקוּת

2

פָּרָשַׁת תּוֹלְדוֹת תשפ"ז - Edom and Rome? The debate among Rishonim

Nov 8, 2026

27:20

When they say Rome is descended from Eisav, they mean his grandson צְפוֹ was the first King of Rome, not that the Romans are biological descendants of Jacob's brother

3

Yitzchak's contentions with the Philistines took place exactly at the site of the October 7 attacks

Nov 8, 2026

22:40

The Nova Massacre, the "Gaza Envelope" and נַחַל גְּרָר. Freaky!

4

Genazym is offering a sefer with handwritten notes by Rabbi Shmuel Freund of Prague

Nov 6, 2026

6:15

Whose biography I did yesterday. The sefer is the famous קָרְבַּן אַהֲרֹן עַל הַתּוֹרֹת כֹּהֲנִים עִם הַהַגָּהוֹת שֶׁל הַגָּאוֹן בְּצַלְאֵל רְנַשְׁבּוֹרְג וְתַלְמִידוֹ הַגָּאוֹן שְׁמוּאֵל פְרוֹיְנְד רֹאשׁ ב"ד פְּרָאג

5

The Chief Rabbinate of Prague in its 19th century decadence: Rabbi Mordechai Amram Hirsch (1833-1909)

Nov 5, 2026

44:45

"Status-Quo" in Hungary, then Orthodox in Prague, then Very-Orthodox (nusach SR Hirsch) in Hamburg

6

Rabbi Shmuel Freund of Prague (1794-1881): Prague in its Jewish decadence

Nov 5, 2026

29:06

Successor to great rabbis, but lived in an era when learning was unfashionable

7

Genazym is offering a fascinating letter from Montefiore to Rothschild re: Montefiore's famous trip to Russia in 1846

Nov 4, 2026

44:39

Montefiore went to see Czar Nicholas I to try to get him to ease up on the antisemitic גְּזֵרוֹת. This letter is to Amschel Mayer Rothschild of Frankfurt, one of the big backer$ of the famous Samson Raphael Hirsch

8

Haftarah Chayei Sarah: Dovid Hamelech, brilliantly successful in every area - except parenting...

Nov 3, 2026

22:37

Compare and contrast Abraham and David (in this week's parsha and haftorah) in how they prepared for the future after they passed away

9

פָּרָשַׁת חַיֵּי שָׂרָה תשפ"ז - Why does the Torah mention Rivka's מֵינֶקֶת? What eternal significance could THAT have?

Nov 2, 2026

28:10

Who guided the new young bride in making all the right moves, not making one misstep? Who counselled her on how to win the heart of her new husband?

10

Genazym is offering the First edition (1780) of the famous (and controversial in its day) סֵפֶר "תּוֹלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף"

Nov 2, 2026

37:10

The first Hasidic sefer ever published. Provoked tremendous enthusiasm among chasidic masses. The מִתְנַגְּדִים burned it at the stake. Really

11

Some exciting details about Rabbi Katz's Jewish History Tour In Israel January 18-24, 2027

Oct 30, 2026

2:39

Not the tour-guide spiels!

12

הַפְטָרָה פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּרָא תשפ"ז - Elisha and the "אִשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה"

Oct 30, 2026

30:44

Not that SHE was HIS wife, but rather HE was HER husband!

13

Current Events: The Nefarious role of Turkey in the Middle Eastern Chessboard: The plan to strangle Israel

Oct 29, 2026

23:25

While all eyes are on Iran, Turkey is setting up military bases in Libya, Sudan, and Somalia in preparation for a war against Israel...

14

More on Parshas Vayeira 2026: Did Abraham actually kill Isaac?

Oct 28, 2026

26:23

Why did he return alone?

15

Parshas VaYera: The strange use of the verb in the enigmatic Genesis 22:14

Oct 26, 2026

30:50

Was Avraham afraid people would say he chickened-out?

16

Did Avraham learn in the Yeshiva of Shem & Ever?

Oct 25, 2026

31:34

Also, more on the question: what happened to the נֶפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְּחָרָן?

17

Haftarah Lech Lecha: Can the Jewish People be subject to הֶסְתֵּר פָּנִים?

Oct 23, 2026

27:21

The Prophet Isaiah and Mark Twain on Jewish vitality

18

Parshas Lech Lecha: Why didn't Abraham fight for his wife as he fought for Lot?

Oct 21, 2026

26:42

Who WERE Abraham's חֲנִיכָיו?

19

Genazym is offering the first Hebrew תנ"ך published in America in 1814. During the War of 1812

Oct 21, 2026

33:28

Christians in the new USA were very anxious to see the "Old Testament" in the original Hebrew, the Bible used by their Jewish neighbors. Did they suspect their own Christian translations were less than accurate?

20

Genazym is offering THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT of the עָרוּךְ הַשֻּׁלְחָן הֶעָתִיד in the (very clear) handwriting of the author himself

Oct 20, 2026

26:23

On הִלְכוֹת בִּנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְהִלְכוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת. The author's unique contribution to תְּנוּעַת שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן?

21

Whatever happened in the long run to the נֶפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְּחָרָן ?

Oct 20, 2026

28:37

Could they be the עֵרֶב רַב? Were they enslaved by Pharaoh? Was it the threat of slavery that led them to abandon the Abrahamic religion?

22

Genazym is offering a fascinating personal letter (1909) from the חֵפֶץ חַיִּים declining to take part in a שְׁלִיחוּת הַגֵּט

Oct 15, 2026

31:18

"I am not a Rov, and I do not mix in such matters, but I CAN advise you who you should send it to."

23

Rabbi Katz on the current situation in Saudi Arabia and how it affects Israel

Oct 15, 2026

31:56

Having poisoned their people for a century on Anti-Israel propaganda, the regime is not able to take-advantage of Israel's help in the war against the Houthis, which may lead to the collapse of S Arabia!

24

Genazym is offering a historical letter (1912) from R Chaim Ozer to the דּוֹרוֹת רִאשׁוֹנִים re: the upcoming founding of the Agudah

Oct 14, 2026

46:51

This letter contains "insider baseball" by two "players" re: the political, religious, and logistical challenges connected with trying to launch the world's first international Charedi political organization.

25

הַפְטָרַת פָּרָשַׁת נֹחַ תשפ"ז - "מֵי נֹחַ זֹאת לִי"

Oct 13, 2026

21:15

Why did God Promise to not destroy THIS world (as opposed to earlier world He did destroy)?

26

פָּרָשַׁת נֹחַ תשפ"ז - Were the lands uninhabited by humans destroyed in the Flood?

Oct 12, 2026

34:24

Were ALL the animals & creatures on the Ark? What about those who lived in uninhabited areas? Were THOSE animals corrupted?

27

Prelude to the Deluge: Is is it Bnai Elohim or Bnai Elokim?

Oct 11, 2026

33:12

If not angels, then what could be the meaning of Bnai Elokim (as per Ibn Ezra and Netziv)

28

Parshas Bereishis #2 The Eternal Meaning of the Cain and Abel story

Oct 8, 2026

25:33

If God told Cain to stop being angry, how could Cain not listen?

29

Parshas Bereishis #5 What is the meaning of אָז הוּחַל לִקְרֹא בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה?

Oct 8, 2026

26:52

What is the beginning of idolatry? Or rather the beginning of true religious enlightenment (in the frum sense)?

30

Parshas Bereishis #4 - The Opaque tale of Lemech

Oct 7, 2026

32:21

What is the significance of telling us of his polygamy? Of his progeny? Who exactly did he kill?

31

Parshas Bereishis #2 What was the Tree of Life?

Oct 6, 2026

30:54

Why wasn't Cain killed for murdering Abel?

32

Pashas Bereishis 5767 Part 1 - Onkelos on the Names of God in the Chumash

Oct 5, 2026

36:20

The challenge of Gnostic Judaism, the Left-Wing of Hellenistic Judaism in the Ancient World

33

הֱוֵי מְקַבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת vs. וֶהֱוֵי מְקַבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם בְּשִׂמְחָה in light of Hoshana Rabbah

Oct 2, 2026

34:04

Civility vs. Affection: Two different approaches

34

The נַעֲנוּעִים in 5787 (2027) in light of current events

Oct 1, 2026

28:05

The physical and political dangers we face from all directions

35

פָּרָשַׁת וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה תשפ"ז - Before Moshe blesses the hereditary Jews, he blesses the גֵּרִים

Sep 28, 2026

30:28

Including the עֵרֶב רַב!

36

A new interpretation of בַסֻּכּוֹת הוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהוֹצִיאִי אוֹתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם - סֻכּוֹת מַמָּשׁ

Sep 28, 2026

32:32

Where did the Jews sleep BEFORE they crossed the Red Sea?

37

Leone Modena's explanation of the halachos of the arba minim and the US Constitution

Sep 25, 2026

30:02

The נַעֲנוּעִים are not some devil-worship ritual, but rather a sublime Maimonidean-Logical rite of acknowledging God's sovereignty over everything, even the Heavens. The great impact of Modena's explanation upon Gentile intellectuals

38

Calling a Spade a Spade: The עוֹלְלוֹת אֶפְרַיִם on the אַרְבַּע מִינִים

Sep 24, 2026

27:16

The לוּלָב is the תַּלְמִיד חָכָם who is a turnoff!

39

Sukkos and the Battle for "The" Official-Memory of the 40 years in the desert

Sep 23, 2026

20:46

The years in the Desert were magical, wondrous, and wonderful (עַנָּנֵי הַכָּבוֹד)ORThe year in the desert were physically torturous and ended in death (because of the two big sins) (סֻכּוֹת מַמָּשׁ)

40

Intellectual Bankruptcy and the Current (non-frum) Jewish Anti-Zionism

Sep 22, 2026

32:01

Will Dissolving Israel and returning to Galus save the Jewish People? Are you nuts?

41

The unusual מַחְלֹקֶת רִאשׁוֹנִים re: The אַרְבָּעָה חִלּוּקֵי כַּפָּרָה

Sep 20, 2026

24:06

The סֵפֶר הָאֶשְׁכּוֹל says that is not how Heaven operates

42

שַׁבַּת שׁוּבָה פָּרָשַׁת הַאֲזִינוּ תשפ"ז - Moshe goes out on a rhetorical high

Sep 17, 2026

29:23

When misfortune strikes, will you intelligent enough to be thoughtfully and constructively self-critical? Or will you be like everyone else in the Middle East?

43

A Possible History of Yom Kippur

Sep 16, 2026

30:09

Why does the Torah (i.e., Hashem) permit everything on Yom Kippur except eating and drinking?

44

Rabbi Yekusiel Aryeh Kamelhar (1871-1937), life in the Jewish Galicia in the fin de siècle

Sep 16, 2026

56:44

At different times, a Rav, Rosh Yeshiva, Historian, journalist. Seeking a footing when you are an original thinker but not a member of the "in club" in Hasidic society

45

Major Alfred Mordecai US Army (1804-1887): Can one stay frum at West Point?

Sep 14, 2026

50:02

Robert E Lee chose the Confederacy. George Thomas chose the Union. Which side did Major Mordecai choose?

46

Rosh Hashanah and the Dangers of AI: An interpretation of the theme of Malchiyos

Sep 10, 2026

29:04

Also: The historical origins of וְכֵן תֵּן פַּחְדְּךָ

47

A Historical Introduction to the Drashos HaRamban to Rosh HaShanah, Pt. 2

Sep 9, 2026

52:57

Ramban, a Sephardi, spars with his Ashkenazic audience

48

A Historical Introduction to the Drashos HaRamban to Rosh HaShanah, Pt. 1

Sep 7, 2026

1:03:44

A Sephardi take on עִנְיְנֵי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה delivered in an Ashkenazi yeshiva (in the Capital of the Crusader Kingdom) in 1267

49

Rosh Hashanah: A Suggested History of Malchiyos, Zichronos and Shofros in the Common Liturgy (5787)

Sep 6, 2026

37:45

Did the predecessors of R’ Abahu also combine different meanings of תְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר that were "out there" into a single standard liturgy for all Jews? Was he merely following their example of uniformization?

50

Haftarah Nitzavim-VaYelech: Angelology and the Final Redemption

Sep 4, 2026

26:30

Will Hashem Himself kill Edom? Or will it be the Archangel Michael? Different strands of Jewish Tradition.