Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

1

הַפְטָרָה פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּשְׁלַח תשפ"ו מִי הָיָה עוֹבַדְיָה? - Who exactly was Ovadiah?

Dec 5, 2025

27:04

Past history PLUS future historical (cyclical?) patternshttps://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

2

Israel & France (and Syria) : Connecting Dots

Dec 4, 2025

35:12

The two faces of France in its dealings with Israel

3

Chanukah 2025: Was the oil in the jar in the Temple the only kosher oil available?

Dec 3, 2025

34:28

If you go by the Talmudic literature, there was other oil available, but they started with the oil in the famous jar and it burned for eight days.https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

4

"פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּשְׁלַח תשפ"ו "תַּרְיָ"ג מִצְווֹת שָׁמַרְתִּי - Why does Jacob say this to Esau?

Dec 2, 2025

27:22

Why didn't Jacob send messengers to his father Yitzchak? Instead of to Esau?https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

5

The "בַּת עַיִן" in Historical Context (1765-1840)

Dec 1, 2025

1:11:47

The challenges of living in צְפַת in the terrible 1830sHow to live in the old אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל without being victimized by the חֲלֻקָּה system

6

Haftarah VaYeitzei: Hoshea 11:7, an extremely difficult verse to parse

Nov 27, 2025

30:24

Sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Mordy Gardyn 'in honor of my parents may they have אֲרִיכַת יָמִים וְשָׁנִיםand sponsored by "a member of the local fan club"🙂 How can you get a unified response to crisis when the theological causes are not clear? וְאֶל עַל יִקְרָאֻהוּ יַחַד לֹא יְרוֹמֵםhttps://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

7

What's with this Israeli preoccupation with the bodies of their dead, killed by Hamas & Co.?

Nov 27, 2025

32:05

Why does Israel release live Arab terrorists (who admit they will kill again if they can!) in exchange for the corpses of Jewish dead? Is this a Halachic thing? A Zionist thing?

8

Parshas VaYeitzei: What is Yaakov afraid of?

Nov 25, 2025

30:52

Let's examine the image of the ladder closely

9

November 25, 2025

Nov 25, 2025

30:52

10

Some thoughts on Self-Hating and Self-Denying Jews in the current antisemitic climate, now and a century ago

Nov 25, 2025

33:20

When Arabs slaughtered (literally) the Jew in Hebron in 1929, the Communist Party said it was the fault of the Jews and the Arabs were in the right. And Jewish Communists sided with the Party! Similar things are happening today ...https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

11

Answering a listener's query re: allegorical interpretations of Biblical stories in ultra-orthodox sources

Nov 24, 2025

27:15

If the Hebrew language pre-existed the physical world, then it is not subject to the rules of linguistic evolution, and if is constitutive of the physical world and its history, then the non physical interpretations are NOT at the expense of the literal meanings. https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

12

Today's Posthumous Promotion of Alfred Dreyfus to General in the French Army

Nov 20, 2025

47:23

Was Alfred Dreyfus really a self-hating or self-denying assimilated Jew?

13

Haftarah Toldos: Quantity vs. quality in the performance of mitzvos. An age-old problem. Sigh

Nov 19, 2025

26:16

"אֶת עֵקֶב אָהַבְתִּי וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי" - ?Why

14

Manasseh Ben Israel's (very recently translated from the Latin) "Thirty Problem Concerning מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית"

Nov 18, 2025

28:24

Giving the Jewish POV of Genesis to the world of European Intellectuals in the 17th Century

15

Parshas Toldos: Was Yitzchak Avinu poverty-stricken (Ibn Ezra)?

Nov 17, 2025

26:13

Yaakov acquires claim to Israel through purchase, a sale subsequently resented by the seller. Sounds like Jewish History in Israel 1880-1948https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

16

The recent 50th anniversary (November 10, 1975) of Moynihan's great speech at the UN excoriating the אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם for offcially branding Zionism as Racism

Nov 13, 2025

29:55

One of the great speeches in the English language of the 20th century חֲבָל עַל דְּאָבְדִין וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְחִיןhttps://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

17

Rabbi Michoel Forshlager of Baltimore: His recent yahrtzeit and some thoughts on this remarkable gadol

Nov 13, 2025

54:09

Whole busloads come to Baltimore every week to pray at the kever of a person who, a short time ago, was unknown...

18

הַפְטָרָה פָּרָשַׁת חַיֵּי שָׂרָה תשפ"ו Adonijah vs. Shlomo: the Background

Nov 13, 2025

28:01

Was it just a case of political intrigue? Or did people sincerely distrust Nathan re: the David Bathsheba story?

19

Parshas Chayei Sarah: Why does Avrohom adjure Eliezer not to take a wife from the Bnos Knaani for Yitzchok?

Nov 10, 2025

34:32

Abraham's visit to his relatives in אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִםhttps://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

20

Some thoughts on the current dispute Christian dispute between philosemites and antisemites

Nov 10, 2025

25:23

It all goes back to 1657 and that strange episode of English Christian would-be missionaries who sent money to Jerusalem to save the starving Jews there.https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

21

הַפְטָרָה פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּרָא תשפ"ו אֱלִישָׁע וְהַשּׁוּנַמִּית

Nov 7, 2025

23:13

Elisha does not blame the death of the child on the woman's sins. "The Buck stops here!"

22

Psalm 83 and the current coinciding of שִׂנְאַת יִשְׂרָאֵל on the part of the Antisemitic Christian influencers and their counterparts in the בני ישמעאל world

Nov 4, 2025

26:16

כִּי הִנֵּה אוֹיְבֶיךָ יֶהֱמָיוּן וּמְשַׂנְאֶיךָ נָשְׂאוּ רֹאשׁ:ד עַל עַמְּךָ יַעֲרִימוּ סוֹד וְיִתְיָעֲצוּ עַל צְפוּנֶיךָ:ה אָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַכְחִידֵם מִגּוֹי וְלֹא יִזָּכֵר שֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹד:ו כִּי נוֹעֲצוּ לֵב יַחְדָּו עָלֶיךָ בְּרִית יִכְרֹתוּ:ז אָהֳלֵי אֱדוֹם וְיִשְׁמְעֵאלִים

23

פָּרָשַׁת וְיֵרָא תשפ"ו - The Rashbam's unique take on Abraham's encounter with the Three Angels

Nov 3, 2025

28:28

According to Rashbam, there is no תִּקּוּן סוֹפְרִים in this parsha!https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

24

Part 2: The Other "Hellenistic Judaism" - not the Chanukah villains

Nov 2, 2025

43:09

The fight over the language of קְרִיאַת הַתּוֹרָה בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת

25

The Current Wave of Antisemitism in Italy - My reaction to a podcast

Nov 2, 2025

36:08

Are we seeing a long-internalized resentment by Italian Catholics to the liberalized theology towards the Jews adopted by The Church in 1965?

26

Part 1: The Other "Hellenistic Judaism" - not the Chanukah villains

Oct 30, 2025

30:10

The other Hellenistic Judaism, not identical with Talmudic Judaism (but not un-frum) but more widespread, once upon a time .Part 1 of a 2 part serieshttps://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

27

הַפְטָרָה פָּרָשַׁת לֶךְ לְךָ תשפ"ו - Drawing inspiration from Abraham's victory over the Four Kings

Oct 28, 2025

24:48

Though outnumbered, Klal Yisroel will rip through the enemy like a thresher. So do not succumb to enemy efforts to undermine your moralehttps://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

28

"פָּרָשַׁת לֶךְ-לְךָ תשפ"ו "וְהוּא יִהְיֶה פֶּרֶא אָדָם

Oct 27, 2025

24:23

Resh Lakish "Yishmael will be into kidnapping people and taking hostages"!https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

29

Abarbanel's general thoughts on the stories in Genesis: The relationship between literal and symbolic meanings of Scripture

Oct 26, 2025

24:03

When did full-blown idolatry begin? AFTER the Flood. Isn't that strange?https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

30

הַפְטָרַת פָּרָשַׁת נֹחַ תשפ"ו "כִּי מֵי נֹחַ זֹאת לִי" - The Flood as a metonymy for Jewish suffering down the Ages...

Oct 20, 2025

23:32

Just as God promised no more floods that can destroy the entire human race, so too He promises not to destroy the entire Jewish People.

31

פָּרָשַׁת נֹחַ תשפ"ו - Noah and "the day after"

Oct 20, 2025

27:09

Noah walked "with God," but could not get ahead of God, that is, he did not establish rules for the survivors of the Flood to ensure they would not revert to sin. IOW Noah was good but not great.https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

32

Is Donald Trump a "Second Cyrus"?

Oct 19, 2025

27:15

The first Cyrus was a complex figure in Jewish history. The battle of the lobbyists at the ancient Persian Court. A playbook for Qatar? https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

33

Rabbeinu Tam and Count Henry I of Champagne (and Countess Marie)

Oct 19, 2025

42:50

Was Rabbeinu Tam a kind of French nobleman? Why did he practice falconry ? Why did the Count of Champagne turn to him to explain the David-Saul story?

34

הַפְטָרָה פָּרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית תשפ"ו - Israel will survive (Al Aqsa) Floods and even the fires of internal strife

Oct 16, 2025

21:54

Who is it that 'has eyes but does not see, ears but does not hear"?https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

35

Parshas Bereishis: The world was created for a UNITED Klal Yisroel

Oct 16, 2025

33:06

In a Jewish world with unbridgeable divisions, we must be alert to divinely-sent "opportunities that pass"

36

The Strage history of Hoshanah Rabbah in the Temple: TheWillow vs. the Palm Frond ( הַלּוּלָב שֶׁנִּפְרְדוּ עָלָיו)

Oct 13, 2025

40:40

What is the meaning of striking the ground?

37

The Chasam Sofer, the Yad haMelech, and the "overused" esrog. Haredi vs. Maskilic notions of aesthetics

Oct 10, 2025

37:45

Intra-Jewish ideological politics underneath the dry discourse of the responsa literature

38

נִעֲנוּעִים: The ritual of lulav-waving and its contemporary relevance in the year 5786 (2025)

Oct 9, 2025

25:35

Warding-off the dangers from literally all directions. In both the personal life, and in the life of the Jewish People

39

Sukkos 2025: What's with the strange ritual of פָּרֵי הַחַג?

Oct 9, 2025

30:20

It is not enoughto embrace monotheism. The monotheism has to include a כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל as the עַם הַנִּבְחָר (even thoughthey don't seem to fit the role)https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

40

Today is the (English) anniversary of the Yom Kippur War of 1973, another conflict in which Israel was surprise-attacked

Oct 6, 2025

33:44

The challenge of constantly evaluating the enemy, not by his intentions, but by his capabilities!

41

The Four Minim and the Wars of Sichon and Og: A Different take on the אַרְבָּעָה מִינִים

Oct 6, 2025

32:32

Lulav - the spearsEsrog - the food Hadassim - the "roofs" of the foxholesAravos - dittoלְפִי שִׁיטַת הָ"רוֹקֵחַ" ב "סֻכּוֹת מַמָּשׁ"

42

A Different Understanding of the Holiday of Sukkos

Oct 5, 2025

32:30

It commemorates events that happened in Tishrei, not Nissan (acc. to R Akiva)

43

Sukkos: The Symbolism of the sukkah under a tree

Oct 3, 2025

31:49

Sukkah = Jewish Survival in Galus (Branches detached from the soil)Tree = Rootedness in the soilhttps://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

44

לִשְׁכַּת הַפַּרְוָה בַּעֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים - Who was הַפַּרְוָה? Why does the High Priest purify himself there?

Oct 1, 2025

19:17

Was he an Iranian spy? A Zoroastrian clergyman? A Jewish BT who repented?

45

The Pros and Cons of Publicly Confessing your sins to the rest of the congregation

Sep 30, 2025

27:46

The Ancient Debate and the Concerns for the Social Consequences on the Community. What if everyone did the sin?!https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

46

מַפְטִיר יוֹנָה תשפ"ו - Compare and contrast with עֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק

Sep 30, 2025

26:49

The Tragedy of Jonah after he saves Nineveh. What did he do wth the rest of his life?

47

Some thoughts on the Early History of the Yom Kippur Liturgy: Eetz Yisrael in Late Antiquity

Sep 29, 2025

30:09

Jewish religious creativity in Israel under the oppressive Christian regime of the Byzantine Empire: Piyutim!https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

48

Haftarah Ha'azinu: Victory Middle Eastern Style

Sep 29, 2025

26:54

What does complete victory look like to King David? Contrast it with Israel's current war situation.

49

"פָּרָשַׁת הַאֲזִינוּ תשפ"ו "זְכֹר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם, אֲבָל בִּינוּ שְׁנוֹת דּוֹר וָדוֹר

Sep 28, 2025

30:16

A historian (and the Jewish People!) must know the facts of their past, but then they must properly analyze them in order to use the knowledge correctly

50

שַׁבַּת שׁוּבָה 2025 - Primordial or Mosaic?

Sep 28, 2025

1:17:52

If you don't fix your בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, does it prevent forgiveness for the sins of בֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם?