Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

1501

Is Chanukah a Biblical Holiday?

Dec 24, 2019

42:28

Is Chanukah foretold in the Book of Daniel? Really?

1502

Parshas VaYeshev: Disunity in the Family

Dec 19, 2019

28:26

How easy it is to break up a family, how difficult it is to restore family unity.

1503

Abraham Maimonides (1186-1237): Son of the Rambam, a Rishon in His Own Right

Dec 17, 2019

49:18

The son who took the father's philosophy into philosophical- experiential mysticism, while completely avoiding credulity.

1504

Parshas VaYishlach: The Rape of Dina in Kabbalistic Terms

Dec 12, 2019

29:56

Competing notions of morality and propriety, and the deadly wages, thereof

1505

The Maharshal (1510-1573) - The Most Colorful Rabbinic Personality of the Golden Age of Polish Jewry

Dec 11, 2019

42:38

A perfectionist who was not only willing to dish out criticism, but was willing to accept it, as well. A rare quality.

1506

Parshas VaYetzei: The Lavan Challenge in Jewish History and Meta-History

Dec 5, 2019

24:12

Yaakov survives Lavan only by the skin of his teeth. A "Zionist" vort?

1507

The Maharsha (1555-1631)

Dec 4, 2019

36:24

The gadol who made his mother in law one of the most famous women in Jewish history, and the one man in the Golden Age of Polish Jewry whose book achieved canonical status in the study of the Talmud......And who was so normal!

1508

Parshas Toldos: Yitzchak and the Palestinians, 4,000 years ago

Nov 27, 2019

25:43

Why do Jewish females call themselves Yehudis?

1509

R‘ Shalom Shachna of Lublin (1490-1559), the Golden Age of Polish Jewry

Nov 26, 2019

40:39

Power, violence, scholarship, royal favor, and rosh yeshiva - an interesting, but possibly dangerous, combination

1510

Parshas Chayai Sarah: Death and Shidduchim

Nov 22, 2019

34:22

Parshas Chayei Sarah - Abraham the Grand Seigneur. When is lashon hara ok?

1511

R’ Yitzhak Eizik Chaver (1789-1853) - Lithuanian Kabbalist

Nov 21, 2019

42:05

The Kabbalistic subculture of the Vilna Gaon legacy. Not for the broad public!

1512

Parshas Vayeira: Sodom - Then and Now

Nov 14, 2019

22:27

Sodom vs. Mamrei: Economics and Religion - Which?

1513

The "Radbaz" - Rabbi Dovid ibn Abi Zimra of Spain and Egypt (1479-1573)

Nov 12, 2019

39:56

A rare combination of world-class rabbinic scholarship and financial success, and common sense

1514

Parshas Lech Lecha The adventures of the childless couple

Nov 8, 2019

36:56

The first couple in the Bible whose relationship is described in any detail

1515

Rabbi Jonah of Gerona (Spain), 1210-1264 Author of the שערי תשובה

Nov 5, 2019

41:46

Having tasted controversy in his youth, he abandoned it in favor of scholarship and morality in his mature years

1516

Parshas Noach: Disturbing Stories

Nov 1, 2019

25:23

Degeneracy and Proud Towers - A Cautionary Tale

1517

Isaac Abravnel, “The Abarbanel,” (1437-1508)-King of Pshat

Oct 28, 2019

45:55

The most unusual and dramatic "rabbi" of the Middle Ages

1518

Bereishis: Eden, Hell, Flaming Swords, and Circumcision

Oct 25, 2019

27:29

The first mention of ברית מילה in history

1519

Chasam Sofer (1762-1839)

Oct 23, 2019

45:46

The man of creative reaction

1520

Sukkos-A Few Thoughts

Oct 13, 2019

23:55

2019 Sukkos

1521

Parshas Haazinu: Moses’ History of the Future

Oct 11, 2019

19:11

An Oracle: Disturbing or Thrilling?

1522

Parshas Vayelech: Pessimism on Shabbos Shuva?

Oct 4, 2019

18:59

Predictions of a less-than-glorious future. Oy!

1523

The Chayai Adam - R’ Avraham Danzig ( 1748 - 1820)

Oct 3, 2019

39:22

חיי אדם The beginning of the "Art Scroll" phenomenon in Eastern Europe, 200 years ago

1524

Join R’ Katz on the 1st Day of Chol HaMoed Sukkos on a Special Trip to D.C.’s Museum of the Bible

Oct 3, 2019

3:44

Rabbi Katz's upcoming trip to the Museum of the Bible in DC-an amazing experience when guided properly.

1525

Parashas Nitzavim and Rosh HaShanah

Sep 27, 2019

38:52

Thoughts on L’Dovid HaShem Ohri, Rosh HaShanah and the Shofar blasts.

1526

Rabbi Yehonasan Eibeschutz (1694-1764)

Sep 25, 2019

43:55

The most brilliant and most controversial Gadol of the Early-Modern Era

1527

The Tochecha: Trying to Relate It to History and Current Events- Parshas Ki Savo

Sep 20, 2019

24:02

The great מפרשים, the תוכחה, and historiosophical analyses

1528

The Maharal of Prague (1520-1610)

Sep 18, 2019

38:21

The Gaon and nonconformist, not the golem- maker!

1529

דברה תורה כנגד יצר הרע: Parshas Ki Seitzei

Sep 13, 2019

28:33

Ki Teizei and Rosh Hashanah - battling Satan

1530

The Rivash (1326-1408): Rabbi Isaac ben Sheshet Prefet of Aragon (in Spain)

Sep 10, 2019

35:25

Hero and victim of the wave of forced conversions of 1391. (1326-1408)

1531

Parshas Shoftim: Political Science

Sep 6, 2019

39:14

What's the ideal form of government in Judaism?

1532

The Tosafos Yom Tov-Rabbi Yom Tov Lippman Heller (1579-1654)

Sep 4, 2019

43:58

The rabbi who was so honest, his ballebatim tried to murder him.

1533

Parshas Re’eh- Moses’ Prescient Warnings Against Syncretism

Aug 29, 2019

33:18

Which is worse? Idolatry or syncretism? A case in point

1534

The Netziv of Volozhin 1816-1893: The Pilot Who Steered the Yeshiva Through Endless Storms-Until Not

Aug 28, 2019

47:39

One of the most original thinkers in Torah literature, with a grand unusual vision

1535

Crusaders and Jews, Pt. 3: The Cyclone Forms-The First Crusade and the Ashkenazic Jews

Aug 25, 2019

1:14:00

Three Weeks series

1536

Eikev: The Mystery of the Ark of Moses

Aug 23, 2019

22:00

Sublime self-sacrifice, or anger-management issues

1537

Son of the famous R’ Aryeh Levine and One of the Leading עילויים of the Jerusalem of a Century Ago

Aug 22, 2019

39:39

A special podcast of a 20th century story: Should have been a big Rosh Yeshivah, but instead served in the pulpit and communal Rabbinate.

1538

R’ Chaim “Brisker” Soloveitchik (1853-1918) and His Historical Significance

Aug 21, 2019

51:13

The man with two (make that three) Gadol-careers

1539

Old Jewish Baltimore Tour-THIS WEEKEND (Aug. 25th)

Aug 19, 2019

4:32

A rare opportunity to learn the history and archaeology of one of the leading Jewish communities in N. America today

1540

Parshas VaEschanan ואתחנן

Aug 18, 2019

10:28

You can thank Zev and Dena Raden in Boca for this re-podcast

1541

Crusaders and Jews, Pt.2: The Age of Rabeinu Gershom and Rashi-Ashkenazic Civilization Develops

Aug 18, 2019

1:03:51

Three weeks series

1542

Rav Itzele Peterburger (1937–1907): The Main Disseminator of the Teachings of R’ Yisroel Salanter

Aug 13, 2019

1:00:56

The mussarist as communal rabbi, educational-innovator, responsa-writer, Lithuanian "hasid," and ideologue of counter-modernity

1543

Crusaders and Jews, Pt.1: The Age of Rabeinu Gershom and Rashi-Ashkenazic Civilization Develops

Aug 11, 2019

55:13

From the Three Weeks Lecture Series

1544

Parshas Devarim: The Censorious Speech of Moses and Its Connection with תשעה באב

Aug 9, 2019

32:04

Some thoughts on this fifth, different, book of the Chumash, and of its connection with תשעה באב

1545

Preview of Upcoming Saturday Night Lecture Series: Crusaders and Jews: The Massacres of 1096

Aug 9, 2019

4:21

The massacres and the mass-suicides and their effect upon Ashkenazic Jewry down to the present

1546

R’ Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863-1940): A Study in Non- Hasidic Charisma

Aug 8, 2019

41:18

A look at R’ Chaim Ozer from a cultural perspective

1547

Parasha: פרשת מטות מסעי

Aug 2, 2019

20:42

Is the Torah fire or water?

1548

The Shaagas Aryeh - R’ Aryeh Leib ben Asher of Minsk and Metz: A Gaon Who Broke the Mold

Jul 30, 2019

47:24

Hero of the masses, and the subject of many legends and "baba maasos"

1549

Some Insights into Violence, Middle Eastern Politics, and the Shidduch Crisis of the דור המדבר

Jul 25, 2019

28:43

Remarkable parallels to our own times

1550

Rav Yitzchak HaLevi Herzog (1888-1959)- A Unique Figure, a Gaon and a PhD

Jul 22, 2019

36:28

One of the two truly great Chief Rabbis of modern Israel