Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

1601

Parshas Beshalach: Weren't They Supposed to Head Towards Mt. Sinai Anyway?

Feb 7, 2020

28:48

Also, how did Dathan &Co. remain in Egypt, yet end up at Mt. Sinai?

1602

Rabbenu Nissim ben Reuven (1315-1375): The " RaN in the Back of the Gemara"

Feb 4, 2020

47:57

A leading MD who was one of the greatest writers among the Rishonim. He held no official rabbinical position, yet was the leading posek and gadol in difficult times.

1603

This Coming Weekend 1/31/20-2/2/20 in the New Jersey-Monsey Area

Jan 30, 2020

3:18

I will be in Livingston, NJ this Shabbos and in Monsey, Saturday Night, February 1st

1604

The Tzemach Tzedek - R’ Menachem Mendel Krochmal, (1600-1661): A Fascinating Sefer of Responsa

Jan 30, 2020

29:29

This is the Tzemach Tzedek “HaKadmon” of the 17th Century: A tribune of the poor, and opponent of "baloney "

1605

Parshas Bo: The "Borrowers"

Jan 29, 2020

22:34

What the Jews left behind in Egypt.

1606

Parshas VaEra: The Ten Plagues as They Would Have Appeared to Egyptians and to Hebrews

Jan 24, 2020

28:18

"Punishing the "gods" - לעשות שופטים באלוהי מצרים

1607

Chief Rabbi Nathan Marcus Adler (1803-1890)

Jan 21, 2020

46:39

“I am the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire” - Judaism is too important to be left in the hands of the bourgeoisie

1608

Parshas Shemos: The Jews Who Didn't Want to Leave

Jan 17, 2020

35:41

How many Jews were NOT present at Mt. Sinai?

1609

Yosef ibn Naghrela - Son of Shmuel HaNagid and Vizier of the Kingdom of Granada, Spain (1035-1066): A Brilliant and Tragic Figure in the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry.

Jan 13, 2020

43:15

How not to avoid antisemitism in a gentile world. 

1610

Parshas VaYechi: Canaanite Ancestors?

Jan 10, 2020

28:00

The Strange Funeral of Yaakov Avinu

1611

"The Shvus Yaakov" - Rabbi Yaakov Reischer (1661-1733)

Jan 7, 2020

45:52

None are as blind as those who will not see.

1612

Parshas Vayigash: The Gaping Holes in the Narrative

Jan 3, 2020

26:53

Was there a reconciliation between the brothers?

1613

The Chavos Yair (1639-1702) - R’ Yair Chaim Bacharach: A Famous Posek With No Luck in the Rabbinate

Dec 31, 2019

40:47

A Gaon with Yekiishe virtues personified

1614

Parshas Mikeitz: The Fifth Galus - Egypt

Dec 27, 2019

32:05

Joseph the Virtuoso - Succeeding in two cultures at the same time. Role model? Or danger?

1615

The " Sedei Chemed" (1834-1904) - Rabbi Haim Hezekiah Medini and Crimean Jewry

Dec 26, 2019

49:52

The Sephardic Rabbi of the Crimean Jews (Krymchaks), who were neither Ashkenaz nor Sephard. A beloved figure . An early "Ovadia Yosef"

1616

Is Chanukah a Biblical Holiday?

Dec 24, 2019

42:28

Is Chanukah foretold in the Book of Daniel? Really?

1617

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.

1618

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.

1619

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

1620

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.

1621

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?

1622

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!

1623

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

Nov 27, 2019

25:43

Why do Jewish females call themselves Yehudis?

1624

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

1625

Parshas Chayai Sarah: Death and Shidduchim

Nov 22, 2019

34:22

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

1626

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!

1627

Parshas Vayeira: Sodom - Then and Now

Nov 14, 2019

22:27

Sodom vs. Mamrei: Economics and Religion - Which?

1628

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

1629

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

1630

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

1631

Parshas Noach: Disturbing Stories

Nov 1, 2019

25:23

Degeneracy and Proud Towers - A Cautionary Tale

1632

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

Oct 28, 2019

45:55

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

1633

Bereishis: Eden, Hell, Flaming Swords, and Circumcision

Oct 25, 2019

27:29

The first mention of ברית מילה in history

1634

Chasam Sofer (1762-1839)

Oct 23, 2019

45:46

The man of creative reaction

1635

Sukkos-A Few Thoughts

Oct 13, 2019

23:55

2019 Sukkos

1636

Parshas Haazinu: Moses’ History of the Future

Oct 11, 2019

19:11

An Oracle: Disturbing or Thrilling?

1637

Parshas Vayelech: Pessimism on Shabbos Shuva?

Oct 4, 2019

18:59

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

1638

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

1639

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.

1640

Parashas Nitzavim and Rosh HaShanah

Sep 27, 2019

38:52

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

1641

Rabbi Yehonasan Eibeschutz (1694-1764)

Sep 25, 2019

43:55

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

1642

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

1643

The Maharal of Prague (1520-1610)

Sep 18, 2019

38:21

The Gaon and nonconformist, not the golem- maker!

1644

דברה תורה כנגד יצר הרע: Parshas Ki Seitzei

Sep 13, 2019

28:33

Ki Teizei and Rosh Hashanah - battling Satan

1645

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)

1646

Parshas Shoftim: Political Science

Sep 6, 2019

39:14

What's the ideal form of government in Judaism?

1647

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.

1648

Parshas Re’eh- Moses’ Prescient Warnings Against Syncretism

Aug 29, 2019

33:18

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

1649

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

1650

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

Aug 25, 2019

1:14:00

Three Weeks series