Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

301

Two Short Purim Vorts

Mar 13, 2025

18:30

Why did Esther try to be nice to Haman? Also, did Haman actually prohibit circumcision?

302

Is Israel becoming more religious in the wake of the Gaza War? Some thoughts upon reading an article in הָאָרֶץ

Mar 11, 2025

32:07

R Katz analyzes the religious effects of Israel's six foreign wars

303

Purim 2025, Pt. 2: How Esther hid her identity-Didn't the Jews say אָחוֹת יֵשׁ לָנוּ בְּבֵית הַמֶּלֶךְ?

Mar 11, 2025

30:26

How come Haman did not make a move against the Jews for FIVE years?

304

הַפְטָרַת פָּרָשַׁת כִּי תִשָּׂא תשפ"ה - אֵלִיָּהוּ בְּהַר הַכַּרְמֶל

Mar 9, 2025

27:08

Why was אֵלִיָּהוּ a brilliant failure?

305

Purim 2025 in the light of the October 7, 20243 Pogrom

Mar 9, 2025

31:54

The Jews in the time of Esther ducked a planned "Oct. 7" pogrom multiplied all across the 127 provinces. Instead, it was the Jews who ended up perpetrating the pogrom against their mortal enemies

306

Parshas Ki Sisa (Shoshana Purim): The Eigel and Purim

Mar 9, 2025

30:20

Could מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַצֶּלֶם (Megilah 12a) be an oblique reference to פָּרָשַׁת עֵגֶל הַזָּהָב?

307

Purim 2025: What is the source in the Megilah for the opposing opinions of רשב"י and his talmidim ?

Mar 9, 2025

26:49

Where did they get the ideas that the big sin of כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל was either a.) נֶהֱנוּ מִסְּעֻדָּתוֹ שֶׁל אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ or b.) הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַצֶּלֶם? It is not in the text of the Megilah, is it?

308

Circumcision and the Marranos - from the סֵפֶר הַזִּכְרוֹנוֹת מֵאֵת רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל אַבּוּהַב מִוֶנִיצִיׇהּ

Mar 4, 2025

33:01

"How come there is no NCSY for the Marranos?" Frum complaints from Venetian Gedolim of the 17th century

309

הַפְטָרַת פָּרָשַׁת זָכוֹר תשפ"ה The Story of Saul and Agag in the light of the current warwith Hamas

Mar 2, 2025

30:06

Towards Amalek, Saul lacked moral clarity, but when it came to Nov and David, he acted with total (misguided) moral clarity!

310

פָּרָשַׁת תְּצַוֶּה תשפ"ה - Was Aaron chosen for the priesthood before the episode of the Golden Calf?

Mar 2, 2025

38:34

Is וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ referring to a מִשְׁכָּן? A בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ? Both? What's with the textual obscurity?

311

A selection of interpretations of the bizarre story of Rabbah killing R Zeira at a Purim party

Mar 2, 2025

31:18

R Katz and the new ArtScroll edition of the עֵין יַעֲקֹב

312

The spontaneous prayers of the hostages during their captivity in Gaza

Feb 26, 2025

24:47

A real life example of Psalm 130: מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ הַשֵּׁם

313

Rabbi Raphael Meldola of Bayonne, France (1686-1748) the שׁוּ"ת מַיִם חַיִּים

Feb 26, 2025

1:00:23

The Unusual Spanish-Portuguese Communities in 18th century Souther France. A different world

314

R Katz analyzes the current Mid-East Situation, especially the Russian Role

Feb 23, 2025

30:23

Whereas Hamas pursues an unabashed policy of Amalak, Russia pursues a policy of לָבָן (לְפִי פֵּרוּשׁ הַנְּצִי"ב)

315

From The Golden age of Spanish Jewish Poetry: Ibn Gabirol's שִׁנְאַנִּים שַׁאֲנַנִּים

Feb 19, 2025

17:05

A "rap song" about the angels surrounding the Heavenly Throne. Part of theSephardic liturgy. The cadence as well as the rhymes moves the worshiper to ectasy

316

Haftarah Mishpatim: Reneging on Emancipation

Feb 17, 2025

23:37

What was the ultimate fate of צִדְקִיָּהוּ, the last King of Judah? The differing traditions

317

Parshas Mishpatim: Creating a sacred polity is harder than creating a holy individual

Feb 17, 2025

26:25

The difference between קְדוֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ vs. וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ

318

The Ramchal and the history of his most famous work, Mesilas Yesharim - Some thoughts

Feb 17, 2025

35:04

Although an "old-fashioned" sefer, it had surprisingly modern features, which reflect the 18th century Englightenment Movement

319

More on angels in Jewish Liturgy

Feb 16, 2025

24:41

Differentiate between the prayers composed by חז"ל, and those composed by the great פַּיְטָנִים

320

Angels in our liturgy

Feb 13, 2025

24:10

First you talk about angels surrounding the Heavenly Throne, but then you ringingly assert !שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד

321

Parshas Yisro: The oath Moshe swore to Yisro re: Gershom, Pt. 2

Feb 13, 2025

10:15

Both Moshe and Yisro probably thought Moshe's oath was binding. But after the miracles of Egypt, both men saw the oath had been without validity, indeed even sense

322

What is the significance of Isaiah's prophetic career commencing with the death of King Uzziahu?

Feb 13, 2025

22:52

What does the prophet mean when he describes himself as an אִישׁ טְמֵא שְׂפָתַיִם?

323

Parshas Yisro: Yisro brings Gershom, whom he has already "ruined," hence the tense relationship

Feb 12, 2025

28:09

Did Yisro return to Midian and resume his job as High Priest of Paganism (for parnassah, of course!)?

324

The original printing of the famous עֵין יַעֲקֹב on the אַגָּדוֹת, being offered by Genazym

Feb 11, 2025

44:08

The 1516 and 1522 editions complied and explained by the famous father and son team רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בֶּן חָבִיב and רַבִּי לֵוִי בֶּן חָבִיב ))(מהרלב"ח. Which had a profound impact on subsequent Jewish history.

325

Genazym is auctioning a political-lobbying letter from R Chaim Brisker to his friend the בַּעַל "דּוֹרוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים"re: the elections for Chief Rabbi of the Turkish Empire

Feb 6, 2025

48:52

R Chaim was opposing the election of "Conservative Rabbi" חַיִּים נָחוּם, fearing he would spread הַשְׂכָּלָה וְקַלּוּת בְּמִצְווֹת among the Sephardic masses

326

A Real Life Case in 19th Century Kurdistan-וֶהֱוֵי מִתְאַבֵּק בַּעֲפַר רַגְלֵיהֶם, וֶהֱוֵי שׁוֹתֶה בַּצָּמָא אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶם

Feb 5, 2025

25:21

The אֱמוּנָה פְּשׁוּטָה of some of the עֵדוֹת הַמִּזְרָח re: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, even when they misinterpreted rabbinic dicta

327

פָּרָשַׁת בְּשַׁלַּח תשפ"ה - Some Jews armed themselves to battle the Philistines when they left Egypt. Others were cowardly

Feb 5, 2025

26:21

Sponsored by Meshulem Epstein " Whose grandmother came in the early 1900s from Ukraine. Her mother ran a dry goods and her father was the mashgiach for milk production. The farm was right in Brownsville NY! She was of the generation to whom the Ribbono shel Olam was real and present.A "tehillim-zugger big time.A smile and a kind word for everyone.She volunteered at the fledgling mesivta Chaim Berlin where Meshulem's father learned.

328

More correspndence between Ramchal and R Yeshaya Bassani: Whose soul did R Yeshaya possess?

Feb 5, 2025

33:57

Ramchal ascribes the most incredible and supernatural, indeed cosmic, significance to the Padua Eruv set up by R Yeshaya

329

Haftarah BeShalach: Who exactly was Yael, Eshes Chever HaKeini? Which yeshiva did she learn in?

Feb 4, 2025

24:25

Targum Yonasan describes her as a talmid chacham

330

Genazym is offering the famous math book: "סֵפֶר הַמִּסְפָּר" מֵאֵת רַבִּי אֵלִיָּהוּ מִזְרָחִי הַמְפֻרְסָם (בַּעַל הָרְאֵ"ם עַל פֵּרוּשׁ רָשִׁ"י עַל הַחֻמָּשׁ)

Feb 2, 2025

45:12

Published in the Turkish Empire in the 1500s by the famous Soncino Family, including a controversial colophon re: a fght between the Soncinos and the anisemitic Catholic "Billy Graham" - Friar John of Capistrano

331

Haftarah Bo: Egypt will be devastated by a Babylonian invasion

Jan 30, 2025

25:21

Israel will be mauled (but will recover), Egypt & Co. will be destroyed and will not recover

332

Rabbi Katz Yahrtzeit Siyum on Mikvaos

Jan 30, 2025

43:23

Given 1/28

333

Sumptuary decrees of 1767 issued by the נוֹדַע בִּיהוּדָה

Jan 29, 2025

47:19

Genazym auction in Sunday Feb. 16, 2025 The eternal struggle against excessive spending on simchas

334

Psalm 90 - the Dearth of שמחה? Reflections of the aftermath of the Golden Calf?

Jan 29, 2025

25:22

תְּפִלָּה לְמֹשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים Moshe, the one who mastered (איש) the מִדַּת הַדִּין

335

Parshas Bo: Were there apostates (משומדים) already at the time of יציאת מצרים?

Jan 27, 2025

31:20

Why does G-d warn Moses about the בן נכר before they even left Egypt? Was this part of his disagreement re: the עֵרוּב רַב?

336

Haftarah VaEra: Pharaoh the Crocodile

Jan 23, 2025

24:09

Why did the Jews always allow themselves to get "played" by the cynical Egyptians?

337

Psalm 81 הַיּוֹם יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי בְּשַׁבָּת Commemorating the First Liberation

Jan 23, 2025

22:16

The extraordinary transformation of Joseph in Egypt, foreshadowing the later Exodus. And Divine frustration at the obtuseness of the liberated

338

Parshas VaEra: Redemption without repentance?

Jan 22, 2025

25:02

The Jewish slaves cried out to God in pain. But they did not repent!

339

The Hostage Deal and the Current Matzav

Jan 20, 2025

30:41

R Katz analyzes the sobering reality of no victory, balanced by the need to not give in to יֵאוּשׁ, and creating new countermeasures

340

Haftarah Shmos- "הַנִּדָּחִים בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם"

Jan 15, 2025

30:16

Who are the Jews Cast Off in the Land of Egypt? Did 4/5 die in Egypt? Or did they assimilate?

341

Psalm 94 - The Call for Revenge, when is it appropriate?

Jan 15, 2025

27:44

The Historical Context of Psalm 94, and its relevance to the current מַצָּב

342

Ramchal and his Rebbe, Pt. 2. - More on the remarkable relationship

Jan 14, 2025

55:28

Ramchal in Amsterdam (1730s-1740s), where he wrote the works that made him famous

343

Parshas Shmos: A Three Day Holiday?

Jan 13, 2025

31:02

Who was Moshe deceiving? Pharaoh? Or the Jews!

344

Asarah B'Teves: Then and Now

Jan 10, 2025

31:15

The theme of siege in Torah Judaism and Jewish Memory

345

An Analysis of the Current Influence of Turkey in Syria and Israel

Jan 9, 2025

30:12

Is Erdogan trying to recreate the old Turkish Empire in 21st century form?

346

Dovid and Yoav: Why really did Dovid resent Yoav?

Jan 7, 2025

26:24

Was David's reign an ideal era in Jewish History?

347

Why was there a military escort at Jacob's funeral?

Jan 6, 2025

28:26

Jacob's insistence that his grandchildren not touch his coffin?

348

The Shma Prayer in its original context

Jan 6, 2025

30:57

Jacob & Sons in Egypt. what was the challenge שמע addressed?

349

Haftarah VaYigash: Unity Before Geulah

Jan 2, 2025

23:22

Was the modern State of Israel created "out of order?"

350

Parshas VaYigash: Why did Joseph supply his brothers with literally all their need?

Jan 2, 2025

33:01

Altruism or Cynicism?