Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

351

שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח - קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף: הֶאֱמִינוּ וְשׁוּב לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ

Apr 17, 2025

31:18

Moshe and the Jews: Belief, followed by loss of Belief, followed by new Belief

352

The Historical Background to the 1830s controversy re: הַקְרָבַת קָרְבַּן פֶּסַח בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה - What was going on in Turkish Palestine at that time

Apr 16, 2025

51:12

R Akiva Eger thought the Muslims would allow the Jews to offer sacrifices on the Temple Mount. The Chasam Sofer disabused him. Why did R Akiva Eger think this?

353

Seder Thoughts 2025 (תשפ"ה)

Apr 11, 2025

37:10

R Akiva's seder and the question of the Premature Exodus. Also, Lavan and his role inthe Egypt story

354

When historical knowledge provides an insight into a Responsum: The Noda BiYhudah and the Ben Ish Chai

Apr 9, 2025

21:09

Famous Responsa re: Adultery and Divorce

355

Pesach, Bitul Chametz, and the eternal battle of ideas between Jewish and Egyptian theological ideas. Really

Apr 9, 2025

35:22

If you wanted the manna in the desert to become matzah, to transsubstatiate into matzah, did it really become matzah, not just in taste?

356

The Rambam and His Thoughts About the Hagadah

Apr 7, 2025

25:27

In Chapter 7, the Rambam rearranges the order of the narrative, for philosophical/theological reasons

357

Haftorah Shabbos Hagadol - Elijah: Unite or Die!

Apr 7, 2025

23:49

Is parnasaah bad because you give too much charity? Or the other way around?

358

Parshas Tzav (Erev Pesach) - Changing attitudes towards the Temple Sacrifices

Apr 6, 2025

27:10

The differences between the First and Second Temple Eras

359

"הַפְטָרַת פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא תשפ"ה "הֶעֱבַדְתַּנִי בְּחַטֹּאותֶיךָ הוֹגַעְתַּנִי בַּעֲוֹנֹתֶיךָ

Apr 3, 2025

22:22

The Temple was built large, to accommodate 12 tribes, but it sended up servicing and being patronized by only two tribes

360

The current war in light of וְהִיא שֶׁעָמְדָה לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְלָנוּ שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עוֹמְדִים עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵנוּ וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַצִּילֵנוּ מִיָּדָם

Apr 2, 2025

29:40

Was Hamas's goal realistic? Maybe!

361

הַגָּדָה שֶׁל פֶּסַח : רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר

Mar 31, 2025

27:14

What kind of guests were at the seder of רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל? Why did his narrative differ from that in Bnai Berak?

362

פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא תשפ"ה הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת לְעֻמַּת הַקָּרְבָּן פֶּסַח

Mar 30, 2025

26:44

Two types of Communal offerings: a.) Performed by Priest as Agent for the Community b.) Performed by the masses of the community themselves

363

פָּרָשַׁת הַחֹדֶשׁ תשפ”ה - The seemngly disjuncted narrative: first about קָרְבַּן פֶּסַח,

Mar 28, 2025

34:13

Why is חָמֵץ prohibited (כָּרֵת!)? What does חמץ have to do with the slavery i Egypt? Really

364

פָּרָשַׁת הַחֹדֶשׁ תשפ"ה - The seemngly disjuncted narrative: first about קָרְבַּן פֶּסַח, then abruptly about חָמֵץ

Mar 28, 2025

34:13

Why is חָמֵץ prohibited (כָּרֵת!)? What does חמץ have to do with the slavery i Egypt? Really

365

R’ Chaim Sinwani of Yemen and Israel (1897-1979)

Mar 26, 2025

39:30

A great Talmid Chacham and Mekubal who suffered from secular Zionist persecution in the 1940s. The complicated story of Yemenite Jewry in the first half of the 20th century.

366

הַפְטָרָה פָּרָשַׁת הַחֹדֶשׁ תשפ"ה - Princely corruption even in the time of the Third Temple?

Mar 24, 2025

24:03

The Prophet admonishes the Princes to stop evicting Jews from their ancestral land and expropriating the land in order to gift their own children and employees

367

?פָּרָשַׁת פְּקוּדֵי תשפ"ה - מִי הָיוּ לֵצָנֵי הַדּוֹר

Mar 24, 2025

23:54

The cynics were those who did not contribute (either out of stinginess or laziness), who now projected thir own guilt feelings onto Moshe and the Mishkan Project.

368

Trump, Polk, Bibi: Some cautonary lessons from the past

Mar 24, 2025

36:20

Sometimes, military victory leads to civil war! Success requires philosophy to be managed sagaciously

369

Haftarah Parshas Parah- Jewish misconduct in the lands of exile

Mar 20, 2025

24:33

The supreme virtue of being ashamed of your misconduct. Is this happening currently?

370

פָּרָשַׁת וַיַּקְהֵל תשפ"ה - No fire outside the miskan, but yes fire inside the mishkan!

Mar 20, 2025

28:23

Most fights break out in shul on Shabbos - לֹא תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת

371

Purim live 5785 (2025)

Mar 19, 2025

1:08:17

Live from Baltimore

372

Tefilah: Why does God say to Moses : לֹא תוּכַל לִרְאֹת אֶת פָּנָי, but subsequently וְדִבֵּר הַשֵּׁם עִם מֹשֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים?

Mar 17, 2025

22:28

Some thoughts on the limited, philosophical approach to prayer vs. the mystical approach to prayer

373

Donald Trump's fascination with America's Tenth President James K. Polk (1845-1849)

Mar 17, 2025

56:09

Intensely partisan, a slaveholder, a great liar, Polk is one of the great presidents, who doubled the territory of the USA. In the words of Trump, "He got a lot of land!" Will this affect Gaza?

374

a.) 17 Adar - tachnun? Anniversary of a massacre and rescue in Northern Syria of חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל in Northern Syria (מְגִלַּת תַּעֲנִית). Sound familiar

Mar 16, 2025

25:04

The opposite of today - at that time there was civil war in Israel and peace in Syria ... or so they thought!

375

Two Short Purim Vorts

Mar 13, 2025

18:30

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

376

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

377

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?

378

הַפְטָרַת פָּרָשַׁת כִּי תִשָּׂא תשפ"ה - אֵלִיָּהוּ בְּהַר הַכַּרְמֶל

Mar 9, 2025

27:08

Why was אֵלִיָּהוּ a brilliant failure?

379

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

380

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?

381

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?

382

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

383

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!

384

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?

385

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

386

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

387

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

388

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)

389

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

390

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

391

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

392

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

393