Machshavah Lab

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! I've been obsessed with ChatGPT 4 and the voice interface option on the ChatGPT phone app. I decided on a whim to do a little demonstration this morning of how sophisticated ChatGPT has become. Listen to the following discussion in which I discuss Mishlei (Proverbs) 16:32 with ChatGPT and you'll see that this technology has moved...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 35 minutes Synopsis: The YBT Sunday Shiur I gave this morning (1/7/24) is an updated version of a shiur I gave exactly two years ago (1/7/22). The focus of the shiur is the Sforno's answer to two basic questions: (1) Who carried out Makkas Bechoros (the Plague of the Firstborn)? (2) What is the purpose of the Korban Pes...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 1.5 pages Length of the audio: 3 minutes 17 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 1/5/24, entitled: Rabbi Moskowitz on Shalom Bayis and Toilet Paper . A chance encounter with a unique toilet paper holder reminded me of an idea from Rabbi M...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 27 minutes Synopsis: This evening (1/4/24), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took a break from the mishnah we've been working on to do something timely. Next week is my 40th birthday, and whenever I reach a numerical milestone like that, I like to revisit the mishnah in Pirkei Avos about the differe...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 6.5 pages Length of the audio: 18 minutes 44 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 6.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 1/1/24, entitled: The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack Update: Three Changes for January 2024 . This is my announcement for a major change I intend to make in my...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 4 pages Length of the audio: 15 minutes 39 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/29/23, entitled: Vayechi: Don’t Stop Working Or Else You’ll Die (Especially If You’re Not Jewish) . Did you know that, according to Rashi, a non-Jew is forbi...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 9 minutes 11 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/22/23, entitled: Vayigash: May [the Word of] God Be With You (Rough Draft) . I intended to write about a specific pasuk in this week's parashah, but ende...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 11 minutes Synopsis: This evening (12/20/23), in our Wednesday night Tefilah shiur, we decided to see if we could gain some insights into Asarah b'Teves, which is coming up this Friday. We began by going over some basic facts about the events we commemorate, as well as some NOT so basic facts, including the questions ab...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 53 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/15/23, entitled: Mikeitz: Self-Deprivation in Solidarity With Others Who Are Suffering . Chazal learn from Yosef that it is prohibited to have marital relatio...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 5 minutes Synopsis: This morning (12/15/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we read and discussed Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher's introduction to Parashas Mikeitz (which I had NOT prepared in advance) in which he expounds on Mishlei 3:5 by summarizing the eight levels of bitachon in the writings of Rabbeinu Bachya...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This evening (12/14/23), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we began Chapter 4 with Ben Zoma's well-known teaching. Tonight we focused on his treatment of "chacham." We learned the views of five Rishonim. I'd like to stick with this same topic next week, not only becau...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of FREE article: 1 page Length of FREE recording: 6 minutes 20 seconds Length of FULL article: 2 pages Length of FULL recording: 8 minutes 23 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the FREE version of the article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/14/23, entitled: Chanukah 5784: Maimonian Doughnuts and My Cu...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 7 pages Length of the audio: 20 minutes 36 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 7-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/10/23 (originally published on Kol ha'Seridim on 12/15/20), entitled: Asking for Miracles on Chanukah: Updated for 2023, in Light of the War with Hamas...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 6 minutes 30 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/8/23, entitled: Vayeishev: The Consequences of Tattling and Misguided Rebuke . Yosef brought "bad reports" about his brothers to his father. Was he...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 15 minutes Synopsis: This morning (12/1/23), in our Machshavah Lab series for women, we took up a "classic" question in the first aliyah of this week's parashah: If Hashem promised to protect Yaakov, why was he afraid? After reviewing the "classic" answer, we raised a major problem which touches upon...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 7 minutes 56 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/1/23, entitled: Vayishlach: When Should the Righteous Bow Before the Wicked? In this week's article we look at Yaakov's dealings with Eisav through...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 31 minutes Synopsis: This evening (11/30/23), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the very last mishnah in Chapter 3. This was certainly a weird one, but still led us to some important insights into how we relate to the various subjects we learn and aspire to learn.  ----- מקורות: אבות ג:כ ר' ע...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 55 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/24/23, entitled: Vayeitzei: Hashem’s Love-Hate Relationship With Stone Monuments . The stone pillar set up by Yaakov is presented by the Torah as a good thing...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 9 minutes 15 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/23/23, entitled: Vayeitzei: Leah’s Thanksgiving Revolution . Thank God I was able to crank out this last-minute article in under two hours. Pardon the shoddin...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 8 minutes 11 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/17/23, entitled: God of Time or Dog Eating Its Own Vomit?   I wrote this in lieu of a parashah article because I needed to write it for myself. If I don't write for myself, who will write for me?...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 50 minutes Synopsis: This morning (11/17/23), in our surprise Q&A, we took up six questions: (1) How should one go about learning Shir ha'Shirim? (2) Why didn't Yitzchak realize what was going on with his sons? (3) What is the best way to teach YBT's derech ha'limud, and to get people interested in ideas? (4...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Synopsis: This evening (11/16/23), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned the second statement of R' Elazar ben Azaryah comparing a person whose wisdom exceeds his deeds and a person whose deeds exceed his wisdom. As usual, we raised lots of questions, but found that many of our "g...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 35 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/10/23, entitled: Chayei Sarah: The Virgin Rivka - Plain Pshat and Wild Drash . The Torah spotlights Rivkah's virginity in a strange way, but what's...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Avos 3:19 - Kemach (Flour) Plus Torah Length: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This evening (11/9/23), in Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned the final clause in our multi-clause mishnah. This one proved to be the easiest of the four - yet, in was still enlightening!. We learned three approaches to this clause and translated...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of the article: 2 pages Length of the audio: 8 minutes 16 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/3/23, entitled: Vayeira: A Lesson in Tznius from Lote's Daughters . One would not expect to find a lesson in tznius (modesty) in the rape of a father by...