Rambam Bekius

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/20/23), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we learned through the Aruch ha'Shulchan on the Rambam's eight levels of tzedakah with the goal of reviewing, refining, and filling in the gaps of some practical questions we had. I'd say we met these goals. Seeing as how we're at a...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 16 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/16/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we had one goal: to read through the halachos of the eight levels of tzedakah in order to get the facts - and we succeeded! We raised some questions and posited some ideas along the way, but we'll have to wait until next week to dig in deep (בג&quo...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 20 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/15/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we spent most of the time discussing a short but interesting halacha in the Rambam about the relative rewards for giving tzedakah vs. getting other people to give tzedakah. After that, we began the section on the eight levels of giving tzedakah. We read...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 18 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/14/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we revisited the halachos we learned yesterday about how to and not to interact with aniyim. We gained more clarity today and answered most of our questions. We plan to move on tomorrow. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זרעים, הלכות מתנות עניים...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 15 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/13/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we resumed the halachos of how to give tzedakah and the virtues of tzedakah with a topic which combines them both. We got some nice ideas about the MANNER in which a person should and shouldn't give tzedakah, and we'll continue in these halach...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 37 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/8/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we continued our brief break from our tzedakah topics to review the halachos in the Rambam about talmud Torah and aveilus. Since I was interested in the practical halacha, we ended up extending our session in order to learn through the Aruch ha'Shul...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/6/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we took a brief break from our tzedakah topics to review some practical laws about comforting mourners, as well as some of the philosophical ideas embedded in the halachos.  ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר שופטים, הלכות אבל יג:א-ד,יב Tishah b&a...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (2/1/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we revisited yesterday's questions and managed to find answers. We found a helpful approach in the Torah Temimah and developed three different ideas from that approach. We then set up the next halacha for tomorrow's analysis. ----- מקורות: רמב&...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Hiding Your Eyes from Tzedakah (Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 10:3) Length: 26 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/31/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we picked up where we left off last time in the 10th chapter of Hilchos Matnos Aniyim. Today's topic was the Rambam's statements about the person who hides their eyes from aniyim in o...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 30 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/11/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we finished our re-learning of the Rambam's perek on chesed, mishpat, and tzedakah with the commentary of R' Makbili. I don't know about everyone else, but I found this to be absolutely mindblowing. Suffice it to say, simple statements li...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 20 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/10/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we delved into the three citations from pesukim that the Rambam uses to develop his idea of tzedakah. Thanks to R' Makbili, we were able to appreciate the nuances in the Rambam's concept of tzedakah. Tomorrow we'll see if we can round out...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Chesed, Mishpat, Tzedakah Revisited - Part 1 (Moreh ha'Nevuchim 3:53) Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/9/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we decided to revisit the Rambam's treatment of these three key concepts, as part of our preparation for understanding Hilchos Matnos Aniyim Chapter 10. And now that I own R&...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 12 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/5/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we answered some of the questions we raised on the Rambam's statement that "a person never becomes poor from tzedakah, and nothing bad or harmful comes from tzedakah." Unfortunately (for viewers/listeners), I had to pause the recording for...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! How You Will Be Treated Based on Your Tzedakah and Rachamim - Questions (Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 10:2) Length: 19 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (1/4/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we learned three halachos spanning two topics: how God relates to those who do tzedakah and show mercy, and how we regard those who do and don't dis...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (12/29/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we managed to take a few more steps towards answering the questions we raised yesterday. Although we still didn't arrive at definitive answers for everything, we managed to come up with some good ideas. ----- מקורות: רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר זר...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 18 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (12/28/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we began the final chapter of Hilchos Matnos Aniyim (after explaining why we skipped Chapters 8-9). We read and raised questions on each of the three clauses, and began to answer our questions on the first clause. Tomorrow (בג"ה) we'll try to...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (12/27/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, I gave a BRIEF overview of how to use R' Sheilat's edition of the Mishneh Torah, which is found on AlHaTorah.org. I am well aware that there is MUCH more to say on this, my goal was to give a practical guide which will help unlock the basic f...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 16 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (12/21/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we spent one more day on the sugya of Ner Chanukah as a "mitzvah chavivah." We read a piece from the Rav in Mi'Pninei ha'Rav which explained why the Rambam calls Ner Chanukah a "mitzvah chavivah," even though it's not...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 18 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (12/20/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we reviewed the questions we raised yesterday ... and then attempted to answer them! We came up with some nice possibilities, if I do say so myself. Tomorrow we might make an additional point or two, and then move on to the final halachos in the perek....

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: This afternoon (12/19/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we began this year's analysis of the final halachos in Hilchos Chanukah. It never ceases to amaze me how we can revisit the same halachos every year and still discover new questions, problems, and - hopefully! - ideas. Today we raised questions. Tomorrow (בג"ה)...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 22 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (12/15/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, I recapped my understanding of what the essential takanah of Chanukah is, and why Chazal chose to enact it. I believe I've gone over this theory for the past two years in Rambam Bekius, but this is the shortest recap I've done. ----- מקורות:...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 20 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (12/14/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we put yesterday's questions on hold and addressed two other topics: (1) What's the deal with Megilas Antiochus? While the Yad Peshutah freely quotes from it, historian Mitchell First doesn't view it as a credible source. Make of that wh...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 23 minutes Synopsis: This afternoon (12/13/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we continued learning the introductory paragraphs of Hilchos Chanukah along with the Yad Peshutah commentary. We got up through the Rambam's formulation of the takanah of Chanukah, and we left off with some questions that we'd like to answer...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This afternoon (12/12/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we began this year's learning of Hilchos Chanukah! The last time we did this thoroughly was in December 2020, and in December 2021 we focused on the halachos of the Menorah in the Mikdash, along with assorted other Chanukah topics. This year we have a new resource at our disp...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! This afternoon (12/8/22), in our Rambam Bekius mini-shiur, we shored up our understanding of yesterday's halacha and then learned the final halacha in the perek, which was about someone who gives an ambiguously worded donation. And with that, we've concluded the 7th perek! Next week: Hilchos Chanukah! (בג"ה) ----- מקורות: רמ...