Classes by Mordechai Dinerman

We are all acquainted with the renowned depiction of the menorah created by the Rambam. In this class, we dig into the story of this image. Where did it come from? Can we trust its accuracy? When was it discovered? Did later artists and copyists treat it as just a doodle or something more meaningful? Rambam’s Menorah: Insights from Ancient Hebrew Manuscripts

Starting in the 1870s, a visionary Jerusalem rabbi was consumed by the idea of resurrecting the ancient mitzvah of guarding the site of the Beis Hamikdash. But his fervor was met with indifference and opposition from others, sparking a halachic debate of significant proportions. As the narrative unfolds, unexpected connections emerge, revealing the curious involvement of the Chabad rebbes in this...

During the late 1880s, an audacious endeavor was set forth by the Radziner Rebbe, aimed at renewing the ancient legacy of techeles through his arduous quest to rediscover the elusive chilazon. However, amidst his fervor, a tide of opposition emerged. In this class, our attention turns to the objections raised by the Rebbe Rashab, carefully outlined in a letter authored in 1907, after having peruse...

It’s truly astonishing: the Shulchan Aruch, the most important work of Jewish law, doesn’t codify the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael and many of its related laws, including rechilus, lashon hara, nekamah, and others. In this class, we’ll examine the background and history that may help us come to grips with this curious omission. The Missing Section in the Shulchan Aruch

In today’s episode, we turn our attention to the dispute over the Rambam’s works that took place in Europe in 1232. The controversy revolved around Rambam’s Moreh Nevuchim and Sefer Hamada, and it culminated in these works being banned and eventually burned. What was it about these works that were so controversial? What social factors led to the appalling book burning? And who was responsible for...

This day has a sad history of persecution, but also an interesting tendency to be taken seriously at first, only to peter out after some time. Remembering and Forgetting: The History of Chof Sivan | Replay

In the summer of 1666, Shabtai Tzvi’s conversion to Islam shattered hopes and dreams, leaving Jewish communities grappling with the aftermath of a false redeemer. One contentious issue arose in Amsterdam, where leaders debated whether to continue the performance of Birchas Kohanim each Shabbos, initiated during Shabtai’s self-proclaimed messianic era. Rabbi Yaakov Sasportas penned a series of hala...

Over the past century, significant changes have occurred in the area of women’s Torah education, but a vibrant and ongoing debate about this subject persists. By exploring the treatment of this matter in the Talmudic sources and throughout Jewish history, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the current landscape, the factors that have shaped it, and the pathways that lie ahead. Women and the...

Step back in time as we delve into a fascinating story about the Jewish communities of Cologne and Mayence around the period of the First Crusade. We will learn of an uproar caused by an extension to a synagogue adorned with imagery of lions and snakes. We will examine the halachic discussion of whether this violated the command against graven images. The Lion and the Snake: Tensions Over Artistic...

Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderes (Rashba) took a maximalist position about the eternality of mitzvos, arguing that none of them could ever be suspended, not even in the era of techiyas hameism. But a faction of his rabbinic peers dissented. In this class, we examine the primary sources that are central to this discourse and also analyze the underlying dynamics—namely, the attempt at the time of Christian m...

In 1850, an unusual edition of Rambam’s Mishneh Torah was published in czarist Russia. A perusal of this work reveals that it was censored in a peculiar and unprecedented fashion. But what lies behind this story of suppression? Who was responsible for this censorship? And what does it reveal about the tensions in Jewish life at that time? Through a nuanced analysis of the key players and their mot...

In 1636, the Sephardic Jewish community in Amsterdam was embroiled in a heated debate over the fate of their converso relatives residing as Christians in Spain and Portugal. Would those who refuse to emigrate to reembrace Judaism be denied entry into the World to Come? In this class, we will explore the rich tapestry of sources both sides invoked during this intriguing chapter in Jewish history. W...

In his commentary on the Haggadah, the Lubavitcher Rebbe referenced many different sources from the vast library of Judaism, but three of them stand out from a bibliographic perspective: three references to the first dated printed edition of the Haggadah. Join us as we learn more about this edition, its historical context, and how the Rebbe used it to sort out some of the famous questions relating...

Join us for an in-depth discussion exploring the enigmatic absence of Moshe’s name from the Haggadah text. While his name does appear once in the text, this fact alone may not entirely resolve the mystery. We will scrutinize various explanations that have been presented over the past two centuries and analyze what they reveal about their proponents. Vanished Hero: Exploring the Absence of Moshe in...

In today’s episode, we will step back in time to explore the controversy that erupted when a famous rabbi made a controversial statement about Dovid Hamelech and the role of Tehilim in Jewish life. We will dive into the heated discourse and the familiar fault lines it revealed within the Jewish community. We will gain insight into the differing views on the function and place of Torah study versus...

Join us on this episode as we explore the centuries-old debate surrounding the placement of a tzeirei or segol in the reading for Parshas Zachor. Through the lens of ancient codices and special editions of Chumash, we’ll investigate the origins of this confusion and the reasons why communities began reciting both versions. We’ll also uncover the more profound significance of this divergence and wh...

Join us on a journey through the rich history of Talmudic manuscripts and print editions. You will learn that although we don’t have manuscripts that can be definitively dated to before the twelfth century, a discerning eye can use extant manuscripts to hear distinct echoes of much older ones. Delve into the fascinating stories linked to the little-known Spanish and Portuguese printings that coinc...

In 1615, the Jewish community in Poland was confronted with a disturbing accusation of murder against one of its members. At the time, contemporary rabbis engaged in a dialogue on the most suitable course of action, debating whether the accused should face capital punishment. This discussion provides insight into the methods employed by rabbinic courts in addressing grave criminal offenses like mu...

The division of Tanach into chapters didn’t originate with Jewish scholars or rabbis. This class surveys when, how, and why this became an accepted and standard Jewish division. We will also hear the voices of those who rejected this system and, on the other hand, those who embraced it. Dedicated in memory of Yaakov Koppel ben Elimelech Hakohen Dividing Tanach into Chapters: A Historical Overview

(0:38) – General Introduction    (3:08) – Rabbi Jacobson’s introduction about תורת חב"ד   (7:36) –  Introduction about himself     (18:41) – How he got started in חזרה    (21:31) – Getting more involved in תשל"ח as Reb Yoiel’s sidekick    (25:34) – Becoming an official מניח in winter תשל"ח     (26:27) – First הנחה   (28:12) – The nightmare of מקץ תש"מ  (35:23) – How הגהה worked    (37:01) – How to...

In 1844, the Czar of Russia issued a ban on traditional Jewish clothing worn by Eastern European Jews for centuries, leaving the community with a dilemma: should they adhere to their cultural customs, or comply with the government’s decree? Loathing Our Clothing: The Despot’s Decree and Rabbinic Response

In 1796, a work of the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings was consigned to the flames. What were the specific passages in this book that some deemed objectionable? This will help us uncover the most fundamental theological difference between Chasidim and non-Chasidim at the turn of the nineteenth century. Burning of the Books: The Alter Rebbe, the Gra, and the Tzimtzum Tussle

In 1549, the rabbinical court in Cairo held hearings and engaged in extensive research to learn about the source of the annual flooding of the Nile. The rabbis of the day found themselves on different sides of this scientific question and vehemently defended their respective positions. But why did they care? The Nile on Trial: 16th-Century Rabbis and Aquatic Science

The pre-print manuscripts of Tanya shed light on what the Alter Rebbe added to this seminal text at a later stage. Curiously, three of the most notable updates involve interpersonal relationships. This lecture was recorded live by Jewish Multimedia Library, a.k.a. JML, Melbourne Australia. Many additional recordings are available from their website: www.jml.org.au. Evolution of the Tanya: Timely L...

In November 1703, Rabbi David Nieto delivered a controversial sermon at the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London, causing a rift in the local Jewish community. The cause of the feud may have been mundane politics, but it forced a thought-provoking rabbinic responsum about nature, G-d, deism, and pantheism. When A London Rabbi Was Accused of Heresy