Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

Peacemaking with the enemy? A cautionary tale from the Book of Maccabees 19.12.2024 22:30 ↓

Bacchides massacres the trusting frummies under a flag of truce

What kind of peace should we pray for in The North? 19.12.2024 25:17 ↓

What kind of peace should we pray for in Gaza?

Haftarah VaYeshev: Amos decries social injustice (at G-d's direction) 19.12.2024 27:55 ↓

History teaches that morality collapses among the very rich and the very poor

Parshas VaYeshev: Contrasting the sibling relationships between the 12 brothers of the Joseph story and the 5 brothers of the Macabee story 17.12.2024 26:37 ↓

The trick is not to be jealous of any sibling's special talents, but rather to discover the talents of each, and follow that brother in his area of special excellence

R' Yeshaya Bassan and the Ramchal: The remarkable correspondence between rebbe and talmid 17.12.2024 58:25 ↓

The tight relationship between the two allowed for the frankest exchange of opposing ideas, totally free of rancor or disrespect

Shechem - Some of the Brothers Killed, Other Brothers Looted (Parshas VaYishlach) 12.12.2024 19:04 ↓

What exactly is the translation of the  חִתַּת אֱלֹ-ים after the massacre in Shechem?

Tefilah in the Context of the Current Situation in Syria 12.12.2024 26:13 ↓

There are moments when certain prayers are תְּפִלּוֹת שָׁוְא. This is not one of them!

Sefer Ovadiah HaNavi (Haftarah VaYishlach) 10.12.2024 23:12 ↓

Who exactly was Ovadiah? Has his prophecy come true?

Parshas VaYishlach: The challenges of Jewish survival in hostile environments 09.12.2024 30:22 ↓

The violation of Dina, the lethal response, and the current war in Gaza

An Analysis of the Latest Events on the Israel-Syria Border 09.12.2024 25:45 ↓

Bibi's unilateral military moves there

R' Marcus (Mordecai) Jastrow (1829-1903), Pt. 2 09.12.2024 29:08 ↓

A curiously tragic rabbinical figure, whose dictionary ruled the roost for one century

R' Marcus (Mordecai) Jastrow (1829-1903), Pt. 1 09.12.2024 49:49 ↓

A curiously tragic rabbinical figure, whose dictionary ruled the roost for one century

The Ramchal on Why People Avoid Learning Kabbalah 05.12.2024 26:18 ↓

The Devil and R' Shimshon of Ostropol 

Haftarah VaYeitzei: The Kingdom of the North blows its last chance by retaining the Golden Calf 04.12.2024 29:03 ↓

זֹבְחֵי אָדָם עֲגָלִים יִשָּׁקוּן

Parsas VaYeitzei: What does Jacob mean by הָיָה הַשֵּׁם לִי לֶאֱלֹהִים? 03.12.2024 26:38 ↓

The tension in monotheistic religion between universalism and paticularism

The Recent Developments in Syria and the Middle East 01.12.2024 24:15 ↓

We may be seeing revolutionary developments in the non-Jewish states that may benefit Israel

Thanksgiving as an American (but not Christian) Religious Holiday 28.11.2024 39:11 ↓

The unique historical nature of "American" Religion

Haftarah Toldos: Goofing off in the Bais HaMikdash 27.11.2024 29:42 ↓

Donating sub-par animals to the Temple for a "kodashim write-off"

The War in Lebanon and Psalm 110 26.11.2024 22:47 ↓

"An army with the resolution of volunteers, fighting for values of holiness" 

Parshas Toldos: The Palestinian (Plishti) Peace Proposal 25.11.2024 28:10 ↓

"We hate you, but we fear you, so let's  make peace"

Are the Jews a religious group? A nationality? An ethnicity? 25.11.2024 40:10 ↓

R' Katz on current court cases and the Hamas demonstrations at the universities

Haftarah Chayei Sarah: Adoniyahu or Shlomo 20.11.2024 25:01 ↓

In Politics, Timing is everything...

Parshas Chayei Sarah: Oy shidduchim, shidduchim 19.11.2024 26:05 ↓

What's more important, good middos or halachic observance?

The Aleinu Prayer: What is its context? 19.11.2024 30:29 ↓

Three options: a.) Absolute Monotheism b.) Modified Monotheism c.) Absolute Polytheism

The Hasmoneans and the Question of Drafting the Yeshiva Bachurim 17.11.2024 30:33 ↓

How he Hasmonean rulers fought their wars and handled the "Bnei Torah Problem" 2,000 years ago