Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

Haftarah VaYera: אֱלִישָׁע מְחַיֶּה הַמֵּת 14.11.2024 24:13 ↓

How come Elisha's servant Gechazi did not believe his master could revive the child?

The Iranian-Israel Conflict in light of interesting internal developments in Iran 13.11.2024 34:25 ↓

Which is stronger in Iranian Universities? Hatred of Israel,  or hatred of the Arabs and support of Israel? Some surprising developments

Parshas VaYera: The הַשְׁגָּחָה פְּרָטִית in the sequence of events in the Abraham story 11.11.2024 27:10 ↓

Abraham is not opposed by the Canaanites because he is a childless nomad...at first...

R Shimon Sofer, Pt 2: Walking a political tightrope for Galician Jews trapped between Germans, Ukrainians, and Poles 11.11.2024 15:42 ↓

For the upcoming Genazym auction on November 17, 2024

R Shimon Sofer (1820-1883), Pt. 1: The complexities of Jewish ethnic politics in Central Europe (Galicia) in the 19th century 11.11.2024 59:15 ↓

For the upcoming Genazym auction on November 17, 2024

Parshas Lech Lecha: The conquest of Semitic Israel by Hamitic invaders 08.11.2024 27:26 ↓

Abraham, the Semite, is told by G-d to go to Israel, from which the Semites are being driven out and dispossessed by Canaanite invaders

Haftarah Lech Lecha: The Dust of Abraham 05.11.2024 23:51 ↓

And The Worm of Jacob - Jewish survival in difficult times

Parshas Lech Lecha: Abraham and Shem 04.11.2024 26:21 ↓

Didn't Shem and Abraham live in the same place long before Abraham's move to Eretz K'naan?

R' Katz discusses the newest Genazym auction, featuring (inter alia) the seal the famous Italian Rabbi Yeshaya Bassan (1673-1739) 04.11.2024 52:35 ↓

Teacher of the famous RMS Luzzatto, as well as leading Italian Posek of the early 18th century. The close bond, despite different personalities, between Rebbe and Talmid 

Haftorah Parsha Noach: The Abandoned Wife Discovers She is not abandoned after all 31.10.2024 27:18 ↓

The Ark was a haven during the Flood, but afterwards G-d orders Noah to exit the Ark

The Story of Nimrod- Who was he? (Parshas Noach) 30.10.2024 29:46 ↓

Was Nimrod the first king in human history?

R' Shmuel Leib Kauder (1770-1835) Last of the Bohemian Gedolim 30.10.2024 1:00:14 ↓

One of those great gedolim you never heard of

The Simchas Torah Massacre in Cracow 1655 28.10.2024 30:37 ↓

How such massacres were commemorated in the liturgy of Eastern European Jewry

Parshas V'Zos HaBrachah: G-d offers the Torah to the other nations but they turn down the offer 23.10.2024 33:23 ↓

What does this mean? Was it an actual historical event? A fascinating interpretation of the שְׁלָ"ה הַקָּדוֹשׁ

The History and Meaning of the נִעֲנוּעִים 21.10.2024 30:37 ↓

The medieval debate whether it resembles the sign of the cross, and the contemporary significance in light  of the current war

Where is the Garden of Eden? (Parshas Bereishis) 21.10.2024 27:20 ↓

Is it far from Israel? Or the very opposite!

R' Katz speculates on the origins of the שִׂמְחַת בֵּית הַשּׁוֹאֵבָה 20.10.2024 30:51 ↓

The current climate and scarcity of water was not the reality in Ancient Israel

The Original Sukkos: Was it BOTH Clouds of Glory and סֻכּוֹת מַמָּשׁ- first one and then the other? 16.10.2024 26:44 ↓

Why are women not required to sit in sukkahs?

R' Katz on the Four Minim 16.10.2024 27:40 ↓

Are the Four Minim connected to the Four Exiles? Or to Exile as a phenomenon?

Sukkos in the Light of the Current War 15.10.2024 30:37 ↓

All Jewish life, including Jews in Israel, is a sukkah-existence, fragile in structure, protected by Providence (עַנְנֵי הַכָּבוֹד)

Was Columbus Jewish? R' Katz weighs in 14.10.2024 30:36 ↓

We don't want him to be Jewish!

A Quick History of Israel's Diplomatic Relations (and lack of relations) with Moslem Countries 13.10.2024 45:41 ↓

Israel's recent progress in this area was one of the triggers of the Oct. 7th Hamas attack

The Jonah Story: Some sober thoughts in light of current events 13.10.2024 31:35 ↓

R' Katz analyzes the significance of the Jonah and Nineveh tale in its historic and mussar context

Sair L'Azazel-"Is there a plain meaning?" 09.10.2024 30:07 ↓

Two extremes: a.) Yom Kippur atones without repentance  b.) To atone properly, the most extreme penances are required

The Episode of Elephantine: A Jewish Garrison on the Egyptian-Sudan Border in the Times of Ezra, Nehemiah & Co. 08.10.2024 50:16 ↓

The remarkable letters that were found by archaeologists. What were Jews doing in the Persian army, anyway?