Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

Education EN ↓ 1711 episodes

To help support this podcast, please consider giving a tax deductible contribution here: https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatzRabbi Dovid Katz, PhD is lauded for his extensive knowledge of Jewish History, his engaging and insightful lecture series, and eye opening historical international tours. Follow him weekly. New content released each week, including Personalities in Jewish History, Insights into Tefillah and Perspectives on the Haftarah and Parshah. Sponsorships of podcasts are available. He can be reached at the following email: rabbidkatz@gmail.com.

Author

Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

Episodes

How Maimonides' Messianic Doctrines were a reflection of his times 07.01.2026 45:50

Rambam had a hard life, full of physical and religious challenges, and frustrations at the false ideas of his fellow-Jews, and his ideas re: Mashiach reflect this

A short history of פְּשַׁט vs. דְּרַשׁ in Jewish Bible Interpretation 07.01.2026 33:12

A response to Karaism in e Early Medieval Period and later to Christian interpretation in the High Middle Ages

Parshas Shemos: Yaakov the Successful Parent 05.01.2026 30:28

A Jewish Baby-Boom in our own country is celebrated. A Jewish Baby-Boom in someone else's country is considered a threat justifying a Holocaust! https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

A סִפְרִי re: Yaakov refraining from chastising his sons out of fear they will defect to "Eisav" - The "vengeful meshumad "in Jewish History 04.01.2026 43:10

The Jew who defects to another faith out of conviction or opportunism vs. The Jew who defects out of resentment. Sources used by Candace Owens... https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

Haftarah VaYechi: David, Solomon, Joab the problem of getting the right kind of subordinates 02.01.2026 29:07

David, who came to the throne in his 30s, was confident enough to surround himself with strong personalities who didn't always obey . Shlomo, a boy of 12, cannot afford to do so, though the alternative is to be surrounded by "yes-men"

Some thoughts about שִׂנְאַת חִינָם in Jewish History 01.01.2026 38:41

A problem that cannot be solved, only managed. Some preliminary observations.

Parshas VaYechi: What was the “Acharis HaYamim” that Yaakov wanted to reveal to his sons? 01.01.2026 35:52

Why didn't Joseph ask Pharaoh directly for permission to bury his father in Canaan?

The Fast of the Ninth of Teves and the Toldos Yeshu 30.12.2025 33:54

More excursions into the world of the "Frum Apocrypha." Sigh

The Israel-Somaliland Connection: Why is this so controversial? 28.12.2025 40:20

The extraordinarily complex geopolitical situation in the "Horn of Africa," and its relation to Israel and Israel's haters. A classic case of international hypocrisy on the part of the latter. https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

Parshas VaYigash: Not saying dumb things that will hurt the Jewish People 24.12.2025 29:15

See how Joseph doesn't trust his brothers. He stage-manages their encounter with Pharaoh and the Egyptians, micromanaging every aspect of the conversation, like a trial-lawyer with a client. (יוֹסֵף הַפִּקֵּחַ not יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק)

Haftarah Parshas VaYigash: The vision of grafting the two trees together 24.12.2025 24:01

Will the tribes retain their individual identities and consciousness in the future Messianic Utopia?

Greece under the Metaxas Regime and a Siddur from 1941 23.12.2025 27:52

A fascinating siddur published in Greece in 1941 which omits the word Yavan from Al HaNisim-At that moment, Greece under the Metaxas Regime was saving the Jews from Hitler and Mussolini

Parshas VaYigash: Was Joseph actually the VICEROY, the ruler of Egypt? Or czar of the economy? 22.12.2025 33:27

The role of the Jew in the Egyptian economy foreshadowed the role of the Jew in later economies: find a niche not occupied by the native inhabitants. לע"נ יששכר מאיר בן ברוך סטפנסקי

Final Chanukah 2025 Thoughts: וּלְךָ עָשִֽׂיתָ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ בְּעוֹלָמֶֽךָ 22.12.2025 26:03

"Olamecha" also means hidden or invisible. Through the miracle of the oil, an Invisible God became "visible" (so to speak)

Another Apocryphal "Midrash" on the Chanukah Story, with interesting takes on the discovery of the jar of oil 21.12.2025 35:40

The jar of oil was located under the altar. Had they not torn down the existing altar (as an act of piety, to replace it with a new, unblemished altar), they would not have found the famous פַּךְ שֶׁמֶן https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

Haftarah Shabbos Chanukah: The Vision of Zachariah and its relevance to Chanukah 18.12.2025 29:03

The Menorah that stayed lit for eight days was being fueled by the two (spiritual) olive trees in Zachariah's prophetic vision https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

Parshas Mikeitz: Yosef, the first "Court Jew" 18.12.2025 25:47

Comparing & Contrasting Yosef with Hasdai ibn Shaprut, Shmuel haNagid, Benjamin Disraeli, and Henry Kissinger

Chanukah, the Maccabean Wars, and the Civil wars in Seleucid Syria 17.12.2025 24:41

The Jews' final victory was due to the political disintegration of the Syrian state at that time

Some thoughts on the Chanukah Story and its historiosophical relation to גָּלוּת יָוָן 15.12.2025 31:32

Two opposite models: A.) Alexander bows to the Kohen Gadol B.) Antiochus forces the High Priest and the Temple to "bow" to him https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

Some thoughts on today 24 Kislev and its famous prophecy in סֵפֶר חַגַּי (תְּרֵי עָשָׂר) 14.12.2025 41:22

Does it prophecy the Maccabean Wars? The Messianic Wars? The current situation in Syria and the Middle East?

Parshas VaYeshev - Yaakov and Yosef "wake up," but too late! 11.12.2025 27:50

Yosef was one his way to talk to his brothers in an altogether different tone, but they never gave him a chance. Yaakov was going to by colored coats for the other brothers too, but the bloody coat killed THAT plan! https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

How the Judith Story in the Apocrypha (or a different version of the story) entered orthodox rabbinic literature AND practice 09.12.2025 42:02

Some old widespread chanukah customs had no source in REGULAR rabbinic literature, but were accepted (despite some opposition) by basing them on sources in IRREGULAR Jewish literature

Haftarah Vayeshev: Amos blasts the social injustice prevalent in his time 08.12.2025 27:37

NOT the idolatry! Although there WAS idolatry, it is the abuse of the poor and helpless that will cause the חֻרְבַּן!

Parshas VaYeshev: The remarkable tale of the character-development of Joseph 08.12.2025 28:39

From oblivious to the impact of his actions and words on others (in Canaan) to the extreme-opposite in Egypt. A lesson for us all? https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

Chanukah 2025: The Story of the Greeks depriving the Jews of doors and windows 08.12.2025 43:03

From (apocryphal?) non-mainstream midrashim on the Hellenistic persecutions. This one is mentioned by Rambam in his אִגֶּרֶת הַשְׁמַד