Machshavah Lab

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 1 page Length of audio: 3 minutes 46 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/6/25 titled: Sukkos 5786: Musings on the “Branding” of Chag ha’Sukkos .  Two years ago, a student of mine asked a question about Sukkos using one quirky word...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 3 pages Length of audio: 11 minutes 24 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/5/25 titled: Haazinu: What If You Find Torah Empty? Chazal would respond, “The fault is yours—you didn’t toil in Torah.” But what about those who have toil...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 9 minutes 18 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/1/25, titled: Yom ha’Kippurim 5786 / Acharei Mos: The Order of Vidui . Here’s a quick article I wrote this morning. The idea isn’t fully developed, but I ho...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 8 minutes 36 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/29/25, titled: Approaching the “Sweet Secret” of Ha’Melech ha’Mishpat. Does the grammatically anomalous "ha'Melech ha'Mishpat" contain a...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This morning (9/26/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we concluded (I think?) the introductory portion of our Iyov shiurim by taking up the question of when and whether Iyov lived. We read through the ten plus opinions in the Gemara, raised questions on what Chazal were trying to...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 3 pages Length of audio: 12 minutes 25 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/25/25, titled: Vayeilech: When Hashem Hides His Face . Twice in this parashah Hashem says He will hide His face: once for sin, and again even after we admit...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 10 minutes Synopsis: This morning (9/19/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab sreies for women, we began with a comprehensive review of what we covered in Part 1, adding and clarifying the points we previously discussed. It was so comprehensive, in fact, that it took up the majority of our shiur! We used the remaining ti...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 43 minutes Synopsis: This evening (9/18/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the first of two mishnayos in our perek about the relationship between Olam ha'Zeh and Olam ha'Ba. At first, we thought the mishnah was obvious. Then, after learning through four meforshim, we found ourselves...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 8 minutes 20 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/16/25, titled: Nitzavim: Was Moshe Rabbeinu Pro-Philosophy or Anti-Philosophy? This article's intended audience is those who feel strongly either way, t...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 33 minutes Synopsis: This morning (9/12/25), in this year's first Friday morning Machshavah Lab shiur for women, we began our (hopefully) year-long series on Sefer Iyov! I began by recapping my prior experience with Iyov, but to my delight, this turned into a really great discussion about the various challenges of learn...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 48 minutes Synopsis: This evening (9/11/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned the next mishnah in our chapter. This one was more practical, more approachable, and less metaphysical than the last. After raising a ton of questions, we learned the explanations of three commentaries: Rambam, Meiri, a...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 8 minutes 28 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/5/25, titled: Ki Teitzei: Ibn Kaspi's Radical Rationale for Sending Away the Mother Bird . He'd sum up the rationale by saying: "You're n...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 48 minutes Synopsis: This evening (9/4/25), in our first Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women of the 2025-2026 season, we took up a mishnah that happens to be on the same topic as Sefer Iyov, which will be a major focus of mine this year! In fact, this mishnah seems to undermine Iyov in its entirety! Thankfully, Sforno...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of FREE article: 2 pages (PAID version is 3 pages) Length of FREE audio: 7 minutes 44 seconds (PAID version is 11 minutes 37 seconds) Synopsis: This is the audio version of the FREE version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 8/20/25, titled: Re’eh: The Torah Temimah’s Counterintuitive Ta...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 7 minutes 4 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 8/14/25, titled: Eikev: Slowing the Conquest ... For Animals? The Torah gives a bizarre reason for the slow conquest of Canaan. Two contrary explanations given...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 5 minutes 57 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 8/8/25, titled: Vaeschanan: The Loneliness of the Jew . Moshe Rabbeinu warns us not to add to or subtract from the Torah, but his reasoning is rather strange....

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of audio: 1 hour 6 minutes Synopsis: This is the recording of the Tishah b'Av shiur I gave at the Island Synagogue on 8/3/25. Two things to note: (1) Unlike most other Tishah b'Av shiurim I've given, I don't think there are any  chidushim  (novel insights). Instead, I decided to focus on the basics. (2) Towards t...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 5 pages Length of audio: 18 minutes 3 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 5-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 8/1/25, titled: Tishah b’Av 5785: Metaphysical Trauma and the Aftermath of October 7th . I’ve revised and combined my four most important pieces on Tishah b’Av...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2.5 pages Length of audio: 8 minutes 44 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2.5-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 7/24/25, titled: Masei: Leviim as Countercultural Role Models Against Cancel Culture . What can the Levite Cities of Refuge teach us about cancel culture i...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 6 minutes 29 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 7/18/25, titled: Pinchas: Inheritance as a Non-Intuitive Mishpat . What’s the purpose of inheritance laws? Most don't even ask. They assume the answer is...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 9 minutes 5 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 7/11/25, titled: Balak: How Bad Omens Can Harm You (Even According to the Rambam) . Many people believe that bad omens are harbingers of real harm. Rambam is no...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 3.5 pages Length of audio: 11 minutes 37 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 7/9/25, titled: The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Integrity of the Masoretic Text (Q&A Response) Part 1 .  Here's Part 1 of my response to a high school...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 4 pages Length of audio: 14 minutes 36 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 7/4/25, titled: Chukas: A Maimonidean Explanation for Parah Adumah (from a Different Moshe) . Yes, even the red heifer has a reason. Rambam paves the way but...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 7 minutes 54 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 6/26/25, titled: Korach: Three Types of Machlokess (or “How Korach Wasn’t as Bad as You Think”) We’re quick to condemn Korach. But what if his motives weren’t...

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 7 minutes 15 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 6/20/25, titled: Shelach: Rabbeinu Bachya on the Meraglim, Mishlei, and the Current War With Iran . I don't know who needs a Bitachon 101 (Trust in God) r...