Seforimchatter

#186. ** This episode sponsored by Koren Publishers. Use code CHATTER at www.korenpub.com for 10% of your order. ** With Dr. Zev Eleff discussing the history of the Purim Shpiel (in America) We discussed what the Purim Shpiel/Rav is, what "Shpiel" means, where/how it became standard in Yeshivos, Volozhin, American Yeshivos and the Purim shpiel, pushback to the shpiel, and more To read Dr...

#185. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** To listen to "Reid Bites" from Sruly Bornstein that discuss Sefer EimLaBinah: 1. https://app.daf-yomi.net/others/207100000 2. https://app.daf-yomi.net/others/181130000 3. https://app.daf-yomi.net/others/174270000 We discussed how R' Elimelech came across the manusc...

#184. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** With Prof. Elisheva Baumgarten discussing Jewish daily life in the Middle Ages We discussed Jewish daily life in the Middle Ages in Ashkenaz, literacy and pictures and how we define "literate," how biblical women are used to illustrate the lives of everyday women &...

#183. With R' Dovid Silverman discussing Sefer Matamei Yitzchak of Rav Yitzchak Marim Tolochko ZT'L We discussed how he found the manuscript, why he decided to publish it, Rav Tolochko's bio, haskamos of the Sefer, content & stykle of the Sefer, and more To contact R' Silverman: Rabbidavesilverman@gmail.com  Support the show

#182. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** With Prof. Yossi Chajes discussing Kabbalistic Trees (האילן הקבלי) We discussed the definition of kabbalistic trees, who made them, why they were made, differences between "standard" trees and Lurianic trees, printed trees, the manuscripts in the book, connection to Tu...

#181. ** To support the podcast or to sponsor an episode:  https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** With Prof. Daniel Schwartz discussing the history of the (word) Ghetto We discussed what a history of a word means, the definition of the word "Ghetto," origins of the word, history of the first Ghetto's, how the word was transported acros...

#180. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** With Prof. Matt Goldish discussing Chacham David Nieto (1654 - 1728) We discussed Chacham Nieto's bio, where he was born, the London Jewish Community, Chacham Nieto's Seforim (Mateh Dan / Kuzari HaSheini), the controversy over nature & the Chacham Tzvi's involv...

#179. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** With R' Moshe Maimon discussing Rav Dovid HaNaggid & his commentary on Parshas Vaera We discussed Rav Dovid HaNaggid's bio, his writings, chumash commentary, style of the commentary, sources quoted, his opinion of magic (the Rambam's position), the snake's...

#178. With Rabbi Yehoshua Lifschitz discussing the various Seforim that he wrote & edited We discussed how & why he picks Seforim to edit, what goes into his editing process, new edition of Zohar, who his Seforim are targeted towards, and more  For Rabbi Lifschitz website: http://sifrei-meir-panim.com/ Rav Lifschitz email: yehoshua165@gmail.com Support the show

#177. With Prof. Emily Michelson discussing Catholic Preaching to Jews in Rome. We discussed the Jewish community of Rome, the history of sermons to Jews, who was preaching and what was said in these sermons, where did the sermons take place, what the sermons were intended to do, how many Jews were forced to attend each sermon, when were the sermons abolished, and much more  To purchase the book: ...

#176. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** With Prof. Jessica Marglin discussing Nissim Shamama (d. 1873) and the battle over his fortune We discussed Tunisia and the Jews there, who Nissim Shamama was, how he became so fabulously wealthy, his move to Paris & Italy, Nissim's death, the battle over his fortune, th...

#175. With Prof. Steven Bowman discussing Yosippon and his new English translation  We discussed who wrote Yosippon, when it was written, soruces used, how it differs from Josephus, Chanukah in Yosippon, no mention of nes pach shemen in Yosippon, the nes of the fire on the mizbeach, the edition Prof. Bowman used in his translation, and more To purchase "Sepher Yosippon":  https://amzn.to...

#174. With Prof. Edward Fram discussing the codification of Jewish law in the 16th century and Rav Yosef Karo, Rav Shlomo Luria (Maharshal), and Rav Moshe Isserles (Rema). We discussed why he wrote the book, the bio of Rav Yosef Karo and his style of psak, Bio of Mahrashal and hbs style of psak, Bio of Rema and his style of psak, chumra, minhag, printing history of each of their seforim, and much...

#173. With Prof. Francesca Trivellato discussing the myth/legend of the Jews inventing Bills of Exchange (credit) We discussed the definition of Bills of Exchange and Marine Insurance, how the legend/myth of attributing their creation to Jews began, who really created them, Ètienne Cleirac and his work, the scope and meaning of usury, the definition of "credit", what happened to the lege...

#172. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** With Rabbi Edward Reichman, MD discussing his new book, The Anatomy of Jewish Law, on the topic of Medicine, Medical History, and Rabbinic Literature. We various topics from the book inlcuding, The Luz bone, Mumia, Vaccinations, Covid-19, transplanation, Rav Yehonosan Eyebeshutz,...

#171. With R' Moshe Maimon discussing Rabeinu Avraham Ben HaRambam and the new edition of his Seforim   We discussed his life, relationship with his father the Rambam, his writings, Pirush on Chumash and its style, the classical style of pirushei chumash of Geonim/Sefard and how that differs, language the commentary was written in, the new edition and what was changed and corrected, quotation...

#170. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** With Dr. Yakov Mayer discussing the first printing of the Talmud Yerushalmi We discussed the history of print and the 16th century, Aldus Manutius, Daniel Bomberg, the Leiden manuscript of Yerushalmi, how the edition was edited, other manuscript(s) that were used for the first ed...

#169. With Roy Shasha discussing Chacham Shemtob Gaguine (1884 - 1953) and his Seforim We discussed Chacham Gaguine's bio, his Sefer "Keter Shem Tov", sources that are used and minhagim discussed, his sermons ("Pachad Yitzchak"), other writings, and more To purchase “Pachad Yitzchak”: https://judaicaplaza.com/products/8494058 Support the show

#168. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** We discussed the Jews of Suriname, where they come from and when they came, where they lived, how the community functioned, shuls, Jews role in Surinamese society at large, Eurafrican Jews, Purim in Suriname, the end of communal autonomy , the community in the 19th and 20th centu...

#167. ** To support the podcast: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/ or email seforimchatter@gmail.com** With Dan Klein discussing Shadal (Shmuel/Samuel David Luzzatto) and his Sefer "Ohev Ger" on Targum Onkelos and the new edition of the Sefer We discussed a brief bio of Shadal's life (for more see our previous podcast episode: https://seforimchatter.com/2021/01/03/w...

#166. With R' Moshe Parnes discussing the Mitzvah of Hakhel and his new Sefer on the topic  We discussed what the Mitzvah of Hakhel is, when and where it was performed, who was mechuyav in this Mitzvah, which Sefer Torah was used, who read from it, the reasons for the Mitzvah, the inyan (or lack thereof) for the Mitzvah today, and much more  To purchase the Sefer:  https://zbermanbooks.com/%D...

#165. With Prof. Joshua Teplitsky, Prof. Debra Kaplan, and Dr. Zev Eleff discussing the Esrog and the new volume, "Be Fruitful! The Etrog in Jewish Art, Culture, and History" We discussed how the project came to be, who the "Esroger" was, what his position entailed, the hardship of procuring Esrogim in Europe, involvement of the civil authorities, how and where communities got...

#164. With Rabbi Bentzion Ettlinger discussing the Shofar and the Halachos, Minhagim, and his new English Sefer about it We discussed the reasons for Tekias Shofar, length of Tekia and minhagim, minhagim of Shevarim, minhagim of teruah, tekiah gedolah, kashrus of Shofaros, Baal Makri, eating kiddush before Tekias Shofar, blowing during silent Shemoneh Esrei or Chazaras HaShatz, haskamos for the Se...

#163. With Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter discussing Selichos and his new edition of Selichos with introduction and commentary  We discussed the various minhagim of selichos (when it is said), what is different about this edition, the central theme of selichos, the thirteen attributes of mercy, the akeida, zechus avos, tziduk hadin, confession, power of teshuvah, praying to angels, derision of christ...

#162. With Michelle Margolis and Sharon Liberman Mintz discussing the Jews of Corfu and their new exhibit about them We discussed the Jewish communities of Corfu, their minhagim, printing history, polemic about singing krias shema with a nigun, esrogim of Corfu, famous rabbinic figures in Corfu, ketubot of Corfu, and more For the online exhibit: https://exhibitions.library.columbia.edu/exhibits/sh...