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Join Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender for his weekly shiur on the parshat hashavua and come away with creative insights into the weekly Torah portion.

This week we will learn the entire second chapter of Masechet Megillah.  This chapter deals with the laws of reading the Megillah and how one  fulfills their obligation. We will also learn about the order of the  blessings in the silent Amida and its significance. We will learn who  may or may not read the Megillah and when it must be read. The third  chapter discusses the...

Join Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender for his weekly shiur on the parshat hashavua and come away with creative insights into the weekly Torah portion.

This week we will be learning Megilat Ester, the Book of Esther, in  depth. The Gemara quotes numerous verses and explains the hidden meaning  behind these verses. Who was King Achashverosh? Evil Haman? Righteous  Mordechai? Queen Esther? Where did they come from and what motivated  them thought the narrative?

Join Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender for his weekly shiur on the parshat hashavua and come away with creative insights into the weekly Torah portion.

The holiday of Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar. Walled cities  from the time of Joshua celebrate it on the 15th of Adar. Masechect  Megillah starts off teaching about the different dates one can read the  Book of Esther (Megillat Esther) based on the size of the city. When we  have a leap year, we add an additional month of Adar (like this year).  The gemara discus...

Join Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender for his weekly shiur on the parshat hashavua and come away with creative insights into the weekly Torah portion.

This week we will learn about the national involvement in the Temple  service, including Priests, Levites, and Israel. These were called  Maamadot. We will also learn about the tragic events that befell the  Jewish Nation on the 17th of Tamuz and the 9th of Av. We will end the  Masechet discussing the festive day of Tu B’Av (15th of Av).

Join Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender for his weekly shiur on the parshat hashavua and come away with creative insights into the weekly Torah portion.

The third chapter of Masechet Taanit describes numerous reasons the Rabbis would institute a fast: famine, locusts, wild animals, invaders or a plague. We will learn many famous stories of Sages who prayed for rain and were answered because of their special relationship with G-d or because of their righteousness.  We will hear about a Sage who spoke with Elijah the Prophet in the market and a...

Join Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender for his weekly shiur on the parshat hashavua and come away with creative insights into the weekly Torah portion.

This week we will continue learning about the 3 sets of fast days they  would institute when it didn’t rain in Israel by a certain date.  The  second chapter of Masechet Taanit begins by describing how they brought  the Ark out into the street during these fast days. We will learn how  they added 6 blessings to the Amida, making it a total of 24 blessings.  We will al...

This week we will learn all about the greatness and miraculous nature of rain. We will see how rainfall is linked to our deeds and the deeds of the righteous among us. We will learn about the 3 great leaders in the desert and what the Jewish People merited on their behalf. The Gemara teaches what date we need to start asking for rain, and what happens if it doesn't rain by a certain date.

Class description Here are the topics for Session Twenty: Urban Legend: “On Tu BiShvat, you’re supposed to eat dried fruit!” Frauds, Fakes, Forgeries: “A Sephardic rabbi discovered the long-lost Talmud Yerushalmi on Kodashim!” Street Torah: “Chanukah presents are just a variation of the older custom of Chanukah gelt!” Factitious Fiction: The Rabbi Small Mysteries: “Judaism doesn’t believe in an af...

Join Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender for his weekly shiur on the parshat hashavua and come away with creative insights into the weekly Torah portion.

The overarching theme of Masechet Taanit is Rain. Rain, especially in Israel, is integral to the health and growth of the country’s produce. Unlike other countries, Israel is almost completely dependent on rain fall for a successful crop. The first Mishna teaches us when in the year and where in our prayers do we remember and ask for rain. We will learn about the different types of rain and when i...

Class description Here are the topics for Session Nineteen: Urban Legend: “A pomegranate has 613 seeds!” Frauds, Fakes, Forgeries: “The Maharal’s Haggadah commentary was discovered in the Royal Library of Metz!” Street Torah: “If women do a zimmun of their own, men should walk out!” Factitious Fiction: The Red Tent: “All the Matriarchs worshipped goddesses. Harsh monotheism is only for males!” Peo...

Join Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Brovender for his weekly shiur on the parshat hashavua and come away with creative insights into the weekly Torah portion.

Class description Here are the topics for Session Eighteen: Urban Legend: “The Magen David is an ancient Jewish symbol!” Frauds, Fakes, Forgeries: “Eldad Ha-Dani was a medieval traveler from beyond the Sambatyon!” Street Torah: “Women lighting Shabbat candles should have one for each family member!” Factitious Fiction: The Frisco Kid: “Even to save your life, you can’t travel on Shabbat – that is,...

Class description Here are the topics for Session Seventeen: Urban Legend: “If a child intermarries, the parents are supposed to sit shiva!” Frauds, Fakes, Forgeries: “Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan led an Orthodox congregation until he lost his faith!” Street Torah: “You can kasher a knife by sticking it in the ground!” Factitious Fiction: The Last of the Just: “Being a Jew is to suffer, and being a lame...

Class description Here are the topics for Session Sixteen: Urban Legend: “Singing Tehillat Hashem after Shir HaMa’alot is an anti-Zionist thing!” Frauds, Fakes, Forgeries: “The Besamim Rosh is by the Rosh but it wasn’t published until the 1700s!” Street Torah: “You’re not allowed to marry someone who has the same name as your parent!” Factitious Fiction: The Ten Commandments (1956): “Moses receive...

Class description Here are the topics for Session Fifteen: Urban Legend: “Orthodox Jews serve men before women!” Frauds, Fakes, Forgeries: “The Radziner Rebbe reinstituted the original tekhelet!” Street Torah: “Following the law of the land isn’t required in the Land of Israel!” Factitious Fiction: The Merchant of Venice: “A Jew can demand a pound of flesh for defaulting on a loan!” People Thought...

Class description Here are the topics for Session Fourteen: Urban Legend: “Newlyweds should have sheva berakhot every day of the first week!” Frauds, Fakes, Forgeries: “A pious rabbi found and published the long-lost rishon, the Sefer HaEshkol!” Street Torah: “A mourner in the first year should walk out for Yizkor!” Factitious Fiction: Nurses TV show: “Orthodox Jews can’t accept transplants from n...

Class description Here are the topics for Session Thirteen: Urban Legend: “Adam and Chavah sinned by eating an apple!” An Unlikely Story: “93 Bais Yaakov girls killed themselves so the Nazis wouldn’t get them!” Street Torah: “The Second Beit HaMikdash was destroyed only because of sinat chinam!” Folk Etymology: “The word ‘helpmate’ is a reasonable translation of ‘ezer kenegdo’!” Don’t Know Much Ab...

Class description Here are the topics for Session Twelve: Urban Legend: “You can fulfill Seudah Shlishit with Divrei Torah instead of food!” An Unlikely Story: “The Chofetz Chaim’s grandchildren refused to use his Kiddush cup, since it wasn’t big enough for the Chazon Ish!” Street Torah: “A woman shouldn’t make Havdalah, and certainly shouldn’t drink the wine!” Folk Etymology: “The word ‘cholent’...