West Deal Torah Center

Rabbi David Semah hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:45 AM at West Deal Shul. In this Erev Shavuot class, Rabbi Semah opens with a question from Parshat Yitro: why did Moshe return to God to report that he had delivered God's message, if God already knows everything? Rashi answers that Moshe was teaching us Derech Eretz — the proper way to treat people — by always reporting back to the o...

Rabbi Moshe Tobal hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:30 AM at West Deal Shul. Rabbi Tobal opens by explaining the custom of a late Maariv on Shavuot eve in order to complete the full 49 days of Sefirat HaOmer, ensuring they are temimot — complete. He then presents the Ramchal's principle that every Jewish holiday carries a recurring spiritual influence from Heaven, meaning Shavuot is not...

Rabbi David Semah hosts classes every morning at 6:45 AM at West Deal Shul. In this class, Rabbi David Semah explores how the tribe of Gad perceived God at Matan Torah. Having witnessed God as a mighty warrior at Yam Suf, they struggled to reconcile that image with the merciful, elder-like revelation at Har Sinai. Rabbi Semah examines the opening words of the Aseret HaDibrot, 'Anochi Hashem El...

Mr. Sammy Saka hosts classes on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat. In this class on Mishna 1:17, Mr. Sammy Saka explores the teachings of Shimon the son of Rabban Gamliel, who offers three interconnected lessons: that silence is the greatest thing he found among the sages, that action is more important than study alone, and that speaking excessively...

Rabbi Moshe Tobal hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul. The class opens by revisiting the story of Rabbi Gidel at the Beit Tivilah and how certain Talmudic sages were so spiritually elevated that they completely conquered the Yetzer Hara. Rabbi Tobal discusses the famous Gemara about the Yetzer Hara appearing as a mountain to the tzadikim and a hair to the resha'im,...

Rabbi Moshe Tobal hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:30 AM at West Deal Shul. In this class on Parashat Bamidbar, Rabbi Moshe Tobal explores the deeper meaning behind the census of Bnei Yisrael, explaining that the counting was meant to instill upon each individual the awareness that they are indispensable to the whole of Klal Yisrael. Using the analogy of a 600,000-piece puzzle, he illustra...

Rabbi David Semah hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:45 AM at West Deal Shul. In this class on Parashat Bamidbar, Rabbi Semah opens with a Rashi highlighting that all beginnings are difficult, but once a person commits to taking the first step in Torah observance, Hashem makes the path easier. He then discusses Moshe Rabbeinu's hesitation to enter the tents for the census and how Hashem...

Mr. Sammy Saka hosts classes on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat. In this class, Mr. Sammy Saka explores Mishna 1:16, in which Rabban Gamliel — grandson of Hillel and the first Nasi — teaches three lessons: make yourself a rabbi, remove yourself from doubt, and do not estimate when giving tithes. While the phrase 'Ase Lecha Rav' appeared ea...

Rabbi Moshe Tobal hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul. This class covers Berachot 20a, focusing on the laws of those carrying a mita (bier) and their exemption from Kriat Shema, Tefilla, and other mitzvot, as well as the distinctions between those actively carrying and those who have already fulfilled their role. Rabbi Tobal then transitions into the Gemara's centr...

Rabbi Moses Hidary hosts classes Monday nights at West Deal Shul. In this class, Rabbi Hidary continues the Chovot HaLevavot's Shaar HaBitachon, focusing on how bitachon applies to income beyond basic survival needs. He explains that while basic sustenance — food and minimal clothing — is guaranteed by Hashem, everything beyond that requires normal hishtadlut, and over-hustling will not produc...

Mr. Sammy Saka hosts classes on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat. In this class, Mr. Sammy Saka explores Mishna 1:15 in Pirkei Avot, in which Shammai presents three teachings: make Torah study a fixed practice, say little and do much, and receive every person with a cheerful face. Saka emphasizes that just as we schedule physical workouts and busin...

Rabbi Albert Setton hosts classes every Shabbat at West Deal Shul. In this class, Rabbi Albert Setton begins Perek 5 of Pirkei Avot, noting that its opening Mishnayot are structured around the number 10, and asking both what the rabbis are classifying and why. He explores the first three Mishnayot together as a thematic unit: the world's creation through 10 divine utterances establishes humani...

Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul. This class continues the sugya on Berachot 19b, exploring whether Kavod HaBeriyot — honor and dignity of people — can override Torah prohibitions. The Gemara examines the pasuk of V'Hit'alamta Me'hem to derive cases where one is permitted to ignore a friend's lost object, such as a Kohen near a ceme...

Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul. The class covers Pesachim 38a-38b, focusing on the question of why the loaves accompanying a korban todah and korban nazir cannot be used to fulfill the mitzvah of matzah on Pesach. Rabbah derives this from the pasuk 'ushmartem et hamatzot,' requiring that matzah be safeguarded specifically for the mitzvah, w...

Mr. Sammy Saka hosts classes on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat. In this class on Pirkei Avot Mishna 1:13, Mr. Sammy Saka explores four powerful teachings from Hillel, one of the greatest sages in Jewish history. The first lesson warns that one who chases honor will ultimately lose his good name, as true reputation is built through humble, selfles...

Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes every Friday at 6:45 AM at West Deal Shul. In this class on Parashat Behar/Behukotai, Rabbi Dana focuses on a single pasuk describing a brother who becomes impoverished and must sell his ancestral land, with a family redeemer obligated to buy it back. On the level of pshat, he draws on Rav Soloveitchik's insight that helping someone in poverty means caring for t...

Rabbi David Semah hosts classes every day at 6:45 AM at West Deal Shul. Rabbi David Semah opens with the pasuk from Parashat Behar, V'chi Yamuch Achicha — if your brother becomes poor, you must strengthen him. He develops a powerful mashal comparing a struggling person to a load on a donkey: it is far easier to steady the load while it is still on the donkey than to lift it off the ground afte...

Rabbi Moshe Tobal hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul. Rabbi Moshe Tobal opens by addressing a deeply challenging question: the Torah promises three years of blessing to those who keep Shemitah, yet this miraculous outcome does not always visibly occur. He cites the Chafetz Chaim and Chazon Ish, who explain that Torah blessings and rabbinic berachot are not automatic —...

Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul. In this class on Parashat Behar, Rabbi Ike Hanon explores the Sefer HaChinuch's four reasons behind the mitzvah of Shemittah. The first reason is that the cycle of six years of work followed by a seventh year of rest mirrors the six days of creation and Shabbat, reinforcing our belief that Hashem created the worl...

Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes every day at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul. The class covers Pesachim 38a, focusing on a question posed by Rish Lakish regarding whether a Kohen can fulfill his matzah obligation using challah that was separated from Ma'aser Sheni produce in Jerusalem. The Gemara first establishes that the question is only relevant according to Rebbe Akiva, who permits using Ma'as...

Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul. The class continues the ongoing debate between Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish over whether food cooked in a pan qualifies halachically as bread, with implications for Hafrashat Challah and the validity of matzah. The Gemara introduces a Beraita discussing two types of boiled dough — meisa and chalita — and examines...

Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes every day at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul. This class covers the laws of Kriat Shema as they apply to those involved in a funeral, beginning with the Mishnah's ruling that pallbearers and their replacements are exempt from Shema. The Gemara discusses whether one may schedule a funeral so early that it interferes with the time for Shema, concluding that it is forbid...

Rabbi Albert Setton hosts classes every Shabbat morning at 7:00 AM at West Deal Shul. In this class, Rabbi Albert Setton begins Perek Dalet of Pirkei Avot by exploring three foundational Mishnayot that redefine our core human drives. He opens with Ben Zoma's famous fourfold teaching, examining how wisdom, strength, wealth, and honor are each redirected inward — away from comparison with others...

Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul. The class begins with a recap of the decorated matzot discussion from 37a, where Rav Yose rules that thin, cracker-like matzot may be decorated without concern for chametz. The Gemara then transitions into a related discussion about hafrashat challah, examining which unusual bread types — including pan-made, sun-bake...

Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul. This class continues the Gemara in Berachot 19a, exploring cases where rabbis faced or deserved excommunication for undermining rabbinic authority. Rabbi Dana examines the story of Todos Ish Romi, who instructed his community to roast whole animals on Pesach night in a way that resembled bringing a korban outside t...