West Deal Torah Center

You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every day at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. This class explores Pesachim 116a-116b, focusing on the seder's Maggid section. Rabbi Hanon examines why we pour the second cup before Maggid but don't drink it until after, explaining this as a curiosity-building mechanism for children. The discussion covers the famous Ma Nishtana q...

You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every day at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. This Gemara class explores several Pesach seder practices from Pesahim 115b-116a. Rabbi Hanon discusses the requirement for two separate hand washings during the seder - before karpas and before maror - due to the time gap and likelihood of touching something in between. The class examines w...

You can experience Rabbi Moses Hidary in-person every day at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Hidary explains the laws and practical aspects of Bedikat Chametz, the search for leavened bread performed the night before Passover. He covers the timing (after dark at 7:39 PM), pre-search restrictions on eating, the blessing of Al Biur Chametz, and where to search including often...

You can experience Rabbi Albert Setton in-person at 7:00 AM Shabbat minyan at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. In this class, Rabbi Setton presents a radical reframing of the Exodus story, arguing it's not primarily about the Jewish people leaving Egypt but rather a divine showdown between Hashem and Pharaoh's magicians. He demonstrates how Moshe initially only requests a festival ce...

You can experience Rabbi Moses Hidary in-person every day at 6:15 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. In this class, Rabbi Hidary begins the third installment of his pre-Pesach series focusing on the practical laws of the Seder. He emphasizes maintaining Pesach as a holiday of freedom (cherut) despite the stress of preparation, and clarifies that while children are important, the Seder ob...

You can experience Rabbi Joseph Dana in-person every day at 6:50 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Dana explores Berachot 16b, beginning with the spiritual rewards of consistent Kriat Shema and prayer, comparing them to bringing korbanot to Hashem. The class then transitions to examining the personal prayers that each Talmudic sage would add after completing the fixed Amidah. The...

You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every day at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. This class explores Pesachim 115a-115b, focusing on the debate over using one vegetable for both karpas and maror, requiring both brachot upfront according to Rav Hasda. The gemara discusses the fundamental machloket between Hillel, who made sandwiches combining matzah, maror and korban pesa...

See Rabbi Albert Setton in-person every Shabbat at 7:00 AM for minyan and classes at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Setton explores three instances of Pesach observance in Tanakh beyond the Torah - when Yehoshua entered the land, King Chizkiyahu's reunification effort, and King Yoshiyahu's massive reform. He identifies a common thread: Pesach appears at crucial nation-building moment...

Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes every day at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Dana prepares listeners for Passover by focusing on the primary mission of the Seder: passing Jewish tradition to the next generation. He emphasizes that children should be the central focus of the Seder night, requiring careful preparation and patience despite inevitable disruptions. Through analysis of key...

Rabbi Albert Setton hosts classes every day at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Setton explores how Parashat Tzav, seemingly focused on the Kohanim, actually emphasizes the centrality of the entire Jewish people. He analyzes why the entire congregation (Eidah) must witness Aaron and his sons' consecration despite not actively participating. The key insight is that the Kohanim deriv...

You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every day at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. This Gemara class explores the debate over whether mitzvot require specific intent (kavana), using the example of dipping vegetables at the Pesach seder. The discussion moves to the two cooked items required on the seder plate, examining various opinions from beets and rice to different type...

You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every day at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Hanon examines a Mishnah from Masechet Berachot about saying Shema at night that appears in the Passover Haggadah. He explains the difference between the daily mitzvah of remembering the Exodus (zichirat yitziat mitzrayim) and the annual Seder mitzvah of telling the Exodus story (sipur...

A shiur from our beloved founding Rabbi of Congregation Magen David of West Deal, Rabbi Ezra Labaton A"H. In this class, Rabbi Labaton reviews three fundamental aspects of Passover preparation and observance. He explores Passover as Judaism's central 'orientating event' that shapes our relationship with God, emphasizes the critical importance of following kosher lists properly wit...

You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every day at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Hanon concludes Pesachim 114a with advice about living within one's means, then begins 114b with the Pesach Seder Mishnah. The class explores the dispute between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel regarding the order of Kiddush blessings, with practical applications for our Seder. A major...

You can experience Rabbi Joseph Dana in-person every day at 6:50 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. This class examines Berachot 16b's discussion of mourning laws for non-Jewish slaves, beginning with Rabbi Gamliel accepting condolences for his servant Tavi. The Gemara establishes that for slaves, we don't form mourning lines, have special meals, or offer formal condolences to av...

In Memory Of Yeshaya Ben Laura - Charlie Saka A"H In this class, Rabbi Mansour begins with community acknowledgments and memorial words for Yeshaya Ben Laura, followed by praise for the host synagogue's initiatives. He delivers a powerful teaching connecting two pasukim from King Solomon about raising children and avoiding debt, explaining how parents' luxuries become their children&#...

You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every morning at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Hanon explores the Mishnaic requirements for the Haggadah, focusing on the machloket between Rav and Shmuel about starting with the negative and ending with the positive. He explains how we follow both opinions through two separate Haggadah sections, with Shmuel's physical slav...

You can experience Mr. Sammy Saka on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat. In his lecture titled "Leading with Love," Mr. Sammy Saka explores Antigonus of Soho's teaching about serving Hashem without expecting reward, emphasizing that while receiving reward isn't wrong, serving purely out of love represents a higher spiritual level. T...

In Memory Of Stanley Chera A"H By Sammy & Margie Saka You can experience Mr. Sammy Saka on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat. Mr. Sammy Saka explores Mishna 1:2 from Pirkei Avot, where Shimon HaTzadik teaches that the world stands on three pillars: Torah, Avodah (service/prayer), and Gemilut Hasadim (acts of kindness). He emphasizes these a...

You can experience Rabbi David Semah in-person every morning at 6:45 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Semah discusses the concept of kedusha (holiness) and tahara (purity) in the context of the Passover narrative. The class examines how one must conduct themselves with holiness and purity, emphasizing the repetitive nature of this requirement. The discussion moves to leadership r...

You can experience Rabbi Albert Setton in-person at Shabbat 7:00 AM minyan at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Setton explores the deeper meaning of freedom through the lens of Yetziat Mitzrayim, examining why many Jews preferred the comfort and predictability of slavery in Egypt over the challenges of freedom. He analyzes the complaints of the Jewish people in the desert, their longin...

You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every morning at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. This Gemara class explores Pesachim 113b-114a, focusing on character traits and social dynamics. The discussion begins with when it's permitted or even required to hate intentional sinners, including the conditions for speaking lashon hara to authorities. The Gemara then presents var...

You can experience Rabbi Joseph Dana in-person every day at 6:50 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. This shiur explores Berachot 16b, focusing on the debate between Rabban Gamliel and the Sages regarding mourning laws (aninut). The class examines whether the biblical requirement of one day mourning includes the night, with Rabban Gamliel arguing it does not. The discussion incorporates t...

You can experience Rabbi Moses Hidary in-person every Monday night at Congregation Magen David of West Deal. Rabbi Hidary continues his Pesach preparation series by focusing on the main narrative section of Maggid in the Haggadah. He explains how the story begins with M'tehila Ovdeh Avodah Zarah (originally we were idolaters) and traces the structure of how the Haggadah presents ideas followed...

A shiur from our beloved founding Rabbi of Congregation Magen David of West Deal, Rabbi Ezra Labaton A"H. In this class, Rabbi Labaton begins by acknowledging a fast day called by the Chief Rabbi of Israel during a crisis period, then transitions to core Passover themes. He explores how the Exodus experience serves as the foundation for all Jewish values - from loving the stranger to caring for so...