In this class, we’ll trace how the sale of mitzvos in shul began, why it caught on, and how it spread across the Jewish world. We’ll look at halachic debates about selling on Shabbos and Yom Tov and at the fiery disputes that erupted over bidding rights, auction miscommunications, and the occasional auctioneer mischief. We’ll also hear from the voices who opposed the practice and what their protests reveal about their communities and times.

Bidding Wars: Inside the History of Selling Shul Honors

Ever feel like some piyutim just don’t flow right, as if the stanzas are out of order? Join us for a historical detective journey as we trace the piyut V'chol Maaminim and explore its possible connection to the enigmatic poet Yannai, whose true genius was hidden for centuries. We’ll uncover forgotten clues from the Cairo Geniza and reveal the song’s original, elegant structure. Finally, we’ll explore how key ideas from Chasidus unlock profound messages within its stanzas—a perfect way to enter the new year.

We’ve Been Singing It All Wrong? Solving the V'chol Maaminim Mystery

Jews have been talking in shul for centuries, and rabbis and communities have tried countless ways to stop it. From twelfth-century Cairo to the Lower East Side in the early 1900s, this struggle has played out across Jewish communities worldwide. This class offers a light yet thoughtful examination of the history of “shul chatter” and how Jews have navigated it through the ages.

The Saga of Shul Shmoozing: A Historical Look at Talking in Shul Across the Centuries

In 1827, Czar Nicholas I decreed that Jewish boys and young men be conscripted into the Russian army, a policy that shook Jewish life in Russia to its core. Communities debated and attempted various strategies to confront this crisis, and in that context, the Tzemach Tzedek was asked whether a particular approach was permissible. In this class, we’ll explore the historical backdrop, unpack the Tzemach Tzedek’s responsum, and work together to understand its meaning.

The Cantonist Crisis

In this class, we will delve into the architectural anomaly of the “four halls” described in Yosifun’s account of the Beis HaMikdash. This description contradicts the sources in Chazal, and as we will discover, there is a fascinating history behind how this peculiar design came to be.

The Four Halls That Never Were: A Critical Look at Yosifun’s Design of the Beis Hamikdash

What do you do when the government demands soldiers and says you have to choose who goes? That’s exactly what Jewish communities in the late 1700s faced when the Austrian-Hungarian Empire started drafting Jews into the army. In this class, we look at how the rabbanim responded to this impossible situation and uncover the moral struggle beneath their rulings. The Draft Dilemma: The Chilling Reality of Jews Deciding Who Gets Drafted

Can a Jewish community surrender one of its own to save the many? This class explores three cases from the 1600s and 1700s, where this wrenching question was brought before leading rabbanim. We’ll learn about the details of each case, the rulings the rabbis issued, and the Talmudic sources that shaped their decisions.

The Dilemma of Handing Over One to Save Many

Today, we’ll examine the debate in Venice in 1630 over a communal ban against gambling. Local leaders moved to outlaw games of chance, but Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Modena pushed back, arguing that the community had no right to restrict a Jew’s freedom in this area. Along the way, we examine the authorship of an anonymous 1595 dialogue on gambling, offering an overview of the halachic arguments and a window into public attitudes about his subject at that time. The story comes full circle as we turn to explore Rabbi Modena’s unique and candid autobiography.

The Rabbi Who Couldn’t Quit Gambling

In 1725, Rabbi Zalman Hena published Shaarei Tefilah and sparked controversy by calling for a complete stop to the use of taam ha’elyon—the unique system of trop traditionally used for reading the Aseres Hadibros. Rabbi Yaakov Emden wasn’t having it and fired back forcefully in his Luach Eresh. This class unpacks their debate, the sources they cite, the Alter Rebbe’s position, and what we know about the two competing systems of trop for reliving Matan Torah.

Up High or Down Low? The Battle Over the Proper Trop for the Aseres Hadibros

Today, we’re picking up where we left off in the story of chidush hasemicha. We’ll look at what unfolded after Rabbi Levi ibn Chabib pushed back against Rabbi Yaakov Beirav’s plan and how the controversy evolved in the decades that followed. We’ll dive into Rabbi Yosef Caro’s role in the debate and then turn to the remarkable mission in the 1830s, spearheaded by Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov, to find the Ten Lost Tribes in a bold attempt to revive semicha.

The Great Semicha Controversy, Part II