In 1844, the Czar of Russia issued a ban on traditional Jewish clothing worn by Eastern European Jews for centuries, leaving the community with a dilemma: should they adhere to their cultural customs, or comply with the government’s decree?

Loathing Our Clothing: The Despot’s Decree and Rabbinic Response

In 1796, a work of the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings was consigned to the flames. What were the specific passages in this book that some deemed objectionable? This will help us uncover the most fundamental theological difference between Chasidim and non-Chasidim at the turn of the nineteenth century.

Burning of the Books: The Alter Rebbe, the Gra, and the Tzimtzum Tussle

In 1549, the rabbinical court in Cairo held hearings and engaged in extensive research to learn about the source of the annual flooding of the Nile. The rabbis of the day found themselves on different sides of this scientific question and vehemently defended their respective positions. But why did they care?

The Nile on Trial: 16th-Century Rabbis and Aquatic Science

The pre-print manuscripts of Tanya shed light on what the Alter Rebbe added to this seminal text at a later stage. Curiously, three of the most notable updates involve interpersonal relationships.

This lecture was recorded live by Jewish Multimedia Library, a.k.a. JML, Melbourne Australia. Many additional recordings are available from their website: www.jml.org.au.

Evolution of the Tanya: Timely Lessons from the Eighteenth-Century Battle against Chasidism

In November 1703, Rabbi David Nieto delivered a controversial sermon at the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London, causing a rift in the local Jewish community. The cause of the feud may have been mundane politics, but it forced a thought-provoking rabbinic responsum about nature, G-d, deism, and pantheism.

We can learn about the public presence of women in a given society by examining how various rabbis understood the story of Dina. We’ll witness the difference between Ashkenazic and Sefardic commentaries, between the Tanchuma and Bereishis Rabah, and between Ashkenazic and Sefardic halachic norms.

Between Ashkenaz and Sefard: Medieval Women, Biblical Dena, and the Public Square

Are our dreams significant? Do they have predictive value? Should we pay heed to their warnings? The Talmud seems to offer contradictory teachings on this subject, and this will lead us toward two classic approaches to this matter.

The Meaning of Dreaming: Talmudic Perspectives

As Italian Jews immigrated to the Ottoman Empire during the sixteenth century, many wanted to switch to the Sephardic liturgical style. The question then was whether it was permitted to abandon well-entrenched communal customs—a question that’s very much relevant today.

Liturgical Warfare Among 16th-Century Italian Jews

Does the mitzvah of honoring parents imply that parents wield halachic control over their children’s marriage? Intriguingly, this question became a factor in the tensions that arose with the advent of the Chasidic movement in the eighteenth century.

Is It Kosher To Elope? Marriage Without Parental Consent

This class traces the minhag of avoiding the recitation of the Friday night kiddush during the seventh hour after midday. When and why did this custom begin?

Friday Night Kiddush Between 6 and 7