Machshavah Lab

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (11/13/20) we took up the juicy question in the title, focusing primarily on the framework provided by the Rambam's explanation of "al tifnu el ha'elilim" and "lo sasuru acharei levavchem v'acharei eineichem." I won't spoil the answer with any teasers. Let's just say: it's not so simple!
----------
מקורות:
רמב"ם – משנה תורה, הלכות יסודי התורה, הקדמה
רמב"ם – ספר המצוות, לא תעשה י
רמב"ם – ספר המצוות, לא תעשה מ"ז
רמב"ם – משנה תורה, הלכות עבודה זרה וחוקות הגוים פרק ב:א-ג
דברים יח:ט
רש"י - דברים יח:ט
----------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
----------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 11/11/20) we concluding learning the Ibn Ezra's introductions to Chumash. After reviewing the first four methods, learning the fourth one inside the text his "Shitah Acheres" commentary, we read his presentation of the fifth method - HIS method. In addition to describing his procedure for learning, the Ibn Ezra also made it very clear what little regard he has for the Masoretes' explanations of orthographical anomolies and what high regard he has for Targum Onkelos. We concluded the evening with a methodological tidbit from a fellow pshat-commentator, the Mahari Kara.
----------
מקורות:
אבן עזרא - הקדמה לתורה
אבן עזרא - הקדמה לתורה שיטה אחרת
מהר"י קרא - א' שמואל א:יז
----------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
----------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (11/6/20, Parashas Vayeira) we took up three non-mainstream explanations of Akeidas Yitzchak: that of Shadal, Ralbag, and Rashbam. We also applied a useful three-question Chumash methodology formula to maximize what we gained from these three approaches. DISCLAIMER: some of these views might be perceived as extremely radical ... proceed with caution!
--------------------
מקורות:
בראשית כב:א-ב, יב
שד"ל – בראשית כב:א
רלב"ג – בראשית כב:א, ביאור המלות, וביאור הפרשה
רשב"ם - בראשית כב:א
--------------------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
--------------------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 11/4/20) we continued learning the Ibn Ezra's introduction to Chumash. We began with his criticism of "the third approach," in which he discusses when it is and isn't acceptable to interpret pesukim allegorically. We read about this in two other places: the intro to his second commentary on Bereishis, and his commentary on the Aseres ha'Dibros. We then moved on to his criticism of "the fourth approach," those commentaries which rely heavily on the use and misuse of midrashim.
----------
מקורות:
אבן עזרא - הקדמה לתורה
אבן עזרא - הקדמה לתורה שיטה אחרת
אבן עזרא - דברים י:טז
אבן עזרא - פירוש הארוך לשמות כ:ב
אבן עזרא - שמות יג:ט
 ----------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
----------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (10/30/20) we took up the midrash in Berachos 5a about how to vanquish the yetzer ha'ra: "le'olam yargiz adam yetzer tov al yetzer ha'ra etc." We learned through the commentaries of R' Avraham ben ha'Rambam and the Meiri, then attempted to come up with our own cohesive understanding making use of both approaches. We may or may not have succeeded, but after all, the title of this Lomdeha Seminar series is "Machshavah Lab," and what is the purpose of a lab if not for experiments?
----------
מקורות:
תלמוד בבלי ברכות דף ה עמוד א
רש"י - ברכות דף ה עמוד ב
תהלים פרק ד
מפרשים על תהלים ד:ה - רש"י, רד"ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון, מלבי"ם
רבינו אברהם בן הרמב"ם - מאמר על דרשות חז"ל
מאירי - בית הבחירה ברכות דף ה עמוד א
רמב"ם - הקדמה למשנה
----------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
----------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

In tonight's Chumash Methodology shiur (given at YBT on 10/28/20) we began learning the Ibn Ezra's introduction to Chumash. We spent the first part of shiur defining "pshat" according to Ibn Ezra, and then we delved into his intro. Ibn Ezra says that he's going to analyze five approaches to Chumash, and we discussed the first two.
----------
מקורות:
אבן עזרא - הקדמה לתורה
אבן עזרא - פירוש הקצר לשמות כ:א
אבן עזרא - הקדמה למגילת איכה
----------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
----------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (10/23/20) we addressed what some might consider to be a controversial topic: the questions and problems raised by science against the narrative of The Flood in Parashas Noach. We began with an overview of four major problems. After briefly outlining three possible approaches to addressing these problems, we learned (what I currently consider to be) the ONLY viable solution that answers all of the questions in a manner which is consistent with our general approach to learning Torah and is both intellectually honest and intellectually satisfying. We concluded by identifying three categories of questions which remain to be answered.
 ----------
מקורות:
בראשית פרקים ו-י
רמב"ן – בראשית ו:יז
סעדיה גאון – אמונות ודעות ז:ב
תלמוד בבלי מסכת תמיד דף כט עמוד א
בתורתו של רב גדליה – בראשית פרקים ו-ז

Additional Sources:
When to Take Pesukim Non-literally
A Visual Representation of Science and Torah
 ----------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
----------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

In tonight's Chumash shiur (given at YBT on 10/21/20) we began learning the Ralbag's commentary on Gan Eden. We encountered some Aristotelian bumps along the way - most of which had to do with the Active Intellect - but we at least got most of what he was saying. Certainly an original and creative approach!
----------
מקורות:
רלב"ג בראשית ב:ד-יד, ביאור המלות
----------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
----------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

In today's Lomdeha Seminar shiur (10/16/20) we took up the midrash in Sukkah 48b about the two heretics, Sasson and Simchah. We learned and evaluated three approaches, and concluded with a fourth quasi-original approach, with plenty of methodological insights along the way.
--------------------
מקורות:
שמואל הנגיד - מבוא התלמוד
תלמוד בבלי סוכה דף מח עמוד ב
רש"י שם
רשימות שיעורי הגרי"ד שם
מהרש"א – חדושי אגדות
שם משמואל – סוכות פרק א אות לג-לו
רמב"ן - הויכוח
--------------------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
--------------------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!

The topic of tonight's Chumash shiur (given at YBT on 10/14/20) was the Ralbag's preface to his allegorical commentary on Gan Eden. We began with the Abravanel's objections to taking Gan Eden as a mashal. We then learned through the Ralbag's intro to Gan Eden in which he gives an overview of the ideas in the nimshal. Whether or not we embark on learning through his commentary in the upcoming weeks remains to be seen.
----------
מקורות:
אברבנאל - בראשית פרק ב
רלב"ג בראשית ב:ד - ג:כד, הצעה לחלק ח
רמב"ם - מורה הנבוכים הקדמה; ב:כט
רמב"ם - שמונה פרקים, פרק א
 ----------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
----------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com 
Our Yeshiva: https://www.yeshivabneitorah.org/
Our Women's Program: https://www.lomdeha.org/