The Netivot Israel Class on Tefilah

In this class we study the early history and later development of the 16th Beracha of the Amidah which was an early staple of petitionary prayer and a hotbed for embellishment in medieval times.

In this shiur we take a quick look at u'Nesaneh Tokef by explaining what it is, where it came from, and why it became so important to the Rosh HaShana liturgy.

In this class we study the 15th Beracha of the Amidah, which prays for the "sprout of David" ie. the Messiah from the house of King David. We study the earliest evidence for this Beracha and its development, and the many controversies regarding its aurthorship.

In this class we explore the earliest evidence for Berachot regarding Jerusalem, and why the development of this Beracha in particular is so central to the controversy surrounding the origins of the Amidah.

In this shiur we discuss the limited data we have about this early Beracha, and the history of its evolution from ancient times until the modern era. We also discuss the concept of using liturgy for sociopolitical gains.

In this class we discuss the Beracha directed against the "heretics", which historically developed a tremendous set of controversies and instances of censorship, both internal and external.

In this shiur we discuss the complex ancient history of the Beracha of Mishpat, and how variants of Talmud Bavli cast doubt on our conventional understanding of the Beracha.

In this class we learn 10 facts about the Kinnot to hopefully make the experience of using the Sefer HaKinnot more meaningful for everyone. I also provide some tips as to how to read them constructively.

In this class we discuss the 10th blessing of the Amidah and how and why it was the first blessing to be modified by Liberal and Progressive Jews in Europe.