This class was presented on Tuesday, 11 Av, 5785, August 5, 2025, Parshas Vaeschanan, at The Barn in Montebello, NY.

There is a story in the Talmud, in which Shimon the Imsonite retracts his entire theory that the term "Es" indicates the inclusion of another person or item, due to a single verse in this week’s portion, “You shall fear -- Es -- the Lord your G-d.” How can we be in awe of anybody but G-d? Yet his student, Rabbi Akiva, rescues his teacher’s refuted theory.

The obvious question is what did Rabbi Akiva discover which Shimon did not? Shimon could not entertain the notion of including anything in the commandment to fear G-d. For him, such a proposition would be blasphemy. Why did Rabbi Akiva, then, not have a problem of adding Torah scholars to the mitzvah of fearing G-d?  How is it that for what Shimon was blasphemy was for Rabbi Akiva perfectly acceptable, and even a mitzvah?!

You were selected to win the Nobel Prize for your contribution to physics. You received your tickets to Norway to attend the lavish ceremony. You were featured on the cover of Time magazine, and have been interviewed by hundreds of journals and networks. Minutes after you received the call that the Nobel Committee had chosen you from 40 possible candidates, you went from being an anonymous physicist spending the last 45 years in a laboratory to becoming a world-class scientist whose name will be immortalized in the annals of scientific innovation and discovery. You become a household name. The world is buzzing with your praise.

And then… the unthinkable happens. Hours before you go to the airport to fly to Norway, you discover a subtle mistake in one of your 20,000 equations.  It is a mistake that no eye has perceived and perhaps will not be perceived for many years. But it is a mistake. Your calculation is erroneous. You have refuted your discovery. You now have a choice to make. Will you allow the “small truth” to destroy your eternal glory? What would you do?

It is such a story that the Talmud is addressing. If only we can internalize this type of integrity our lives can be transformed.

This class was presented on Tuesday, 4 Av, 5785, July 29, 2025, Parshas Devarim, at a new location, The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.

The class tells the incredible story of Unkelus, who raised three people from the grave: Titus, Balaam, and Yeshu. What the Maharal and Reb Tzadok explain about the core of the Jewish soul, and how we must never confuse our blockages with our essence.

We explain the downfall of Yeshu and Shabti Tzvi, and the incredible story of the false Messiah coming to the Baal Shem Tov for spiritual healing. 

We discuss how to view our struggling children and students who may be engulfed in confusion and pain.

This class was presented on Tuesday, 26 Tammuz, 5785, July 22, 2025, Parshas Matos-Masei, at a new location, The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, 12 Tammuz, 5785, July 8, 2025, Parshas Balak, at a new location, The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, 5 Tammuz, 5785, July 1, 2025, Parshas Chukas, at a new location, The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, 28 Sivan, 5785, June 24, 2025, Parshas Korach, at a new location, The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.

What empowered Netanyahu? What was the difference between the October 7th failure and the incredibly successful war against Iran?

This class was presented on Tuesday, 21 Sivan, 5785, June 17, 2025, Parshas Sh'lach, at a new location, The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, 29 Iyar, 5785, May 27, 2025, Parshas Bamidbar, at a new location, The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.

This class was presented on Tuesday, 22 Iyar, 5785, May 20, 2025, Parshas Behar-Bechukosai, at The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.

The class explores three forms of acquisitions in Jewish law, reflecting three paths in our service of G-d. Selling the tree, selling the future fruits of the tree, and selling a tree for its fruits. 

Generally it is assumed that there are two moral paths through life. There is the sure, tranquil path of the perfectly righteous person who has succeeded in remaking his very character and personality—a path that few can aspire to and even fewer achieve. And there is the path of the imperfect soul whose life is an endless battle—a battle in which defeat is always a possibility and, in the long run, a statistical inevitability. A path which runs along the edge of a moral precipice, in which the slightest misstep or lapse in vigilance sends one hurtling into the abyss.

Is there no other way? Is there no middle ground between utter perfection and perpetual self-doubt? Is there no way to gain control over one’s life short of remaking one’s inner self?

Such was the moral landscape of man until Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi wrote the Tanya and introduced us to the "banuni," “the intermediate man.”

This Lag Baomer class was presented on Tuesday, 15 Iyar, 5785, May 13, 2025, Parshas Emor, at The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY.

There is no other sage in the history of Judaism who has all of the Jewish people celebrating on the day that he passed away. Why is the yarzeit of Reb Shimon ben Yochai marked in such a unique and universal way?

How did Reb Shimon bar Yochai end up in a cave? It seems like a classic Jewish story and conversation. One Jew, Reb Yosei, remains quiet about Rome. Reb Yehuda praises the Romans for elevating the standards of life; and Reb Shimon is critical because he said it was for narcissistic purposes. But is there a deeper theme behind this debate? The fact that the Talmud records the details of the debate, and gives us the names of the debaters, instead of just saying that Reb Shimon criticized the government, indicates there is some depth and gravitas to this debate, and that the names are important.

As it turns out, the debate on Rome fascinatingly reflects a debate between Reb Yehuda and Reb Shimon in many aspects of Jewish law.

The Talmud states: Chezekiah stated in the name of Rabbi Jeremiah, who said it in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, "I am able to exempt the whole world from judgment from the day that I was born until now!” (Sukkah 45b). What is that supposed to mean?

The Midrash states in Avod Derabi Nasan ch. 16: Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai would say: From this you know that Israel will never see the face of purgatory. But how can a sage say such a thing?