Rabbi Moshe Tobal hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:30 AM at West Deal Shul.

In this class on Parashat Bamidbar, Rabbi Moshe Tobal explores the deeper meaning behind the census of Bnei Yisrael, explaining that the counting was meant to instill upon each individual the awareness that they are indispensable to the whole of Klal Yisrael. Using the analogy of a 600,000-piece puzzle, he illustrates how a missing or incomplete piece leaves the entire picture flawed, and therefore every Jew must recognize that their unique contribution is essential. Rabbi Tobal then draws on the pasuk in Mishlei, 'Chanoch l'na'ar al pi darko,' to teach that each person must be guided and educated according to their own path and strengths, not forced into a single mold. He supports this principle with a story about the father of the Chasam Sofer, set against the backdrop of the Jewish community in Frankfurt, highlighting how recognizing individual greatness and nurturing it led to a lasting legacy. The practical takeaway is that parents and educators must identify each child's unique qualities and help them channel those qualities for the benefit of all of Israel.

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Rabbi David Semah hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:45 AM at West Deal Shul.

In this class on Parashat Bamidbar, Rabbi Semah opens with a Rashi highlighting that all beginnings are difficult, but once a person commits to taking the first step in Torah observance, Hashem makes the path easier. He then discusses Moshe Rabbeinu's hesitation to enter the tents for the census and how Hashem assured him that a Heavenly voice would provide the answers — teaching that our job is to act, and Hashem will provide the means. Rabbi Semah then examines the arrangement of the tribes around the camp, noting that Yehuda, Yissachar, and Zevulun were positioned near Moshe, and their greatness in Torah was influenced by that proximity — illustrating the principle that a tzaddik's neighbors benefit spiritually from being near him. Conversely, Datan and Aviram, despite being righteous people who sacrificed for Klal Yisrael in Egypt, fell into rebellion because of their proximity to Korach. Rabbi Semah drives the lesson home with a vivid historical story about Daniel Itzik of Berlin, a wealthy and charitable man whose close friendship with Moses Mendelssohn, the founder of Reform Judaism, ultimately led to the spiritual destruction of his entire line — underscoring the paramount importance of surrounding oneself with good, Torah-observant people.

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Mr. Sammy Saka hosts classes on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat.

In this class, Mr. Sammy Saka explores Mishna 1:16, in which Rabban Gamliel — grandson of Hillel and the first Nasi — teaches three lessons: make yourself a rabbi, remove yourself from doubt, and do not estimate when giving tithes. While the phrase 'Ase Lecha Rav' appeared earlier in Mishna 1:6, Mr. Saka explains that Rabban Gamliel's context is different here — as the leading authority of his generation, he is teaching that even the greatest leaders still need mentors to guide them. The class emphasizes the importance of seeking wise counsel before making major decisions, using personal stories about mentors like Jack Franco and Joel Rischdi to illustrate how timeless this principle is. On the concept of avoiding doubt, Mr. Saka urges leaders to take a measured, parved approach when institutional decisions are contentious, always remembering they represent something larger than themselves. The final teaching — not to estimate but to be exacting — is connected to the broader value of precision in halacha and leadership, with Mr. Saka praising the old-timers who wrote everything down and encouraging today's generation to carry that standard forward.

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(0:00) Introduction to Mishna 1:16

(1:39) Who Was Rabban Gamliel?

(2:18) Even Great Leaders Need Mentors

(3:18) The Jack Franco Mentor Story

(4:30) Young Students Embracing Pirkei Avot

(5:57) Leadership Advice: Make Time on Your Side

(7:35) Due Diligence in Leadership Transitions

(9:24) Ase Lecha Rav — For Leaders Too

(12:38) Vestalek Min HaSafek — Avoiding Doubt

(14:58) Staying Parved as an Institution

(16:06) Do Not Estimate — Be Exacting

(18:15) Precision in Giving and Practice

(21:00) Old-Timers Writing Things Down

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Rabbi Moshe Tobal hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul.

This class covers Berachot 20a, focusing on the laws of those carrying a mita (bier) and their exemption from Kriat Shema, Tefilla, and other mitzvot, as well as the distinctions between those actively carrying and those who have already fulfilled their role. Rabbi Tobal then transitions into the Gemara's central question raised by Rav Papal: why did open miracles occur regularly in earlier generations but not in later ones? Through stories of Tekhiyat HaMetim performed by Rav Huna and Rabbi Yochanan, and the dramatic account of Rav Kahana in Rabbi Yochanan's academy, the class illustrates just how accessible miracles once were. Drawing on the Leshem Shevo v'Achlamah, Rabbi Tobal explains that the acceptance of Torah at Purim unlocked a deeper level of Torah understanding for later generations, even surpassing the generation of the Nevi'im in certain respects. The class concludes with Rav Yehuda's famous teaching that despite knowing more Torah tractates than earlier generations, later generations could not bring rain with the ease of a single removed shoe, raising the deeper question — rooted in the Rashbam — that true Torah greatness lies not in quantity of knowledge but in internalization and spiritual refinement.

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Rabbi Moses Hidary hosts classes Monday nights at West Deal Shul.

In this class, Rabbi Hidary continues the Chovot HaLevavot's Shaar HaBitachon, focusing on how bitachon applies to income beyond basic survival needs. He explains that while basic sustenance — food and minimal clothing — is guaranteed by Hashem, everything beyond that requires normal hishtadlut, and over-hustling will not produce more than what is decreed. The class explores the idea that Hashem channels money through individuals who are then responsible for sustaining others, including family, employees, and the poor — each representing a different portion of one's income. Rabbi Hidary outlines three key mistakes a person makes regarding wealth: earning it through dishonest means, believing all income is solely for personal use, and becoming arrogant when giving to others as if the generosity is his own rather than Hashem's. The lesson concludes with the sobering reminder that a person who toils for wealth but acts with arrogance risks losing his eternal reward, while true bitachon brings both material and spiritual peace.

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(0:00) Introduction: Bitachon & Income

(0:49) Basic Needs Are Guaranteed

(1:46) Beyond Basic: Work & Livelihood

(3:22) What Work Is Right for You?

(6:15) Extra Income Comes Without Overworking

(7:06) Hourly Wage & the Hustle Question

(9:57) Hashem Channels Money Through People

(14:46) The Test of Wealth

(17:37) Supporting Family & Dependents

(21:41) Mistake #1: Earning Dishonestly

(24:30) Mistake #2: Thinking It's All for You

(24:47) The Three Parts of Your Paycheck

(31:26) Mistake #3: Arrogance in Giving

(36:01) Closing

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Mr. Sammy Saka hosts classes on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat.

In this class, Mr. Sammy Saka explores Mishna 1:15 in Pirkei Avot, in which Shammai presents three teachings: make Torah study a fixed practice, say little and do much, and receive every person with a cheerful face. Saka emphasizes that just as we schedule physical workouts and business meetings, Torah learning must be deliberately placed in our daily schedule, noting that the first question asked of us after 120 years will be whether we set aside time for Torah. He illustrates the principle of saying little and doing much through the contrasting examples of Avraham Avinu, who promised a morsel and delivered a feast, and Ephron, who spoke generously but acted selfishly. On the third teaching, Saka explains that the word seber implies not merely smiling outwardly but meaning it sincerely from the heart, and that kol ha'adam calls us to see the totality of every person, since each individual is created in the image of Hashem and carries inherent goodness. The class concludes with a call for each person to lead by example in all three areas, and a tribute to Elliot Dweck for bringing Rabbi Labaton to the Westdale community.

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(0:00) Introduction & Mishna 1:15

(1:02) Ase Toratecha Keva: Set Torah Time

(2:13) Spiritual Energy & Shabbat

(4:37) Scheduling Torah Like Work

(6:54) Emor Me'at Va'ase Harbe: Say Little

(7:01) Avraham Avinu: The Prime Example

(9:07) Ephron: The Opposite Example

(10:01) The Power of Simple Words

(10:26) Story of Mr. Saul Ashkenazy

(13:42) Veheveh Mekabel: Cheerful Face

(14:43) The Word Seber: Meaning It Sincerely

(16:02) Kol Ha'adam: See the Whole Person

(18:02) Leading by Example: Conclusion

(21:53) Closing Tribute to Elliot Dweck

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Rabbi Albert Setton hosts classes every Shabbat at West Deal Shul.

In this class, Rabbi Albert Setton begins Perek 5 of Pirkei Avot, noting that its opening Mishnayot are structured around the number 10, and asking both what the rabbis are classifying and why. He explores the first three Mishnayot together as a thematic unit: the world's creation through 10 divine utterances establishes humanity's responsibility to either uplift or damage the world; the 10 generations from Adam to Noah illustrate God's patience and set the stage for the Jewish people's role as a corrective force in history; and Avraham Avinu's 10 trials demonstrate that being a righteous, world-sustaining person requires sacrifice and perseverance. Rabbi Setton then moves through Mishnayot 4 and 5, contrasting the 10 miracles God performed for the Jewish people in Egypt and at the Red Sea with the 10 times the Jewish people tested God in the desert, and then offering the 10 daily miracles of the Beit Hamikdash as an affirmation of the enduring relationship between God and Israel. The class concludes with the beginning of Mishnah 6, which lists 10 things created at twilight on the eve of the first Shabbat, including the mouth of the earth that swallowed Korach, Bilam's talking donkey, the manna, Moshe's staff, and the shamir worm.

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Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul.

This class continues the sugya on Berachot 19b, exploring whether Kavod HaBeriyot — honor and dignity of people — can override Torah prohibitions. The Gemara examines the pasuk of V'Hit'alamta Me'hem to derive cases where one is permitted to ignore a friend's lost object, such as a Kohen near a cemetery, an elderly sage, or a person whose financial loss outweighs the object's value. Each attempted proof that Kavod HaBeriyot can broadly override mitzvot is rejected, either because the exception is sourced directly from a pasuk rather than independent logic, or because monetary law cannot serve as a model for other prohibitions. The class then turns to the Nazir's laws of tumah and the case of Met Mitzvah, raising the sharp question of whether honoring an unattended corpse can override the mitzvah of Korban Pesach. The Gemara resolves that in each case it is the Torah's own pesukim — not an independent ethical principle — that determine when an obligation is overridden, and the class closes with a preview of the distinction between actively violating a mitzvah versus passively refraining.

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Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul.

The class covers Pesachim 38a-38b, focusing on the question of why the loaves accompanying a korban todah and korban nazir cannot be used to fulfill the mitzvah of matzah on Pesach. Rabbah derives this from the pasuk 'ushmartem et hamatzot,' requiring that matzah be safeguarded specifically for the mitzvah, while Rav Yosef derives it from 'shivat yamim matzot tochelu,' requiring that the matzah be fit for eating all seven days — making Rav Yosef's opinion the stricter of the two. The Gemara then tests and rejects several alternative derivations based on lechem oni and the requirement that matzah be edible anywhere, with Reish Lakish defending the latter point by noting that in the era of Nov and Givon these breads were in fact accessible beyond a central location. The sugya concludes with a Beraita recording a dispute between Rebi Eliezer and Rebi Yehoshua, with Rabba explaining that loaves made with intent to sell can be used for matzah because the maker had flexible intentions in mind from the outset. The class ends with a brief note that the next topic, hilchot maror, will follow.

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Mr. Sammy Saka hosts classes on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat.

In this class on Pirkei Avot Mishna 1:13, Mr. Sammy Saka explores four powerful teachings from Hillel, one of the greatest sages in Jewish history. The first lesson warns that one who chases honor will ultimately lose his good name, as true reputation is built through humble, selfless action rather than self-promotion. The second teaching compares Torah learning to a skill like tennis — without consistent daily practice, one's knowledge and sharpness inevitably decline, making it essential to find a subject or rabbi that keeps you engaged and growing. The third statement, that one who refuses to teach deserves death, is understood not as a literal decree but as a call to recognize and utilize the unique God-given talents each person possesses in service of others. Finally, Hillel's warning against exploiting the crown of Torah is framed as a reminder that Torah leaders must never use their influence for personal gain, while still being deserving of fair compensation for their sacred work.

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(0:00) Introduction to Mishna 1:13

(1:24) Seeking Honor Loses Reputation

(3:23) Humility & Deflecting Credit

(5:45) Increasing Torah Learning Daily

(6:00) Torah Learning Like Tennis

(8:06) Daf Yomi & Siyum HaShas

(10:00) Torah as Spiritual Fuel

(12:26) Refusing to Teach = Escaping Purpose

(13:49) Using Your God-Given Talents

(16:53) Exploiting the Crown of Torah

(19:24) Summary: Always Raise the Bar

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Visit: westdealshul.org

Sponsorships: [email protected]