You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every morning at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal.

Rabbi Hanon explores the Mishnaic requirements for the Haggadah, focusing on the machloket between Rav and Shmuel about starting with the negative and ending with the positive. He explains how we follow both opinions through two separate Haggadah sections, with Shmuel's physical slavery (avadim hayinu) coming first as the foundation for Rav's spiritual freedom. The class addresses the famous question about why we'd still be slaves without God's intervention, explaining that true freedom comes through Torah service, not just physical liberation. The discussion culminates with the secret seder in Bnei Brak during Roman persecution, where rabbis gathered at Rabbi Akiva's home for inspiration and strength, demonstrating how the Exodus story provides spiritual freedom even during physical oppression.

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

In his lecture titled "Leading with Love," Mr. Sammy Saka explores Antigonus of Soho's teaching about serving Hashem without expecting reward, emphasizing that while receiving reward isn't wrong, serving purely out of love represents a higher spiritual level. The discussion covers the balance between fear (awe) and love in our relationship with Hashem, with participants debating whether motivation should be transactional. Saka advocates for "leading with love" as the most effective leadership approach, sharing personal examples from his synagogue presidency and drawing parallels to successful coaching methods that inspire rather than intimidate.

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(0:00) Review of Previous Mishnayot

(3:13) Antigonus of Soho's Teaching

(4:30) Serving Without Expecting Reward

(6:00) Personal Examples & Youth Programs

(7:05) Leadership Without Personal Gain

(9:17) Discussion on Motivation vs Intention

(11:47) Fear vs Awe of Heaven

(14:40) Leading with Love Concept

(18:50) Jim Valvano Basketball Story

(22:00) Practical Application in Schools

(24:00) Student Perspective on Fear & Love

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In Memory Of Stanley Chera A"H By Sammy & Margie Saka

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

Mr. Sammy Saka explores Mishna 1:2 from Pirkei Avot, where Shimon HaTzadik teaches that the world stands on three pillars: Torah, Avodah (service/prayer), and Gemilut Hasadim (acts of kindness). He emphasizes these as fundamental principles for Jewish living, drawing from his personal experience learning Pirkei Avot from Rabbi Labaton in high school. The class connects these ancient teachings to modern leadership principles, stressing the importance of face-to-face communication over texting, active listening, and maintaining integrity. Mr. Saka concludes with a touching story about Stanley Chera's vision for community continuity, illustrating how acts of kindness can have far-reaching impacts across generations.

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(0:00) Opening - Business & Family Unity

(0:39) Shimon HaTzadik's Teaching

(0:58) Three Pillars of the World

(1:17) Torah Learning & Ethics

(1:29) Rabbi Labaton's Influence

(2:25) Teaching Pirkei Avot

(3:59) Torah - Laws and Ethics

(4:08) Avodah - Prayer as Opportunity

(4:40) Gemilut Hasadim - Acts of Kindness

(5:33) Fundamentals for Life

(6:21) Communication & Leadership

(6:44) Problems with Modern Communication

(7:43) Listening and Integrity

(8:39) Questions and Discussion

(9:09) Stanley Chera's Story

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Visit: westdealshul.org

Sponsorships: [email protected]

You can experience Rabbi David Semah in-person every morning at 6:45 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal.

Rabbi Semah discusses the concept of kedusha (holiness) and tahara (purity) in the context of the Passover narrative. The class examines how one must conduct themselves with holiness and purity, emphasizing the repetitive nature of this requirement. The discussion moves to leadership roles and authority, then focuses on questions about process and procedure. A significant portion covers the story of Yaakov, including numerical details about ages (80, 190 years) and his encounter with Pharaoh. The class concludes with practical applications of these concepts.

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(0:00) Opening - Kedusha and Tahara

(1:14) Repetition and Emphasis

(1:50) Kedusha Requirements

(2:05) Leadership and Authority

(2:35) Questions About Process

(2:40) Yaakov's Story

(3:07) Ages and Numbers Discussion

(3:26) Pharaoh Encounter

(4:41) Practical Application

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Visit: westdealshul.org

Sponsorships: [email protected]

You can experience Rabbi Albert Setton in-person at Shabbat 7:00 AM minyan at Congregation Magen David of West Deal.

Rabbi Setton explores the deeper meaning of freedom through the lens of Yetziat Mitzrayim, examining why many Jews preferred the comfort and predictability of slavery in Egypt over the challenges of freedom. He analyzes the complaints of the Jewish people in the desert, their longing for Egyptian luxuries, and connects this to the laws of Hebrew slaves who refuse to go free. The class argues that true freedom requires embracing adversity, taking responsibility for one's destiny, and being willing to be different rather than conforming to societal expectations. The Pesach Seder experience is designed to help us identify our own forms of slavery and inspire us to break free from the comfort zones that prevent personal growth.

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(0:00) The Seder as Experience vs Information

(1:59) What Does Freedom Really Mean?

(4:28) The Preordained Slavery - Why Egypt?

(5:21) Remember This Day - Zachor Et HaYom

(7:45) God's Route Choice - Avoiding War

(10:16) Chamushim - Only One Fifth Left

(12:14) First Complaint - The Pots of Meat

(17:58) Second Complaint - Egyptian Luxuries

(21:42) Egypt as Garden of Eden

(26:51) The Hebrew Slave Who Refuses Freedom

(32:39) Modern Applications of Slave Mentality

(35:07) God's Claim vs Human Claims

(37:25) True Freedom Through Torah

(39:28) Embracing Adversity and Difference

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Visit: westdealshul.org

Sponsorships: [email protected]

You can experience Rabbi Ike Hanon in-person every morning at 6:10 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal.

This Gemara class explores Pesachim 113b-114a, focusing on character traits and social dynamics. The discussion begins with when it's permitted or even required to hate intentional sinners, including the conditions for speaking lashon hara to authorities. The Gemara then presents various lists: three personality types that lead to miserable lives (overly merciful, angry, finicky), groups that naturally hate or love each other, and four intolerable character combinations like arrogant poor people and dishonest rich people. The class concludes with practical halacha about dam tohar (pure blood) for new mothers and clarifications about different rabbis with similar names.

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(0:00) Mitzvah to hate intentional sinners

(1:04) When to tell a rabbi about students

(2:28) Three types who live uncomfortable lives

(4:14) Three groups that hate each other

(5:58) Three groups that love each other

(6:28) Four intolerable character types

(11:42) Canaan's five corrupt commandments

(11:57) Six negative traits of horses

(13:05) Six people excommunicated from heaven

(14:58) Wholeness with Hashem vs astrology

(16:14) Dam tohar laws for new mothers

(17:42) Rabbi aliases and identifications

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Visit: westdealshul.org

Sponsorships: [email protected]

You can experience Rabbi Joseph Dana in-person every day at 6:50 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal.

This shiur explores Berachot 16b, focusing on the debate between Rabban Gamliel and the Sages regarding mourning laws (aninut). The class examines whether the biblical requirement of one day mourning includes the night, with Rabban Gamliel arguing it does not. The discussion incorporates the ma'aser vidui declaration as a biblical source and explores the concept of istenis (delicate constitution) as grounds for exemption from rabbinic restrictions. The analysis extends to practical applications, including comparisons to Shema reading times and Shabbat food preparation laws.

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(0:00) Mishna on Rabban Gamliel mourning practices

(3:54) Gemara begins - biblical vs rabbinic mourning

(4:58) Ma'aser vidui declaration obligations

(7:19) Biblical source for one day mourning

(8:42) Rabban Gamliel's position on nightfall

(12:30) Comparison to Shema reading times

(14:02) Istenis exemption from rabbinic laws

(16:30) Question on bathing during mourning

(18:28) Tosafot's analysis - rabbinic vs biblical

(21:50) Practical application to Shabbat laws

(23:00) Discussion on reheating food

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Visit: westdealshul.org

Sponsorships: [email protected]

You can experience Rabbi Moses Hidary in-person every Monday night at Congregation Magen David of West Deal.

Rabbi Hidary continues his Pesach preparation series by focusing on the main narrative section of Maggid in the Haggadah. He explains how the story begins with M'tehila Ovdeh Avodah Zarah (originally we were idolaters) and traces the structure of how the Haggadah presents ideas followed by supporting pesukim. The class analyzes four core pesukim from Devarim that summarize the entire Egyptian exile - from Yaakov going down to Egypt through the exodus with signs and wonders. Rabbi Hidary demonstrates how these verses are systematically broken down and connected back to the original story in Shemot, showing the elegant structure that people often rush through at the seder. The lesson emphasizes understanding this format to have a more enriching Pesach experience.

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(0:00) Introduction to Pesach Series Part 2

(1:38) Tonight's Focus: Main Section of Maggid

(2:43) Where Does the Story Really Start?

(4:52) Structure of M'tehila Through Ten Plagues

(7:15) First Supporting Pesukim from Yehoshua

(12:06) Brit Ben HaBetarim and Its Eternal Covenant

(16:28) Four Pesukim Summary from Devarim

(17:14) Lavan vs Pharaoh Comparison

(20:00) Breaking Down the Four Core Pesukim

(24:39) Pesuk Analysis: Going Down to Egypt

(29:42) Pesuk Analysis: Crying Out to Hashem

(33:59) Hashem's Direct Intervention

(35:14) Ten Plagues Hidden in the Pesukim

(41:05) Wrapping Up the Story Section

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Sponsorships: [email protected]

A shiur from our beloved founding Rabbi of Congregation Magen David of West Deal, Rabbi Ezra Labaton A"H.

In this class, Rabbi Labaton begins by acknowledging a fast day called by the Chief Rabbi of Israel during a crisis period, then transitions to core Passover themes. He explores how the Exodus experience serves as the foundation for all Jewish values - from loving the stranger to caring for society's vulnerable members. The Rabbi then examines four different kashrut lists available for Passover, including detailed discussion of Sephardic versus Ashkenazi customs regarding kitniyot and corn syrup. He concludes this portion by addressing the complex issue of kashrut standards and when one might choose stricter practices for psychological or social reasons.

You can experience Rabbi Joseph Dana in-person every morning at 6:50 AM at Congregation Magen David of West Deal.

This class explores the Talmudic principle that a groom (chatan) is exempt from reciting Shema on his wedding night, particularly when marrying a virgin (betula) versus a widow (almana). The discussion analyzes the tension between being engaged in one mitzvah exempting from another versus the anxiety factor that prevents proper focus. Through comparison to mourners (avelim) and business troubles, the Gemara concludes that exemption only applies when the mitzvah itself causes the stress, not external personal anxieties. The class also addresses modern applications where we generally don't apply these exemptions since we lack proper focus (kavana) in prayer regardless.

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(0:00) Chatan's exemption from Shema

(0:51) Four days of exemption rule

(1:51) Rabbi Astor's derivation from pasuk

(2:41) Betula vs Almana distinction

(4:29) Davar reshut vs mitzvah analysis

(7:25) All mitzvot should exempt - question

(9:23) Gemara's answer - anxiety factor

(10:05) Modern halacha comparison

(11:03) Why anxiety only at night

(12:43) Nowadays we lack kavana

(14:15) Ketuba vs marriage clarification

(17:15) Why specifically betula

(18:07) Business loss comparison

(19:01) Avel obligations in mitzvot

(22:51) Tirdah from mitzvah vs personal

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Visit: westdealshul.org

Sponsorships: [email protected]