Rabbi Albert Setton hosts classes every morning at 9:00 AM at West Deal Shul.

Rabbi Albert Setton opens his 40-day Selichot series by explaining the purpose and value of learning these prayers, noting their relevance both for daily Selichot and for Yom Kippur itself. He traces the origin of the 40-day period beginning on Rosh Chodesh Elul to Moshe Rabbeinu's ascent to receive the second Luchot, culminating in Hashem's declaration of forgiveness on Yom Kippur. He also brings from the Kaf HaChaim that the number 40 corresponds to the formation of a human embryo, symbolizing the goal of these days as a period of personal recreation and renewal. Rabbi Setton then outlines the core structure of Selichot, which includes Vidui (confession), the 13 Attributes of Mercy recited multiple times, Kabbalat Ol Malchut Shamayim, and Avinu Malkeinu, framing Selichot essentially as an expanded form of Tachanun. The class sets the foundation for the series by highlighting that Selichot is built around asking Hashem for mercy, confessing sins, and reaffirming His sovereignty over our lives.

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(0:00) Introduction to Selichot Series

(1:02) Origins: Why 40 Days of Selichot

(1:17) Minhag of Spain & Moshe's 40 Days

(2:18) The Number 40 & Creation

(3:23) Structure of Selichot Prayers

(3:41) Piyutim Explained

(4:06) Core Tefilot: Vidui

(4:25) 13 Attributes of Mercy

(4:44) Kabbalat Ol Malchut Shamayim

(5:04) Avinu Malkeinu & Conclusion

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

The class opens with a review of Rashi's opinion on Motzei Shabbat, clarifying that the prohibition on melacha is rooted in Kevod Shabbat and the obligation to extend Shabbat rather than rush it out. The Gemara then presents four cases involving zealous and lazy people, exploring who receives reward in relation to refraining from work on Erev Shabbat, with a fascinating application to the women of Mehoza who never worked at all yet are still considered rewarded. This leads into a broader discussion of mitzvot shelo lishma — performing Torah and mitzvot not for their own sake — drawing on Rav Yehudah's famous teaching that doing mitzvot even for the wrong reasons can ultimately lead a person to do them for the right reasons. Rava resolves an apparent contradiction between two pesukim in Tehillim by distinguishing between lishma and shelo lishma, with lishma yielding a reward that is literally above the heavens. The class concludes with a Tannaic teaching about a husband who relies on his wife's income from demeaning work, explaining why such reliance yields no blessing, while praising the industrious wife of Eshet Chayil who engages in dignified commerce.

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(0:00) Intro & Rashi on Motzei Shabbat

(1:13) Four Cases: Zariz & Shafel

(3:53) Women of Mehoza & Shelo Lishma

(6:37) Contradicting Pesukim in Tehillim

(7:39) Rav Yehudah: Always Do Mitzvot

(8:08) Tosafot: Reconciling the Contradiction

(9:38) Wife's Income & Siman Bracha

(11:46) Eshet Chayil & Working Wives

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Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes every day at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul.

The class opens with a follow-up question from the previous day about why certain communities refrain from work the entire day of Erev Pesach, tracing the concept back to the Korban HaEtzim and the broader principle that a personal Yom Tov exempts one from work. The Mishnah on Pesachim 50b is then analyzed, which instructs a person not to deviate from local custom to avoid conflict, and the Gemara's apparent contradiction is noted — since following stringencies of both places could itself break local norms. A parallel case involving Perot Shevi'it is introduced, examining what happens when a person travels between regions where the produce has or hasn't yet run out, with the conclusion that in both directions he must perform bi'ur, either by Torah law or rabbinic enactment. The Gemara then questions why Erev Pesach is singled out for the work prohibition, offering two answers: that the prohibition begins a half-hour earlier than on regular Erev Shabbat or Yom Tov, and that violation on Erev Pesach carries the more serious penalty of excommunication rather than merely lacking a blessing. The class closes by examining a Baraita listing additional times when performing Melacha yields no Siman Berachah, including Motzei Shabbat, Motzei Yom Tov, Motzei Yom Kippur, and public fast days, with discussion of Tosefet Shabbat and what it means to work before Havdalah.

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(0:00) Intro: Why no work all day Erev Pesach?

(1:28) Korban HaEtzim & personal holidays

(1:52) Mishnah: Don't change local custom

(2:04) Contradiction: Stringencies of both places

(3:33) Perot Shevi'it across regions

(5:56) Tanna Kama vs. Rabbi Yehuda

(7:56) Why single out Erev Pesach?

(9:06) Mincha Gedola vs. Mincha Ketana

(11:16) Two answers: time & severity

(13:19) Rashi's analysis of Chatzot

(16:30) Baraita: When Melacha brings no blessing

(17:43) Motzei Shabbat & Tosefet Shabbat

(19:38) Public fast days question

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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 teaches Pirkei Avot 2:19, the mishnah of Rabbi Elazar, which contains three interconnected lessons: be diligent in Torah study, know how to answer a heretic, and trust that Hashem will reward your toil. He explains that engaging with heretics or skeptics requires serious preparation and knowledge, and cautions that when dealing with a Jew who is distant from observance, it is often best to leave that sensitive work to rabbis rather than risk pushing the person further away. The central theme of the class revolves around the Hebrew word shakud, meaning diligence, which Mr. Saka defines as steady hard work, careful attention, and persistence, applying it not only to Torah study but to business, community service, and every area of life. He shares personal examples including his commitment to the Daf Yomi cycle and a year-long effort on a community event to illustrate how prioritizing and persisting leads to success. The mishnah's promise that Hashem can be relied upon to pay the wage of one's labor serves as an encouragement that any time sacrificed for Torah or communal good will be divinely rewarded.

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(0:00) Introduction & Mishnah 2:19

(1:03) Be Diligent & Answer a Heretic

(2:57) Answering a Jewish Non-Believer

(4:46) Know Before Whom You Toil

(6:34) Community Work & Hashem's Reward

(7:57) The Word Shakud: Diligence

(8:50) Diligence in Torah Study

(10:35) Torah as a Guide for Life

(13:17) Diligence in Business & Life

(14:53) Conclusion & Closing Thoughts

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Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes every day at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul.

The class wraps up a chapter by exploring Zechariah's prophecy about the end of days, focusing on two key verses. The first discussion examines the concept of Olam Hafuch — that those who are respected in this world may not be respected in the next — with the Gemara and Rashi clarifying that this refers to the wealthy who lack genuine virtue, not a blanket reversal of all honor. The second verse, regarding the mitzilot of the horse being kodesh to Hashem, generates three distinct interpretations: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi reads mitzilot as shade, teaching that Yerushalayim will expand by the distance a horse runs in half a day, expanding the area where korbanot and maaser sheni may be consumed; Rabbi Elazar interprets it as the ornamental bells on horses being donated to the Beit HaMikdash out of generosity; and Rabbi Yochanan sees it as the spoils of the wars of Mashiach being consecrated to Hashem, leading to such wealth that even the copper pots of the Mikdash will become gold. The class concludes by establishing that the word Kanaani in Navi refers to a merchant rather than a Canaanite, supported by multiple prooftexts from Hoshea, Amos, and Yeshayahu.

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Rabbi Moses Hidary hosts classes every Monday at 8:00 PM at West Deal Shul.

In this class, Rabbi Hidary explores the concept of Bitachon as it relates to performing mitzvot, contrasting it with how Bitachon applies to worldly matters like finances and relationships. He explains that using Bitachon as a reason to wait for divine inspiration before performing mitzvot is a fundamental misapplication of faith, since Hashem has already commanded us clearly to choose the right path. A key insight discussed is that a person receives reward on three levels — the decision, the plan, and the action — and that even when a genuine effort to perform a mitzvah is blocked by external circumstances, one still receives reward for the intent and resolve. Rabbi Hidary draws a sharp contrast between spiritual obligations, where the right path is objectively known, and worldly decisions, where uncertainty makes relying on Hashem's guidance more appropriate. The class concludes with an inspiring reflection on how living a Torah-connected life — even imperfectly — produces a legacy of blessing that no material pursuit can replicate.

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(0:00) Introduction: Bitachon & Mitzvot

(1:07) Wrong use of Bitachon

(3:46) Misapplying faith as excuse

(5:45) Building habit through action

(9:54) Three levels of mitzvah reward

(15:47) Reward for intent when blocked

(21:01) Real-life examples of being blocked

(25:09) Aveira vs. mitzvah intent

(27:38) Bitachon in worldly vs. spiritual

(30:56) No Bitachon needed for clear mitzvot

(33:19) Pesukim: blessing through obedience

(34:38) Listening to God IS the blessing

(36:13) Legacy of a Torah-connected life

(39:42) Recap: resolve to do mitzvot always

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Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes every Friday at 7:30 AM at West Deal Shul.

In this class on Parshat Re'eh, Rabbi Dana explores the mitzvah of Maaser — tithing ten percent of one's income — and unpacks the famous Gemara teaching 'Asher ta'asher bishvil shetit'asher,' meaning one should give ten percent in order to become wealthy. He examines three core reasons for giving tzedakah: fulfilling a divine obligation, recognizing that Hashem is the true source of all blessing, and honoring our communal responsibility to one another as brothers. Drawing on the Chofetz Chaim's commentary, Rabbi Dana emphasizes that giving must be proportional to what one has received, not benchmarked against what others give. The class concludes by connecting these ideas to the month of Elul, the relationship of Ani L'Dodi, and the call for Jewish unity and mutual responsibility as Klal Yisrael.

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(0:00) Introduction: Parshat Re'eh

(0:46) Maaser: The Mitzvah to Tithe

(1:55) Asher Ta'asher: Give to Become Wealthy

(2:32) Why We Give Tzedakah

(4:06) Hashem Is the Source of Blessing

(6:36) Story of Rabbi Yochanan & the Child

(8:07) Malachi: Test Me With Maaser

(9:24) Gemara Ketubot: Nakdimon's Daughter

(11:41) Preserving Wealth Through Chesed

(14:53) Chofetz Chaim on Giving Proportionally

(19:29) Story: The Farmer Who Didn't Give Maaser

(26:48) Asher Ta'asher: Summary

(28:05) Elul & Ani L'Dodi

(29:00) Achdut: Responsibility to Each Other

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Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes every day at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul.

The class begins with a discussion of six halachic restrictions placed on an Am Ha'aretz, including their disqualification as witnesses, custodians, and charity overseers, with a focus on the disputed question of whether one must return their lost objects. The Gemara then returns to the Mishnah's cases involving chametz left in one's home and meat from a korban removed from Yerushalayim, analyzing the machloket between Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda regarding the threshold quantity — a k'beitza or a k'zayit — that obligates one to return. A contradiction is raised from a Mishnah in Berachot, which Rabbi Yochanan resolves by inverting the opinions, while Abaye argues no switch is needed because the two Mishnayot debate entirely different things — one based on interpretation of pesukim and the other on logical analogy. The Gemara then cites a pasuk from Zechariah about what is precious in this world but diminished in the next, leading to the famous story of Rav Yosef ben Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, who temporarily passed into the next world and reported that everything is flipped — those considered great here may be lowly there. The sugya concludes with the teaching that those killed by oppressive governments, exemplified by Papus and Lulyanus of Lod who gave their lives to save their community, reach the highest levels of the World to Come.

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(0:00) Six things about Am Ha'aretz

(1:55) Returning lost objects of Am Ha'aretz

(4:08) The Mishnah: Chametz & Korban cases

(5:07) Contradiction with Berachot Mishnah

(6:23) Rabbi Yochanan: Switch the opinions

(6:52) Abaye: No switch needed

(7:38) Machloket on k'zayit vs. k'beitza

(11:33) Third opinion: Rebbi Natan

(12:10) Pasuk in Zechariah: Yikar v'Kipa'on

(13:51) Rav Yosef's vision of the next world

(16:00) Harugei Malchut: Martyrs of Lod

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Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes every day at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul.

This class covers Pesachim 49b, which contains a series of striking Talmudic statements about the Am Ha'aretz — the Torah-ignorant person who actively opposes religious life. Rabbi Hanon emphasizes that these harsh metaphors, including stabbing, tearing like a fish, and biting like a donkey, are largely non-literal and refer to individuals who are antagonistic toward Torah scholars, not merely unlearned Jews. A key theme is that the Am Ha'aretz's life is seen as lacking purpose because he is disconnected from Torah, which is described as the very source of life. The class also explores Rabbi Akiva's personal testimony about his own hostility toward rabbis before his transformation, illustrating how deep the animosity ran historically. Rabbi Hanon closes with a hopeful note on Parshat Re'eh, citing Rav Asher Weiss and the Chafetz Chaim to show that true closeness to Hashem is inseparable from performing chesed and remaining engaged with the community.

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(0:00) Killing an Am Ha'aretz on Yom Kippur

(1:00) Students debate: stab vs. slaughter

(1:21) Maharsha on fulfilling one's purpose

(2:19) Who qualifies as an Am Ha'aretz

(3:45) Don't walk with him on the path

(5:19) Torah = commitment to life

(5:39) Rabbi Akiva's hatred before teshuva

(8:13) Marrying daughter to an Am Ha'aretz

(9:24) If not for business, they'd kill us

(10:09) Learning Torah in front of Am Ha'aretz

(11:22) Am Ha'aretz hatred for rabbis

(12:02) Parshat Re'eh: singular to plural

(12:25) Rav Asher Weiss on individual vs. community

(13:32) Chafetz Chaim on chesed and closeness to Hashem

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Rabbi Moshe Tobal hosts classes every day at 6:30 AM at West Deal Shul.

In this class on Parashat Reeh, Rabbi Moshe Tobal opens by connecting the parasha to the current period of Shiva D'Nechemta following the churban. He focuses on the Torah's warning about a false prophet who performs miraculous signs yet leads the people astray, teaching that even a prophet who produces wonders must not be followed if he contradicts the Torah or promotes avodah zarah. The Rabbi explains that Hashem sends such tests not because He lacks knowledge, but to give us the opportunity to demonstrate our love and commitment to Him in full. He emphasizes that true love of Hashem means remaining steadfast even under the most compelling pressures, as expressed in the pasuk of loving Hashem with all one's heart and soul. He closes by connecting this message to our own generation, noting that in the era approaching Mashiach, the only one we can truly lean on is Avinu Shebashamayim.

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(0:00) Introduction to Parashat Reeh

(0:32) Shiva D'Nechemta Context

(0:46) Gemara Gittin: Always Fearing

(2:08) The False Prophet with Signs

(3:00) Lo Tishma: Do Not Listen

(4:53) When to Follow a Prophet

(5:26) Why Hashem Tests Us

(6:38) Loving Hashem Wholeheartedly

(7:09) Avodah Zarah and Loyalty

(9:41) Dor HaMashiach Today

(10:24) Al Mi Lean: Trust in Hashem

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