Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes every weekday at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul.

The class continues through Berachot 23b, focusing on the Baraita that prohibits holding tefillin, a knife, money, a tray, or bread while praying. A central dispute is examined between Rashi, who understood the Baraita as discussing wearing tefillin, and Rabbeinu Yonah, who argued the entire Baraita concerns holding objects in one's hand. The class analyzes a textual emendation proposed by a Girsa variant that changes one letter to resolve the difficulty Rashi's reading creates. The discussion then turns to the laws of sleeping with tefillin, distinguishing between shinat arai and shinat keva, and why a gezera is made in the context of Sukkot but not tefillin. Finally, the class addresses the concept of haseach hadaat from tefillin, concluding that it refers specifically to lightheaded distraction toward external matters, not to focused work or temporary sleep.

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(0:00) Introduction & Baraita Reading

(1:17) Machloket: Rashi vs. Others

(2:29) Rabbeinu Yonah's Explanation

(5:07) Fear of Tefillin Falling

(6:02) The Girsa Change: Shimya vs. Shimya Peal

(8:52) Context of the Baraita: Holding vs. Wearing

(11:16) Knife, Bread & Coins While Praying

(13:33) Items Without Loss: May Hold Them

(15:43) Love of Mitzvah Exception

(17:24) Shinat Arai With Tefillin On

(19:14) Gezera: Sukkot vs. Tefillin Compared

(21:20) Shinat Keva & Double Gezera Rule

(22:33) Haseach Hadaat Question

(24:01) Rabbeinu Yonah & the Rambam Story

(25:17) Defining Haseach Hadaat Correctly

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

The class covers the Mishnah in Pesachim 49a, which discusses what a person should do if he remembers he has undisposed chametz while in the middle of a mitzvah on Erev Pesach. The Mishnah presents three scenarios — slaughtering the korban Pesach, performing a brit milah, and attending a sudat erusin — and rules that if he can return and still complete his mitzvah, he must do so, but if not, he may rely on bitul. The class explains that on a Torah level bitul alone suffices, and the Rabbanan suspended their stricter requirement of both biur and bitul when a person is engaged in a time-sensitive mitzvah or a life-saving situation. A critical limitation is emphasized: bitul is only valid during the morning hours when chametz may still be owned, and once that time passes, physical removal is required regardless of circumstance. The Mishnah concludes with a machloket between Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, and the Sages regarding the minimum quantity of chametz or basar kodesh that obligates a person to return — kazayit or kabetzah — with the discussion touching on human psychology around discarding food.

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(0:00) Intro: Erev Pesach Mishnah

(0:36) Three Cases: Mitzvah in Progress

(2:53) Bitul vs. Biur: Deorayta/Rabbanan

(5:33) Matzah Parties & Sudat Mitzvah

(6:22) Bitul Only Works in the Morning

(10:14) Pikuach Nefesh Cases

(12:28) Techum Shabbat & Reshut vs. Mitzvah

(15:56) Basar Kodesh Left Jerusalem

(18:10) Kazayit vs. Kabetzah Machloket

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

Rabbi Moshe Tobal opens by explaining the name Ekev — referring to mitzvot that people treat lightly, like stepping on them with their heel — and teaches that fulfilling even these overlooked mitzvot brings great blessing. He then turns to the famous pasuk describing how Hashem afflicted and starved the Jewish people in the desert through the manna, citing the Ramban and Vilna Gaon to explain that this was a deliberate Divine training to build genuine bitachon, as the manna arrived at unpredictable times to keep people in a state of reliance on Hashem. Rabbi Tobal draws the lesson that the higher a person's bitachon in Hashem, the greater the hashgacha they will experience in their life, and that arrogance — bal gaava — has the opposite effect by pushing Hashem away, as evidenced by the Churban. He concludes with a practical teaching from the Chazon Ish: the key to internalizing Torah and bringing Hashem into every aspect of life is to pray before every act of hishtadlut, no matter how small — from a business meeting to a phone call to a doctor's visit — so that one never relies solely on their own efforts.

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

The class revisits the Mishnah in Pesachim discussing the case where the 14th of Nisan falls on Shabbat, focusing on the dispute between Rashi and the Baal HaMaor regarding how to interpret Rabbi Meir's opinion. Rashi holds that you may keep enough chametz for your two Shabbat meals and dispose of the rest on Friday, while the Baal HaMaor argues that Rabbi Meir requires disposing of all chametz on Friday and permits eating matzah in its place. The class explores the prohibition against eating matzah on Erev Pesach, examining various opinions about when exactly that prohibition begins, from nightfall to the fourth hour of the day. A story involving Rabbi Eliezer Bar-Sadok in Yavne is analyzed as a potential proof in favor of the Baal HaMaor's reading, since the reminder to destroy chametz only makes sense if some chametz was kept. The practical conclusion is that we follow Rashi and the Rambam, keeping only the bread needed for the Shabbat meals while switching everything else to Pesach food.

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(0:00) Introduction & Mishnah Review

(1:39) Baal HaMaor's Explanation

(3:44) When Does Matzah Prohibition Begin?

(5:44) Story of Rabbi Eliezer Bar-Sadok

(7:14) Yavne & Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai

(8:31) Question on Rashi from the Story

(9:38) Rashi's Defense

(10:35) Final Ruling: Rashi vs. Baal HaMaor

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Rabbi Albert Setton hosts classes every day in the summer at West Deal Shul.

In this class on Parshat Eikev, Rabbi Setton explores the difference between the first and second paragraphs of Shema. He asks why V'haya Im Shamoa adds the concepts of long life on the land and exile as a consequence of not keeping mitzvot, ideas absent from the first paragraph. The answer lies in the three pesukim immediately preceding V'haya Im Shamoa, which describe how Eretz Yisrael, unlike Egypt, depends entirely on rainfall from Hashem, and that God's eyes are constantly watching over the land. This establishes that the mitzvot now carry direct consequences for life in Eretz Yisrael, since the land's blessing is tied to the people's relationship with God. Rabbi Setton concludes with the powerful image of a triangle connecting Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, and Torah Yisrael, which Moshe Rabbeinu weaves together in this parasha.

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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 2:18, Mr. Sammy Saka explores Rabbi Shimon's three-part teaching covering Kriyat Shema, prayer, and self-image. He explains that the appointed times for Shema and prayer are not arbitrary but are designed to remind us to pause our personal pursuits and reaffirm our dependence on Hashem, and that truly understanding the content of the Shema — from the oneness of God to the remembrance of the Exodus — transforms it from a recitation into a meaningful daily practice. On the topic of prayer, he emphasizes that preparation and a sincere attitude are essential, drawing a parallel to how seriously we prepare for important business meetings, and arguing that our prayers should reflect genuine heartfelt supplication rather than empty routine. Finally, he addresses Rabbi Shimon's instruction not to view oneself as a wicked person, encouraging listeners to get back on track after mistakes without allowing a negative self-image to take hold, and celebrating the righteousness and generosity of the Syrian Jewish community.

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(0:00) Introduction & Dedication

(0:25) Mishnah: Rabbi Shimon's Teaching

(1:36) Three Topics Overview

(1:49) Kriyat Shema: Proper Times

(3:46) Understanding the Shema

(7:26) Prayer: Avoiding Routine

(8:05) Attitude & Preparation

(10:44) Prayer as Service of the Heart

(12:41) Do Not Judge Yourself Wicked

(16:08) Our Community's Righteousness

(17:41) Closing Remarks

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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 continuation of the Mishnah on Pesachim 48b discussing Si'ur and Siduk — two stages of pre-chametz dough — and the dispute between Rabbi Yehudah and the Chachamim over whether eating them carries the punishment of karet. The Gemara then examines a Beraita that appears to flip the order of these opinions and resolves the apparent contradiction by showing that the final line of the Beraita circles back to Rabbi Meir's position. Rava explains Rabbi Meir's reasoning: any visible surface crack on a dough ball indicates extensive internal leavening, making the entire dough halachically chametz. The class then transitions to a new Mishnah dealing with the special case where Erev Pesach falls on Shabbat, presenting a three-way dispute between Rabbi Meir, the Chachamim, and Rabbi Eliezer Bar Sadok regarding when chametz must be destroyed, with particular attention to the stricter challenge of disposing of terumah. A Beraita citing Rabbi Eliezer Bar Sadok's personal account of following his father in Yavneh is brought as practical support for the position that beur chametz may be performed on Shabbat morning itself.

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(0:00) Mishnah: Si'ur and Siduk defined

(1:44) Chachamim's view: both are karet

(2:36) Beraita redefines Si'ur and Siduk

(5:57) Gemara resolves Beraita contradiction

(8:20) Reason behind Rabbi Meir's opinion

(9:53) New Mishnah: 14th falls on Shabbat

(12:35) Rabbi Meir's position explained

(14:52) Terumah vs. Chulin before Shabbat

(16:30) Beraita: R. Eliezer Bar Sadok's story

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

In this class on Berachot 23a, Rabbi Dana continues the sugya of what to do with Tefillin when one needs to use the bathroom. He traces the historical progression of rabbinic decrees: from leaving Tefillin in windowsills near the bathroom, to moving them to public-facing windows to deter rats, to ultimately requiring one to hold them in hand after theft became a problem. The Gemara then records the ruling of R' Miyasha, son of R' Yehoshua ben Levi, that one should wrap the Tefillin like a book, hold them in the right hand against the heart, and enter the bathroom — with an important discussion about the kedushah of Tefillin straps, which carry holiness because they complete the mitzvah and spell out the divine name Shakai. Rabbi Dana also addresses the distinction between entering the bathroom during the day when there is still time to put Tefillin back on — in which case one holds them against the chest — versus end of day, when one should place them in a proper bag before entering. The class closes with two Talmudic stories about Amoraim who carried Torah books into the bathroom rather than handing them off, affirming the permissibility and even preferability of bringing holy items in under proper conditions rather than leaving them unguarded.

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(0:00) Intro: Tefillin & the Bathroom

(1:27) Barishona: Original Practice

(2:11) Problem: Rats Steal Tefillin

(2:37) Solution: Move to Public Window

(3:48) New Problem: People Steal Tefillin

(5:14) Rabbinic Decree: Hold in Hand

(5:41) R' Miyasha: Wrap Like a Book

(6:02) Hold in Right Hand, Against Heart

(7:25) Kedushah of Tefillin Straps

(8:42) Spelling Shakai with Tefillin

(10:36) Straps Must Not Touch Floor

(12:14) Mekubalim: Tuck Into Belt

(12:42) Only When Time Remains in Day

(13:40) End of Day: Use the Bag

(17:53) Wearing Tefillin All Day

(19:11) Tefillin Bag Needs a Tefach Space

(21:33) Abaye: Special vs. Regular Bag

(22:27) Tumah and the Tefach Rule

(23:44) Story: R' Yochanan & Torah Book

(25:02) Story: Rav Nachman & Torah Book

(25:48) Final Ruling: Bringing In With You

(27:55) Airport Scenario & Practical Cases

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

This class continues from the previous day's cliffhanger in the middle Mishnah of Pesachim 48b, which presents three opinions on how women should organize their matzah-baking to prevent chametz. Rabban Gamliel permits three women to knead simultaneously and share one oven, trusting that the average process won't exceed the forbidden time, while the Chachamim require a staggered rotation so no dough ever sits idle. Rabbi Akiva challenges both opinions by arguing the number three is arbitrary, since the speed of the women, the dryness of the firewood, and the heat of the oven all vary. A key halakhic principle emerges from the Beraita: as long as dough is actively being worked, it cannot become chametz — a rule that serves as the basis for a powerful mussar insight that a Jew must always be moving forward spiritually. The class closes with the Mishnah's definitions of se'ur and siduk, where Rabbi Yehudah and the Chachamim debate what level of cracking in dough constitutes chametz subject to karet.

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(0:00) Intro: Three Opinions on Matzah Baking

(0:17) Rabban Gamliel: Three Women, One Oven

(1:29) Chachamim: Stagger the Assembly Line

(1:53) Rabbi Akiva: It's All Subjective

(3:57) Beraita: The Rotating Cycle Explained

(5:00) Assembly Line vs. Each Woman Her Own Dough

(6:56) Rule: Moving Dough Cannot Become Chametz

(7:44) Mussar: Chametz as the Yetzer Hara

(8:47) Rabbi Akiva Challenges Rabban Gamliel

(11:35) Mishnah: Defining Se'ur and Siduk

(12:20) Machloket: Cracks and Karet

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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 2:17, Mr. Sammy Saka explores three teachings from Rabbi Yosef, a student of Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai. The first teaching, to treat your fellow's money as dear as your own, is applied to avoiding negative speech about others' businesses or institutions, helping those in financial trouble, and leading by example in fundraising by giving before asking others. The second teaching, that Torah is not inherited, addresses the distinction between the nation of Israel receiving the Torah collectively and the individual obligation to personally invest in Torah study, emphasizing the importance of finding a teacher or learning style that truly inspires connection. The third teaching, that all deeds should be for the sake of Heaven, calls for a higher standard of action — whether giving charity, helping someone in distress, or simply offering a kind word — done quietly and sincerely for the love of God rather than for personal recognition.

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(0:00) Introduction to Mishnah 17

(1:01) Fellow's money as your own

(3:09) Helping others in need

(4:17) Fundraisers & leading by example

(5:36) Torah is not inherited

(6:39) Nation vs. individual inheritance

(7:26) Finding your Torah connection

(8:42) Rabbi Labaton's teaching style

(10:50) All deeds for the sake of Heaven

(11:19) Giving quietly & for God's honor

(13:04) Helping others discreetly

(14:41) Summary of three lessons

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