Yehoshua Mini-Shiur Part 64: Perek 12:7-24 - The 31 Kings, and Dividing the Land - Dec 31, 2023 - A daily mini-shiur on the book of Yehoshua, in the merit of the soldiers of the IDF, as well as the hostages, wounded and everyone in the line of fire. Today's installment asks: Who are the 31 kings on the list? And we start to look at Yehoshua's distribution of the land.

Fourteen Centuries #5: Samples of the Sheiltot - Dec 31, 2023 - How many Sheiltot manuscripts were there? And two samples: One from Noach on stealing to benefit the victim, and one from Shemot on cutting an umbilical cord on Shabbat. Note: The history is more overview than granular, and certainly not academic.

Yehoshua Mini-Shiur Part 63: Perek 12:1-6 - The Eastern Conquests - Dec 31, 2023 - A daily mini-shiur on the book of Yehoshua, in the merit of the soldiers of the IDF, as well as the hostages, wounded and everyone in the line of fire. Today's installment asks: When we describe the conquest of the lands east of the Yarden, why do we credit Moshe only at the end?

Yehoshua Mini-Shiur Part 62: Perek 11:21-23 - Yehoshua: Successful or Not? - Dec 29, 2023 - A daily mini-shiur on the book of Yehoshua, in the merit of the soldiers of the IDF, as well as the hostages, wounded and everyone in the line of fire. Today's installment asks: Why does a midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 22:6) claim Yehoshua stalled to prolong his life? And we meet some giants.

Vayechi 5784 - Important Conversations - Dec 28, 2023 - A derashah for Ematai Shabbat. Yaakov demands an oath from Yosef regarding his burial plans, knowing that many obstacles could prevent Yosef from carrying out his wishes. Similar obstacles stand in the way of carrying out a person's wishes for halachic end-of-life care; it is important that we have these conversations with our anticipated decision-makers, while Hashem gives us the good health and time to do it.

Yehoshua Mini-Shiur Part 61: Perek 11:10-20 - The Wars Continue - Dec 28, 2023 - A daily mini-shiur on the book of Yehoshua, in the merit of the soldiers of the IDF, as well as the hostages, wounded and everyone in the line of fire. Today's installment sees Yehoshua defeat the alliance of northern Canaanite tribes and pursue further wars, with apparently complete loyalty to Hashem's word as conveyed by Moshe. But at the end we see an odd midrash.

Yehoshua Mini-Shiur Part 60: Perek 11:1-9 - Defeating Yavin's Alliance - Dec 26, 2023 - A daily mini-shiur on the book of Yehoshua, in the merit of the soldiers of the IDF, as well as the hostages, wounded and everyone in the line of fire. Today's installment sees King Yavin rally many Canaanite tribes against the Jews, armed with horse-drawn chariots. Hashem provides the Jews with victory.

Yehoshua Mini-Shiur Part 59: Perek 10:28-43 - Mopping up in the south - Dec 26, 2023 - A daily mini-shiur on the book of Yehoshua, in the merit of the soldiers of the IDF, as well as the hostages, wounded and everyone in the line of fire. Today's installment sees Yehoshua follow up the defeat of the five-king alliance with wars against various places in the south.

Halachah in Healthcare Settings 6: Davening After an All-Night Shift, Part 1 - Dec 25, 2023 - A chabura on practical medical halachah, building from the sources toward the conclusions of the Nishmat Avraham. Netilat yadayim (negel vasser), "Elokai, Neshamah" and Birchot haTorah after an all-night shift or a daytime nap.

Yehoshua Mini-Shiur Part 58: Perek 10:15-27 - Finishing the war - Dec 25, 2023 - A daily mini-shiur on the book of Yehoshua, in the merit of the soldiers of the IDF, as well as the hostages, wounded and everyone in the line of fire. Today's installment sees the completion of the war to defend Givon.