Avodah Zarah 76b: Knives - Jul 26, 2020 - How to clean a knife for use with cold (and spicy) food

Clashes in Jewish Publishing 5: An Enlightened Forgery (Besamim Rosh) - Jul 22, 2020 - A too-quick recounting of the story of the forged responsa of Rabbeinu Asher, Besamim Rosh. With a brief note on pseudepigraphy.

Clashes in Jewish Publishing 4: A Copyright Battle, Part 2 - Jul 22, 2020 - The fight over publication of Rambam's Mishneh Torah with Rabbi Meir of Padua's commentary in the 16th century, and the multiple impacts of that story. Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Shoftim 14:15-20 - A Riddle Gone Bad, Due to a Calf - Jul 21, 2020 - Shimshon's deterioration, as presented when his wife divulges the answer to his riddle.

Avodah Zarah 76a-b - Tale of Two Spits, Libun and Large Hagalah - Jul 19, 2020 - Why does a spit used for a korban need hagalah, while a spit used for treif needs libun? How hot must a utensil get in libun? How do we do hagalah for a large pot?

Reuven, Gad and Menasheh: A Strange Deal - Jul 17, 2020 - See Bamidbar 32:29-30 - Why should Reuven, Gad and Menasheh receive land in Israel, if they fail to cross the Yarden and fight for it? Lech Lecha and aliyah laregel provide an answer.

Bava Metzia, Perek 6: Lifnim miShurat haDin (chazarah shiur) - Jul 16, 2020 - A summary of part of our series of shiurim on Bava Metzia 83a and the issue of "lifnim mishurat hadin". Is the case of Rabbah bar bar Chanan and the porters a matter of din, chesed, or something in between? And what is the biblical root, if any, for a duty to go lifnim mishurat hadin?

Clashes in Jewish Publishing 2: Church Censorship - Jul 15, 2020 - Why, when and how did the Catholic Church censor Jewish books? Looking at the period from the 16th century forward, the mechanisms of censorship, the roles of Jews in that censorship - and the impact oof censorship on the development of Judaism. Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Clashes in Jewish Publishing 3: A Copyright Battle - Jul 15, 2020 - Beginning to discuss the fight over publication of Rambam's Mishneh Torah in the 16th century, by explaining how publication of Jewish books worked in Italy in that era, and introducing Daniel Bomberg and Marcantonio Giustiniani. Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Shoftim 14:10-20 - The Timing of the Riddle - Jul 14, 2020 - Brief shiur on the problems with the timing of Shimshon's riddle: Why did the Philistines give up on Day 3 and only ask Shimshon's Philistine wife on Day 7? And how did she have 7 days to cry?