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It's Genius

JewishPodcasts.fm

The great Talmudic commentators of the past century have produced some of the most profound and penetrating Talmudic analyses in history. These writings offer us a window into the profound depth and insight of Jewish law and tradition. But often these ideas are not accessible to many people because of their complexity. These audio presentations by Rabbi Elisha Friedman are intended to make some of these insights more widely accessible.

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  • 20 episodes
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  • July 7 · 32 min

    Ramban #46: Masei - Why List the Stops?

    Explanation of Ramban - 33:1 - who cites Rashi and Rambam's explanations for why the Torah lists the locations where the Jewish people stopped in the desert. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • July 5 · 39 min

    Ramban #45: Matot - Half of Menashe

    Explanation of Ramban - 32:33, 32:40 - debate between Ramban versus Ibn Ezra over the role of the half tribe of Menashe in the story in ch. 32, including the debate between Ramban and Rashi what percentage of Menashe lived outside Israel, and the debate between Mesech Chochma versus the Brisker Rav whether the half tribe of Menashe had the same status as the tribes of Reuven and Gad This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • June 29 · 1 hr 5 min

    Ramban #44: Pinchas - Serach bat Asher's Lifespan

    Explantion of Ramban - 1) 26:46 - what made Serach bat Asher so unique? Three approaches of Rashi, Onkelos and Ramban. 2) 26:13 - discussion of Rashi (and R. Moshe Hadarshan) and Ramban what criteria the Torah used to identify and divide the families in the census. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • June 24 · 1 hr 2 min

    Ramban #43: Balak - Was Bilam a Prophet or Magician?

    Explanation of Ramban - 22:5, 22:31, 23:4, 23:16, 23:23, 24:1 - debate over what Bilam's abilities were: Rashi (prophet) vs. Ibn Ezra (astrologer) vs. Ramban (magician), and discussion of Bilam's prophetic abilities compared to Moshe. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • June 21 · 1 hr 1 min

    Ramban #42: Chukat - Does the Torah Quote Another Book?

    Explanation of Ramban - 22:13, 19 - debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban about the book cited in 21:14, and the meaning of the two poems recorded in the Sixth Aliyah. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • June 14 · 54 min

    Ramban #41: Korach - When and Why Did Korach Rebel?

    Explanation of Ramban - 16:1, 4, 5 - 1) Debate between Ibn Ezra versus Ramban whether Korach's rebellion was before or after the spies, 2) Who joined Korach's rebellion and why? A) Rashi - Korach wanted power, and got his neighbors from Reuven to join. B) Rabbenu Chananel - Korach led Leviim in rebelling against the Kohanim's elevation. C) Ibn Ezra - Korach led firstborns in rebelling against the Leviim's elevation. D) Ramban - It was a disunited group, Korach wanted power, some people from Reuven opposed Moshe's leadership, and some firstborns opposed the Leviim's elevation This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • June 8 · 1 hr

    Ramban #40: Shlach - Did the Spies Lie?

    Explantion of Ramban - 1) 13:2 debate between Rashi vs. Ramban about what the mission of the spies was, and whether sending spies was a mistake to begin with, 2) 13:27, 13:32, 14:37 - Ramban's theory that the spies told lies about the land of Israel This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • May 31 · 1 hr 4 min

    Ramban #39: Behaalotecha - The Order of Bamidbar

    Explanation of Ramban - Introduction, 5:2, 5:6, 8:1, 9:1 - Ramban's comprehensive theory, versus Rashi and Ibn Ezra, for the order and central themes of Sefer Bamidbar, particularly the placement of Sotah, Nazir, Menorah, and Pesach Sheni. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • May 24 · 44 min

    Ramban #38: Naso - The Miraculous Sotah Water

    Explanation of Ramban - 5:18, 5:20 - 1) Debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban what the Torah means in calling the Sotah water 'bitter', and the debate over what the Ibn Ezra's secret is. 2) Ramban's explanation that Sotah only happens when the Jewish people are worthy of a miracle This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • May 10 · 31 min

    Bamidbar #37: Bamidbar - Why Were the Leviim the Smallest Tribe?

    Explanation of Ramban - 3:14 - Ramban's two explanations for why the Leviim were the smallest tribe, and discussion of Ohr Hachaim and Klei Yakar's (3:39) approach. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • May 6 · 42 min

    Ramban #36: Bechukotai - The Prophecies in the Rebuke

    Explanation of Ramban - 26:16, Devarim 28:48 - discussion of Ramban's theory that the Vayikra tochacha refers to the first exile, and the Devarim tochacha refers to the second (current) exile, versus R. Avraham bar Chiya who argues precisely the opposite. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • May 4 · 53 min

    Ramban #35: Behar - When was Behar said?

    Explanation of Ramban - 25:1, 16:1 - when were parshas Behar (shemita) and Bechukosai (tochacha) said? Three way debate between Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Ramban where these parshas fit in chronologically. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • April 28 · 40 min

    Ramban #34: Emor - Minyan on Yom Tov

    Explanation of Ramban - 23:2 - debate between Rashi/Ramban vs. Ibn Ezra whether 'moadim' includes Shabbos, and discussion of Ramban's insight that davening with a minyan on Yom Tov may be a Torah obligation. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • April 24 · 1 hr

    Ramban #33 - Kedoshim: Prohibition of Shatnez

    Explanation of Ramban - 19:19 - debate between Rashi vs. Ramban whether there is a reason for the kilayim prohibitions, debate between Ibn Ezra vs. Rambam vs. Ramban what that reason is, discussion of Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Ramban how to translate shatnez, and debate between Rashi vs. Ramban/Tosafos about the details of shatnez This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • April 19 · 53 min

    Ramban #32 - Achrei Mot: Prohibition of Incest

    Discussion of Ramban - 18:6, 18:18, 18:19 - debate between Rambam/Ibn Ezra versus Ramban why incest is prohibited, and discussion whether Ramban authored Iggeret Kodesh with a positive attitude towards sexual relations This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • April 16 · 56 min

    Ramban #31 - Tazria: Niddah and Menotoxins

    Explanation of Ramban - 12:2, 12:4, 18:19, Bereishit 31:35 - discussion of Ramban's medical theory that there are toxins in menstrual blood, and the Dvar Avraham of Kovno's 1936 speech defending this notion based on the contemporaneous scientific notion of menotoxins. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • April 10 · 35 min

    Ramban #30 - Shemini: Kashrut of Sturgeon

    Explanation of Ramban - 11:9 - Ramban's stringency that the scales of fish must be peelable, and the debate based on this whether sturgeon and swordfish are kosher, and the story surrounding Noda Biyehuda's permitting sturgeon. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • March 22 · 30 min

    Ramban #29 - Tzav: Eating Korban on the First Day

    Explanation of Ramban - 7:16 - about Ramban's halachic innovation that even Korban meat which can be eaten for 2 days, there's a mitzva to eat it on the first day specifically. And the Chacham Tzvi's extension of this to the Chagiga of the Seder, that must be able to be eaten on Erev Pesach This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • March 18 · 42 min

    Ramban #28 - Vayikra: The Reasons for Korbanot

    Explanation of Ramban - 1:9 - debate between Rambam vs. Ramban what the reason for animal sacrifice is. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

  • March 15 · 38 min

    Rashi Shir Hashirim #2: Chapter One

    Explanation of Shir Hashirim chapter one with Rashi's commentary This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

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