Shu"T First, Ask Questions Later

May 20 2024 10
Shu

Shu"T First, Ask Questions Later puts the study of Torah front-and-center by inviting guest scholars to present, debate and provide listeners with a dynamic conversation of the topic at hand. In addressing the responsum of their choice, they will be asked to provide relevant historical background, distill the halachic/social considerations, offer unique methodological insights, and make an argument for its relevance today.

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44. Minhag vs. Halacha: The Friday Night Kiddush Controversy - Feat. Rabbanit Ayelet Schlesinger

May 20 2024 36 mins  
In this episode, we're joined by Rabbanit Ayelet Schlesinger for a fascinating exploration of a recurring question: What happens when minhag (custom) conflicts with halacha (Jewish law)? Using the case study of Friday Night Kiddush, we delve into how three responsa - Yachin U'Boaz (1:118), Or Zarua (Vol. 1, Responsum no. 752), and Yabia Omer (1:15) - addressed this tension.

43. The Way is Shut: A Probing of Post-Talmudic Authority - Feat. Rabbi Shmuel Phillips

May 15 2024 38 mins  
May later generations disagree with their predecessors? Can religious authority be controlled by a specific locale? Our guest, Rabbi Shmuel Phillips addresses these questions and distills several fundamental lessons from a lesser known responsum of the Rambam (Iggeres no. 18). More info and the best links for buying his books are at www.TalmudReclaimed.com.

42. Should I Study Biblical Criticism? - Feat. Rabbi Steven Gotlib

May 07 2024 36 mins  
Should I Study Biblical Criticism?In this episode, we provide a glimpse into the complex and often contentious world of Biblical criticism, exploring how two prominent theological schools of thought - Conservative and Orthodox - approach the study of our holy Torah. While both sides affirm the general authority of the Bible, they diverge sharply on the role of historical and cultur

41. The Epistle to Yemen - Feat. Rabbi Chezkie Glatt

May 02 2024 37 mins  
In this episode, we explore the Rambam's Iggeres Teiman (Epistle to Yemen) - a powerful and poignant letter written to the Jewish community of Yemen around the year 1173/1174. Our guest, Rabbi Chezkie Glatt explains how the letter offers words of comfort, encouragement, and hope in the face of heresy and hardship. We provide a general survey of the document to understand the Ra

40. [Special Episode] Letters to the Editor - Feat. The Listeners!

Apr 12 2024 21 mins  
It's finally here! In this episode, we go through YOUR reactions to previous episodes of the podcast and much more! God willing, we will return with more regular episodes following Pesach. Links to references made in the episode: 1) Support the Podcast / Sponsor an Episode - Eichlers Registry. 2) Igros Moshe Series with Tradition Online. 3) Challenging Assumptions (Mosaic

39. Dancing on Shabbos: Where Halacha Meets Hasidut - Feat. Rabbi Dr. Zvi Leshem

Apr 09 2024 36 mins  
The Mishnah (Beitzah 36b) forbids dancing and clapping on Shabbos/Yom Tov. How do we make sense of the many ostensibly observant people, including Torah scholars, who appear to disregard this explicit stricture? R. Dr. Zvi Leshem, an expert in Chassidic thought, breaks down the unique approach of the Minchas Elazar (1:29) who argues that dancing on Shabbos/Yom tov is not just permi

38. Who Let the Dogs In? A Study of Service Animals & the Synagogue - Feat. Rabbi Dan Margulies

Apr 09 2024 38 mins  
Are animals permitted in the synagogue? What if they provide a service, such as guiding those who are blind? R. Dan Margulies, a former service dog trainer, provides a unique glimpse into R. Moshe Feinstein's iconic responsum (Igros Moshe, O.C. 1:45 on the topic, and a critical data point that many of his detractors were missing.

37. Rabbinic Rifts & Family Feuds: A Compelling Yibum Controversy - Feat. Mr. Gedaliah Wielgus, Esq.

Apr 02 2024 36 mins  
What happens when someone cannot afford to do Yibum but insists on it? What happens when the widow is Ashkenazic and the Yavam is Sephardic? Does it make a difference whether the rabbis are Ashkenazic or Sephardic? Should the mother/mother-in-law's opinion count? In this episode, Mr. Gedaliah Wielgus, who teaches "Shu"T al haDaf", shares with us a head-spinning

36. Have You Ever Seen the Rain? A Radical Ruling of the Rosh - Feat. Rabbi Elli Fischer

Apr 02 2024 39 mins  
Why do we seem to pray for rain at the wrong times? Can we adjust the dates for V'sein Tal U'matar? Who even came up with setting December 4th/5th as a day of halachic significance? Rabbi Elli Fischer shares with us a radical ruling of the Rosh (Responsum 4:10) on this topic and its intriguingly fraught reception. Rabbi Fischer's very own translation of this responsum c

35. Sephardic Simplicity: Chacham Ovadia's Approach to Chametz - Feat. Rabbi Moses Haber

Mar 26 2024 31 mins  
In the lead up to Pesach, Rabbi Moses Haber unpacks a seminal responsum of Rav Ovadia Yosef (Yechaveh Da'as 1:11) to clarify how many Sephardim obviate potential mixtures of chametz and to highlight Rav Yosef's programmatic approach to the development of Sephardic halachic-public-policy. This episode is dedicated in memory of Rose Nuni Dayan.