Shu"T First, Ask Questions Later

Dec 09 2024 66 ep. 36 mins 17
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.

  Religion & Spirituality
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66. HaRav Hershel Schachter: The Pesakim & The Personage - Feat. Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz

Dec 09 2024 34 mins  
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz, a close disciple of the preeminent HaRav Hershel Schachter (and a leading scholar in his own right), offers an intimate glimpse into the renowned posek's approach to halachic decision-making. Drawing on Rav Schachter's earlier work, Eretz HaTzvi (no. 6), Rabbi Lebowitz shares a compelling example which illustrates Rav Schachter's distinctive style of pesak. Th

65. The Terumas HaDeshen: Bridging Medieval and Modernity - Feat. Rabbi Yehoshua Duker

Dec 03 2024 38 mins  
In this episode, Rabbi Yehoshua Duker delves into the fascinating world of the Terumas HaDeshen, a foundational work in the development of halacha. Written by Rabbi Yisrael Isserlin in the 15th century, this seminal text bridged the medieval and modern eras, addressing complex halachic queries. Rabbi Duker explores the question of whether the Terumas HaDeshen fabricated his own inq

64. Medresh, Machshava and Dikduk: Do They Really Matter? - Feat. Rabbi Tuvia Berman

Nov 26 2024 45 mins  
Our guest, Rabbi Tuvia Berman seeks to identify the essential components of Jewish education. What - if any - is the role of Lomdus, Medresh, Machshava, and Dikduk? He breaks down the Chavos Yair's (responsum, no. 124) incisive approach and offers general insights from his long and multi-faceted career as a Jewish educator. Rabbi Tuvia Berman is the Director of Institutional Advan

63. Marriage, Mamzeirus and Money - Feat. Rabbi Ezra Schwartz

Nov 19 2024 33 mins  
Our guest, Rabbi Ezra Schwartz examines Chacham Ovadia Yosef's ruling on suspected infidelity (Yabia Omer, Vol. 3, E.H. #1) which has implications for the couple's marital status and finances alike. Rabbi Schwartz summarizes the key principles employed by Chacham Ovadia and highlights the unique methodology employed to protect the potential mamzer (illegitimate offspring) in questi

62. Savior of Seforim and Souls: Rav Mordechai Pinchas Teitz zt"l - Feat. Dr. Rivkah Blau

Nov 12 2024 31 mins  
Discover the extraordinary legacy of Rav Mordechai Pinchas Teitz, the rabbi of Elizabeth, NJ, and a visionary leader who rescued sacred texts and transformed the lives of countless American Jews. Dr. Rivkah Blau shares a teshuva he published in the journal, HaPardes (Year 25, Issue #3, p. 5) and provides several inspiring stories of her esteemed father. --- Dr. Rivkah Blau served a

61. A Kashrus Compromise? The Parameters of Personal Trust in Halacha - Feat. Rabbi Chaim Jachter

Oct 22 2024 29 mins  
This episode features Rabbi Chaim Jachter's scholarly examination of the relationship between kashrus and personal trust in halacha (kim lei b’gavei). By introducing the recent Responsa Atzei Besamim (Y.D., no. 10), Rabbi Jachter investigates the parameters of trusting individuals with varying kashrus standards. His discussion addresses key issues, including The halachic implicat

60. A Career of Compassionate Jewish Education - Feat. Rabbi Yaakov Bender

Sep 19 2024 30 mins  
Returning to his early educational roots, Moshe Kurtz interviews his lifelong Rebbe and Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Yaakov Bender about an array of questions pertaining to Jewish education. Through the lens of several teshuvos in Igros Moshe (Y.D. 2:104, Y.D. 4:30, and C.M. 2:51), Rabbi Bender emphasizes the importance of compassion and inclusivity as a hallmark of Jewish education. Rav Y

59. Tenuous Texts, Hot Air Balloons, and Shai Agnon: Not Your "Typical" Chalitza Case - Feat. Rabbi Jeffrey Saks

Sep 16 2024 51 mins  
In this episode, Rabbi Jeffrey Saks delves into the intriguing world of Chalitza, a Jewish law procedure for dissolving a levirate marriage, through the lens of the Maharsham's Responsum (1:14). This complex case involves a hot air balloon ride, obscure texts, and an exclusive revelation about the Nobel laureate Shai Agnon's potential influence from this case. Rabbi Jeffrey

58. "He Said, She Said": A Tale of Two Teshuvos - Feat. Dr. Elana Stein Hain

Sep 10 2024 34 mins  
In this episode, Dr. Elana Stein Hain examines a unique pair of responsa by the Rambam (no. 160-161, Mechon Yerushalayim Ed.), which present a harrowing marital dispute from two opposing perspectives - one from the wife's point of view and the other from the husband's. By analyzing these two teshuvos, Dr. Stein Hain gets to the deeper meaning of the place for legal workarou

57. Disentangling the Secrets of Sha'atnez - Feat. Rabbi Yirmiyah Moldovan

Sep 08 2024 37 mins  
In addition to his sha'atnez expertise, our guest, Rabbi Yirmiyah Moldovan, is a sofer, shochet, ba'al kriah, and ba'al tokeah. Through the prism of Igros Moshe (Y.D. 1:72), he delves into the obscure world of sha'atnez, exploring both the halachic issues and practical methods for determining which clothing ACTUALLY needs to be tested for the prohibited wool/linen a