Simply Deep

At the beginning of Lech Lecha, Hashem blesses Avraham with multiple expressions of blessing. One Rashi connects the blessing of his name becoming great to adding a heh onto his name, changing its gematria from 243 (of Avram) to 248 (of Avraham), the total number of limbs in the human body. Another Rashi connects these brachos to the fact that we’ll mention “the God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchak, and the God of Yaakov” in the first bracha of Shmona Esrei. What’s the meaning and significance of these tenuous connections?

The Gemara in Shabbos 119b says that anyone who says Yehei Shmei Rabba Mevorach will all his might, tears up his (bad) decree. The Gemara in Brachos 21b entertains interrupting Shmona Esrei and even Maaseh Merkava to say Yehei Shmei Rabba Mevorach. Tosafos in Brachos 3a suggests that we say it in Aramaic so the Malachim (who don’t understand Aramaic) won’t be jealous that we’re saying such a beautiful tefilla. What’s so special about Yehei Shmei Rabba Mevorach?

We analyze the bracha of Asher Yatzar based on the Gemara in Brachos 60b. We also discuss the Gemara’s Halacha of addressing angels before going to the bathroom.

Adam named his wife Isha. Rashi (Bereishis 2:23) says that this teaches that the world was created with Lashon HaKodesh. What does this mean?

The Torah (Bereishis 5:28) says Noach was named because he would bring rest to man after the curse of Adam. Rashi says this refers to the fact that he invented the plow. How did Lemech, his father, know this?

In Bereishis 1:21, the Torah describes the creation of the taninim gedolim (big sea-giants). Rashi cites a Gemara in BB 74b that says this refers to the Livyasin and its mate that Hashem created, but killed the female and preserved it for tzadikim in the world to come, because if they would reproduce, the world wouldn’t be able to continue with them (because they’d take over the world). We analyze this gemara and suggest that the Livyasan refers to an amazing feature of Hashem’s Creation.

The Gemara in Yomah 86a discusses three types of Teshuva: from love, from fear, and from afflictions. We analyze these types and their features.

Why do we say this paragraph after each of the middle Brachos of musaf Rosh Hashana. How is it different from Zichronos? And what’s it all about?

Zoom summary: The meeting focused on understanding the meaning and context of the Vidui Maaser prayer, particularly the phrase "look out from Your holy abode from the heavens." Elie explored the anthropomorphic language and its implications, referencing Rashi and Ramban to discuss the nature of Hashem's providence and how it relates to the mitzvot performed by the Jewish people. The group examined the structure of the three-year cycle of tithing and the significance of the confession at its conclusion, questioning why it is called a "Vidui" and what it means to ask Hashem to "look out" and bless the nation and the land. Elie suggested that the prayer reflects a request for Hashem's specific attention and blessing, based on the completion of a multifaceted system of mitzvot, rather than just individual actions. The discussion also touched on the uniqueness of this prayer in asking for justice rather than mercy.

Rashi tells us that Hashem tricks idolaters to worship the heavenly bodies (Devarim 4:19) and Baal Tzefon (Shmos 14:2). Why would He do this? It doesn’t seem just.

We discuss the two Halachik aspects of Tisha B’av and show how they have philosophical analogues which motivate two different types of Teshuva.

The Gemara in Brachos 3a recounts a story of Rabbi Yossi going into one of the ruins of Yerushalayim to daven, where he hears a bas kol singing like a bird and has a conversation with Eliyahu Hanavi about what he heard. We analyze this story and present tentative theories about Gemaras that discuss Eliyahu Hanavi and those that discuss bas kols. We also gain insight about how to think about the Churban and the tragedies of Tisha Bav.

Devarim: Rashi (Devarim 1:9) says that Moshe (and Shlomo) couldn’t judge the people alone because Hashem punishes Jewish judges for mistakes they make. We analyze the unique role, responsibility, and challenge of Jewish judges and see what Moshe’s hesitation was all about.

Parshas Mattos: While Moshe got angry that the Jews left the daughters of Midyan alive, Rashi (Bamidbar 31:13) introduces a different problem that’s seemingly absent from the text: that the children were taking some spoils of war. This episode investigates where Rashi gets this idea and analyzes its connection to the explicit sin of sparing the women.

This shiur was given on the 13th Yahrtzeit of my mother, Shani Feder A’H.

What would have happened if Bilaam was able to curse the Jews? Did his curses somehow have power?

Parshas Korach: When the plague threatened to wipe out the Jews, Moshe instructed Aharon to muse the ketores to stop it - a secret Moshe learned from the Malach Hamaves. Rashi (Bamidbar 17:13) describes the argument between Aharon and the Malach Hamaves about stopping the mageifa. This Rashi provides a good example of a midrash creating a story that elaborates on ideas that are implicit in the pesukim.

Parshas Shelach: After the sin of the spies, Moshe begged Hashem to make His strength great, as He had previously said, “Hashem, who is slow to anger…” Rashi (Bamidbar 14:17-18) explains that this tefilla was based on a previous dialogue between Moshe and Hashem about whether it’s appropriate to be slow to anger only for tzadikim or even for resha’im. We analyze this dialogue to reveal insights about Hashem’s Middah of Erech Apayim.

Rashi (Bamidbar 12:4) explains how Hashem miraculously simultaneously spoke to Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam in order to rebuke Aharon and Miriam for speaking against Moshe. Because they hadn’t been Tahor from being with their spouses, they couldn’t handle the experience - they said, “Water! Water!” (Presumably they were looking for a Mikvah.) We analyze this strange Rashi and learn how Hashem taught them an important lesson.

The Gemara in Sanhedrin 92a-b discusses nine different approaches to understanding the Dry Bones Nevuah of Yechezkel 37, including whether it was literal or metaphorical, and who the resurrected people were.