The Q & A with Rabbi Breitowitz Podcast

Join Mentors Mission in Israel! A Booster We Can All Agree On! December 28, 2021 - January 2, 2022 Experience of A Lifetime At the Ohr Somayach New Bais Medrash Itinerary and Packages Available on our Website Vaccination within 6 months Required Limited Time Offer - Hotel Package (Hotel Bookings before November 28th Only) Register Now to Ensure Availability www.mentorsmission.com 718-644-9037 Comments? Feedback? Would you like to sponsor an episode? A series? We'd love to hear from you : podcasts@ohr.edu https://podcasts.ohr.edu/ Visit us @ ohr.edu ! Produced by:

Join Mentors Mission in Israel! A Booster We Can All Agree On! December 28, 2021 - January 2, 2022 Experience of A Lifetime At the Ohr Somayach New Bais Medrash Itinerary and Packages Available on our Website Vaccination within 6 months Required Limited Time Offer - Hotel Package (Hotel Bookings before November 28th Only) Register Now to Ensure Availability www.mentorsmission.com 718-644-9037 Where did the minhag of showing tzitzis out come from? 5:38 When mashiach comes will we have a unified Halacha? 8:45 What principles disqualify someone from olam haba? 15:14 What is the basis of hatred of Jews from Arabs? 20:00 What is the significance of mentioning the sons of Rav Pappa in a siyyum? 21:44 Why don't we enunciate Hashem's 4 letter name as we do other names? 25:12 Is a Jew that makes a lot of money and he's generous, can he justify having fancy stuff? 31:42 Why is there so much evil and hashchasa when it comes to gender? 40:39 Is money won in poker (by a frum Jew) given to tzedaka clean? 48:00 Is thanksgiving assur for Jews to celebrate? 51:45 Why does the first bracha in birkas hamazon differ among Jews? 54:01 To what extent does Hashem listen to evil people or people of other religions? 1:00:08 Could someone give more than 20% ma'aser if they have the capacity? 1:02:30 Hashem keeps Torah, so how do we explain rain on Shabbat? 1:04:50 Why did the song yedid nefesh change? 1:09:08 In shidduch dating, how much leniency should someone have in hashgafa differences? 1:11:22 Why are there no other holidays about dedication of the Temple (such as Chanukah)? 1:13:44 What was the effect of the church's censorship the Talmud? 1:16:00 Why don't non Jews that Hashem speaks to in Torah narrative immediately believe in Hashem (over their own idols)? 1:17:39 What are the difference between animals and humans? 1:21:44 Why was King Shlomo allowed to have so many wives and how could some not be Jewish? 1:24:40 What is the "Ohr HaGanuz"? 1:25:57 What level of authority does the Saatmar Rav have on the matter of medinas Israel? 1:29:47 What is Kaf HaKelah? 1:30:48 What does the Torah say about whistleblowers? Should Jews be journalists? 1:33:14 Does a child from a woman who converted for marriage (but it was a "legal" conversion) have questionable Judaism? 1:35:26 What is the proper kavanna to have when lighting a menorah on Chanukah? 1:36:31 Is the book "garden of emunah" good for a Baal Teshuva to read? 1:38:01 Is it halachically permissible for a married couple to have a hyphenated last name or for a husband to take his wife's last name? 1:42:14 Do goyim have a neshama? 1:43:25 Do all Jewish names have meaning / Ruach HaKodesh of parents? 1:46:40 When Shabbos is over we lose the special neshama, but if I don't eat melava malka, do I still have it? Comments? Feedback? Would you like to sponsor an episode? A series? We'd love to hear from you : podcasts@ohr.edu https://podcasts.ohr.edu/ Visit us @ ohr.edu ! Produced by:

Hashkafic History Series II Ohr Lagolah Rabbinic Program 5776-6-Rav Kook Bio Rabbi Dr Yitzchak Breitowitz, of Ohr Somayach Jerusalem, "Hashkafic History". For comments, questions, or sponsorship opportunities, contact us at: podcasts@ohr.edu (Originally Rec 2015-16) (Produced by: CedarMedia Podcasting 2021)

00:00 Are stained glass windows chukas hagoyim? 1:17 If one of the reason of separation of a married couple each month during niddah is to create renewal, can this be applied to chavrusas of kollel? 7:25 How can someone be forgiven for all his sins with Shabbos? Why is Yom Kippur special then? 10:08 How does one counter the simple interpretation of Torah's (seeming) incivility covered over by rabbinic analysis as an argument to Oral Torah? 15:28 How did the chet haegel happen when am yisroel was on such a madrega? 22:39 What kavana should one have during bircas kohanim? 27:27 Why are the kohanim and levi'im part of the mashmados if they're part of mishmaros? 34:33 What is the history behind Jewish Romanian gypsies 35:58 What is the history of Onkelos, and why is his Targum preferred over Targum Yonasan? 46:00 Why are cusim considered like Jews for zimun but not for sukka? What is their history? 55:49 Outside of the chiyuv in meiser, to what extent do we have to always give tzedakah? 58:58 Before Shacharis, what is one allowed to do?—Shower? Exercise? 1:00:56 How do we understand the actions of Yael with respect to sleeping with Sisra? 1:07:26 (Followup) How could Yael even kill Sisra if the army was routed? 1:08:51 What modern Avodah Zara do we have? 1:15:56 What is the misunderstanding of bats laying eggs? 1:20:45 What is the dreidel? 1:21:50 Why does the Torah say ayin tachas ayin if it doesn't literally mean it? 1:24:10 Does one need to honor his parents if those parents don't deserve it? 1:25:26 How was Yaakov avinu allowed to hug/kiss Rochel before marriage? 1:30:08 What does it mean for HaShem to 'remember' someone? 1:31:20 With kashrus, does the rule around not being able to taste a food apply to lab-generated foods? 1:33:54 What happened to all the avdei kanaanim? 1:36:40 Why is there a machlokes as to whether kedusha left after the chorban? Comments? Feedback? Would you like to sponsor an episode? A series? We'd love to hear from you : podcasts@ohr.edu https://podcasts.ohr.edu/ Visit us @ ohr.edu ! Produced by:

Hashkafic History Series II Ohr Lagolah Rabbinic Program 5776-5-Zionism & Rav Kook Rabbi Dr Yitzchak Breitowitz, of Ohr Somayach Jerusalem, "Hashkafic History". For comments, questions, or sponsorship opportunities, contact us at: podcasts@ohr.edu (Originally Rec 2015-16) (Produced by: CedarMedia Podcasting 2021)

00:00 Rashi on Chumash seems to be based on Sod (Kabbala), but he said it's pashut? 2:35 One of the reasons given for Yaakov's crying over Rochel is that he wouldn't be buried with him. Why is this significant? 5:47 Does prophecy affect free-will? 7:44 Considering that every Jew has a neshama, why do people not have an instant connection to Yiddishkeit? 11:36 How did Adam haRishon give Dovid haMelech 70 years of his life? Would he have been born if not? 17:17 Rome is from Eisav, but how could this be, genealogically? 22:35 In zmiros and davening, we seem to direct our requests to malachim rather than Hashem. Why is this? 30:57 Why can we say the names of certain angels but not others? 33:48 Why specifically tehillim for the sick and mishnayos for the dead that are read out? 35:25 Why can't malachim understand Aramaic (prayers) of Hebrew is so similar? 42:40 Is this the reason for all of Kaddish in Aramaic, or just "ihay shmay…" 43:57 A lot of Modern Orthodox go to college/university. Is it better to increase a Jewish presence on-campus, or can this encourage people going to totally secular environment? 49:44 What does the Rav hold on people going into kiruv after yeshiva? 53:35 What is the best way to counter the notion that Judaism is restrictive? 1:01:05 Would it be ideal to have a fully religious government? 1:05:08 At one point is a secular/unknowing person who becomes aware of a halacha going to be chayav? 1:07:07 If other groups (eg Hindus & Catholics) insist split manifestations of HaShem isn't Avodah Zara, how can we do things like praying in the zechus of a tzaddik or to a malach? 1:10:56 What is 'Charedi dati leumi' (Charda"l) ? 1:13:05 What are practical examples of being kiddush HaShem? 1:15:54 Should we still daven for the welfare of the state (al pi Pirkei Avos) if the government is bad for Torah? 1:19:43 Considering the low fatality does vaccination etc. regarding corona, is there a chiyuv to remove oneself from sakana? 1:22:49 What are arguments to present Reform/Conservative Judaism? 1:26:27 What is the concept of singing Shalom Aleichem/Eishes Chayil on Shabbos night? Comments? Feedback? Would you like to sponsor an episode? A series? We'd love to hear from you : podcasts@ohr.edu https://podcasts.ohr.edu/ Visit us @ ohr.edu ! Produced by:

00:00 The cry of Eisav and the cry of Mordechai are described the same, and it is understood that it was as a punishment. How could the Jews be punished if Yaakov was justified? 2:43 R' Dessler described freewill relative to one's environment. How can we know who is favorable in G-ds eyes? 8:58 Why can prayers added after those made from the Anshei Knesses haGadola had HaShem's name? 12:17 Where does one draw the line between hishtadlus and bitachon? 18:40 What are the boundaries of what can be considered 'Torah'? 23:40 Many Chassidish weddings have the mitzvo tanzt. How is this not an issue of proteus, and where did it come from? 26:43 How can we explain the seeming-genocide of the prior inhabitants of eretz yisroel? 33:33 Why is it that at Ashkenazi weddings the kallah walks around the chasan 3 or 7 times. Why is this? 35:24 How do we understand Manoach, even if a Navi can suspend halacha for a one-time necessity? 40:41 How can we understand a soulmate if one person can choose not to enter the shidduch? 44:52 The Girgashiy moved. Where did they go? 47:34 If a goy stills a pruta he is chaiv misa. Why so severe? 52:29 What is the Jewish approach to extending an animal's life if it would cause further pain? 54:32 Learning of Nach is often neglected, and yet we see many books on topics like mussar, emunah etc.. Are these books an attempted replacement? 58:49 What is the origin of gematria? What is At-bash? 1:03:52 Is there an allowance for an abortion caused from rape? 1:05:12 Can anyone darshn gematrias? 1:06:39 What are tips on correcting bad midos? 1:10:35 Is there any religious value in work itself beyond parnasa? 1:13:20 Tzaddaka that brings something in return (eg raffle ticket), is this really tzaddaka? 1:15:20 Is there a way to understand the difference with Ashkenazi and Sephardi pronunciations? 1:18:49 Some people think Beta Israel aren't Jews. Why is this? 1:21:37 What did R' Ovadia Yosef mean for Klal Yisroel? Comments? Feedback? Would you like to sponsor an episode? A series? We'd love to hear from you : podcasts@ohr.edu https://podcasts.ohr.edu/ Visit us @ ohr.edu ! Produced by:

Hashkafic History Series II Ohr Lagolah Rabbinic Program 5776-4-Zionism Rabbi Dr Yitzchak Breitowitz, of Ohr Somayach Jerusalem, "Hashkafic History". For comments, questions, or sponsorship opportunities, contact us at: podcasts@ohr.edu (Originally Rec 2015-16) (Produced by: CedarMedia Podcasting 2021)

00:00 What is the Rav's opinion on the Rabbanut (for kashrus)? 4:51 Where does 1/60 come from in kashrus, olam haba etc.? 7:11 What is tznius for men? 13:15 Simchas Torah seems to be a holiday that developed naturally. It is a separate holiday? 18:00 Someone starting to take on mitzvos from scratch, should he start with deoreisa first, or would the Rambam disagree? 22:28 For one in Shidduchim, should he look at photos? 26:07 Is there a problem speaking Lashon haKodesh while involved in divrei chol? 35:20 How is birchas hamazon different among different groups. How can people add to it? 39:24 Why did HaShem create such vastness in the universe? 44:45 If a website shop gives a discount for the 1st order, can one always just make a new account? 48:05 Does the Torah say anything about math existing before physicality? 49:55 Kiddish levana doesn't seem so Jewish. 53:47 the 19th bracha of shemoneh esrei was added late, but even Avraham and Bruria prayer for sinners 58:00 Is there evidence amoraim didn't know pesukim? 59:50 There is a Gemara that the world exists in the merit of 36 tzadikim. Can we know who these are? 1:01:12 Sifrei kabala are often not revealed until many centuries after they were written. How can we accept these? 1:07:32 How can a mamzer be held accountable for the sins of his parents? 1:11:42 Is there any way to understand the achievements of Rashi? 1:14:06 Why can a Ger marry a mamzer if one has the same status as a born-Jew? 1:18:40 If a kohen marries a divorcée, is the child a mamzer? 1:19:10 In the 6 zchiros it makes point of Miriam's tzaras when leaving Mitzrayim. Why not in bamidbar, where they were? 1:22:00 What does it mean for the chiuv of chiuv es habrios? 1:23:36 We still wash hands in the morning, but not feet. Why not? 1:25:00 When we speak on the lowering of generations, what is the floor? 1:27:04 There's a machloches on the source of Ashrei, and csav ashures was used before anyway. 1:30:30 If a Christian missionary marries someone or is mesader gittin, what happens now? 1:33:20 According to the Rambam, are events of Tanakh metaphor? 1:33:45 We see great relation genetically, linguistically etc. with Canaanim. How can this be? 1:35:13 Why do malachim in Tanakh want to give over his name? 1:36:20 Of diasporic languages, why is Yiddish more developed than Ladino? 1:39:15 Chanoch was taken by Hashem and became a malach. What happened? Comments? Feedback? Would you like to sponsor an episode? A series? We'd love to hear from you : podcasts@ohr.edu https://podcasts.ohr.edu/ Visit us @ ohr.edu ! Produced by:

Hashkafic History Series II Ohr Lagolah Rabbinic Program 5776-3-Varieties of Zionism Rabbi Dr Yitzchak Breitowitz, of Ohr Somayach Jerusalem, "Hashkafic History". For comments, questions, or sponsorship opportunities, contact us at: podcasts@ohr.edu (Originally Rec 2015-16) (Produced by: CedarMedia Podcasting 2021)