Jewish History Uncensored

In this episode we will look at the golden era of Italian Mekubalim in the 1700’s. We start by looking at the basic community structure in Italy. In terms of Historical Legacy, the relativity unknown R' Emanuel Chai Ricco is incredibly important. In this episode we look at his early life, how he came to become one of the most important Kabbalists of his times and what led him to write his seminal work, ‘Mishnas Chassidim’.  Nach Yomi: Join R' Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Tehillim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)

In this episode we look at R Levi Yitzchok’s Historical Legacy as the ultimate defender of the Jewish People. We examine some of the famous legends and stories that are said about him. We also start looking at the debates with the Misnagdim, and how R' Levi Yitzchok and R' Shmelke responded to the accusations.  We also examine the issue of how to determine which legendary stories should be considered substantial evidence. Nach Yomi: Join R' Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Shir Hashirim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)

This episode looks at R' Levi Yitzchok’s earlier Rabbinic positions in Ritiswall, Lobertov, and Pinsk. How much systematic opposition did R Levi Yitzchok face in these cities? What can we learn about the general phenomenon of hisnagdus from R' Levi Yitzchok’s experiences? What can we learn about R' Levi Yitzchok as a Rabbinical figure from these events?     Nach Yomi: Join R' Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Shir Hashirim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)

In this episode we look at the Yom Ha-Shoah and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Why did the Knesset establish Yom Ha-Shoah on the 27th of Nisan? Is this the best time to remember the Holocaust? Was the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising historically justified? What was the Historical footprint of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising? Did the Germans react to it? Did it make any change in how the Poles interacted with the Jews?   Research notes:   The best one volume book on the Holocaust is Martin Gilbert’s famed volume, The Holocaust https://www.amazon.com/dp/0006371949/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_XGSZNQTJE7NN9HAFHKF3, weaves narrative and has an incredible amount of very important information.  His narrative on The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is only based on Zuckerman’s narrative and makes no mention of ZZW.    Saul Freidlander’s The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UZQH8E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_7VZ62R64562HH89CPRGM is another very important one volume work on the Holocaust that was consulted.    In terms of understanding the general attitude in Germany at the time Goldhagen’s somewhat controversial book, Hitler's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust https://www.amazon.com/dp/0679772685/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_SG1BJQR7SS2JW8EH98SS, is very key. Similarly, Lawrence Rees, Auschwitz: A New History https://www.amazon.com/dp/1586483579/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_98YXQ14TSASRW4VDB01S, is outstanding and has many unique interviews that a Jewish Historian would never get.      One of the most important digests of general information that I use on the Warsaw Ghetto pre uprising is, Kiddush Hashem: Jewish Religious and Cultural Life in Poland During the Holocaust (English and Yiddish Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0881251186/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_MR266PFSBV6RZMCYHN5W.       In terms of the basic story of the Great Deportation of summer 42, The Warsaw Ghetto Diaries by Hillel Seidman (1997-12-04) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FIZQO9M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_MH06VM2CX040AG2P2T2Q     Moshe Arens carefully and relatively objectively examines the ZOB vs ZZW issues and also most of the basic story from before the Great Deportation through the Revolt in his monumental Flags Over the Warsaw Ghetto https://www.amazon.com/dp/1094763284/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_SNN0RM9WXAJWBBV0EQ9E     The information about the Sobibor revolt and about Toibi Thomas Blatt’s experiences is from the standard work on Sobibor, Escape from Sobibor: Revised and Updated Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1480458511/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_1X0J722H02NFM19J0BQ4, which also is full of very important interviews of most of the Sobibor survivors.  ______________________________________ Rabbi Arnie Wittenstein is a well known Torah scholar, Tanach expert, and Historian. He has lectured in the Mir Yeshiva, Torat Shraga, and and many Shuls internationally. These podcasts integrate his broad knowledge of many different facets of Torah and History. Join in weekly to gain accurate & in depth knowledge of some of the most important and controversial topics in Jewish History. Nach Yomi: Join R Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Shir HaShirim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)

In this episode we look at the claim that R' Pinchas Horowitz wasn’t really a talmid of the Maggid of Mezritch. Why do some attempt to say this? Is there anyway we can disprove this? We also look at the printing of his sefer on Chumash, Panim Yafos. We also look at why it R Pinchas Horowitz didn’t try to spread the teachings of the Maggid of Mezritch in Frankfurt.    We start looking at R' Levi Yitzchok of Berdichov.  Is there any proof that he learnt with R' Yosef Tuemim Frankel, the Pri Megadim? How did he come to learn by the Maggid? Nach Yomi: Join R' Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Shir Hashirim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)

In this episode we look at the phenomenon of Disconnection. Human culture has been significantly destabilized for the last hundred years. One of the primary reasons for this is that there has been a cutting off from our Historical Roots. How does this affect us? What challenges does this create for us? What can we do to counteract this?  Nach Yomi: Join R Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Tehillim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)

In this episode we look at one of the most legendary stories in Jewish History, R' Pinchas Horowitz becoming the Rabbi of Frankfurt. Frankfurt was one of the most ancient and prestigious Jewish Communities in Europe. Was it an anomaly that R' Pinchas Horowitz, one of the primary Talmidim of the Maggid of Mezritch became the Rabbi there?  _______________________________________ Rabbi Arnie Wittenstein is a well known Torah scholar, Tanach expert, and Historian. He has lectured in the Mir Yeshiva, Torat Shraga, and and many Shuls internationally. These podcasts integrate his broad knowledge of many different facets of Torah and History. Join in weekly to gain accurate & in depth knowledge of some of the most important and controversial topics in Jewish History. Nach Yomi: Join R Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Tehillim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)

#29 - The Maggid and his Talmidim In this episode we look at the Maggid of Mezritch’s greatest accomplishment, attracting Talmidim. How did the Maggid attract Talmidim? What kind of Talmidim did he attract? Was there competition between the Maggid and the Gaon in this? Was there any difference in who the Maggid would accept as a Talmid and who the Gaon would accept as a Talmid? Are there any Historical questions on the famous story of R Shmelke of Nikolsburg initially learning by the Gaon?   We also examine the out of proportion place that the Chief Rabbi’s of England have played in the last forty years.  _______________________________________ Rabbi Arnie Wittenstein is a well known Torah scholar, Tanach expert, and Historian. He has lectured in the Mir Yeshiva, Torat Shraga, and and many Shuls internationally. These podcasts integrate his broad knowledge of many different facets of Torah and History. Join in weekly to gain accurate & in depth knowledge of some of the most important and controversial topics in Jewish History. Nach Yomi: Join R Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Tehillim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)

Episode 28 - The Maggid and the Besht  In this episode we look at when the Maggid of Mezritch met the Besht. We also examine how the Besht convinced the Maggid to become his talmid. Did the Besht openly appoint the Maggid as his successor? Or did it take time for the Maggid to become recognized as the successor of the Besht? Did anyone contest the Maggid’s place as successor of the Besht? _______________________________________ Rabbi Arnie Wittenstein is a well known Torah scholar, Tanach expert, and Historian. He has lectured in the Mir Yeshiva, Torat Shraga, and and many Shuls internationally. These podcasts integrate his broad knowledge of many different facets of Torah and History. Join in weekly to gain accurate & in depth knowledge of some of the most important and controversial topics in Jewish History. Nach Yomi: Join R Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Tehillim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)

This episode looks at which part the Holy Letter caused the storm to break out.  We  also look at the phenomenon of ascension of the soul. Is this the same as Prophecy?  Can one consider the Besht a false prophet for making such claims?  We also examine how the different parts of the Charedi world look at Mashiach.  We start looking at the Maggid of Mezritch’s early life. How did he meet the Baal Shem? Did the Pnei Yehoshua have any part in their meeting? _______________________________________ Rabbi Arnie Wittenstein is a well known Torah scholar, Tanach expert, and Historian. He has lectured in the Mir Yeshiva, Torat Shraga, and and many Shuls internationally. These podcasts integrate his broad knowledge of many different facets of Torah and History. Join in weekly to gain accurate & in depth knowledge of some of the most important and controversial topics in Jewish History. Nach Yomi: Join R Wittenstein’s Nach Yomi on WhatsApp. We learn a perek a day five days a week, with a nine minute shiur covering the key issues. We are currently learning Tehillim. Click here to join!  For tours, speaking engagements, or sponsorships contact us at jewishhistoryuncensored@gmail.com (CedarMediaStudios Podcasting 2021)