The Q & A with Rabbi Breitowitz Podcast

This Tisha B'av, join Rabbi Breitowitz reading and explaining Kinnos followed by a day of Shiurim at https://ohr.edu/tishabav/ Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos 00:00 What is the source of the custom not to do birkat kohanim, and how can a custom nullify a commandment? 08:03 Why do some say 'na' in the third blessing of birkat hamazon, and why do we not bless everyone in the 'harachaman's every time? 15:13 How does the idea of soulmates work with converts, and is it possible for one to miss out on their soulmate? 23:16 If a waiver only goes into effect when a person understands it, and it's safe to assume no one ever reads it, does it still apply? 29:00 Why don't we read megillas Eicha in the day? 29:55 Does a convert need to do tevilas keilim after conversion? 34:10 Did Ruth convert before marrying Naomi's son or after? 37:37 How can a Hacham's curse ever be hinam? And why should God's curse be avoidable but man's curse not? 43:50 Why does Rava forgive Bar Hedya for his children's deaths, but not for his wife's death? 46:44 What is the definition of kofer in halacha? 1:00:30 Is it true that we should only respect those non-Jews who do good for us? 1:05:33 Does a Levite get the first aliyah when there is no cohen? 1:05:56 What is the nature of the disagreement between the Hasidim and the Misnagdim? 1:15:36 Should we want trials and tribulations to get more reward? Why would one get more reward from trials anyway? 1:21:50 Does the Rav have book recommendations? 1:24:57 Are protests good? 1:29:53 Where do the tunes for Eicha and the other megillos come from? 1:33:56 How old are the brackets and parentheses in the Talmud? 1:35:25 Should one set high prices according to the rules of economics, or does halacha set a price ceiling? 1:41:04 How should one comfort their loved ones after having done the standard condolences? 1:44:34 What is the fundamental issue with non-kosher food? 1:46:24 What is resurrection and are there exceptions? 1:51:42 What should be done with the recent parah adumah? 1:55:10 Is it permitted to apply to jobs in the week before Tisha B'Av? 1:56:00 How does the Torah view money? You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

This Tisha B'av, join Rabbi Breitowitz reading and explaining Kinnos followed by a day of Shiurim at https://ohr.edu/tishabav/ Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

This Tisha B'av, join Rabbi Breitowitz reading and explaining Kinnos followed by a day of Shiurim at ohr.edu Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos 00:00 A few questions about Reuven and Gad's request in Parshas Mattos. 05:02 Why do both 'mateh' and 'shevet' mean both 'staff' and 'tribe'? 11:42 If Moshiach would come during the 3 weeks, what haftaros would we read? 14:50 What are the parameters of tofel, and how might those apply to ice cream cones and other such foods? 21:48 If all the questions will be answered when Moshiach comes, what will be the purpose of learning Torah, and will there still be chiddushim? 26:39 Why does Tisha B'Av not have tachanun? 31:11 How do we tell the difference between halacha and hadracha? 38:30 Why do we try to name our children with matching English and Hebrew names? 46:30 Why does Rashi sometimes contradict himself? 50:59 How often should one check one's tefillin? 53:01 Why should tzadikim who have natural talents get more Olam Haba because of those talents? 1:00:43 How does one keep the inspiration one feels as a new baal teshuva as one delves deeper into the halachos and the standard Jewish world? 1:07:41 What is the argument, from both sides, on wrapping tefillin in the street? 1:12:31 Should one have his tefillin checked if they were bought before one paid close attention? 1:15:33 What should the relationship be between a Rav and a halachically well-versed individual? 1:19:19 Can a girl have a bar mitzvah? Can she have a bat mitzvah? 1:23:14 Should Jews boycott German products, particularly those brands associated with the Nazi Party? 1:30:30 How much does our free will affect the world at the expense of the power of God's plan? 1:35:20 Is it better, in order to become a well-rounded learner, to focus on gemara then branch out or to diversify one's learning? 1:40:26 How does one ration time for all his responsibilities? 1:42:39 What should one do with family or friends who disparage Judaism? 1:44:27 Should one cut ties with such family/friends? You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

This Tisha B'av, join Rabbi Breitowitz reading and explaining Kinnos followed by a day of Shiurim at ohr.edu. For dedication opportunities email podcasts@ohr.edu This episode is dedicated as a zechus for the health and well being of Yehuda Ben Miriam and Victoria 00:00 Why are Zimri and Cozbi only mentioned as an afterthought, and why is the vav of 'shalom' incomplete? 07:08 How would Jews calculate zmanim in a submarine, and if there had been Jews on the Titan, would their wives have been allowed to remarry? 14:28 Why is spirituality so delicate and vulnerable? 20:19 How could an entire species be forbidden because of idolatrous use, as in the case of cocoa when it was first discovered? 24:37 What is the story of the Ten Lost Tribes? 32:56 When the gemara says that nothing treif comes from heaven, does that include the creations of heaven? 34:03 What is a possible source for yoetzet halacha? 42:55 How could the Benjaminites take women from Shiloh and Yavesh Gilead? 46:52 Is it bitul Torah to travel, and will Jews in the Messianic Era take vacations? 54:04 How does the Ramban understand the gemara that Israel heard 611 mitzvos from Moshe? 58:35 Is one allowed to enter a Buddhist temple? 1:01:05 How were nusachot made, and can one do so today? 1:08:30 How did those at the time of Chazal know when the zmanim were? 1:11:11 Why not start our mourning period from the 9th of Tammuz? 1:15:35 What is the source for long peyos, and why do so many do it? 1:16:52 What is the heter for contraception? 1:20:50 How does one maintain kavana in our fixed davening? 1:23:27 Why do we use the word 'rabbi'? 1:24:42 Is it worth discouraging intermarriage if there's a 50/50 chance of acceptance? 1:25:42 Can we use the recent innovations in torat hanefesh that come from the non-Jewish world? 1:32:17 How does one capitalize on moments of inspiration, motivation, and connection to God? 1:34:15 Since there are so many opposing ideas in mussar, how do we know when to be pulled by one force and when to be pulled by its opposite? Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Founded in the late 1980s, and accredited by the Israel Ministry of Education, Ohr Lagolah (Ohr Somayach's two-year rabbinic, outreach and teacher training program) is the world's longest running program of its kind. To translate Judaism into the language of the 21st century, educators today need more than knowledge. They need skills. And they need training. Ohr Lagolah features Integrated Semicha Preparation Comprehensive training in kiruv, chinuch and rabbonus Practical Hands-On Experience World Renowned Lecturers Israeli Government Certification Job Placement Assistance and Guidance Kollel Stipends Make a Lasting Impact! Since the program started over 30 years ago, hundreds of Ohr Lagolah graduates have found meaningful positions as rabbonim, mechanchim, campus rabbis and in community kollelim, inspiring thousands of young Jews to investigate, connect to and grow in their Judaism. You too, can make an impact on Klal Yisrael. Spend the next two years preparing yourself, learning how to translate Judaism into the language of the 21st century. For more information contact Rabbi Klein on 02-5810-315 x111, whatsapp or email lagolah@ohr.edu Apply Now Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Episode dedicated: L'iluy nishmas Yisroel Meir Shalom Ben Yaakov Aaron Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu 00:00 Are there problems of borer in playing card games? 03:55 Why don't we find very young Torah prodigies anymore? 09:27 What would the Rav say to one who chooses to keep only the d'Oraisos of Shabbos? 18:16 Why does the Megillah need to belabor the extravagance of Ahasuerus' party? 20:21 Does tinok shenishba apply to the Noahide laws? 25:14 Are chumros a cause or an effect of yeridas hadoros? 32:49 Could the Rav explain the moral proof of God? 41:21 How can there be trees older than the Flood? 43:35 How do we navigate the pressure to constantly grow? 50:59 What is the meaning of the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos, that Sages bite and sting? 53:51 What is the Jewish opinion on affirmative action? 57:51 How is our mitzvah to kill even the babies of Amalek different than those terrorists who have a religious rule to kill us? 1:03:35 What learning should someone who has left yeshiva focus on? 1:08:36 What exactly is Chasidus and what is its masorah? 1:17:09 What should we do about house parties and other forms of mixed-gender interactions? 1:22:40 If one misunderstands a teaching of Torah for a generally positive meaning, is another obligated to correct them? 1:24:46 Is slavery in the Torah moral? 1:28:18 How do we understand the last line of Psalm 137? 1:30:30 Why do some say "gaal Yisrael" out loud and even say the first few words of the Amidah out loud? 1:34:02 Considering modern science, how do we understand the saying of Chazal regarding when the seeds of man and woman are released? Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu 00:00 How can one be okay with prayers not being answered? How might one "improve the returns", so to speak? 07:01 Is there a source for souls choosing their parents before birth? 11:47 How can we pray if Hashem won't change His mind? And is it possible for Adam & Eve to be a parable? 24:22 Do we introduce all halachos at once to someone interested in Judaism, or do we withhold some and introduce slowly? 30:42 Is it preferable for the only Levi to quicken his Amidah to wash the cohanim's hands, or to forego washing in favor of a better Amidah? 32:25 How can the Zohar claim that there is no teshuva for zera levatala, whereas the Talmud Yerushalmi says that is true only for bitul Torah? 35:23 Is there a source for Lev Tahor's dress code, and how should we react to it? 38:23 If someone is given an interim set of tefillin by the tefillin repair shop, and he has already paid for his fixed tefillin, what type of shomer is he? 40:46 Do the laws to respect the wishes of the dead apply even to those executed by the court? 42:48 What does Judaism say about alien life or the multiverse? 46:07 Does Korach have a share in the World to Come? 47:59 If one regrets his own purchase, does gam zu letovah apply? 52:15 Why do some wait to repeat Vayechulu with another, if they finished the Shabbat Amidah late, while some don't? 54:08 How should one treat non-Jewish family members by intermarriage? 1:00:25 A person younger than 20 suffers-- is this attributed to future sins, the sins of the parents, or a gilgul? 1:04:28 Where does tikkun klali come from, and are there similar formulas? 1:06:45 What mitzvos can one forego for the sake of kiruv, or to what degree can one sacrifice his own spiritual growth for kiruv? 1:16:05 How many praying people can one walk in front of in order to do a mitzvah? 1:18:41 What is the cause of the rise in divorce rate, and how can one avoid divorce? 1:24:50 How did the Sanhedrin communicate their takanos and gezeiros? 1:27:06 What exactly is the sin of complaining in Chukas? And why should a copper snake be a cure? 1:34:26 Are the rules of saying amen from Berachos still applicable today? 1:35:23 Should a baal teshuva start with new growth or with old regret? What about day-to-day? 1:40:24 Was Tosfos' expectation that we know all of Shas before learning Tosfos? 1:45:17 Are there many references to Bar Kochba in Chazal? Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS