The Q & A with Rabbi Breitowitz Podcast

00:00 Why do we say Kaddish? 04:28 Could you please describe the Kabbalistic middah of Malchus? 09:20 When did souls become "Jewish" souls? 17:11 Does anyone say that the Jewish transformation happened at Mt. Sinai? 18:24 Why do we stand with feet together in the Amidah? 20:13 Why are there very few Levites? 24:07 If Hashem created Teshuva for all people, how can Elisha Ben Avuya say the Acher couldn't do Teshuva? And how do we make Teshuva for "dead and gone" situations? 29:34 How come we don't know where the lost tribes are today? 35:48 If someone is traveling and they are looking for a shul, how do I know it's a kosher minyan (e.g. if it were reform or conservative)? 43:10 What does the Rambam mean when he says we shouldn't do Mitzvos for the sake of reward? 48:00 When does it become appropriate to study Kabbalah? 58:08 How does one know which voices to listen to inside oneself? 1:04:16 What is the Torah's perspective on ghosts? 1:06:00 How do you explain learning Gemara to kids? 1:14:45 Are women allowed to learn Gemara? 1:20:53 Are there makhlosim between the Talmud Yerushalmi? Why is the Talmud Bavli more widespread if the Yerushalmi was written in a holier place? 1:30:58 Why is there not more of a push to learn Machshava in Yeshiva? 1:35:30 How would the Rav describe the fundamental difference between a Jew and a non-Jew to someone who has no idea about Judaism? 1:39:15 How do we relate to Avoda Zara references or images in literature? 1:42:45 Why do some sects of Judaism not learn on certain days (non-Jewish holidays)? 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 5776-7-Rav Kook Bio II Rabbi Dr Yitzchak Breitowitz, of Ohr Somayach Jerusalem, "Hashkafic History". (Originally Rec 2015-16) 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 How can we reconcile the Gemara in Sukkah saying that certain actions bring about eclipses and the astronomical cycle of such eclipses? 06:37 How do we reconcile the fact that we're a light unto the nations if translating the Torah is seen as bad, and why are so many important Jews secular? 14:00 Why is Havdalah related to (the bracha of) wisdom? 22:14 Has the Rav been positively affected by secular culture? 31:10 How can a Jew be involved in a career in creative writing? 42:00 How much do I have to wrong someone in order to require forgiveness? 46:28 What's the difference between Olam Haba and Olam HaNeshamos? 48:38 In terms of "rodef," could someone kill a doctor who is about to pull the plug on a patient? 54:08 Is the rav excited about Roe v Wade possibly being overturned? 1:03:06 What are the rav's thoughts on men educating women when there are a lot of allegations and abuses? 1:12:35 Why did Hashem have to hold the mountain over the heads of the Jews? Were we forced into accepting it? 1:15:38 How do we view political campaigns that employ lashon hara? 1:21:00 Is sinas chinam still happening today? 1:21:46 Why are Pharoahs in the Torah not named? 1:22:42 How is removal of the spleen allowed with Adonyahu? 1:27:08 Does lashon hara extend to social media being allowed? 1:28:22 Shovavim eitzah for yeshiva bachurim? 1:31:37 When it comes to men wearing women's garments or the like, what is kosher in terms of grooming? 1:36:00 What's the message of growing out a beard? 1:40:05 Why is there not a more mainstream obligation to receive the COVID vaccine according to the gedolim? 1:42:43 Why should I listen to a gadol about medical advice? 1:47:54 Where is America headed in terms of Yiddishkeit? 1:51:50 How can there be other worlds in our world if Hashem created the beginning in Bereshis? 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:

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 What is the Halacha on zmanim in space? 4:59 Why do some mishnayos not have Gemaras included with them? 15:02 Did people live outside of Garden of Eden alongside or before Adam and Chava (according to a Midrash)? 19:15 How do we understand the statement "the world was created for me" (in Sanhendrin)? 25:56 Are there any issues with playing basketball on Shabbat? 29:44 How do we reconstruct musical sounds from Tehilim? 34:42 What's the Rav's opinion on not letting a student of Baruch Spinoza enter a shul? 42:08 Why did Hashem created the world in stages and not all at once? 44:23 Does a Charem apply to the talmidim of the person with the charem? 45:20 Shouldn't goyim be chayev in brachot (because it would be stealing)? 49:22 Why are there different shapes of menorahs? 55:16 If the Torah is a "blueprint for life," why doesn't the Torah explain how to stay physically healthy? 57:25 Is it lying to state an earlier time for an event when I know people will be late? 1:00:00 Is there a source that states that Israel belongs to the children of Shem? 1:04:05 Who was Agripas HaMelech? 1:09:09 Wouldn't we make Aaron HaKohen the Kohen gadol rather than current gadolim of todays world? 1:12:39 What does the Torah say about dinosaurs and the like? 1:16:42 Is Jewish astrology real? 1:21:45 Why would Hashem keep destroying and rebuilding the earth? 1:24:44 Is having anxiety a lack of faith in Hashem? 1:26:55 Is it possible for someone to come back in a GilGul of a person who completed their tachlus? 1:30:46 If everything is from Hashem, how do we explain the seeming autonomy of the Satan and the like? 1:34:45 Who is Mashiach Ben Yosef? 1:40:22 How do we explain the structures of the pyramids? 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 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 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: