1:33 Recap 6:37 Shibolei HaLeket 14:30 Rav Hai Gaon and shofar 17:45 Two ways to wear tefillin 22:33 R Aviad Sar Sholom and kabbalah 26:33 Rambam Migdal Oz Chachmei Lunel 32:46 Maharil 34:49 Kever Yechezkel 35:37 Shoel UMeishiv 37:20 Besamim Rosh 39:05 Two Eshkols Shimusha Rabbah 40:08 Arizal 42:10 Rama MiPano 45:30 R Shmuel Shar Aryeh 47:28 Yosef Ometz 49:34 Wearing Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam together 52:20 R Nosson Adler controversy 53:18 Chassidim and Misnagdim 54:20 R Efraim Zalman Margolios controversy 55:50 Gra and Rabbeinu Tam tefillin 57:10 R Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and R Dovid Baran 57:45 R Chaim Berlin and R Shlomo Dubnov 58:38 Keren Orah and Aderes
1:35 Introduction 2:36 Sefer HaYashar and R’ Avraham ben HaGra 7:02 The Ramban on Sefer HaYashar 9:20 Torah Shelemah of R’ Menachem Kasher and R’ Chaim 11:00 R’ Shlomo Buber 11:56 Why This Topic Matters 13:07 Names According to R’ Chaim 16:20 R’ Moshe Feinstein’s Haskamah on Works About Names 17:47 Tzavaas R’ Yehudah HaChassid 27:50 The Name Noach 29:14 Naming After a Rasha 33:26 Quoting from Problematic Seforim 37:20 Naming After Figures Mentioned Before Avraham Avinu in the Chumash 39:50 Naming a Man After a Woman and Vice Versa 44:07 Pronunciation of the Name Yissachar 46:20 Naming After One’s Father and Bar Kappara
0:00 Introduction 2:45 Gra and the word Get in Gittin 15:00 Midrash Rabah and R' Chaim’s notes 17:52 Sefer HaYashar on Chumash 18:25 LeMechseh Ateik 25:35 Ben Sira 26:15 Sources for his Midrash knowledge and the value of learning Midrash 27:23 Yalkut Shimoni 28:28 R' Menachem de Lonzano 29:30 R' Avraham ben HaGra 33:10 Aharon Yellnick 33:35 R' Shlomo Buber 36:26 R' Eliezer Grenhaus 36:55 R' Shlomo Wertheimer 37:20 R' Menachem Kasher 37:55 Otzar Midrashim of R' Eisenstein 41:07 R' Yehudah Leib ben David and using problematic Midrashim 44:38 Ben Sira 48:19 Sefer HaYashar on Chumash
0:00 – Introduction 4:26 – Ta'ama D'Kra 10:13 – Feedback on the sefer 13:27 – Deeper dive into the sefer 18:18 – The Steipler on Chumash 19:24 – Chumash and the Haskalah 21:02 – R’ Shlomo Kluger learning Tanach 21:35 – R’ Yaakov Kamenetsky 23:43 – Simchas HaNefesh on Tanach 24:20 – Pri Megadim 25:05 – Menucha Kedosha on Tanach 27:54 – Chafetz Chaim & Chumash 28:39 – The Gra and Chumash in his Beis Medrash 33:00 – Targumim 34:49 – Chasser / Malei and Mesorah
In this episode, I share a hesped for R’ Dovid Kamenetsky זצ״ל, a talmid chacham & prolific author. I reflect on my personal connection with him and the lessons we can learn from his life—especially his generosity and devotion to helping others. I also trace his legacy, highlighting his many significant works on the Vilna Gaon and his Beis Medrash, as well as his more recent focus on the life of R’ Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, including his two monumental volumes on the subject. His passing is a profound loss for the Torah world, but his seforim & articles ensure that his voice and teachings will continue to inspire.
We’re sharing this conversation now after finishing Pirkei Avos with Mishnah Yomi, and with summer being the time many people focus on learning Avos. Dr. Steven Weiss, as you'll hear, has an incredible passion for all things Avos. He has collected thousands of seforim and meticulously documented nearly every work on the subject up until 2015. His vast knowledge is a treasure for anyone interested in Pirkei Avos. You can purchase a copy of his book or ask questions by reaching out to Dr. Weiss directly at avotmaven@gmail.com. Introduction 1:55 - Pirkei Avos verse, Maseches Avos 2:41 - Background: How did you get into Maseches Avos? 5:35 - How many works have you documented in your book? 6:58 - Nachlas Tzvi 9:02 - Was there a time that there was an "explosion" of works on Avos? 12:28 - When did it become a custom to learn it in the Summer? 15:50 - Any Gedolim famous only for their works on Avos? (Medrash Shmuel) 16:45 - Lechem Yehudah 24:21 - Burning of the Shas and Maharam MePaduah 27:53 - Controversial Seforim on Avos? 28:10 - Rashi on Avos—who is it? 30:36 - Yaein Levonon (R' Naftali Wessley) 39:20 - Five interesting works on Avos 45:03 - Judaica items related to Avos 50:12 - Some translations of Avos
0:00 Introduction – Recap 3:23 Maharil 5:00 Tashbetz Koton 9:52 Hanhagos of the Arizal 11:34 Context of this Genre of Seforim 14:46 Magen Avraham and Arizal 16:30 Reliability 19:26 Shimush Talmidei Chachomim & Reading Gedolim Books 20:23 Toldos Adam 22:01 Chafetz Chaim’s Sons’ Work 24:00 Importance of Live Shimush Talmidei Chachomim 31:20 R’ Meir Greinman’s Work 32:55 R’ Chaim Kanievsky’s Comments on this Work 34:02 R’ Kalman Kahana 36:00 Samples from Kuntres HaZichronos
0:00 General Introduction 1:40 – Introduction: Oral Traditions and Pesakim of the Chazon Ish 6:52 – Hanhagos of the Chazon Ish (based on his sister, R’ Chaim’s mother) 7:55 – Minhagim of the Lederman Shul 10:41 – R’ Chaim’s Notes on Maaseh Ish volumes 13:10 – R’ Chaim’s Notes on Rav Steinman material 19:45 – Notes from Rav Bramberger and R’ Chaim 21:58 – Rav Tieger’s Derech Ish 22:56 – Introduction to Kuntres HaZichronos 33:27 – R’ Zorach Schapira 36:00 – R’ Chaim’s style in Kuntres HaZichronos 38:09 – Similarities between this work and the Maharil0:00 General Introduction 1:40 – Introduction: Oral Traditions and Pesakim of the Chazon Ish 6:52 – Hanhagos of the Chazon Ish (based on his sister, R’ Chaim’s mother) 7:55 – Minhagim of the Lederman Shul 10:41 – R’ Chaim’s Notes on Maaseh Ish volumes 13:10 – R’ Chaim’s Notes on Rav Steinman material 19:45 – Notes from Rav Bramberger and R’ Chaim 21:58 – Rav Tieger’s Derech Ish 22:56 – Introduction to Kuntres HaZichronos 33:27 – R’ Zorach Schapira 36:00 – R’ Chaim’s style in Kuntres HaZichronos 38:09 – Similarities between this work and the Maharil
0:00 Introduction 1:20 About the sefer & why he wrote it 11:03 Sources 12:00 Bitul Torah 15:40 Zerizus 18:06 Mikvah 21:20 Overspending 23:20 Beards & shaving 32:10 Success comes from learning a lot 33:28 R’ Yehoshua Heller 35:30 Chinuch: when & how 38:05 Hitting children 44:20 Tefilah 45:30 Mitzvos b’simcha & doing more 46:40 Kavod of a talmid chacham 48:57 Ruach Hakodesh
1:53 – Intro 3:40 – Key sources 5:40 – Yichus 6:56 – Connection to R' Meshulam Igra 9:27 – Rav of Lissa 13:53 – Financial status 15:30 – Ties to Gedolim 18:40 – Chayei Adam on him 20:24 – Why he became so popular 23:40 – Nesivos & relationship with Ketzos 31:23 – Chavas Daas on Yoreh Deah 34:10 – Mekor Chaim 36:16 – Beis Yaakov on Kesubos 36:56 – Toras Gittin 37:44 – Derech Chaim 38:28 – Ethical will & practical halacha 43:18 – R’ Akiva Eiger & Derech Chaim 52:00 – Commentary on Megillos 52:24 – Haggadah Shel Pesach 53:15 – Other works 53:52 – Teshuvos 55:24 – More on ethical will