Jewish History with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz

Osad

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  Leone Modena's explanation of the halachos of the arba minim and the US Constitution 25.09.2026 30min

  The נַעֲנוּעִים are not some devil-worship ritual, but rather a sublime Maimonidean-Logical rite of acknowledging God's sovereignty over everything, even the Heavens. The great impact of Modena's explanation upon Gentile intellectuals
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  Calling a Spade a Spade: The עוֹלְלוֹת אֶפְרַיִם on the אַרְבַּע מִינִים 24.09.2026 27min

  The לוּלָב is the תַּלְמִיד חָכָם who is a turnoff!
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  Sukkos and the Battle for "The" Official-Memory of the 40 years in the desert 23.09.2026 20min

  The years in the Desert were magical, wondrous, and wonderful (עַנָּנֵי הַכָּבוֹד)ORThe year in the desert were physically torturous and ended in death (because of the two big sins) (סֻכּוֹת מַמָּשׁ)
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  Intellectual Bankruptcy and the Current (non-frum) Jewish Anti-Zionism 22.09.2026 32min

  Will Dissolving Israel and returning to Galus save the Jewish People? Are you nuts?
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  The unusual מַחְלֹקֶת רִאשׁוֹנִים re: The אַרְבָּעָה חִלּוּקֵי כַּפָּרָה 20.09.2026 24min

  The סֵפֶר הָאֶשְׁכּוֹל says that is not how Heaven operates
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  Shabbos Shuvah, Parshas Haazinu: Moshe goes out on a rhetorical high 17.09.2026 29min

  When misfortune strikes, will you be intelligent enough to be thoughtfully and constructively self-critical? Or will you be like everyone else in the Middle East?
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  A Possible History of Yom Kippur 16.09.2026 30min

  Why does the Torah (i.e., Hashem) permit everything on Yom Kippur except eating and drinking?
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  Rabbi Yekusiel Aryeh Kamelhar (1871-1937), life in the Jewish Galicia in the fin de siècle 16.09.2026 56min

  At different times, a Rav, Rosh Yeshiva, Historian, journalist. Seeking a footing when you are an original thinker but not a member of the "in club" in Hasidic society
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  Major Alfred Mordecai US Army (1804-1887): Can one stay frum at West Point? 14.09.2026 50min

  Robert E Lee chose the Confederacy. George Thomas chose the Union. Which side did Major Mordecai choose?
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  Rosh Hashanah and the Dangers of AI: An interpretation of the theme of Malchiyos 10.09.2026 29min

  Also: The historical origins of וְכֵן תֵּן פַּחְדְּךָ
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  A Historical Introduction to the Drashos HaRamban to Rosh HaShanah, Pt. 2 09.09.2026 52min

  Ramban, a Sephardi, spars with his Ashkenazic audience
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  A Historical Introduction to the Drashos HaRamban to Rosh HaShanah, Pt. 1 07.09.2026 1t 3min

  A Sephardi take on עִנְיְנֵי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה delivered in an Ashkenazi yeshiva (in the Capital of the Crusader Kingdom) in 1267
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  Rosh Hashanah: A Suggested History of Malchiyos, Zichronos and Shofros in the Common Liturgy (5787) 06.09.2026 37min

  Did the predecessors of R’ Abahu also combine different meanings of תְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר that were "out there" into a single standard liturgy for all Jews? Was he merely following their example of uniformization?
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  Haftarah Nitzavim-VaYelech: Angelology and the Final Redemption 04.09.2026 26min

  Will Hashem Himself kill Edom? Or will it be the Archangel Michael? Different strands of Jewish Tradition.
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  Parshas Nitzavim-VaYelech: "הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת וְהַנִּגְלוֹת" לְמַה בְּדִיּוּק מִתְכַּוֵּן הַתּוֹרָה? 03.09.2026 39min

  Are courts, shul-rabbis, teachers, roshei-yeshiva and mashgichim, principals etc. obligated to organize spies and snitches in the institutions under their control?
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  R’ Yeshayahu di Trani- “The Tosafos Rid” (1150s-1240s): THE Gadol of Italy & the Byzantine Empire 02.09.2026 37min

  Classic case of a Rishon (among the greatest, according to his contemporaries) whose writings were forgotten for centuries and then rediscovered in the Modern era.
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  What is the exact history of the practice of 30 shofar blasts? Part 2 31.08.2026 37min

  A Hasidic-Kabbalistic metahistorical narrative from the בְּנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר
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  Haftarah Ki Savo: The Nations of the World "See the Light" 27.08.2026 32min

  In the Messianic Era, will the Jews influence the gentiles to respect Judaism, or will the gentiles' respect for Judaism influence the Jews to value their own religion?
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  Tekias Shofar as part of anti-Karaite/Sadduceean Rabbinic Judaism 27.08.2026 29min

  Aspects of the laws of תְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר reflect anti-heretical practices which are such an interesting part of Rabbanite Judaism
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  Did World War Two end widespread antisemitism in America? 26.08.2026 34min

  Already in 1945 organizations like the ADL & Co. feared some future technology (like the internet) which would empower antisemitic groups and even enable them to win elections