Classes by Mordechai Dinerman

Today, we’ll examine the debate in Venice in 1630 over a communal ban against gambling. Local leaders moved to outlaw games of chance, but Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Modena pushed back, arguing that the community had no right to restrict a Jew’s freedom in this area. Along the way, we examine the authorship of an anonymous 1595 dialogue on gambling, offering an overview of the halachic arguments and a window into public attitudes about his...

In 1725, Rabbi Zalman Hena published Shaarei Tefilah and sparked controversy by calling for a complete stop to the use of taam ha’elyon—the unique system of trop traditionally used for reading the Aseres Hadibros. Rabbi Yaakov Emden wasn’t having it and fired back forcefully in his Luach Eresh. This class unpacks their debate, the sources they cite, the Alter Rebbe’s position, and what we know about the two competing systems of tro...

Today, we’re picking up where we left off in the story of chidush hasemicha. We’ll look at what unfolded after Rabbi Levi ibn Chabib pushed back against Rabbi Yaakov Beirav’s plan and how the controversy evolved in the decades that followed. We’ll dive into Rabbi Yosef Caro’s role in the debate and then turn to the remarkable mission in the 1830s, spearheaded by Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov, to find the Ten Lost Tribes in a bold attempt...

After the Spanish Expulsion, a group of leading rabbis in Tzfas, led by Rabbi Yaakov Beirav, set out to revive semichah—the original form of judicial ordination that linked back to Moshe Rabbeinu. They planned to reestablish semichah through broad rabbinic consensus, but not everyone was on board. In Jerusalem, Rabbi Levi ibn Chabib strongly objected, raising serious questions about the halachic basis and the broader implications o...

There’s a long and painful history of the Gemara being censored in Christian lands, but in 1728, a draconian form of censorship led to the publication of a heavily redacted Maseches Berachos. A fierce debate erupted within the Jewish community: was it better to print a mutilated Gemara, or not to print it at all? In this class, we explore the rabbinic voices on both sides, the arguments they advanced, and actual examples of the edi...

Sometime in the mid-1400s, Rabbi Shlomo Duran of Algiers penned a remarkable teshuvah directed at a group of conversos in Spain. These individuals, who had been forced to embrace Christianity since the 1391 persecutions, had managed to maintain their Jewish faith in secrecy. Their question centered on how they could refrain from the worst forms of chametz on Pesach without drawing the suspicion of the authorities—an endeavor fraugh...

In the 1850s, a groundbreaking innovation was introduced in Galicia: machines to facilitate matzah production. What followed was a fierce and dramatic conflict that shook the Jewish world. Pamphlets were published on both sides, each defending its position with vigor, leading to intense debates over halachah, minhag, and economic policy. In this class, we jump into the heart of the controversy as it played out in the late 1850s—the...

The Alter Rebbe’s unique script for safrus has a rich and winding history. It has been inked, shelved, revived, and debated—and everyone seems to have an opinion. So, what is the story behind this ksav? What sets it apart? Why do some embrace it wholeheartedly while others remain unsure? This class explores its historical trajectory, some of its writing nuances, and the ongoing conversation around its adoption.

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In the mid-12th century, the Almohads swept across North Africa and Spain, driven by a vision of a strictly unified Muslim society. For the Jewish communities under their rule, the choice was stark and unforgiving: convert, flee, or face death. Many outwardly embraced Islam while secretly maintaining their Jewish faith. A rabbi from afar denounced these covert Jews, insisting that their hidden devotion was meaningless. Rambam, howe...

In the 1170s, the Jewish community in Yemen faced an existential crisis: a radical ruler forced them to convert to Islam, an apostate Jew spread anti-Jewish propaganda, and a self-declared Messiah sowed confusion. In response, the Rambam penned one of his most powerful letters, offering guidance and encouragement. As we approach the 44th Siyum HaRambam, we revisit this extraordinary letter, its historical context, and its enduring ...

In the 1470s, a series of outrageous blood libels were leveled against Jewish communities in the Germanic lands, including one in Regensburg. To secure their acquittal, the Jews of Regensburg needed an enormous sum of money—far beyond their means. The rabbis gathered in Nuremberg to strategize and ultimately turned to Rabbi Yosef Colon in Pavia with a pressing question: Could they obligate all Jewish communities in the Holy Roman E...

On the fifteenth of Shevat, 1348, in the city of Tudela, a man named Yosef performed kidushin with a young woman named Belita. What began as a seemingly ordinary wedding ceremony quickly became a shocking controversy. People who were present asked Belita whether she was truly consenting, and instead of her confirming, it was her father who spoke on her behalf. Further investigation revealed that Belita had previously stated her ref...

Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderes, the legendary rabbi and leader of Barcelona, received countless questions during his tenure, many of which have been preserved to this day. In this class, we discuss six compelling cases of tax disputes. They reveal remarkable insights into the political and economic realities of the time, the dynamics within Jewish communities, and their interactions with the surrounding non-Jewish world.

Taxes and T...

The book known as Yosifun, cherished in traditional Jewish circles, and the books of Josephus, preserved in Greek and Latin by non-Jewish hands, spark challenging questions about authorship, reliability, and reconstructing the Jewish past. This class explores how rabbis throughout the ages evaluated these works, their role on the Jewish bookshelf, and how to navigate the apparent discrepancies between their accounts and the teachin...

The Books of Maccabees tell the dramatic story of the Chanukah revolt and the heroism of the Jewish fighters. But who wrote these books, and why were they left off the Jewish bookshelf? We’ll discuss the history of these texts, explore their reception among Jews throughout the ages, and probe the role they played—or didn’t play—in shaping Jewish memory of the Chanukah story.

Lost Lights of Chanukah: Exploring the Books of Maccabe...

We kick things off with seven fascinating stories from the teshuvos of medieval Spain, where we discover shul seats being treated like real estate: bought, sold, inherited, mortgaged—and sometimes the center of heated disputes. Then, we shift our focus to Ashkenaz, where this phenomenon is noticeably absent, suggesting a very different set of attitudes and conventions about shul seats. Finally, we dive into how the poskim tackled s...

In the 1630s, pioneering Jewish immigrants in Brazil asked when they should daven for rain, given that their seasons were reversed from those in Europe. Their question sparked a fascinating rabbinic debate that takes us back to a dramatic showdown in 14th-century Toledo, which continues to resonate today. Join us as we explore how Halachah navigates the balance between tradition and reality.

The Climate Clash: Rain, Rabbis, and R...

In 1848, a man in Jerusalem on a journey to Judaism was devastated when told he must desecrate Shabbos because, despite undergoing a bris, he wasn’t yet considered Jewish until completing the final step of immersion. His heartbreak ignited a halachic controversy, which we’ll explore in this class. We’ll uncover the identities of the key figures involved and delve into the moving story of a man willing to sacrifice everything for hi...