Topics covered: Chapter 5, Mishna 3 Learning Psalm 27 for the holiday season stretching from Elul 2 to the end of Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret/Simchas Torah. From the Sages’ debate regarding the number of trumpet blasts sounded on weekdays and …

Topics covered: Chapter 5, Mishna 2, 3 Spectacular wisdom teachings of Hillel the Elder! The floating skull. Why do the wicked sometimes seem to evade justice in this world? Where there is no mensch, be the mensch! The Songs of …

Topics covered: Chapter 5, Mishna 2 A spectacular page! Apropos a verse about the end of days which explain why men and women celebrated separately during Sukkot in the Holy Temple, we enter an extended digression on the nature of …

Topics covered: Chapter 5, Mishna 1, 2 What was the primary aspect of the music which accompanied offerings in the Holy Temple: the vocals of the Levite choir or the instruments of the musicians? How was the celebration of the …

Topics covered: Chapter 5, Mishna 1 You shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. The flute-playing which accompanied the extremely festive water-drawing ceremony was not played on Shabbos or full Festival days. Why? What was the flute of Moses? Why …

Topics covered: Chapter 4, Mishna 5 The connection between fearing God and graciousness. Why are acts of kindness superior to giving charity? What does it mean to walk humbly with God? Hint: it’s not what you think!

Topics covered: Chapter 4, Mishna 3, 4, 5 How does one fulfill the commandment to rejoice on Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret? How and when do we say goodbye to the sukkah? What were the water-drawing and water-libation ceremonies when the …

Topics covered: Chapter 4, Mishna 2 What is Shemini Atzeret, and why is a day named the “Eighth Day of Assembly” not considered part of Sukkot but rather a separate festival unto itself?

Topics covered: Chapter 4, Mishna 2 Why do we say bless God for commanding us to perform a commandment that was actually instituted by the Sages, and which does not appear anywhere in the Torah? Which blessings do we say …