The Jews of Bukhara (Sunday in Denver); the Maimonidean Controversy; Save the Date for Roslyn NY

Really looking forward to speaking to the Or Avner community in Aurora, CO!


The Maimonidean Controversy


Save the Date: Shabbaton in Roslyn NY, December 20-21

  • “Give me Yavne and its Sages!” Lectures resume this week with a presentation on Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai

    “Give me Yavne and its Sages!” Lectures resume this week with a presentation on Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai

    The Jewish Biography as History series at the Young Israel of Bal Harbour continues this week with a presentation on Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, a major figure whose bold and heroic leadership rescued the Jewish people from the threat of national oblivion in the wake of the destruction of Jerusalem in the first century. Lectures…

  • Jews in the Medieval Economy (Essential Lectures in Jewish History)

    Jews in the Medieval Economy (Essential Lectures in Jewish History)

    An introductory lecture on the role of Jews in the medieval economy. Part of the Essential Lectures in Jewish History series.

  • Liked the Free Download of The Kabbalah of Forgiveness? How about writing a review?

    Liked the Free Download of The Kabbalah of Forgiveness? How about writing a review?

    I’m so glad that so many of you decided to download my latest book, “The Kabbalah of Forgiveness: The Thirteen Levels of Mercy in Rabbi Moshe Cordovero’s Date Palm of Devorah (Tomer Devorah).”  I’m also very grateful that many of you have found this work meaningful, especially in the rare moment of the season of…

  • The Rishonim (Essential Lectures in Jewish History)

    The Rishonim (Essential Lectures in Jewish History)

    This lecture serves as an introduction to the Rishonim, a body of Rabbinic scholars associated with the 9th through the 15th centuries of the common era. Part of the Essential Lectures in Jewish History series. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.

  • Fall 2014 Lectures in Jewish History at Young Israel

    Fall 2014 Lectures in Jewish History at Young Israel

      Wednesday Nights at 8:00 pm   October 22: Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai October 29: Salome November 5: Bar Kokhba November 12: Shimon bar Yochai November 19: Abaye’s Mother November 26: Eldad the Danite December 3: Aaron of Lincoln December 10: Amnon of Mayence December 17: Abraham ibn Ezra December 24: Qasmunah   All lectures…

  • The Chofetz Chaim (This Week in Jewish History)

    The Chofetz Chaim (This Week in Jewish History)

    Brief video highlighting the life and work of Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan (1838-1936), one of the most influential Rabbis of the 20th century.  Better known as the Chofetz Chaim (*one who desires life,” taken from Psalm 34).    

  • The Kabbalah of Forgiveness: Conclusion

    The Kabbalah of Forgiveness: Conclusion

    Conclusion “The Insulted King,” Illustration of Level 1 by Rebecca Odessa, Courtesy The Wisdom Daily Rabbi Cordovero’s Conclusion עַד כַּאן הִגִּיעַ שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן יִהְיֶה הָאָדָם דּוֹמֶה אֶל קוֹנוֹ שֶׁהֵן מִדּוֹת שֶׁל רַחֲמִים עֶלְיוֹנוֹת וּסְגֻלָּתָן כי כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָאָדָם מִתְנַהֵג לְמַטָּה כָּךְ יִּזְכֶּה לִפְתֹּחַ לוֹ מִדָּה עֶלְיוֹנָה מִלְמַעְלָה מַמָּשׁ כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁיִּתְנַהֵג כָּךְ מַשְׁפִּיעַ מִלְמַעְלָה…

  • The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Thirteen: The Moment of Innocence

    The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Thirteen: The Moment of Innocence

    The Thirteenth Level: The Moment of Innocence “The Moment of Innocence,” illustration of Level 13 by Rebecca Odessa, Courtesy The Wisdom Daily The Thirteenth Level: The Moment of Innocence Translator’s Introduction The Thirteenth and final Level of mercy carries an absolute guarantee: one who masters this level can forgive anyone. The Thirteenth Level renders all…

  • The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Twelve: Remember Where They Came From

    The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Twelve: Remember Where They Came From

    The Twelfth Level: Remember Where They Came From “Family Tree (Remember Where They Came From),” illustration of Level 12 by Rebecca Odessa, Courtesy The Wisdom Daily The Twelfth Level: Remember Where They Came From Translator’s Introduction              The final element of the triad is Level Twelve.  In Level Ten we…

  • The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Eleven: Do More for Those Who Do More

    The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Eleven: Do More for Those Who Do More

    The Eleventh Level: Do More for Those Who Do More “Serve and Protect (Do More for Those Who Do More),” illustration of Level 11 by Rebecca Odessa, Courtesy The Wisdom Daily The Eleventh Level: Do More for Those Who Do More Translator’s Introduction  The second part of the triad of Levels Ten, Eleven and Twelve…

  • The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Ten: Do the Right Thing Anyway

    The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Ten: Do the Right Thing Anyway

    The Tenth Level: Do the Right Thing Anyway “The Hook (Do the Right Thing Anyway),” illustration of Level 10 by Rebecca Odessa, Courtesy The Wisdom Daily The Tenth Level: Do the Right Thing Anyway Translator’s Introduction  The Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Levels together comprise a triad of strategies for forgiving others, particularly people with whom…

  • The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Nine: Bury the Past

    The Kabbalah of Forgiveness Level Nine: Bury the Past

    The Ninth Level: Bury the Past “The Scapegoat (Bury the Past),” illustration of Level 9 by Rebecca Odessa, Courtesy The Wisdom Daily The Ninth Level: Bury the Past Translator’s Introduction  The Ninth Level of Mercy addresses a principal common to both Kabbalah and physics: energy never dissipates of its own accord; rather it is redirected…

The Jews of Bukhara (Denver, CO); The Jews of the Lesser Antilles; Varieties of Crypto-Jewish Identity; Wait, Alexander Hamilton was Jewish?

Looking forward to a wonderful Shabbat in the Denver Jewish community!


Our Itinerary of Discovery in the Western Caribbean


Channel Members


Premiering at 10am ET


  • Who Was Abraham Senior?

    Who Was Abraham Senior?

    Brief video on the life and times of Abraham Senior, important 15th-century Spanish Jewish financier. Suggestions for Chanukah Reading! Click here to order.  

  • The Aish Kodesh: Chanukah in the Warsaw Ghetto

    The Aish Kodesh: Chanukah in the Warsaw Ghetto

    Kindling the candles for the Festival of Lights, we bless G-d for performing miracles of freedom “in those days, in this time.” The commentators have long resolved the jarring use of apparently non-parallel prepositions: in those days, meaning long ago, but in this time, meaning at the present  point in the calendar year. For survivors…

  • Life and Times of Rabbi Yosef Karo (With Rabbi Ya’akov Trump)

    Life and Times of Rabbi Yosef Karo (With Rabbi Ya’akov Trump)

    This lecture turned out nicely, I think. If you haven’t heard Rabbi Ya’akov Trump, you’re in for a treat–skip past my part to about 26:00 for the good stuff. A century from now, people will say, “Trump, Trump…wasn’t there also a President by that name?”

  • This is kind of nice.

    This is kind of nice.

    YouTube sent me this gif for earning 10,000 subscribers. Really grateful that so many people enjoy Jewish history!

  • New Class Starts This Shabbos

    New Class Starts This Shabbos

    Really looking forward to this class. Thanks to Rabbi Ya’akov Trump for designing the flyer!

  • Who Was Abraham Zacuto?

    Who Was Abraham Zacuto?

    Brief overview of the life and work of Abraham Zacuto, important Jewish Iberian astronomer and historian. Now available: revised edition of The Kabbalah of Forgiveness.  Click here for more information.  

  • My Latest Favorite Photo

    My Latest Favorite Photo

    Aish Kodesh scholar Daniel Reiser holding a copy of my new book. Like Shakespeare holding a copy of one’s sonnets. Thank you!

  • The Owner Will Find Us: The Aish Kodesh on Toledot (Warsaw Ghetto, November 1939)

    The Owner Will Find Us: The Aish Kodesh on Toledot (Warsaw Ghetto, November 1939)

    The Piaseczno Rebbe, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira, refused to dignify the Nazis by naming them in his wartime sermons in the Warsaw Ghetto. In a rare moment of transparency, perhaps motivated by anguish over the suffering of his Hasidim, the Rebbe briefly suspended his euphemistic terminology with a curt third-person reference in his drashah on Parashat…

  • Who Was Rabenu Bayha?

    Who Was Rabenu Bayha?

    This was a huge amount of fun. If you are into Duties of the Heart, I think you will like this lecture! The video has a reference to Despacito by The Maccabeats, link provided below. Enjoy in good health!

  • Lectures now on TorahAnytime.com

    Lectures now on TorahAnytime.com

    I’m really happy that TorahAnytime.com is including my lectures, starting with The Jews of Sepharad series! Sign up for a free membership–there are some amazing speakers at TorahAnytime.com.

  • Rabbi Efrem Goldberg on The Aish Kodesh

    Rabbi Efrem Goldberg on The Aish Kodesh

    I was stopped on my way in to davening this morning by someone who told me about the incredible shiur that Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton Synagogue gave on the Aish Kodesh this week. Here’s the excerpt–Rabbi Goldberg captures the agony of the Rebbe after the loss of his family in his typically powerful…

  • Tonight in the Five Towns

    Tonight in the Five Towns

Visits to Synagogues in Bordeaux and Libourne (France); Another Open Letter to Jewish Participants in anti-Israel Protests re: Amsterdam; Conference Presentation on Sheptytsky and WW II

Fantastic Voyage of Discovery with Kosher River Cruises


A Difficult Conversation


Recent Conference Presentation in Toronto


Jewish Life in Visigothic Spain; Commemorating October 7

This is one of the most bizarre periods of Jewish history, and that’s saying a lot.

Dropping on Sunday, September 22 at 10am ET. 70 minutes.


A Thousand Years of Ashkenaz

New Lecture Series: The Sweep of Sephardic History; Faith in Times of Crisis: Commemorating the Tragedy of October 7

New Lecture Series: The History of Sephardic Jewry

Public at 10 am ET. Duration: 72 minutes.
Channel Members: Duration 70 minutes.
Channel members: 44 minutes.

Shabbat in Silver Spring; The History of Sephardic Jewry; Jews, Wine, and Bordeaux; Napoleon’s 1808 Decree on Jewish Names

Stories of Personal Transformation for Elul


Napoleon’s 1808 Imperial Decree on Jewish Names


The History of Sephardic Jewry (Lecture, 75 minutes)

Jews, Wine, and Bordeaux (7 minutes)


A Thousand Years of Ashkenaz

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