Machshavah Lab
My name is Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss. My goal as a Torah educator is not merely to teach my students my OWN hashkafah. Rather, my goal is to equip them with the foundations, the methodological training, and the tools which will enable them to arrive at their OWN understanding of Judaism and cultivate their OWN relationship with Hashem and His Torah. This podcast is devoted to the shiurim I give which are geared specifically towards that end. As such, the range of topics covered here will be diverse. There will be shiurim on Jewish philosophy, Chumash methodology, aggadic midrashim, maybe even some non-Jewish philosophy as well. Merriam-Webster defines "laboratory" as a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study. I call this podcast "Machshavah Lab" because this is where we will conduct Torah "experiments" by exploring questions, texts, and ideas in an effort to develop our machshavah in a "hands on," exploratory, firsthand manner.
Episodes
576 episodes
Did Rambam Actually Praise Ibn Ezra and Trash the French Jews (for Eating Salsa)?
Length of article: 3 pagesLength of audio: 10 minutes 57 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/...
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Season 23
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Episode 28
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11:53
Prologue of Sefer Iyov - Part 4: Ikkarim Clarification and Iyov's Suffering (1:13 - 2:13)
Length: 1 hour 4 minutesSynopsis: This morning (11/21/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we had a shorter shiur in the usual. We spent the first portion clarifying some points from Part 3 - specifically, whether Ral...
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Season 23
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Episode 27
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1:04:44
Toldos: How Different Were Yaakov and Eisav?
Length of article: 4 pagesLength of audio: 16 minutes 8 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/2...
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Season 23
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Episode 26
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17:05
Prologue of Sefer Iyov - Part 3: Methodology, Avoiding Heresy, and Preface to the Satan (1:6-12)
Length: 1 hour 27 minutesSynopsis: This morning (11/14/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we continued learning through the prologue of Iyov (1:1 - 3:1). We began with a question of Iyov Methodology: Which commentar...
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Season 23
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Episode 25
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1:27:58
Avos 1:6 - Aseh Lecha Rav - Make a Rav for Yourself (Part 2)
Length: 1 hour 29 minutesSynopsis: This evening (11/13/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we continued with the clause we worked on last time. We spent the first part of shiur reviewing everything we covered last time, ...
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Season 23
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Episode 24
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1:34:37
Chayei Sarah: Sarah’s Years — A Peshat-Style Alternative to Rashi’s Midrashic Reading
Length of article: 2 pagesLength of audio: 9 minutes 8 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/13...
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Season 23
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Episode 23
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10:04
Prologue of Sefer Iyov - Part 2: Iyov's Profile (Iyov 1:1-5)
Length: 1 hour 4 minutesSynopsis: This morning (11/7/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we reviewed the first five pesukim and answered our questions based largely on the Malbim's commentary, setting the stage for t...
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Season 23
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Episode 22
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1:04:43
Vayeira: Maybe Lote Wasn’t the Bad Guy Rashi Makes Him Out to Be
Length of article: 4 pagesLength of audio: 15 minutes 19 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/...
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Season 23
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Episode 21
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16:15
Avos 1:6 - Aseh Lecha Rav - Make a Teacher for Yourself (Part 1)
Length: 1 hour 29 minutesSynopsis: This evening (11/6/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we went back and learned the beginning of the mishnah we started last week. We spent most of the time mining the depths of Rashi o...
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Season 23
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Episode 20
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1:29:58
Prologue of Sefer Iyov - Part 1: Questions on Iyov 1:1-5 (Plus Rant About Rambam's 13 Ikkarim)
Length: 1 hour 17 minutesSynopsis: This morning (10/31/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we began our unit on what I call the Prologue to Sefer Iyov (1:1 - 3:1). The initial plan was to have a brief introduction, t...
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Season 23
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Episode 19
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1:17:41
Lech Lecha: Shadal on Jewish vs. Egyptian Circumcision
Length of article: 2 pagesLength of audio: 8 minutes 45 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/3...
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Season 23
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Episode 18
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9:42
Avos 1:6 - Dan l'Chaf Zechus - Judge Each Person Favorably
Length: 2 hoursSynopsis: This evening (10/30/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the famous precept of being dan l'chaf zechus. We ended up raising twenty questions total and answering most (if not all) of the...
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Season 23
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Episode 17
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2:01:23
Noach: Did All Humanity Really Speak One Language?
Length of article: 4 pagesLength of audio: 15 minutes 24 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/...
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Season 23
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Episode 16
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16:20
Q&A #45 - Desiring Olam ha'Ba, Blaming Sins on Hashem, and Should We Strive for the Crown of Torah
Length: 40 minutesSynopsis: This morning (10/23/25), in lieu of our usual morning Mishlei, we had a Q&A session! We discussed the following three questions: (1) According to the Rambam, if Olam ha'Ba is non-physical, and if our desires ...
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Season 23
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Episode 15
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40:22
Sukkos 5778: I Hate Sukkah (In a Good Way)
Length of article: 5 pagesLength of audio: 14 minutes 57 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 5-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/...
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Season 23
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Episode 13
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15:55
Sukkos 5786: Musings on the “Branding” of Chag ha’Sukkos
Length of article: 1 pageLength of audio: 3 minutes 46 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/6/...
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Season 23
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Episode 12
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4:43
Haazinu: What If You Find Torah Empty?
Length of article: 3 pagesLength of audio: 11 minutes 24 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/...
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Season 23
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Episode 11
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12:21
Yom ha’Kippurim 5786 / Acharei Mos: The Order of Vidui
Length of article: 2 pagesLength of audio: 9 minutes 18 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/1...
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Season 23
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Episode 10
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10:14
Approaching the “Sweet Secret” of Ha’Melech ha’Mishpat
Length of article: 2 pagesLength of audio: 8 minutes 36 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/29...
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Season 23
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Episode 9
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9:33
Intro to Iyov - Part 3: Historicity (or Lack Thereof)
Length: 1 hour 26 minutesSynopsis: This morning (9/26/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we concluded (I think?) the introductory portion of our Iyov shiurim by taking up the question of when and whether Iyov lived....
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Season 23
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Episode 8
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1:27:19
Vayeilech: When Hashem Hides His Face
Length of article: 3 pagesLength of audio: 12 minutes 25 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/2...
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Season 23
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Episode 7
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13:26
Intro to Iyov - Part 2: More on Authorship
Length: 1 hour 10 minutesSynopsis: This morning (9/19/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab sreies for women, we began with a comprehensive review of what we covered in Part 1, adding and clarifying the points we previously discussed. I...
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Season 23
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Episode 6
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1:10:37
Avos 4:16 - Metaphors for Olam ha'Zeh and Olam ha'Ba
Length: 1 hour 43 minutesSynopsis: This evening (9/18/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the first of two mishnayos in our perek about the relationship between Olam ha'Zeh and Olam ha'Ba. At first, we thought...
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Season 23
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Episode 5
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1:44:01
Nitzavim: Was Moshe Rabbeinu Pro-Philosophy or Anti-Philosophy?
Length of article: 2 pagesLength of audio: 8 minutes 20 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/16...
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Season 23
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Episode 4
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9:17
Intro to Iyov - Part 1: Challenges, Pre-Learning Questions, and Authorship
Length: 1 hour 33 minutesSynopsis: This morning (9/12/25), in this year's first Friday morning Machshavah Lab shiur for women, we began our (hopefully) year-long series on Sefer Iyov! I began by recapping my prior experience with Iyov, but ...
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Season 23
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Episode 3
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1:33:41