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Machshavah Lab
Episodes
619 episodes
Rambam: On the Purpose of the Universe (Moreh 3:13)
Length: 1 hour 43 minutesSynopsis: This evening (4/30/25), in our Thursday night women’s shiur, we learned through the entire chapter in the Moreh ha'Nevuchim in which the Rambam discusses the purpose of the universe. Technically speaking, ...
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Rambam on the Satan and Ra (Part 4: Theory of Ra)
Length: 1 hour 22 minutesSynopsis: This morning (4/24/26), in our Friday morning Sefer Iyov series for women, we began with a review of 3:8 and the satan, then quickly learned through 3:9 while avoiding epistemological potholes, and finally...
Rambam on the Satan and Ra (Part 3: Matter as the Cause of Ra)
Length: 1 hour 22 minutesSynopsis: This morning (4/17/26), in our Friday morning Sefer Iyov series for women, we finally began the "Moreh ha'Nevuchim" portion of our Iyov journey. After a very brief review of matter and form, we read, analy...
Shemini / Tazria / Metzora: What a REAL Rationalist Would Say About Tumah
Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 4/16/26 title:
Q&A #47 - Hashgachah Diagnosis, Rambam on Lashon ha'Ra, Dividing Learning Into Thirds
Length: 28 minutesSynopsis: This morning (4/16/26), in lieu of our usual morning Mishlei, we had a short Q&A session! We discussed three questions: (1) To what degree can we "diagnose" whether something in our life was hashgachah pratis...
Rambam on the Satan and Ra (Part 2: The Form of Man)
Length: 1 hour 7 minutesSynopsis: This Friday morning (3/20/26), in our Friday morning Sefer Iyov series for women, we were GOING to begin the section of the Rambam's Moreh ha'Nevuchim that will be our focus for the next couple of months, b...
Rambam on the Satan and Ra (Part 1: Aristotelian Primer on Form and Matter)
Length: 1 hour 47 minutesSynopsis: Turns out, I accidentally forgot to upload last Friday's Iyov shiur! This past Friday morning (3/13/26), in our Friday morning Sefer Iyov series for women, I gave a shiur with the aim of introducing the ba...
Vayikra: Toward a Theory of Jewish Guilt
Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/20/26 title:
How to Relate to Arbitrary Halachic Details (Part 2 - Rambam and Rav Kook)
Length: 1 hour 50 minutesSynopsis: This week (3/19/26), in our Thursday night Machshavah Lab series for women, we continued the topic we embarked on the week before. First, we revised our understanding of the Rambam's approach and my "Pillo...
Vayakhel / Pikudei: Remembering Minas Tirith … I Mean Mikdash
Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/11/26 titled:
How to Relate to Arbitrary Halachic Details (Part 1 - WILL BE REVISED IN PART 2)
DISCLAIMER: I almost didn't post this shiur because it wasn't as clear as I hoped AND because we revised it in Part 2. I'm happy with Part 2, but I'm posting Part 1 for the sake of thoroughness and transparency. Just know that if you listen to ...
Post-Purim 5786: Operation Growling Bear
Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/11/26 titled:
What Modern Orthodoxy Means to Me (or Rabbi Fox’s 2007 NYHS Commencement Address)
Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/9/26 titled:
Rabbeinu Yonah on Bitachon (Part 3)
Length: 1 hour 40 minutesSynopsis: This evening (3/5/25), in our Thursday night women’s shiur, we continued our exploration of Rabbeinu Yonah on bitachon. The bad news is that I didn't have a chance to prepare. The good news is that our rev...
Ki Tisa: Is Shabbos a Day of Simchah?
Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 3/5/26 titled:
Q&A #46 - 30 Days Before the Chag, Necessity of Haggadah, Mishlei vs. Gemara, Hodaah Anniversaries
Length: 31 minutesSynopsis: This morning (3/5/26), in lieu of our usual morning Mishlei, we had a Q&A session! We discussed four questions: (1) What's the nature of the halacha of "learning the halachos of the chag 30 days before the ch...
The Tail of Vashti and Gavriel ha'Malach
Length: 1 hour 26 minutesSynopsis: This morning (2/27/26), in our Friday morning Sefer Iyov series for women, we capped off our series of shiurim on malachim with a midrash on Megilas Esther about a malach (in preparation for Purim, of cour...
Rabbeinu Yonah on Bitachon (Part 2)
Length: 1 hour 46 minutesSynopsis: This evening (2/26/25), in our Thursday night women’s shiur, we continued our exploration of Rabbeinu Yonah on bitachon. After a lengthy, in-depth review of what we covered last time on Mishlei 3:5, we beg...
Explaining Arayos (Forbidden Relations) to an Aunt and Her Nephew Who Are In Love
Length: 2 hoursSynopsis: Back in 2022, I gave a shiur on the extremely niche topic of avunculate marriage, that is, an uncle marrying his niece. Two years later, I received an email titled “Avunculate Marriage: Need Some Spiritual Guidance”...
What are Malachim (Angels) According to the Rambam? (Part 3) Why Depict Angels as Physical?
Length: 1 hour 26 minutesSynopsis: This morning (2/20/26), in our Friday morning Sefer Iyov series for women, we continued our exploration of the Rambam’s view of angels. After a brief review, a question led us on an unplanned detour throug...
Terumah – The “Where?” “What?” and “Why?” of Shechinah
Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/20/26 titled:
What are Malachim (Angels) According to the Rambam? (Part 2) Review and Clarification
Length: 56 minutesSynopsis: This morning (2/13/26), in our Friday morning Sefer Iyov series for women, I had planned to continue our analysis of the Rambam's view of angels. Instead, we did something more important: review and clarification...
Mishpatim – Is there a Conflict Between Trusting in Hashem and Trusting in Doctors?
Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 2/13/26 titled:
What are Malachim (Angels) According to the Rambam? (Part 1)
Length: 1 hour 30 minutesSynopsis: This morning (2/6/26), in our Friday morning Sefer Iyov series for women, we initiated the next phase: decoding the allegory of the satan. After reviewing and raising questions about the first few pesukim ...
Rabbeinu Yonah on Bitachon (Part 1)
Length: 1 hour 59 minutesSynopsis: This evening (2/5/25), in our Thursday night women's shiur, we embarked toward an unknown destination, though in very specific waters. Our goal was to understand Rabbeinu Yonah’s take on bitachon (trust, o...