YUTORAH: R' Dr. Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff -- Recent Shiurim Rakeffet-Rothkoff, Rabbi Dr. Aaron

Volozhin Yeshiva. A Moving Description of the More Emotional Aspects of the Members of the Yeshiva Discussed Along With a Description of Bialik in the Yeshiva. Camaraderie and Kinship But Also Machloket and Romance. Abba Blusher's Memoir as a Source. - Jun 3, 2024 - Hovevei Zion Kattowitz Conference of 1884. Intense Torah learning in Sochatchov. אבא בלושר memoir. Percent of Volozhin students who were maskilim. Blusher Library in Kovno. Infighting in Volozhin over succession. Russian government's plans for Volozhin. Who succeeds Netziv? Students wanted R' Chaim. Infighting was intense & frightened the Russian government. Bialik's letter supporting Netziv. Description of the students during Bialik's emotional departure from Volozhin. Volozhin student falls in love with the daughter of the family renting him a room & marries her despite opposition. Bialik approved. The way yeshiva and non-yeshiva studies combined in the city of Volozhin attracted Bialik. Graetz vs. R' Yitzhak Isaac Halevy Rabinowitz on writing Jewish history. His major work, Dorot Rishonim. His influence on the nature of Agudah. What if Rav Kook had helped form Agudah? Why mussar was banned in Volozhin. Can we answer the question of what Bialik really believed about the yeshiva world? He was shomer Shabbat. His oneg Shabbat. Description of 24/7 Torah studies in Volozhin. Comparison of the demeanor of R' Chaim vs. Netziv. The camaraderie and kinship within Volozhin. Arnie Rund.

R' Menashe Klein: Mishneh Halakhot 13:150-153: How to Bring Russian Jews in Moscow Closer to Torah and Mitzvot. The Danger of Relying on Emotion in Making Decisions. An Evaluation of Conversion-גרות. The Greater Importance of Chukim over Mishpatim. - Jun 2, 2024 - Lighting Shabbat נרות before plag. Rabbis should've encouraged aliyah in 1884. Religious status in Israel much improved since 1969. Chilul Hashem in Charedi world. Mishneh Halachot 13:150: Efforts to bring Jews in the former Soviet Union closer to Torah & Mitzvot. Noticeable success between 1981 & 1985. In 1990s Chabad dominated Leningrad. In Moscow there was a noticeable Litvish presence. Putin. זרע בית ישראל concept. 13:151: Emotion must not be a factor or play a role in policy decisions & efforts. Reform rabbi on Amalek & sacrifices. King Saul & Agag shows the danger of emotion when making decisions. Langer case. Helen Seidman case. Russian aliyah: Encourage conversions. Yevamot 47b: קשה גרים לישראל כספחת. Converts can be better Jews than those born Jewish. Writing down on Shabbat shiurim given on Shabbat in Kamenitz. Professor Carmi Horowitz & writings of Prof. Isadore Twersky. 13:153: Using Mishneh Torah to find Talmudic sources. Mishneh Torah, Me'ilah 8:8: An intense presentation of how to relate to chukim & their greater importance over mishpatim. Reach out with Mishneh Torah first. Moreh Nevuchim will come later. P.M. Begin. The way to bring Charedim into the IDF.

The 30th Day Memorial for Menachem Nussbaum, a Dear Friend of Rav Aaron Rakeffet for Over 80 Years. (Hebrew) — אזכרה לרגל שלושים של מנחם נוסבאום, חברו היקר של הרב אהרון רקפת למעלה מ-80 שנה. (בעִברִית) - May 29, 2024 - This memorial took place at the Ohel Rivka Synagogue in Jerusalem, on May 29th, 2024. The two speakers were Rabbi Moshe Shai and Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet.
אזכרה זו התקיימה בבית הכנסת אהל רבקה בירושלים, ב-29 במאי, .2024
שני הדוברים היו הרב משה שי והרב אהרון רקפת

Volozhin Yeshiva. R' Chaim Soloveitchik. Descriptions of the Various Ways R' Chaim Was so Unique. Other Gedolim in His Time. R' Chaim's Attraction to Chassidut. - May 27, 2024 - R' Norman Lamm: The yeshiva as a cave. R' Lessin: as Noah's ark. Dr. Belkin never visited Israel. R' Yaakov Kamenetsky's 4 gedolei hador: אור שמח, R' David Friedman of Karlin, R' Yosef Rosen: Rogatchover, R' Chaim Soloveitchik. Prof. Louis Jacobs visits Rogatchover. The din torah including R' Chaim Ozer. R' Asher Waxman's visit to Rogatchover. His writings. R' Chaim Soloveitchik was not a Zionist. R' Boruch Ber Leibowitz and cherem on R' Moshe Soloveichik. Comparing R' Yosef Engel to R' Chaim. R' Abraham Isaac Kook was close to Netziv. R' Kook's relationship with R' Chaim. מחשבת נחום by R' Menachem Nachum Rabinowitz. R' Chaim had Chassidut within him. His son-in-law was a chassid. R' Zvi Hirsch Glickson. Avnei Nezer. R' Yehuda Leib Feuer. More proof R' Chaim was a Chassid.

Munkatcher Rebbe's Curses. R' Elya Svei's Attack on Aish Hatorah. Cohen Marrying a Convert. R' Moshe Sternbuch on Inviting Non-Observant to Shabbat Meals. Severely Restricting Divorce. R' Menashe Klein-Mishneh Halachot on Kiruv of Soviet Jewry. - May 26, 2024 - Munkatcher Rebbe: Letters of בר קמצא to curse Bundists & Belzers. Widower lighting Shabbat candles before Plag. Similar Oslo responsum. R' Elya Svei's attack on Aish HaTorah: Unjustified. My language abilities. R' Shlomo Carlebach & the Rebbe. Lubavitcher Rebbe on eating by non-frum parents. The Go-Kosher kashering service. Kohen marrying a convert. מלמד להואיל. The Rav on such a couple who were already married. Motivation to go to Bnei Akiva. R' Rakeffet: Would not permit divorce until youngest child is age 70. R' Hirsch: Boys & girls high schools next to each other. Ezra Youth Movement. R' Moshe Sternbuch: A short bio. His view on inviting non-observant to Shabbat meals. Mishneh Halachot 13:190 on bringing תינוקות שנשבו closer to Torah & mitzvot inside the Soviet Union. Brief introduction to history of USSR & Soviet Jewry. Communism in 1917. Hostility to religion. Ban on religious coercion. The single functioning synagogue. The poor economic life of Soviet citizens. Chabad in USSR. Footage from Jerusalem on Soviet TV in lead-up to Six Day War. Reawakening of Soviet Jewry. Nativ (לשכת הקשר). The positive result of Refuseniks not moving to Israel immediately and en masse in 1970s.

Volozhin Yeshiva. Comparing R' Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv) and R' Chaim Soloveitchik. Descriptions of the Various Ways R' Chaim Was so Unique and How Others Related to Him - May 20, 2024 - President Biden. How widower should light נרות שבת before plag. Disposable aluminum pans. Osher Ad. Rav Noah Weinberg on honoring non-observant supporters. R' Chaim Soloveitchik: His stature while in Volozhin compared to when he was in Brisk. How his nature differed from that of Netziv. How R' Boruch Ber Leibowitz related to R' Chaim compared to Netziv and how he addressed them. R' Aharon Kotler and the red-bearded man in London. Comparing R' Yitzchak Elchanan Spector and R' Chaim. R' Chaim Heller and the Rav. How the presence of German Jews during WW I in Poland resulted in Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary changing. R' Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg, the Rav, R' Chaim, and the GR"A. Why Ba'al Shem Tov was privileged. R' Chaim's chidushim on Rambam. R' Elye Pruzhaner's view of R' Chaim's uniqueness. R' Chaim: "Tell me what they say in my name". R' Chaim's precision. How R' Chaim wrote חדושי רבנו חיים הלוי. In 1850s Volozhin students wanted R' Chaim and the administration wanted Netziv. R' Meir Bar Ilan versus Tchernichovsky. The Golden Age of America is ending. Moving ahead the date of Yom Ha'atzmaut celebration because of Shabbat. 50% of IDF casualties are frum soldiers.