Gematria Refigured ‪+‬ Elie Feder

There’s an apparent contradiction in the pesukim regarding the makah of dever. In 9:3 (with Rashi), it seems the plague is presently there. But in 9:5, it seems to have occurred the next day.

This episode addresses two difficult Tosfosim in Psachim (116a and 117b). The first says we shouldn’t say more than 7 languages of praise (in our intro to Hallel) corresponding to the seven heavens. The second says that the 39 melachos of Shabbos correspond to the 39 melachos that the Mitzrim made us do - after all, the word “parech” in at bash equals 39.

This episode (a shiur from a few years ago) analyzes the part of the hagadah that we often rush through - from Rabban Gamliel through the end of Maggid.

This episode analyzes the text of “Asher ge’alanu” - the bracha on the second kos in the seder.

Chazal’s concept of a “miracle within a miracle” seems to go against the idea that Hashem generally minimizes miracles. This episode analyzes the idea of nes be’soch nes and deals with this apparent conflict.

When the sons of Aharon died, Moshe told Aharon and his remaining sons that they couldn’t mourn. Instead, the rest of the Jews would mourn for them. Rashi (vayikra 10:6) says that we learn from here that the tzibbur must mourn for the Tzara of talmidei chachamim. On the surface, it’s hard to see how you can generalize from this case. After all, the reason the Jews had to mourn here was seemingly because the regular mourners were prevented from mourning. This episode addresses this question and the lesson Rashi is teaching.