Q&A: Omens, Human Sacrifice & Elul in Our Times

Sep 9, 2025

Sponsored by Mark and Tammy Friedman and family in memory of the 1st yartzeit of their father Marshall Friedman, Mutyah Yechezkel ben Shimon.

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0:00 why do we allow Cohanim to duchan given the psak of Moshe Feinstein for a convert married to a cohen
5:50 does Halacha require Israel to release many of their prison inmates who were not convicted al pi halacha
13:40 how do we decipher bad simanim such as eating vinegar on Rosh Hashana
17:40 how is it that the planet sustains itself and yet is also damaged by what we do to it
23:05 addressing family problems privately vs publicly
28:55 can we learn from avraham, Yaakov, and David that silence is the best response to harsh outcomes
34:14 do we have a definite list of mitzvot that are purely chok
36:00 does the akedah teach us that human sacrifice is wrong
41:10 why is it important to attend Jewish philosophy classes here
44:00 does a phone that has a Torah app open allow you to rest it atop comparable sefarim to the one on the phone
46:40 is there utility to writing tehilim verses in a comic book
48:45 what were the steps between scribes and the modern printing press for sefarim
52:30 why is there no Gemara on perkei avot
56:00 can puberty blockers be given to special needs kids to prolong their cuteness so they receive more care and attention
1:00:35 how to avoid prohibiting things under the assumption of being magical that may later be discovered to have a scientific basis
1:06:50 what is the issue with the book The Making of a Gadol
1:13:10 why was it more dangerous for the Jews in the midbar to get a Brit Milah than Avraham who was an old man
1:16:30 how should the current generation learn about Elul in contrast to earlier ones where fear was more real
1:20:15 does one have to stop an audio shiur whenever passing by garbage on the street
1:21:50 how has the medical process of circumcision changed since its inception
1:24:20 should one engage with mysterious science

Q&A 9-3-25

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PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS