Rabbi David Semah – Perasha Balak | Weekly Parasha

Mr. Sammy Saka – Pirke Abot 2:9 “No Taking Credit”

Mr. Sammy Saka hosts classes on Zoom Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30PM. Contact Jacob Betesh to be added to the chat. In this class on Pirkei Avot 2:9, Mr. Sammy Saka explores the teaching of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, who said that if one has learned much Torah, they should not take credit for themselves, because that is what we were created to do. The key insight is that the more a person truly learns, the more they realize how vast Torah is and how little they have actually covered, naturally leading to humility rather than pride. Mr. Saka draws on the example of Chacham Ovadia Yosef, who despite authoring countless books and drawing massive audiences, never sought personal credit and always saw himself as a student. He connects this to the concept of a Talmid Chacham — a wise person who always considers themselves a student — and to Moshe Rabbeinu, whose closeness to Hashem made him the most humble person who ever lived. Mr. Saka concludes by extending this lesson to all of life's accomplishments, encouraging listeners to recognize that every talent and achievement comes from Hashem, to avoid taking personal credit, and to use their gifts in service of others through Torah and chesed. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (0:00) Introduction to Mishnah 2:9 (0:19) Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai (1:10) The Mishnah: Don't Take Credit (2:22) The More You Learn, The More Humility (3:48) Chacham Ovadia Yosef as an Example (6:01) The Meaning of Talmid Chacham (6:50) Moshe Rabbeinu's Humility (7:54) Applying the Lesson Beyond Torah (8:24) Hallel Gala & Giving Credit to Hashem (9:53) SBH: A Model of Selfless Chesed (11:21) Share Your Talents, Don't Hoard Them - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com

Rabbi Joseph Dana – Berachot 21b (II) | Weekday Gemara

Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul. This class on Berachot 21b continues the analysis of a Machloket between Tanak Hamah and Rabbi Yehuda regarding a Baal Keri — someone who has had a seminal emission — and his ability to recite words of Torah, including the Shema and its blessings. The Gemara asks whether Rabbi Yehuda's lenient position means he rejects the rabbinic or Torah-based decree against a Baal Keri learning Torah, a prohibition derived from connecting Pesukim in Devarim to the events at Har Sinai. The class then investigates whether Rabbi Yehuda employs the interpretive method of Doresh Semuchim — expounding on adjacent verses — and examines a Breitah involving the prohibition of a son marrying a woman his father had relations with, where Rabbi Yehuda does appear to expound on connected Pesukim from Devarim. This creates a problem: if Rabbi Yehuda uses Semuchim in Devarim, why does he not apply the same method to the Baal Keri prohibition, which also comes from Devarim? The class ends on an open question raised by a student regarding why Tanak Hamah himself does not arrive at this prohibition if he too expounds on Semuchim, with the Rabbi promising to return with a resolution the following day. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (0:00) Introduction & Review (0:17) Machloket: Baal Keri & Torah (1:01) Rabbi Yehuda's Opinion (1:25) Gemara's Question on R. Yehuda (1:52) Har Sinai & the Three-Day Rule (3:26) Source for Baal Keri Prohibition (4:04) Does R. Yehuda Expound Semuchim? (5:56) Ben Azai & the Witch Case (7:17) Devarim: A Different Standard (8:00) Proving R. Yehuda & Devarim (9:50) Breitah: Father's Wife Prohibition (10:47) Father's Rape Victim & the Son (14:16) The Pasuk: Eshet Aviv (16:15) Anusa Case & Connected Pesukim (19:03) R. Yehuda Widens the Prohibition (19:54) Back to the Baal Keri Problem (23:48) Tanak Hamah's Unresolved Question (26:39) Class Conclusion & Tomorrow's Resolution - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com

Rabbi Ike Hanon – Pesahim 44b | Weekday Gemara

Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes every day at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul. This class continues the Gemara in Pesachim 44b, focusing on the dispute between Rabbi Akiva and the Rabbanan regarding the word "mishrat" in the laws of Nazir. The central question is how both can derive different principles from the same word — the Rabbanan using it for ta'am k'ikar (taste constitutes prohibition) while Rabbi Akiva uses it for heter mitzta'ref l'issur (permitted and forbidden quantities combine toward a k'zayit). The Gemara explores where Rabbi Akiva learns ta'am k'ikar from instead, ultimately pointing to basar b'chalav (meat and milk) and ge'ulei nochrim (purging non-Jewish pots). Along the way, the class explains the unique chidush of basar b'chalav — that the Torah only prohibits it when cooked, not through cold contact — and the chidush of ge'ulei nochrim, which requires purging pots even when the absorbed taste would normally be considered pagum (spoiled) and therefore halachically insignificant. The class closes by raising the question of why ge'ulei nochrim is not a problematic source for Rabbi Akiva given the pagum concern. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (0:00) Recap: Mishrat and Nazir (1:04) Rabbanan vs. Rabbi Akiva on Mishrat (3:59) Rabbi Akiva's source in Berayta (6:37) Where does Rabbi Akiva learn Ta'am K'Ikar? (7:05) Ta'am K'Ikar from Basar B'Chalav (10:39) The Chidush of Basar B'Chalav (13:26) Bishul: The unique cooking requirement (16:51) Rabbi Akiva learns from Ge'ulei Nochrim (19:00) Noten Ta'am Lifgam and Ge'ulei Nochrim (22:30) Why this isn't a question on Rabbi Akiva - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com

Rabbi Joseph Dana – Berachot 21b | Weekday Gemara

Rabbi Joseph Dana hosts classes every day at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul. This class covers Brachot 21b, focusing on the status of a Baal Keri — someone who has experienced a seminal emission — and whether they are permitted to engage in words of Torah. The Mishnah presents a dispute, with Rabbi Yehudah's opinion that a Baal Keri may recite blessings before and after Torah study and meals. The Gemara then probes the biblical source for the prohibition on a Baal Keri learning Torah, deriving it through Drash Semuchim — expounding on two adjacent pesukim in Devarim — and raises the question of whether this prohibition is biblical or rabbinic in origin, ultimately suggesting it is an Asmachta, a rabbinic enactment supported by a verse. A key tension emerges around Rabbi Yehudah's legal methodology: does he expound on connected pesukim or not, and if not, how does he arrive at the Sekila ruling for a Mechashefa? The class concludes by demonstrating through the Mechashefa-Baal Keri discussion that Rabbi Yehudah does not generally use Drash Semuchim across the Torah, setting up tomorrow's class to show that he does apply it specifically within Sefer Devarim. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (0:00) Introduction: Brachot 21b (0:37) Mishnah: Baal Keri Overview (3:06) Gemara Begins: Rabbi Yehudah (4:26) Is Baal Keri Permitted in Torah? (6:06) Pasuk Source: V'Hodatam L'Vanecha (7:06) Drash Semuchim Explained (8:40) D'Orayta or Rabbinic Decree? (10:28) Asmachta B'Alma Defined (13:18) Rabbi Yehudah's Position (20:00) Does Rabbi Yehudah Use Semuchim? (22:07) Ben Azai: Mechashefa and Sekila (24:21) Rabbi Yehudah Rejects the Drasha (27:44) Ob and Yidoni: Alternative Source (30:01) Conclusion: Preview of Tomorrow - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com

Rabbi Ike Hanon – Pesahim 44a-44b | Weekday Gemara

Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30 PM at West Deal Shul. This class covers Pesachim 44a-44b, focusing on a debate between Abaye and Ravdimi regarding the principle of kazayit b'chdei achilas peras — whether one can receive lashes for consuming a prohibited kazayit eaten over time rather than in one bite. Abaye challenges Ravdimi with cases involving mixed pots and boxes of terumah and non-terumah food, arguing that if the prohibition applies over time, the leniency of she'ani omer (assuming the permitted fell into the permitted) should not hold. Ravdimi deflects each case by arguing that the items in question — spices and then terumah generally today — are only prohibited midirabanan, not de'orayta, and therefore we can be lenient in cases of doubt. The class then introduces the Rambam's ruling that terumah is only midirabanan today since not all Jews have returned to Israel, a condition required for the biblical obligation to apply. Finally, the class explores the word mishrat and a debate between Rabi Akiva and the Rabanan over whether it is used to permit combining permitted and prohibited foods into a kazayit, or to teach the foundational kosher principle of ta'am ki'ikar — that the taste of a prohibited food renders a mixture prohibited just as the food itself would. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (0:00) Intro: Heter Mitzaref L'Issur (1:06) Two Pots Case: She'ani Omer (4:45) Terumah Spices Are Midirabanan (7:24) Two Boxes of Grain Case (9:01) Rambam: Terumah Nowadays (14:45) New Attack: Word of Mishrat (16:52) Ta'am Ki'Ikar Explained (21:18) Nazir vs. Kilayim: Kal Vachomer (22:59) Rabi Akiva vs. Rabanan on Mishrat - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com