Rabbi Ezra Labaton A"H – What are Reasons for Hashem's Commandments? (Part 1/2)

Mr. Sammy Saka – Pirke Abot 2:5 “The Power of Community”

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 2:5, Mr. Sammy Saka breaks down five teachings of Hillel, centering the lesson around the power and importance of community. He draws on the story of Purim to illustrate how Jewish unity — or the lack thereof — directly impacts the fate of the people, connecting it to the unity we witnessed following October 7th. He explores the symbolism of the four species on Sukkot as a model for communal togetherness, and emphasizes that no individual can truly thrive in isolation, whether spiritually or practically. The class also covers the importance of not judging others before standing in their place, speaking with clarity while guarding confidential information, and never postponing Torah study or review. Mr. Saka closes with an inspiring reminder that our challenges are opportunities to rise, and that staying united as a community is itself a step toward bringing the Mashiach. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (0:00) Introduction to Pirkei Avot 2:5 (0:21) Do Not Separate from Community (1:33) Our Community's History & Merit (2:47) Power of Minyan & Prayer (4:08) Purim & Unity — Lessons for Today (8:11) Do Not Trust Yourself Alone (9:02) Community Support — Shiva Example (10:43) Do Not Judge Your Fellow Man (12:47) Speak Clearly & Keep Secrets (15:52) Do Not Delay Your Learning (16:29) The Power of Review & Repetition (18:10) Closing — Bringing It All Together - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com

Rabbi Ike Hanon – Pesahim 40b - 41a | Weekday Gemara

Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes every day at 6:30 AM at West Deal Shul. The class covers the Mishnah on Pesachim 40b, which discusses three halachot: the prohibition of adding flour to haroset or mustard on Pesach, the requirement to roast the Korban Pesach rather than cook it, and the need to discard a baker's hand-washing water during Pesach. The Gemara focuses first on Rav Kahana's distinction that the debate between Rabbi Meir and the Chachamim applies only to mustard, not haroset, and a beraitah is brought to support this position. However, Rav Hunah b'red Rav Yehudah rejects this distinction, arguing that the Mishnah itself makes no differentiation, and Tosafot explain that the amoraim understood the Mishnah to argue on that beraitah. The Rambam ultimately rules like Rav Kahana, permitting immediate eating only with mustard while requiring immediate disposal with haroset. The class then transitions to the Korban Pesach, exploring how the prohibition of cooking it extends beyond water to all liquids, either through a kal v'chomer or a derasha from the double language of 'bashel mevushal,' with the practical difference between the two approaches being whether pot-roasting in the meat's own juices is forbidden. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (0:00) Mishnah: Flour in Haroset & Mustard (2:10) Rabbi Meir vs. Chachamim Debate (2:46) Korban Pesach: No Cooking (3:47) Baker's Hand-Washing Water (4:58) Gemara: Rav Kahana's Distinction (6:34) Beraitah Confirms Rav Kahana (6:50) Halakha Follows Chachamim (7:25) Haroset or Mustard? The Question (9:49) Tosafot: Mishnah vs. Beraitah (12:09) Rav Ashi Defends Rav Kahana (13:34) Gemara Challenges Rav Ashi (14:19) Rambam's Ruling (15:31) Korban Pesach: Deriving Other Liquids (17:53) Rebbe vs. Chachamim: Kal V'Chomer (18:27) Nafka Mina: Sli Kedar (20:00) Bashel Mevushal: Roasted Then Cooked - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com

Rabbi Moses Hidary – Shaar Habitachon Perek 4(g) | Mussar

Rabbi Moses Hidary hosts classes Monday nights at West Deal Shul. This class continues the study of Shaar HaBitachon, Perek Dalet in Chovot HaLevavot, focusing on how to maintain the proper mindset during financial hardship. Rabbi Hidary explains that Rabbenu Bachya offers a two-step approach: first normalizing the anxiety one feels when income is delayed or scarce, and then providing concrete reframes to recalibrate emotionally and spiritually. The first reframe draws on Hashem's perfect timing in bringing each person into the world, teaching that just as our birth was precisely calibrated, so too is the arrival of our parnasah. The second reframe uses the image of a nursing infant — who lives meal to meal without worry — as a model of trust, supported by the Vilna Gaon's teaching on the pasuk "like a nursing infant is my soul." The class closes with the powerful idea that exercising bitachon during difficult times is itself a mitzvah that earns divine reward, just as Bnai Yisrael were cherished by Hashem for following Him into the wilderness with only one day's supply of manna at a time. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (0:00) Introduction & Emunah through speech (1:50) Parnasah delayed: Hashem's timing (5:37) "My time will come" — Sammy's insight (9:20) Creating your own mashal for parnasah (12:00) When business is tight: the nursing baby (15:44) Tehillim: soul like a nursing infant (18:00) Is asking tzedakah a lack of bitachon? (23:03) Bitachon earns heavenly reward (25:20) The mon: Hashem recalls your loyalty (28:00) When your job isn't ideal (30:20) Hashem curated your exact situation (32:00) B'chol Me'odecha: all your resources - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com

Rabbi Moshe Tobal – Berachot 21b | Weekday Gemara

Rabbi Moshe Tobal hosts classes every day at 6:50 AM at West Deal Shul. This class on Berachot 21b focuses on the question of whether women are obligated in Birkat Hamazon on a Torah level. Rabbi Tobal analyzes Tosafot's position, which centers on the role of Brit and Torah in the Birkat Hamazon text, explaining that since women are not obligated in these two elements — and omitting them invalidates the blessing for men — their obligation may be fundamentally different. The class explores a parallel discussion about why women are restricted from learning Torah, presenting the Rambam's view that women lack the depth of understanding required, alongside the Maharil's contrasting view that women are too clever and may twist Torah for their own purposes, a debate that carries practical implications for Sephardic and Ashkenazic girl schools today. A key tension is raised regarding the conflict between Safek Doraita l'chumra, which would require repeating Birkat Hamazon if unsure, and the Doraita prohibition of Lo Tisa, which forbids saying a blessing in vain. The class concludes that the majority ruling treats the prohibition of a blessing l'vatala as Doraita, and that practically speaking, a woman with a doubt about whether she recited Birkat Hamazon faces a nuanced halachic question depending on whether her obligation is Doraita or Derabanan. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (0:00) Intro: Women & Birkat Hamazon (0:15) Tosafot on Nashim & Birchat Hamazon (1:00) Rashi's approach explained (2:30) Tosafot's challenge to Rashi (3:23) Brit & Torah in Birchat Hamazon (3:45) Yerushalmi: Women & Torah study (4:45) Rambam on women learning Torah (6:30) Maharil: Women too clever for Torah (7:45) Sephardic vs Ashkenazic practice (8:00) Machloket: Women's Torah study (9:55) Brit v'Torah in Nodeh Lecha (11:55) Tosafot's core question explained (12:20) The Safek: Women's obligation (15:00) Kohanim, Leviim & Nachalah (16:05) Ir Miklat & Shevet Levi (18:05) Halacha: Women cannot be Motzi men (18:40) Safek Doraita for men in Birchat Hamazon (19:15) Lo Tisa vs. Safek Doraita tension (21:45) Rambam on Bracha L'vatala (23:00) Magen Avraham's ruling (25:10) Practical halacha conclusion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com

Rabbi Ike Hanon – Pesahim 40b | Weekday Gemara

Rabbi Ike Hanon hosts classes Monday through Friday at 6:10 AM at West Deal Shul. The class continues the sugya in Pesachim 40b dealing with adding flour to a cooking pot on Pesach and the role vinegar plays in either accelerating or inhibiting the leavening process. The Gemara identifies the Yesh Omrim opinion — that vinegar added first still permits adding flour — as belonging to the Biyuda, based on a parallel ruling in the laws of Shabbat regarding kli rishon and kli sheini. The class also explores the distinction between a kli rishon and a kli sheini, with a practical discussion about raw spices and garnishes placed on hot Shabbos food. Ullah then rules stringently, invoking the principle of 'nazir, go far from the vineyard,' forbidding the addition of flour to a cooking pot even with vinegar present. The sugya closes with a dispute over Rappapay's leniency permitting roasted flour to be added to a dish, and two conflicting versions of Rava's position on the matter. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Visit: westdealshul.org Sponsorships: west.deal.classes@gmail.com