Machshavah Lab

Mikeitz: And Then They Got DRUNK

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length of article: 4 pagesLength of audio: 12 minutes 36 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/19/25 titled: Mikeitz: And Then They Got DRUNK. Why does the Torah mention that Yosef’s brothers got drunk? Here are four distinct approaches, each with its own methodological aim, and my take on each.-----SPECIAL CHANUKAH DISCOUNT: For the eight days of Chanukah, I’m offering 50% off my paid Substack subscription, just $5 per month. If the free articles, recordings, and shiurim I’ve shared this year have added real value to your learning and your life, and you’d consider them worth at least the price of a latte, this is a simple way to say “thank you.” You’re welcome to sign up, read, listen, or download whatever you’d like from behind the paywall, and then cancel so there’s no ongoing charge. And if you’d like to support my Torah in a more sustained way, you can lock in a full year for $50 at the same 50% discount. Your support is what allows this work to continue at its current depth and consistency, and for that I’m genuinely grateful. Happy Chanukah! -----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/YU Torah: yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-SchneeweissPatreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel

Prologue to Sefer Iyov - Part 6: Analysis of Iyov's Monologue

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 1 hour 21 minutesSynopsis: This morning (12/12/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we analyzed Iyov's "post-breakdown monologue" in Chapter 3 through the eyes of the Malbim and the Rambam, comparing and contrasting their approaches. Although we answered all the questions we initially asked, there are some outstanding difficulties that remain to be solved. Next on the agenda is Eliphaz's first speech, in which he attempts to prove Iyov wrong.-----מקורות:איוב א:יג - סוף פרק גמלבי"ם - הקדמה לפרק ג; ג:כדרמב"ם - מורה הנבוכים ג:טז Lenn E. Goodman, "The Guide to the Perplexed: A New Translation" (2024)-----This week’s Torah content is sponsored by Rifka Kaplan-Peck in memory of her grandpa, Izrail Kaplan (a”h), who never forgot to look up above and appreciate another day.-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/YU Torah: yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-SchneeweissPatreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel

Vayeishev: Yosef ha’Tzadik – A Role Model in Sin

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length of article: 1 pagesLength of audio: 4 minutes 31 secondsSynopsis: This is the audio version of the 1-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 12/11/25 titled: Vayeishev: Yosef ha’Tzadik – A Role Model in Sin. In this short dvar Torah, we compare two readings of Mrs. Potiphar’s attempted rape of Yosef and ask which portrays him as the better role model.-----This week’s Torah content is sponsored by Rifka Kaplan-Peck in memory of her grandpa, Izrail Kaplan (a”h), who never forgot to look up above and appreciate another day.-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/YU Torah: yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-SchneeweissPatreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel

Avos 1:6 - Rambam on Friendship (Knei Lecha Chaver)

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 1 hour 57 minutesSynopsis: This evening (12/11/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned one of my favorite Rambam passages of all time: his mini-discourse on friendship. I can honestly say that this was the most comprehensive shiur I’ve ever given on the topic. We took the mishnah, raised every question we could, then read the Rambam, raised every question we could on that, and then answered all of them. I mentioned in shiur that the first time I learned this Rambam, it permanently shaped how I think about all relationships, and that each time I revisit it, I walk away with a clearer understanding. Tonight’s shiur proved that once again.-----מקורות:אבות א:ו; ה:טזרמב"םר' יצחק שילת - ביאור לפירוש רמב"ם למשנה-----This week’s Torah content is sponsored by Rifka Kaplan-Peck in memory of her grandpa, Izrail Kaplan (a”h), who never forgot to look up above and appreciate another day.-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/YU Torah: yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-SchneeweissPatreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel

Did Dinah Marry Iyov? + Prologue to Sefer Iyov - Part 5: Iyov's Monologue

Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text!Length: 1 hour 11 minutesSynopsis: This morning (12/5/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we began by reviewing the facts from last time. From there we took up a Vayishlach/Iyov side-quest, examining the midrash that Iyov’s wife was Dinah, a midrash for which I have found zero explanations. After that, we continued reading the sefer through the end of Iyov’s “post-breakdown monologue” in Chapter 3, and we concluded by raising some of the most urgent questions. Next time (בג"ה), we will analyze Iyov’s monologue in an effort to ascertain his beliefs.-----מקורות:איוב א:יג - סוף פרק גתרגום כתובים - איוב ב:ט-יבבא בתרא דף טו עמוד במהרש"א חידשוי אגדות שםתורה תמימה - בראשית לד:ז, הערה 5מצודת דוד - איוב לא:ב-----If you’d like to sponsor my Torah content, please let me know! Your support makes it possible for me to give free shiurim, write free articles, and continue producing a steady stream of Torah.-----If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.-----Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/YU Torah: yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-SchneeweissPatreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweissYouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweissInstagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com"The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com"The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.comOld Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0HAmazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel