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Machshavah Lab
Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss
567 episodes
1 day ago
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 17 minutes Synopsis: This morning (10/31/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we began our unit on what I call the Prologue to Sefer Iyov (1:1 - 3:1). The initial plan was to have a brief introduction, then read and translate the entire Prologue, then analyze 1:1-5. Instead, our intro led to a rant (on my part) about the Rambam's 13 ikkarim, as misunderstood by anti-Maimonideans and hyper-Maimonid...
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Judaism
Education,
Religion & Spirituality,
Society & Culture,
Philosophy
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All content for Machshavah Lab is the property of Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 17 minutes Synopsis: This morning (10/31/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we began our unit on what I call the Prologue to Sefer Iyov (1:1 - 3:1). The initial plan was to have a brief introduction, then read and translate the entire Prologue, then analyze 1:1-5. Instead, our intro led to a rant (on my part) about the Rambam's 13 ikkarim, as misunderstood by anti-Maimonideans and hyper-Maimonid...
Show more...
Judaism
Education,
Religion & Spirituality,
Society & Culture,
Philosophy
Episodes (20/567)
Machshavah Lab
Prologue of Sefer Iyov - Part 1: Questions on Iyov 1:1-5 (Plus Rant About Rambam's 13 Ikkarim)
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 17 minutes Synopsis: This morning (10/31/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we began our unit on what I call the Prologue to Sefer Iyov (1:1 - 3:1). The initial plan was to have a brief introduction, then read and translate the entire Prologue, then analyze 1:1-5. Instead, our intro led to a rant (on my part) about the Rambam's 13 ikkarim, as misunderstood by anti-Maimonideans and hyper-Maimonid...
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3 days ago
1 hour 17 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Lech Lecha: Shadal on Jewish vs. Egyptian Circumcision
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 8 minutes 45 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/31/25 titled: Lech Lecha: Shadal on Jewish vs. Egyptian Circumcision. Contrary to what some might assume, circumcision did not originate with Jews. It was practiced in Egypt thousands of years earlier. What do we make of this? Shadal offers a profound a...
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4 days ago
9 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Avos 1:6 - Dan l'Chaf Zechus - Judge Each Person Favorably
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 2 hours Synopsis: This evening (10/30/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the famous precept of being dan l'chaf zechus. We ended up raising twenty questions total and answering most (if not all) of them through our in-depth analysis of Rambam and Rashi. If you're interested in a deep-dive into this topic which addresses the topic theoretically and practically, then this shiur will give you plent...
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4 days ago
2 hours 1 minute

Machshavah Lab
Noach: Did All Humanity Really Speak One Language?
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 4 pages Length of audio: 15 minutes 24 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 4-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/24/25 titled: Noach: Did All Humanity Really Speak One Language? Though Malbim, R. Mecklenburg, and Rav Hirsch shared a common milieu and similar educational aims, each approached this question in a distinct way. ----- The Torah content for the re...
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1 week ago
16 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Q&A #45 - Desiring Olam ha'Ba, Blaming Sins on Hashem, and Should We Strive for the Crown of Torah
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 40 minutes Synopsis: This morning (10/23/25), in lieu of our usual morning Mishlei, we had a Q&A session! We discussed the following three questions: (1) According to the Rambam, if Olam ha'Ba is non-physical, and if our desires only relate to physical enjoyments, how can we desire Olam ha'Ba? (2) What do we mean in the short vidui when we say ti'ta'nu, which some translate as "You have let us go astray"? (3) Should every ...
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1 week ago
40 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Sukkos 5778: I Hate Sukkah (In a Good Way)
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 5 pages Length of audio: 14 minutes 57 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 5-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/10/25 titled Sukkos 5778: I Hate Sukkah (In a Good Way). Here's a newly edited version of my first (and favorite) article on Sukkos, originally published on 10/4/17. It captures a huge part of how I relate to mitzvos. ----- The Torah content for t...
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3 weeks ago
15 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Sukkos 5786: Musings on the “Branding” of Chag ha’Sukkos
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 1 page Length of audio: 3 minutes 46 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/6/25 titled: Sukkos 5786: Musings on the “Branding” of Chag ha’Sukkos. Two years ago, a student of mine asked a question about Sukkos using one quirky word that set off a cascade of thinking. I hope it does the same for you! ----- The Torah content...
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4 weeks ago
4 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Haazinu: What If You Find Torah Empty?
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 3 pages Length of audio: 11 minutes 24 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/5/25 titled: Haazinu: What If You Find Torah Empty? Chazal would respond, “The fault is yours—you didn’t toil in Torah.” But what about those who have toiled and still find Torah empty? Here are my thoughts. ----- The Torah content for the remainder of...
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4 weeks ago
12 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Yom ha’Kippurim 5786 / Acharei Mos: The Order of Vidui
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 9 minutes 18 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 10/1/25, titled: Yom ha’Kippurim 5786 / Acharei Mos: The Order of Vidui. Here’s a quick article I wrote this morning. The idea isn’t fully developed, but I hope it gives some food for thought on Yom ha'Kippurim. Gmar chasimah tovah! ----- The Torah Content...
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1 month ago
10 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Approaching the “Sweet Secret” of Ha’Melech ha’Mishpat
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 8 minutes 36 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/29/25, titled: Approaching the “Sweet Secret” of Ha’Melech ha’Mishpat. Does the grammatically anomalous "ha'Melech ha'Mishpat" contain a secret? Some Rishonim think so. Here's my best (incomplete) attempt to understand that secret. ----- The Torah Conten...
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1 month ago
9 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Intro to Iyov - Part 3: Historicity (or Lack Thereof)
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 26 minutes Synopsis: This morning (9/26/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we concluded (I think?) the introductory portion of our Iyov shiurim by taking up the question of when and whether Iyov lived. We read through the ten plus opinions in the Gemara, raised questions on what Chazal were trying to do, and then tried to answer them with a speculative theory (since I haven't found any satisfact...
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1 month ago
1 hour 27 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Vayeilech: When Hashem Hides His Face
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 3 pages Length of audio: 12 minutes 25 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 3-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/25/25, titled: Vayeilech: When Hashem Hides His Face. Twice in this parashah Hashem says He will hide His face: once for sin, and again even after we admit we were wrong. Here are five solutions to this difficulty. ----- The Torah Content for the m...
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1 month ago
13 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Intro to Iyov - Part 2: More on Authorship
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 10 minutes Synopsis: This morning (9/19/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab sreies for women, we began with a comprehensive review of what we covered in Part 1, adding and clarifying the points we previously discussed. It was so comprehensive, in fact, that it took up the majority of our shiur! We used the remaining time to wrap up the question of Sefer Iyov's authorship, paving the way for our next planned topic:...
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1 month ago
1 hour 10 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Avos 4:16 - Metaphors for Olam ha'Zeh and Olam ha'Ba
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 43 minutes Synopsis: This evening (9/18/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we took up the first of two mishnayos in our perek about the relationship between Olam ha'Zeh and Olam ha'Ba. At first, we thought the mishnah was obvious. Then, after learning through four meforshim, we found ourselves with eight points that needed to be explained. Despite my coming to shiur with only a few answers, together...
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1 month ago
1 hour 43 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Nitzavim: Was Moshe Rabbeinu Pro-Philosophy or Anti-Philosophy?
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 8 minutes 20 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/16/25, titled: Nitzavim: Was Moshe Rabbeinu Pro-Philosophy or Anti-Philosophy? This article's intended audience is those who feel strongly either way, those who think they know my answer, and those who deny the validity of the question. ----- The Torah C...
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1 month ago
9 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Intro to Iyov - Part 1: Challenges, Pre-Learning Questions, and Authorship
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 33 minutes Synopsis: This morning (9/12/25), in this year's first Friday morning Machshavah Lab shiur for women, we began our (hopefully) year-long series on Sefer Iyov! I began by recapping my prior experience with Iyov, but to my delight, this turned into a really great discussion about the various challenges of learning the sefer. We then attempted to list all the major questions that ought to asked about the sefer B...
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1 month ago
1 hour 33 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Avos 4:15 - Greetings, Lion Tails, and Fox Heads
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 48 minutes Synopsis: This evening (9/11/25), in our Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women, we learned the next mishnah in our chapter. This one was more practical, more approachable, and less metaphysical than the last. After raising a ton of questions, we learned the explanations of three commentaries: Rambam, Meiri, and Sforno. I believe we did justice to each one and learned ideas that are relevant to our lives,...
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1 month ago
1 hour 44 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Ki Teitzei: Ibn Kaspi's Radical Rationale for Sending Away the Mother Bird
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of article: 2 pages Length of audio: 8 minutes 28 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 9/5/25, titled: Ki Teitzei: Ibn Kaspi's Radical Rationale for Sending Away the Mother Bird. He'd sum up the rationale by saying: "You're nothing but a lowlife ass, a cabbage, and a dumb rock who'd cannibalize his own father. Become a vegetarian!" ----- The...
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2 months ago
9 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Sforno on the Prosperity of the Wicked and Suffering of the Righteous (Avos 4:15)
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 48 minutes Synopsis: This evening (9/4/25), in our first Thursday night Pirkei Avos shiur for women of the 2025-2026 season, we took up a mishnah that happens to be on the same topic as Sefer Iyov, which will be a major focus of mine this year! In fact, this mishnah seems to undermine Iyov in its entirety! Thankfully, Sforno came to the rescue with a lengthy but rich commentary that answered every single question we rai...
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2 months ago
1 hour 49 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Re’eh: The Torah Temimah’s Counterintuitive Take on the Mitzvah to Live in Israel (and Rav Chaim Brisker’s Zionism)
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of FREE article: 2 pages (PAID version is 3 pages) Length of FREE audio: 7 minutes 44 seconds (PAID version is 11 minutes 37 seconds) Synopsis: This is the audio version of the FREE version of the 2-page article I wrote and published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 8/20/25, titled: Re’eh: The Torah Temimah’s Counterintuitive Take on the Mitzvah to Live in Israel (and Rav Chaim Brisker’s Zionism). Yes, there is a third answ...
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2 months ago
8 minutes

Machshavah Lab
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 17 minutes Synopsis: This morning (10/31/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we began our unit on what I call the Prologue to Sefer Iyov (1:1 - 3:1). The initial plan was to have a brief introduction, then read and translate the entire Prologue, then analyze 1:1-5. Instead, our intro led to a rant (on my part) about the Rambam's 13 ikkarim, as misunderstood by anti-Maimonideans and hyper-Maimonid...