These shiurim were given on Thursdays in Y.U., to Rav Twersky’s shiur.
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See the table below the player for details about the shiurim in this series.
| Track | Title | Length | Description |
| 1 | Nach-pe-sa…v’nachkora | 33:33 | 3 explanations of “Nach-pe-sa…v’nachkora…v’nashuva” 1) Shaarei Teshuva, Shaar 3: have to take inventory of what sins I have, then look at the magnitude of each sin. The magnitude of the sin has to be reflected in the teshuva and in the magnitude of busha one feels. 2) Zohar: nachkora == figuring out how to correct the cheit and how do make sure not to do it anymore. 3) Cheit has a context & root. Nachkora == figuring out how this cheit happened. This and Zohar are 2 sides of the same coin. |
| 2 | Busha. Relative Severity of Different Types of Aveiros. | 41:07 | – The degree of busha in teshuva, and in both asking and receiving mechila, should be proportionate to the magnitude of the aveira. – D’oraysa more chamur than d’rabbanan because d’oraysa HKB”H communicated directly to us, more of a chutzpa to ignore. Same type of difference between mefurash b’kra and understood via a drasha. – One often goes against a d’rabbanan due to taking it lightly, and that attitude is rebellious (like zakein mamreh) and very chamur. |
| 3 | Divrei Chachomim. Schar for Mitzvas Aseh. | 38:08 | Shaarei Teshuva, Shaar 3:6. – Severity of transgressing divrei chachomim. – Observing dinei d’rabanan a fuller expression of yiras Shomayim – Reward only for mitzvos aseh or lo sa’aseh as well. Machlokes, explanation. |
| 4 | Approach to Miztzvos Aseh, Lo Sa’aseh. Lifnim Mishuras Hadin. | 42:42 | Shaarei Teshuva, starting from 3:9 – Why reward for miztvos aseh isn’t specified. – Severity of being dismissive of mitzvos. – Nature of the obligation to go lifnim mishuras hadin. |
| 5 | Yiras ha’Onesh, Yiras ha’Romemus | 37:00 | Sha’arei Ohr, Rab Itzele Blazer – yiras ha’onesh, yiras ha’romemus. Can’t skip yiras ha’onesh. – a knowledge-based sustained awareness of yiras Hashem – why yiras ha’onesh is not mentioned in Mishna Torah, and yiras ha’romemus is not mentioned in Sefer Hamitzvos Related to track #10 here. |
| 6 | Daily Teshuva & Living Reflectively | 39:37 | – Two different reasons to always do teshuva: 1) should die b’kedusha v’tahara and 2) to LIVE that way – Yetzer Hara works naturally without premeditation. Yetzer hatov comes from reflection. If one coasts through life, Yetzer hara will be dominant. Daily teshuva defined as not drifting away from HKBH, each day and instead coming closer each day |
| 7 | Introduction. Ikar #1. | 37:14 | – What’s the difference between one not knowing the 13 ikarim vs. any other part of Torah? – Why aren’t they presented as a list by Chazal? – First ikar: no existence independent of HKB”H. |
| 8 | Yichud Hashem. Incorporeality. | 32:31 | – ikar #2: yichud Hashem, unique and singular. – ikar #3: HKB”H isn’t physical. Torah uses anthropomorphisms to describe Him to make it easier for us to grasp various points better. |
| 9 | Ikar #3 (Incorporeality of HKB”H) and #4 (HKB”H Coming Before All Else) | 35:44 | See Hilchos Teshuva 3:7, Hilchos Shechita 4:14, Hilchos Mamrim 3:1,3. Machlokes Rambam & Ra’avad in Teshuva 3:7 if someone can believe in minus without having a din of a min. Rambam: Torah doesn’t expect everyone to figure out Elokus on his on, but does expect us to defer to those who are greater than us, hence one is a min for believing that HKB”H is corporeal. |
| 10 | Ikar 5, 6 | 33:35 | – Ikar 5: serve only Hashem. No intermediaries. Davening for others. – Ikar 6: nevuah. Definition of nevuah is that it’s experienced by an adam hashalem. |
| 11 | Ikar 7 | 48:17 | Ikar 7: nevuah of Moshe is different in kind, not just degree. Details of the differences. |
| 12 | Ikar #8 – Torah Min haShomayim | 39:15 | – Torah today is that same Torah. – Torah she’bal peh & b’ksav. – Difference between peirushim ha’mekubalim and halacha l’Moshe misinai? Why the later not mentioned in ikar 8? – How does navi fits in? – the immutability of Torah. |
| 13 | Ikarim 9 – 12 | 37:35 | 9 – Torah doesn’t change 10 – HKB”H knows ma’asei bnei Adam and exercises hashgacha (both included on yediah) 11 – sechar v’onesh, the former really being in olam haba. Why not listed on perek 3 of teshuva? Included in yediah. 12 – yemos hamoshiach (not only melech hamoshiach). |
| 14 | Beginning of Hakdama to Perek Chelek | 58:08 | Sechar v’onesh is widely misunderstood in terms of what olam haba is, what mashiach brings, etc. Rambam discusses the correct understanding, as well as the definition of ahavas Hashem and lishma. |
| 15 | The Eternal vs. the Finite | 35:14 | – The nature of something eternal is completely different than the finite. – People are willing to endure amal and yegiah for kavod, for revenge, etc. That’s prioritizingg non-physical ta’anug. – “Rewards” in olam hazeh are just to enable our avoda. |
| 16 | Attitude Towards Mitzvos | 43:20 | Our attitude towards mitzvos is an essential part of our fulfilling them. Kiyum haMitzvos == to do it lishma, mei’ahava. |
| 17 | Techiyas Hameisim, Moshiach | 37:33 | – after techiyas hameisim, people will die again – how the world will function during yemos hamoshiach – the melech hamoshiach – the process leading up to moshiach |
| 18 | Being Human, Reaching Olam Habba | 36:12 | – the ultimate goal is olam habba. How does one get there? Serve HKB”H out of love. – to be truly human is to serve HKB”H, which is what differentiates us from animals, and leads us to olam habba. – have to teach the klalim before can get into the subtleties and nuances, so don’t complain about the Rambam not filling out every last detail. |
| 19 | Definition of Apikores, Other Causes for Losing Olam Habba | 38:39 | – apikores = zilzul towards yesodos haTorah or talmidei chachomim. There is no greater zilzul than not believing in ikraim. – Why does the mishna mention spcifically teschiyas hameisim and Torah min haShomyaim? – What is uniquely bad about wasting time by reading koreh b’seforim chitzonim? – locheish el makkos, writing names of melachim in mezuzos, etc. – reducing Torah to some kind of first aid kit, etc. |
| 20 | The Status “Yisroel” | 37:37 | – The status “Yisroel” depends on being a ma’amin, and the chiyuvim bein adam lachaveiro applying depend on the recipient being a Yisroel. Only b’Toras Yisroel does one have a chelek in olam habba. – Hilchos De’os – ahavas Yisroel more limited, while in Hilchos Aveilus more expansive because dealing with achicha b’mitzvos. Mechayev in De’os is keeping one’s own middos good, in aveil it’s v’ahavata l’rei’a’cha kamocha. |
| 21 | Hakdama to Mishna Torah: Torah vs. Mitzvah | 42:23 | – What’s Torah vs. mitzvah? Torah is b’ksav, mitzvah is b’al peh. – “Torah b’ksav” describes both the cheftza and how it is passed on. “Torah she’B’al peh” only describes how it is passed on, but the cheftza is “peirush”. – there are many pesukim in which Rambam gives multiple different peshatim in Mishna Torah; pesukim are intended to mean multiple things. |
| 22 | Hakdama to Mishna Torah, 2: Why Torah She’b’al Peh is Referred to as “Mitzvah” | 39:24 | Mitzvah – command, interpretation, legacy from generation to generation. Rambam using all these meanings, and this answers many questions. |
| 23 | Hakdama to Mishna Torah, 3: The Chain of Masorah | 43:19 | – Avos 1:1: the chain of masorah. Mesorah entrusted in each generation to specific ba’alei masorah. – What they say misevara is a part of the mesorah; chachmei masorah become the embodiment of masorah. – In every generation, it’s the Sanhedrin of 71 which was the ikar authentic guardian and interpreter of Torah shebal peh. A yachid can be mekabeil, but Sanhedrin is needed to transmit. |
| 24 | Hakdama to Mishna Torah, 4: Mesiras haTorah | 37:12 | Rambam explains why R’ Yehuda Hanassi changed the teaching of Torah she’b’al peh to be b’ksav, but didn’t explain why Gemara was written since the change is mesiras haTorah had already been made beforehand. Differences between halacha and agadata in mesiras haTorah. The authority of batei din after chasimas hatalmud, the authority of Talmud Bavli. |
| 25 | Berachos 28b – death of R’ Yochanan ben Zakkai | 39:06 | – Why does the talmidim’s presence trigger his crying? – Who someone is at a given point is a result of all he has done in life until then. – Morah shomayim & basar vadam. – Ahava & yirah with respect to mitzvos aseh & lo sa’aseh. |