The Director's Blog — Minneapolis Community Kollel

Thanksgiving Legal Holiday Learning: In the Name of the Law

Clarifying Dina D’Malchusa Dina

Rabbi Stoll began the shiur by stating what Dina D’Malchusa Dina is not: An overall primacy to secular law. Where then, does it apply? Is it limited to situations of benefit to the government, or even to the function of society as a whole? Or does it extend to other monetary laws? Are there areas outside monetary law where it would apply? Speed limits, a military draft?

Relive Rabbi Stoll’s lucid and comprehensive shiur shiur with the audio below. Follow along with the sources here.

In the Name of the Law: Clarifying Dina D'Malchusa Dina
Rabbi Binyamin Stoll
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Labor Day (Weekend) Legal Holiday Learning: Blow By Blow

Sounds of the Shofar - The Right Way

Tekiah:

Shevarim: — — —

Teruah: - - - - - - - - -

Right? Seems simple enough. We all know the three sounds of the shofar since our youth.

Today’s topic put the spotlight on the sounds of the shofar, and allowed us to understand the detail and precision that every ba’al tokea puts in to his Rosh Hashana shofar blowing. Rabbi Mintz highlighted some of the halachic debates that revolve around the proper way to blow:

  • What is the proper sound of the tekia? The shevarim? Straight, or more like a cry?

  • How long is the teruah? Is it 9 blasts, or only 3?

  • How long is the shevarim? What happens if the shevarim is a bit too long?

Relive the shiur with the audio below, featuring live demonstrations by Rabbi Rosansky. Follow along with the sources here.

Blow By Blow: Sounds of the Shofar - The Right Way
Rabbi Meir Mintz
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July 4th Legal Holiday Learning: All You Knead to Know

The Intersection between Pas Yisroel & Bishul Yisroel

It was a fitting finale, perhaps the final public shiur for Rabbi Uriel Gross in his tenure in the Kollel. And what a shiur it was, as Rabbi Gross clearly guided the listeners through an intricate topic, and even concluded with a chiddush of his own.

There are two separate Rabbinic decrees forbidding bread of non-Jews and food cooked by non-Jews. What’s the difference between cooking and baking? What distiguishes these two decrees, and do they ever overlap? To find out all you knead to know, listen to the audio below and follow along with the sources.

All You Knead to Know- Pas Yisroel & Bishul Yisroel
Rabbi Uriel Gross
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The Minneapolis Yarchei Kallah

The 2nd annual Minneapolis Yarchei Kallah was a 5-day immersive learning program featuring a daily 2 1/2 hour seder with shiurim by Rav Ezriel Cziment, Rosh Kollel of the Telshe Yeshiva Chicago Kollel. This year’s topic was the 7 Noahide Laws.

Thank you to: 

  • Rabbi Uriel Gross for spearheading this program for the second year.

  • Rav Ezriel Cziment for once again joining us and providing your Torah insight along with your warmth and energy.

  • Rav & Rebbetzin Greenberg for hosting the Friday night Oneg and for hosting the Cziments.

  • Torah Academy, Eli Weinberg & co., Mrs. Shaindy Mandelbaum, and the numerous women who made the Melava Malka for the participants such a success.

  • All of you (around 40 people!) who took off of either their busy schedules or their vacation time to join us for the learning and shiurim, you are the real force behind this Yarchei Kallah!

We're already looking forward to next year!

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A Day Trip with Hashem

Imagine your spouse loves the outdoors. Hiking, sleeping under the stars, exploring untamed forests, a dream getaway. You? You're more of a city person. The outdoor life doesn't do much for you. One day your spouse asks you to spend a week in the wild, untamed expanses of Yellowstone, so you go. After a packed trip, you're on your way home in the car and your spouse asks, "So, how did you like seeing the bison, moose, all that wildlife?"

"The bison?" you ask yourself. You turn to your spouse, "I guess they were alright..."

Then it hits you. That warm feeling you have isn't because of your newfound appreciation of nature, but of the fact that you just spent an entire week in the presence of your spouse; it was a bonding experience - one that you would never have at home.

As I'm sure you've heard by now, we had an incredible learning trip to Chicago this week. The shiurim were amazing, the learning was invigorating (and the food was ok 😁).

That said, there were people of all backgrounds and skill levels in learning that came. However, there was one constant- the indescribable feeling of spending an entire day with Hashem. In the Beis Medrash learning, hearing shiurim, davening, etc.

So, next time we embark on a trip with Hashem, are you joining?!

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Thanksgiving Legal Holiday Learning: No Thanks

“One who hates gifts shall live.” (Mishlei 15:27) Not receiving any gifts whatsoever sounds like a tall order. Why are the stakes so high? Is this a prohibition, or a midas chasidus, a lofty level only some attain? Should I not be giving birthday presents? So much to clarify about this enigmatic statement- and Rabbi Yoseph Rosansky has the insight. Listen to the shiur below, and follow along with the sources here.

No Thanks - When are gifts welcome?
Rabbi Yoseph Rosansky
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Labor Day Legal Holiday Learning: Miracles

“We don’t rely on miracles.“

Taken at face value, that statement can sound like the epitome of self-reliance and non-trust in Hashem. However, when these words are our instructions from our Sages, they mean anything but. “We don’t rely on miracles“ is the expression of our trust that Hashem wills and controls all “natural” phenomena and events, not just the realm of the miraculous.

Yet, there are many instances recorded in the Torah of our Sages calling upon miraculous outcomes. From each story we glean the guidelines of when we don’t rely on miracles- and when we do.

Rabbi Adam Crystal delivered a comprehensive shiur on this wide-ranging and fundamental topic, including practical points about various levels of risk, and the benefit of prayer in dire situations.

Audio of the shiur below, click here to follow along with the sources.

Miracles: We don't rely on them- or do we?
Rabbi Adam Crystal
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