Hakhamim, Teachers, and Scholars

Hakhamim, Teachers, and Scholars §

Rabbi Joseph Dweck §

  1. Perspectives - a playlist of nine 2-3 minute short meditations on fundamental concepts in Judaism.
  2. [What do we mean by “God”? - Rabbi Dweck Jewish Wisdom J-TV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp0119pvP2w)
  3. [Rabbi vs Catholic - Must we avoid physical pleasure to be spiritual? J-TV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXAKyTU6r8k)
  4. [Freedom: more than doing what you want but becoming what you want Jewish Wisdom J-TV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8mUd36pmXw)
  5. SCA Faith in Our Future: Panel with Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Rabbi Joseph Dweck 11/15/16

Rabbi Haim Ovadia §

Sephardic History §

  1. The Sephardic Paradox - Why no Reform & Conservative movements in Sephardic Jews

Kashrut §

  1. Chug the Bug? How far do we go with checking for bugs?

Tzniut §

  1. Modesty: History, Truths, and Myths - Part 1

On Rabbi Yosef Messas §

  1. Public Transportation on Shabbat - R Yosef Messas
  2. R. Y. Messas on Leadership
  3. Moroccan Zionism in the 18th Century - Rav Y Messas - This goes into the life story and family history of R’ Yosef Messas, and is an incredibly inspiring testament to both his character and achievements
  4. Electricity on Yom Tov (not entirely about R’ Messas, but it discusses him)

On Rabbi Yehuda Fetaya §

  1. Hakham Yehudah Fetaya, Part 3: Bereaved Father Argues with God
  2. Zekhut Rahel - זכות רחל - Rahel’s Merit (prayer composed by H’ Y Fetaya in honor of Rahel). Video here (chanted by R. Yehudah Ovadia-Fetaya)
  3. Hakham Yehudah Fetaya, Part 4 Between Men and Women

Halakha §

  1. Jewish Law 101 Series
  2. Shabbat Intro
  3. Strict Is Lenient
  4. Public Transportation on Shabbat - R’ Yosef Messas
  5. Aliyah for Women? What does the Shulchan Aruch Say?
  6. Electricity on Yom Tov
  7. Changing Minhag - Relying on Kashrut of Host

Egalitarianism §

  1. Aliyah for Women? What does the Shulchan Aruch Say?
  2. Hakham Yehudah Fetaya, Part 3: Bereaved Father Argues with God (see “The Mother’s Prayer” section)
    1. Zekhut Rahel - זכות רחל - Rahel’s Merit (prayer composed by H’ Y Fetaya in honor of Rahel). Video here (chanted by R. Yehudah Ovadia-Fetaya)
  3. He has a Podcast about women serving as Rabbis, that I can’t seem to find at the moment - will update once I’ve found
  4. Eshel Outloud - Coming Out Orthodox

Hazzanut §

  1. Shaharit - Yishtabah until end of the Amidah
  2. Shabbat Shaharit - Sephardic Tradition
  3. Arvit for Shabbat - Sephardic Nahawand (Nahawand is an Arabic Maqam)
  4. MSDC Concert of Sephardic Liturgy and Selihot (In Traditional Arabic musical style)
  5. Correct Sephardic (Liturgical) Hebrew Pronunciation

Hakham Ben-Zion Uziel §

  1. Jewish Ideas - The Grand Religious Worldview of Rabbi Benzion Uziel
  2. Add in Yonatan Halevy videos

Hayim David Halevy §

  1. Pulling the Plug - amazing and surprising teshuvah, regarding life support & terminal illness - and whether or not one is permitted to disconnect life support.
  2. Mourning for Someone that has Abandoned Judaism - another incredible and surprising teshuva

Joey Mosseri §

  • SY Community - Joey Mosseri Classes - A playlist of many incredible shiurim from a great scholar, who is extremely knowledgeable about Sephardic history, traditions, and halakhic approach.

Sephardic Tradition & Approach (Intro) §

  1. Torah - Ancient Relic or Living Law - along with Zvi Zohar’s writings, this is easily one of the best introductions to the foundations and nature of pan-Sepharadi halakhic traditions.
    1. Most of the passages are from cited from Zvi Zohar’s Jews among Muslims: Communities in the Precolonial Middle East - “Positive Regard for Modern Science and Technology”
  2. Hayim David Halevy (see above):
    1. Pulling the Plug
    2. Mourning for Someone that has Abandoned Judaism

Halakha - Foundations & Methodology §

  1. Minhag and its Place in Pesiqat Halakha - also covers the scope and limits of “Aseh Lekha HaRav” and following a single poseq or hakham
  2. Did Anyone Ever Follow RAMBA”MS Rulings? - covers the halakhic prominence of Rambam, the “acceptance” of Shulhan Arukh by Sepharadim, and Ovadia Yosef’s idiosyncratic (and ahistorical) halakhic methodology and ideology

Kashruth §

  1. Noten Ta’am Bar Noten Ta’am - covers the the status of pareve food cooked in dairy or meat pots

Liturgy - History & Composition §

  1. A Prayer for Rain - on Mahzor Shalom Yerushalayim’s glaring omission of אוֹצָרְךָ הַטּוֹב פְּתַח נָא לְהַחֲיוֹת בּוֹ כָּל נְפוּחֵי נֶשֶׁם מַשִּׁיב הָרוּחַ וּמוֹרִיד הַגֶּשֶׁם in “Mekasseh Shamayim”. This section prays to Borei Olam (God) for [balanced] rain and sustenance for All people - everywhere in the world. It’s urgently essential Tiqqun Olam to say this line in the tefillah!
  2. Our Siddur - Tefilah - the history of the Siddour and Tefillah used by the Sephardic communities of the Middle East, and in New York. Covers what books were used by whom, when, and why.

Teshuvoth & Iggeroth (Other) §

  1. Ben Ish Hai - On Riding a Bicycle on Shabbat
  2. Mezizah B’Peh - addresses halakhic solutions and whether or not it’s even required

Zvi Zohar §

  1. Academia - Zvi Zohar
    1. Teleological Decision Making in Halakha
    2. The Rabbi and the Sheikh (also published on haSepharadi)
    3. Women Heroines Of Torah Study As Portrayed By Rabbi Joseph Mesas In Naḥalat Avot
  2. Traditional Flexibility and Modern Strictness: Two Halakhic Positions on Women’s Suffrage - exploring Rav Kook and Hakham Uziel’s approaches to Women’s Suffrage in Israel
  3. What All Jews Can Learn From Great Sephardic Rabbis of Recent Centuries
  4. Zvi Zohar - Rabbinic Creativity in the Modern Middle East - a must-read for understanding the approach of our Sepharadi hakhamim and how they adapted to the challenges and changes brought by modernity.

Harvey E. Goldberg §

  1. Sepharadi and Middle Eastern Jewries: History and Culture in the Modern Era

Rabbi Raḥmiel Ezra Travitz §

  1. Ra’hmiel ‘Ezra Travitz - Academia.edu
    1. The Origin of the Custom to wear Costumes on Purim (2nd Draft)
    2. The Custom (Minhag) of Eating Dairy on Shavuot
    3. Practical Guide to the Laws of Ḥanukka according to the Geonic/Maimonidean Tradition
  2. Rachmiel Travitz - YouTube
    1. Halakhic Legal Positivism, Women in Halakha and Serara

David Ramirez §

  1. Ideological and Contextual: Legal Reasoning Deployments by Kook and Uziel - on Women’s Suffrage in early 20th Century Israel
  2. On Halakháh leMa‘aséh and the role of the Mishnéh Toráh
  3. Renee Levine Melammed - The Status of Women in the Sephardic Jewish Tradition - 10th to 15th Centuries
  4. Yehonatán Ele‘azar De Mota - The Role of Spanish & Portuguese Conversas as a Model for the Future of Sephardic Jewry

Rabbi Yonatan Halevy §

  1. Shiviti - Learning Forum run by Rabbi Yonatan Halevy and Rabbanit Devorah Halevy
    1. Shiviti - YouTube Playlists
      1. Candid Conversations with Rabbi Yonatan Halevy
      2. Refreshing Perspectives in Halakha
      3. Impactful Insights
      4. Teshuva
      5. Miscellaneous Classes
    2. Shiviti - Facebook Group
  2. Rabbi Yoni - Blog

Hakham Jose Faur §

  1. Moreshet Sepharad - Articles and Lectures - Some of the best historical writing on Sephardic History out there. Covers topics like the Sephardic Response to the Enlightenment, the anti-Maimonideans and the formation of Kabbalah in the context of the Reconquista, the Sephardic tradition of Religious Humanism, Conversos, etc
    1. Anti-Maimonidean Demons
    2. Vico, Religious Humanism and the Sephardic Tradition
    3. Rhetoric and Hermeneutics: Vico and Rabbinic Tradition
    4. Reading Jewish Texts with Greek Eyes
    5. Intuitive Knowledge of God in Medieval Jewish Theology - Compares the understandings of Rabbinic and Qaraite theology, and utilizes Arabic terminology and concepts to do so
  2. Archive.org - Jose Faur Studies - Contains some papers and divrei torah that aren’t on Moreshet Sepharad. Here’s a list:
    1. Basic Concepts in Rabbinic Hermeneutics
    2. Delocutive Expressions Found in Hebrew Liturgy
    3. Early Zionist Ideas Amongst Sephardim in the Nineteenth Century
    4. God as Writer: Omnipresence and the Art of Dissimulation
    5. Monolingualism and Judaism
    6. Parashat Va’era: And By My Name, The Lord, I did not Make Myself Known To Them
    7. Politics and Religion, Then and Now
    8. The Biblical Idea of Idolatry
  3. The Horizontal Society
    1. Alan Yuter - Review Essay: Recovering the Straight and the Good
  4. Other
    1. Congregation Anshe Shalom - The Disqualified Rabbi - a derasha on Perashat Toledoth, While not specifically about H’ Faur, the last few paragraphs reference the history of his being pushed out from teaching in the SY community, due to his former association with JTS.
    2. R’ Jose Faur, “Golden Doves with Silver Dots”, page 29 - a quick quote about the differences between Hebrew and Greek Thought

Rabbi Abraham Faur §

  1. General
    1. Talmud, Baba Mesia 59a - 59b : The Tora Is Not in the Heavens! הרב אברהם - Incredible class on the Talmudic sugya of “Akhnai’s Oven”, utilizing the traditional Surata Dishmata methodology.
    2. The Experience of Sinai - a short video on personal vs. national (or collective) memory and experience
  2. Discsussions with Hakham Faur - Playlist
    1. Miqra
      1. What is the Text of the Tanach? - What are the different levels of text? What is the purpose of Tehilim? Mishle? etc?
      2. Dicussion with Hacham Faur Re Different Levels of Textuality
    2. Halakha and Rabbinic Judaism
      1. Talmud, Megilla 27b - 28a, How the Hachamim Use to Be!! Rab Faur, March 23, 2014
      2. Thunder & Lightning! The Dual Torah System - Part 1 - Why attempts by modern Rabbis to derive Halakha from Biblical verses are an affront to the Tora and to Am Yisrael.
        1. Thunder & Lightning! The Dual Torah System - Part 2
      3. The Rule of the Creator vs The Rule of a Dictator!
    3. Philosophy, Theology, Humanities, etc
      1. Moreh Nebukhim - Part 3 Ch. 12 - on the Guide for the Perplexed
      2. How Nature Shows Can Help with Talmud Tora!
      3. Discussions on Job and Satan - A Jungian Perspective
    4. Bricat Ha-Ilanot - Praising Boreh Olam for the Beauty Around Us - re the Jewish attitude towards Hashem’s creations
  3. Miscellaneous Talmud Classes - Playlist
  4. Tora From Hashem - Playlist - Are hypotheses about composite authorship or allegorical nature of the history in Tanakh inherently contradictory with being an observant Jew? (i.e. Stories vs. Actual Historical Events)
  5. Hazzanuth - there are many great hazzanuth recordings by Mickey Kaiery and others, on his website

Rabbi Richard Hidary §

  1. Sephardic Approaches to Conversion - Easily one of the most important papers on on Sephardic Tradition and its historical flexibility and inclusiveness. Partially a response to the unnecessary Humrot of today’s Orthodox Conversion practices; Partially a response to the Syrian Community’s takkanah regarding conversions and intermarriage.

Esther Hidary §

  1. Staying Relevant in the 21st Century: Moderated Panel Discussion between Rabbi and Mrs. Hidary 9/22/16 - Discusses keeping Jewish Education strong, inspiring, empowering, and meaningful (iirc)

Rabbi Marc Angel §

  1. Ideals - Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals - a collection of articles by R’ Marc Angel (Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Shearith Israel) and Hayyim Angel. Largely formed as a response to the increasing Haredization of Orthodox Judaism. Marc Angel grew up in a mix of Sephardic and Ashkenazi communities, and is largely a part of both Sephardic and Modern Orthodox tradition.
  2. Minhagim: Divinity and Diversity - discusses co-ethnic recognition failure and related issues

Rabbi Hayim Angel §

  1. Embracing Tradition and Modernity: Rabbi Benzion Meir Hai Uziel

Rabbi Yosef Bitton §

  1. SY Community - Forgotten Giants - A special lecture on Sephardic Hakhamim, 14th Century and Beyond, and celebration of Rabbi Bitton’s New Book, “Forgotten Giants”
    1. The (Almost) Lost Sephardic Approach to Gemara (Talmud) Study, Surata Dishmata [Note: it’s been expressed that Darchei HaTalmud is not Surata Dishmata, and that the video’s title is misleading]
  2. Halakhaoftheday.org
    1. (Thanks - great doc!)

Rabbi Yonatan Halevy §

  1. R’ Yonatan Halevy - YouTube Channel - Many exceptional videos - I’d recommend anything on Hakham Uziel, Geirut (conversion process), and others (will expand upon later)
    1. Refreshing Perspectives - YouTube Playlist containing many excellent videos. Again, I highly recommend any of the content on Hakham Uziel. Hakham Uziel’s (traditional Sephardic) approach has largely been lost in the Haredization of the Israeli Sephardic Rabbinate that’s followed, since his time as Chief Rabbi.
  2. RabbiYoni.com - Articles by Rabbi Yonatan Halevy

Conversion §

  1. Halakha of Conversion - pt.1
    1. Halakha of Conversion - pt. 2

Rabbi Yosef Messas §

  1. Teshuvah of Rav Yosef Messas z”l on Women Covering Their Hair
    1. Direct PDF of the English translation of this Teshuva
  2. Rabbi said WHAT?!?! Unexpected and Amazing Teachings from Rabbi Yosef Messas - Sefaria Source Sheet of some of the writings and letters of R’ Yosef Messas

Rich Dweck §

  1. Jewish Pink Elephant - Sephardic Jews (Education, History, and Culture)

Ella Shohat §

  1. The Invention of Mizrahim

David Shasha §

  1. Some Books to Help You Learn More about “The Levantine Option” - David Shasha
    1. Originally published at Mondoweiss - A Jewish voice left silent: Trying to articulate ‘The Levantine Option’
  2. David Shasha - Entering “Pottersville”: Modalities of Destruction and Self-hatred in Sephardic Jewish History
  3. Sephardi Typologies: Hating Ourselves and Others

Shmuel Gonzales §

  • Hardcore Mesorah - has some of the best and most accessible examinations of Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions and Halakha!!

Rabbi Shalom Morris §

Dr. Henry Abramson §

Jewish history lectures

Emily Solis Cohen §

Henry Pereira Mendes §

Jacob Mendes De Sola §

Sabato Morais §