Classes by Mordechai Dinerman

Today, we’re returning to the topic of hostages in Jewish history. Last time, we spent most of our attention on the exceptions to the rule. This time, we’re looking at cases where the Mishnah’s ban on overpaying played at least a partial role in shaping actual halachic decisions and communal policy. And yet, as we will see, the overarching conclusion that we reached in the prior class will hold: overpaying often occurred. And it’s all a step closer to discussing this dilemma in the contemporary context, which we will do in an upcoming class.

The Hostage Dilemma: Part II

This class takes up one of the most challenging moral questions in Halachah: how far should we go to redeem captives? We’ll look at how this issue unfolded in Jewish communities around the world during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries—what actually happened, and how the poskim grappled with the Mishnah’s rule against paying more than market value. In a future class, we’ll revisit this topic in the modern context of Israel and its ongoing struggle against terrorism.

The Hostage Dilemma: Part I

In this class, we’ll trace how the sale of mitzvos in shul began, why it caught on, and how it spread across the Jewish world. We’ll look at halachic debates about selling on Shabbos and Yom Tov and at the fiery disputes that erupted over bidding rights, auction miscommunications, and the occasional auctioneer mischief. We’ll also hear from the voices who opposed the practice and what their protests reveal about their communities and times.

Bidding Wars: Inside the History of Selling Shul Honors

Ever feel like some piyutim just don’t flow right, as if the stanzas are out of order? Join us for a historical detective journey as we trace the piyut V'chol Maaminim and explore its possible connection to the enigmatic poet Yannai, whose true genius was hidden for centuries. We’ll uncover forgotten clues from the Cairo Geniza and reveal the song’s original, elegant structure. Finally, we’ll explore how key ideas from Chasidus unlock profound messages within its stanzas—a perfect way to enter the new year.

We’ve Been Singing It All Wrong? Solving the V'chol Maaminim Mystery

Jews have been talking in shul for centuries, and rabbis and communities have tried countless ways to stop it. From twelfth-century Cairo to the Lower East Side in the early 1900s, this struggle has played out across Jewish communities worldwide. This class offers a light yet thoughtful examination of the history of “shul chatter” and how Jews have navigated it through the ages.

The Saga of Shul Shmoozing: A Historical Look at Talking in Shul Across the Centuries