What is the REAL Theme of Shavuos? Artwork

Machshavah Lab

My name is Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss. My goal as a Torah educator is not merely to teach my students my OWN hashkafah. Rather, my goal is to equip them with the foundations, the methodological training, and the tools which will enable them to arrive at their OWN understanding of Judaism and cultivate their OWN relationship with Hashem and His Torah. This podcast is devoted to the shiurim I give which are geared specifically towards that end. As such, the range of topics covered here will be diverse. There will be shiurim on Jewish philosophy, Chumash methodology, aggadic midrashim, maybe even some non-Jewish philosophy as well. Merriam-Webster defines "laboratory" as a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study. I call this podcast "Machshavah Lab" because this is where we will conduct Torah "experiments" by exploring questions, texts, and ideas in an effort to develop our machshavah in a "hands on," exploratory, firsthand manner.

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Machshavah Lab

What is the REAL Theme of Shavuos?

April 30, 2021 • Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss

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In last week's Lomdeha Friday Seminar (4/30/21) we learned three answers to the question, "What is the theme of the Chag ha'Shavuos?" - that of the Ralbag, the Abravanel, and Rav Hirsch. In every machlokess there will be strengths and weaknesses to each side, and we attempted to identify the strengths and weaknesses in each of these three. We ended off with a handful of questions that remain to be answered. My hope is that this shiur paves the way for the next level of understanding!

For a written version of this shiur, check out my article entitled Shavuos is NOT About Matan Torah.
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מקורות:
הרלב"ג - שמות יט:א; ויקרא פרק כג
אברבנאל - ויקרא כג:כא
רש"ר הירש - ויקרא כג:כא
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