Prologue of Sefer Iyov - Part 1: Questions on Iyov 1:1-5 (Plus Rant About Rambam's 13 Ikkarim) 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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Prologue of Sefer Iyov - Part 1: Questions on Iyov 1:1-5 (Plus Rant About Rambam's 13 Ikkarim)

October 31, 2025 • Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss • Season 23 • Episode 19

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Length: 1 hour 17 minutes
Synopsis: This morning (10/31/25), in our Friday morning Machshavah Lab series for women, we began our unit on what I call the Prologue to Sefer Iyov (1:1 - 3:1). The initial plan was to have a brief introduction, then read and translate the entire Prologue, then analyze 1:1-5. Instead, our intro led to a rant (on my part) about the Rambam's 13 ikkarim, as misunderstood by anti-Maimonideans and hyper-Maimonideans alike. I thought it was a productive discussion (many thanks to Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman), but as a result, only managed to read and raise questions on Iyov 1:1-5. Next time (בג"ה) we'll analyze that passage then continue with the Prologue.
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מקורות:
איוב א:א-ה
Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman, "Ani Maamin" (pp.191-195)
רמב"ם - פירוש המשניות: סנהדרין, הקדמה לפרק חלק
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The Torah content for the remainder of October is sponsored by Yael Weiss in honor of her parents, and in celebration of her father’s birthday (September 25 / 17 Tishrei).

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