A free account is required to play audio and download files.
How can Rosh Hashanah be both a day of judgment and celebration? The shiur develops a yesod that true avodas Hashem (ה׳) requires reciprocity—serving without any Divine response would be self-destruction, not love. God's judgment proves He cares enough to engage with us, making Rosh Hashanah a joyful demonstration of relationship rather than punishment.
Rabbi Zweig addresses the paradoxical nature of Rosh Hashanah, which appears to be both a solemn day of judgment and a time of celebration. He begins by examining the Midrash brought by Rabbeinu Yonah about people who lease land from a king and can only produce five bushels instead of the demanded thirty. The question arises: why would God make unrealistic demands if He knows our limitations? The Rabbi explains through a Talmudic passage about loving God that there's a fundamental difference between proper service and self-destructive sacrifice. The Talmud (תלמוד) states we should serve God altruistically, but concludes 'don't worry, you'll get your reward.' This seeming contradiction reveals a crucial insight: serving without expectation of any response is not love—it's self-destruction and idolatry.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Rosh Hashanah themes and related Talmudic sources
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Holidays
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Why don't the last eight verses of the Torah require a minyan to read? The shiur develops a fundamental chiddush in the Rambam: Simchas Torah has two distinct takanos of Kriat HaTorah — Zot HaBracha is read from the din of Yom Tov (inyan hayom), while VaYom Moshe is read from the din of Shabbos (siyum haTorah). This explains why a new minyan is required for the last eight verses, and why the Raavad's minhag of having the oleh read (not the baal koreh) signals that the final aliyah is purely Talmud Torah, not shemiat dvar Hashem.
May a man who has already fulfilled his shofar obligation blow shofar for a woman on Rosh Hashanah? The Baal Itur forbids it while Rav Yehuda permits it. The shiur develops that the core dispute is not about violating shvus for another's benefit, but whether a man's blowing creates a "tekiah shel mitzvah" that enables the woman to be yotzei.
When must one interrupt eating or other activities to perform a mitzvah? The Gemara distinguishes between yesh shos (time remains) and ein shos (no time left), and between d'Oraisa and d'Rabbanan obligations. The Rambam's view—that one need not interrupt unless the mitzvah cannot be done later—contrasts sharply with the Rosh and Ran, who hold that mitzvah bo'liyos al tachmitzena requires immediate action even when time remains.
Does answering "amen" add anything when one is already yotzei through shomeia k'oneh? The shiur examines the Rambam's presentation in Hilchos Brachos perek 1, halachos 10-12, questioning why the Rambam states that one who answers amen is "k'mevorach" when earlier he ruled one is yotzei even without answering amen. The shiur explores whether amen provides an additional ma'alah beyond basic yotzei status and analyzes several seemingly contradictory Rambam passages.
