Do Mitzvot need Kavanna?
Is intention as essential as action in the fulfilment of mitzvot?
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About this course:
"Do Mitzvot Need Kavanna?" is one of five inaugural courses offered by Talmid-Chaver as part of the launch of our new website; you can enroll in this course alone or choose to bundle it with the four other inaugural courses. The course analyzes and critiques Rava's statement that one who sounds the shofar on Rosh Hashana to enjoy its musical qualities has fulfilled the mitzvah of shofar. The sugyah introduces numerous mitzvot, including: eating matzah on Pesach, dwelling in the Succah and Birkat Kohanim as part of its analysis. The relevant pages are Masechet Rosh Hashana 28a-29a.
This course consists of twelve videos, averaging 14 minutes in length each, with multiple choice and vocabulary quizzes after most shiurim.
As with all of our inaugural courses,
- students enrolled in the course are invited to pose course-related questions to Rabbi Meyers at [email protected], who will make a sincere effort to offer a prompt response
- students who complete the course are encouraged to email us for the long-answer test offered once a student completes the course work.
Course Curriculum
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StartForced to Eat Matzah! (16:39)
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StartWhat is Rava Teaching Us? (22:52)
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StartThree Questions, Three Deflections (32:33)
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StartAbaye Challenges Rava Pt 1 (3:29)
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StartAbaye Challenges Rava Pt 2 (12:40)
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StartRava's Proof from Zevachim (20:05)
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StartVisual for Rava's Proof from Zevachim (4:09)
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StartRava on the Defensive (18:38)
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StartVisual for Rava on the Defensive (4:46)
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PreviewThe R. Zeira- Rava Machloket - Conclusion of our sugyah (13:37)
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PreviewConcluding Words - Mitzvot and Kavanna (6:40)
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StartPost-Script: What is the Conceptual Debate Between Abaye and Rava? (15:21)
Your Instructor
Rabbi Ron-Ami Meyers grew up in a traditional home in Winnipeg, Canada; although he had a solid day school education, his exposure to Gemara began only at the age of 22. Along the way, he encountered seasoned Talmidei-Chachamim whose impressive minds and shiurim often raced ahead of their less experienced students; he understood that there's much to be said for encouraging talmidim to "stretch themselves."
That said, Rav Ron-Ami also benefited from master educators who appreciated the need to make explicit the language, logical structures, and assumptions that Torah scholars have operated with for generations.
Rabbi Meyers has Semicha from Rav Yitzchak Kolitz ZTz"L, Dayan Avraham Kopschitz ZTz"l, and Rabbi Ya'akov Moshe Poupko ZTz"L