Hear why a fictitious sale - in which you don't really mean to sell your chametz - doesn't work. Learn why you shouldn't buy chametz that has been "sold" during Pesah or why you should not sell your chametz.

Learn why the Rambam holds that it is a mitsvah today to bring a Pesah sacrifice on Har Habayit. Hear how the Hatam Sofer debunks the most common myths and obstacles. Understand how to renew smicha. korban

Source sheet for the shiur: Is the Qorban (Korban) Pesah Halakhically Feasible?

According to the Ben Ish Hai there is no source that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai died on Lag B'Omer. Learn how this myth developed. Hear why the Hatam Sofer actually opposed celebrating Lab B'Omer. Learn that in fact, this day was a day of mourning and fasting and understand the real reason that the students of Rabbi Akiva died.

According to the Ben Ish Hai there is no source that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai died on Lag B'Omer. Learn how this myth developed. Hear why the Hatam Sofer actually opposed celebrating Lab B'Omer. Learn that in fact, this day was a day of mourning and fasting and understand the real reason that the students of Rabbi Akiva died.

Read the halakhic ruling on qitniyoth (kitniyot) from the Beth Din of Machon Shilo. Available only in Hebrew.

Is it logical that thousands of people died because they didn't treat each other properly?  Rav Sharira Gaon apparently has another gemara, and it does not mention that issue at all.  Why some have the minhag not to do work after sunset during Sefirath HaOmer.  Is the extent of mourning really appropriate? 

The difference in where Jews live often shapes how they think.  Jews outside the land of Israel preferred to believe that a character flaw, not Jewish nationalism, was the central event during Sephirath haOmer.  Should you not listen to music or make major purchases during this time?

Hear why some historians suggest that Lag B’Omer commemorates the revolt against Rome and not the death of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai.

Understand the various theories about the origins of the celebration in Meron. Learn why the true meaning of Lag B’Omer may not be kabbalistic. Hear whether you should avoid getting married during the counting of the omer.

Learn what to do if you forget to make the bracha one day. Understand why we don’t say shehiaynu.  Hear why the purpose of counting the Omer is to remember The Misswah of Sefirath HaOmer:  If You Skip a Day, Do You Make a Bracha? (uploaded)the Temple.  Learn what to say after counting the Omer.

 

Hear the argument for not eating rice on Pesah and discover the real reason for the minhag of not eating qitniyoth (kitniyot). Hint: it's not that people confused it with rice. The qitniyoth minhag really is Karaite. Why some eschew hummus on Pesah.

Understand the real reason Jews stopped eating peanuts on Pesah. Now that you know qitniyoth  (kitniyot) is a fallacious minhag, can you eat them if everyone else is abstaining? Learn why the minhag is not binding in Erets Yisrael.

Source sheet for the qitniyoth (kitniyot) shiur.

The original shiur that started the rebellion. Hear what some commentators say about the minhag of Askenazi Jews refraining from qitniyoth (kitniyot) on Pesah. Learn that the Tur calls this minhag "unnecessary" and why Rabbeinu Yoruham calls it "foolish, idiotic". Learn the real halakhic basis for a minhag and when it is binding.