At the moment of kiddushin, the inception of marriage, we recite the b'rakhah known as birkat eirusin, "the betrothal benediction." What does the text of that b'rakhah tell us about the nature of marriage according to the halakhah? Surprisingly - well, maybe not surprisingly - there's a machloket over that!

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Do poskim rely upon the principle "great is human dignity" as an argument for making permanent and positive changes in halakhic observance? Not often... but sometimes they do. Here's an example of an Orthodox authority who uses the argument gadol k'vod hab'riyot to justify removing a well-known barrier to justice and equity in traditional practice. And although we progressives solved that problem many years ago, we do not hesitate to call this rabbi one of our halakhic heroes.Get the source sheet at www.freehofinstitute.org/podcast

In shiur ​#73, we saw that the exalted halakhic principle "great is human dignity" has historically played but a minor, limited role in practical halakhic decision making. This shiur considers a famous exception to that rule. Rabbi Moshe Isserles permitted a couple to violate the Rabbis' prohibition against holding weddings on Shabbat when postponing the hupah until Sunday would have brought shame and humiliation upon the bride. His halakhic argument suggests that poskim are entitled to abandon established halakhic precedent when, in their estimation, ethical necessity demands a different decision. It's a big deal.

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It's a positive ("thou shalt") mitzvah to tell the story of our redemption from Egypt on seder night. So why do we not recite a b'rakhah, a blessing over Hagadah, the telling of the story? Many have asked this question, and many have offered answers. In this installment we consider some of those answers. And we may even suggest one of our own.

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"Great is human dignity."

How great is it? Would you believe that it's so great that it takes precedence over mitzvot of the Torah?? Well, not so fast; it's complicated. And like the old saying goes: two Talmuds, two opinions.

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Are we entitled to do anything we wish to our bodies and our persons, even to the point of inflicting substantive harm upon ourselves, so long as our act does not damage others? Modern Western thought, especially in its libertarian variety, tends to answer "yes." Traditional Jewish thought, which is hardly libertarian, would answer "no," correct? Well, not so fast. Rather than one clear and obviously correct answer, the halakhah offers us a way to think about and argue the question on the way to making decisions.Download the source sheet at www.freehofinstitute.org/podcast

If talmud torah k'neged kulam ("the study of Torah is equal in weight to all the other mitzvot combined"), then no wonder we recite a b'rakhah - or maybe more than one - for the act of Torah study. But - what do we recite? When ​precisely do we recite it? And over what sort of "Torah" do we recite it? So many questions... let's see if our texts can provide us with some answers.

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Does the halakhah permit unions to strike, to walk off the job and to prevent nonunionized workers from replacing those on the picket line?
It’s a machloket. Some authorities say that the Torah forbids workers to strike against employers and that there is a better way to resolve disputes over wages and working conditions. Others permit the strike as an invaluable tool of worker empowerment that draws its support from several provisions of Jewish law.
In this installment, we’re looking at both sides. Download the source sheet at www.freehofinstitute.org/podcast.