📋 Shiur Overview
Combined Summary of Torah Lecture on the Rambam, Chain of Tradition, and the Mishnah
Prefatory Note: The original transcript is a heavily garbled/mistranslated automatic transcription of a Torah lecture (shiur) originally delivered in Hebrew or Yiddish. Much of the content is incoherent due to translation errors (e.g., “tortoise” likely mistranslates “Torah,” “Parisians” likely mistranslates “mefarshim/commentators,” etc.). What follows is a reconstruction of the discernible content.
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Study of the Rambam (Maimonides) — Methodology and Scope
The study of the Rambam proceeds through multiple layers of analysis: the plain text (pshat), secondary/adjacent readings, commentary (likely Tosafot or similar), and analytical reasoning (chakiras/chakmas). Each section of the Rambam has its own distinct commentary and approach. The commentary being studied was composed specifically for the Rambam’s work as a whole, not borrowed from elsewhere.
The Rambam encompasses all areas of halacha — not limited to one tractate or topic. The entire Torah tradition given at Sinai is incorporated into the Rambam’s rulings. The Rambam can only rely on certain categories of authorities (possibly Chazal, Pirkei Avot, Levi’im), and he specifically contracted or engaged with the Neviim (prophetic) tradition.
Moshe Rabbeinu and the Torah
Moshe Rabbeinu wrote 13 Torah scrolls (Sifrei Torah) before his death — one for each of the twelve tribes and one placed in the Ark. This is presented as a foundational point at the beginning of the work being studied. There is a discussion about whether Moshe wrote these on a formal list/document or whether the tradition of 13 is derived from other sources.
Three Halachic Categories
Three distinct halachic categories are identified, though the specific terms are garbled beyond recovery in the transcript. A related discussion about the value of certain items — possibly connected to halachic measurements or minimum values for obligations — involves coins and fixed denominations, but the specific halachic point is unrecoverable.
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The Chain of Tradition: From Moshe Through the Prophets
The Sanhedrin and Their Status
The Sanhedrin — the body of 70 (or 69 plus a head) — holds a specific status in the chain of tradition. There is a discussion about whether members of the Sanhedrin possess a form of halachic immunity or exemption. The 70 elders and another figure are identified as the next two ranks of leadership after Moshe, with a discussion about relative levels of authority and whether different figures received their appointment directly from Moshe or through other channels.
Direct vs. Indirect Kabbalah (Receiving Tradition)
A key distinction emerges between receiving tradition directly from Moshe versus receiving it from other sources. The 70 elders received from Moshe specifically, not from all other sources. There is a qualitative difference in the type of kabbalah (transmission) depending on its origin.
Yehoshua’s Unique Status
Yehoshua’s relationship to Moshe is distinct from the elders’ relationship. Yehoshua learned directly from Moshe’s own being/essence, whereas the elders received from Moshe in a different manner. Yehoshua has a unique level — described as having no independent Torah transmission apart from what came through Moshe.
Pinchas and the Chain of Transmission
Pinchas appears as a significant link in the chain of tradition, connecting directly back to Moshe. There is a principle of direct transmission returning or cycling back through Pinchas.
The Elders’ Dependence on Moshe
The Sanhedrin members do not transmit Torah independently of Moshe. Moshe and the elders together form a unit, but the elders’ authority derives solely from Moshe, not from independent standing.
Moshe Among All the Prophets
There is a distinction between the power/authority of Moshe among all the prophets versus the lineup/sequence of prophets — these are two different concepts. Moshe is identified as the greatest of the prophets, and all subsequent prophets received prophecy directly. Unlike prophets or leaders who could theoretically be “skipped” in a chain of tradition, God’s role as King of Israel cannot be bypassed.
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Prophetic Chains and Transmission After Moshe
Eliyahu HaNavi and Achiyah HaShiloni
Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet) went to Achiyah HaShiloni (the Shilonite), not directly to David. The reason relates to chronology: Eliyahu lived much later than David’s time. Achiyah HaShiloni is described as a great figure who knew the tradition going back to the time of Moshe and through David’s era to Eliyahu HaNavi. He served as a critical link in the chain of prophetic transmission.
Neviim vs. Melachim (Prophets vs. Kings)
Kings (Melachim) such as Solomon and Solomon’s sons do not count in this particular discussion — the focus is exclusively on Neviim (prophets), with the exception of David, who had prophetic status (David is considered a Navi). The Rambam’s framework distinguishes between communication with prophets versus communication through Ruach HaKodesh (divine inspiration). Those with Ruach HaKodesh are in a different category from full prophets.
Territorial Associations of Prophets
Prophets are categorized by their geographic/tribal origins. Prophets from the tribe of Levi have a specific claim to the land of Judea, while other prophets — Zechariah, Hoshea, Amos, and others — have different territorial associations that affect their halakhic or traditional standing.
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The Mishnah: Centralization and Compilation
Centralization vs. Decentralization
Up until the time of Rabbeinu HaKadosh (Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi), the assumption was that everyone would study the Mishnah individually in their own home, with no single authoritative written version. This “decentralized” model is incorrect. Rabbeinu HaKadosh compiled the Mishnah as a single, centralized, authoritative text — one unified work written by one authority. Once a particular formulation is fixed in the Mishnah, one cannot simply learn a different version — it is set for all subsequent generations.
Brevity and Accessibility
The entire Mishnah is relatively short and can be studied in a surprisingly brief time — perhaps around half an hour for a given tractate. There are not that many Mishnaic passages overall; the text is concise despite covering vast areas of law.
Practical Challenges of Torah Study
A personal anecdote illustrates the difficulty of traveling to study — needing to arrive by 7 o’clock, a father who did not want his child traveling to the city, and a mother who would encourage Mishnah study. The logistics of gathering with other scholars and the time commitment involved were real obstacles. This reinforces why a centralized, written Mishnah was necessary.
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Oral Tradition, Memory, and Written Records
Round numbers in traditions serve as mnemonic aids, making transmission easier to remember. One cannot simply “hang on to a piece of paper” — written documents alone are insufficient. Oral tradition requires continuous, active engagement and transmission rather than passive reliance on written records. A narrative or tradition must be kept alive through ongoing practice, not merely preserved as a static written text.
A reference to learning traditions connected to the people of Babylon — with a note about not yet having seen Jerusalem but already carrying extensive remembered knowledge — suggests the power of oral memory even in exile.
📝 Full Transcript
Transcript: Study of the Rambam
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We are going to learn the Rambam—the plain text, with the commentaries on the side, with Tosafot, and with chakiras [analytical questions]. Now we are going to learn a little bit of the Rambam. We are going to start with the introduction.
In the name of God. The Rambam’s sefer [book] begins with “In the name of God.” I don’t know if you understand it in Hebrew or Yiddish—”In the name of God.” What does this mean? It has an inscription at the beginning. The Rambam has an inscription at the opening.
And the second section of the introduction is—I don’t know if you understand what I am saying—because the Rambam goes through the entire Torah, but we don’t know where to begin. We don’t know.
Now we are going to learn the Rambam with the commentaries on the side, with Tosafot, and with chakiras. If you learn one sugya [topic], it goes through the whole Rambam. Every section of the Rambam has its own approach. Chakiras, chakiras—everything is done with chakiras.
People say that the chakiras are from the [specific] yeshiva. Is that true? Yes, it is. And also, every section has its own approach. I mean, this approach is the approach of the Rambam. Yes, because the Rambam has its own methodology. This approach is only for the Rambam. It was created for the whole Rambam.
No, it doesn’t make sense [to say otherwise]. For the Rambam—because the Rambam has its own approaches. He encompasses all the approaches. He can do everything. This is it.
So, no, no. The Rambam has all the approaches. The Rambam has all the approaches. It is not that the Rambam is [limited to] what was given at Sinai. Not just one part. All the approaches that were given at Sinai—it is given that they are [included] in the Rambam.
If you go to the introduction, there is only [one concept], you see [another concept] right next to it. There is no [third concept]. Nobody knows. He doesn’t know if this is [that concept]. But according to most Rabbis, this is given with the mefarshim [commentators].
If you go to the introduction, there is only [one thing], you see [another] right next to it. And the Torah was given as a mitzvah.
Three Categories
So, there are three things:
1. [First category] was a mitzvah
2. [Second category] was a mitzvah
3. [Third category] is the same—a special category
Mitzvah means we should fulfill the mitzvah. The mefarshim say we should fulfill the mitzvah, we should fulfill what the Rambam says was a mitzvah.
Why would [this] be a mitzvah? [This] is a mitzvah. In the middle, here is a distinction because it’s [this type]. This mitzvah should be called [by a specific name].
It’s not written explicitly, but we can pay attention and understand. [One type] doesn’t have [certain characteristics]. It’s not written explicitly, but we can understand it as [this type]. The other one is different.
This means the mefarshim are explaining the distinction. [One type] is if not [done this way], the mitzvah is like that—the thing constitutes the mitzvah. [This category] alone determines what to fulfill. The mitzvah means to fulfill. The essence of the mitzvah. With [this], he knows what to fulfill—the details, the specifics, the requirements.
With the mitzvah, it’s like the… It’s like the Gemara’s discussion about what a mitzvah is, [this category], but I don’t understand it. Not what a mitzvah is, but what [this category] is. In the mitzvah of [this type], what is called mitzvah, what is called [this category].
I don’t know what a mitzvah is. I mean a mitzvah—[this] is a mitzvah. And after that mitzvah, in the mitzvah of [this type], what is called a mitzvah. That’s the complete mitzvah. And after [that category], in the mitzvah, what is called a mitzvah.
It doesn’t have to be [one type], it can be anything. It can be [this], it can be [that]. You know what I mean. You understand what I’m saying.
Before, it wasn’t the whole thing. Before, everything was written on one page. See? That’s what we thought. The format doesn’t look good. Okay.
The whole [category]… The whole [category] can’t be called a mitzvah. No one can call it a mitzvah. The whole [category]… Which [type] is it? No, which [type] means the [category].
Ah, that [category]—all mitzvos are [of this type]. The [category] is called [this] in the mitzvah. [This type] in the mitzvah.
Question: So, is [this category] usually from the area of [specific halachic domain], or is it usually from all mitzvos that are the same?
Answer: I don’t know. I don’t know.
In the mitzvah of [this type] it says from the area of [specific domain]. I can imagine what it means, but it doesn’t mean that much. Because you, [this category], mean [this] is [this type] in the mitzvah. And in the Gemara, we know that it means [this] in the mitzvah. It means [this category]. Okay.
Moshe Rabbeinu and the Thirteen Sifrei Torah
The whole [tradition] comes from Moshe Rabbeinu, who was commanded as a mitzvah from Hashem. He is [mentioned in] Chazal. Moshe Rabbeinu wrote 13 [Sifrei Torah] before he died. Moshe Rabbeinu is the Rebbi of Chazal. But he wrote that he [fulfilled this] as a mitzvah. He didn’t write it down in a formal list. There are at least 12 of them [for the tribes]. And of them, there are 12 according to this logic. But according to him, Moshe Rabbeinu wrote the 13 [Sifrei Torah]. He didn’t write it as a formal list. The 13 is shown in this discussion.
His first passage in this book is about the 13.
Did you understand what he said about [this concept]? He didn’t say that he understood what he was saying. He said, if I can check the 13 in the sources, I can do it. He didn’t say that he understood what he was saying. He didn’t say what [the specific detail] is.
Discussion About Value/Coins
The one who was discussing with him said that [this item] is worth [a certain amount]. He didn’t know what he was saying. The Rabbeinu learned that [this item] is the most valuable. [This item] is for everyone. [This item] is the most valuable.
He wouldn’t say something unreasonable, so I hadn’t heard anything unreasonable. You’re saying that [this item] is the most valuable. It’s not the cheapest [item] in the world. He didn’t say that [this item] can be worth [an arbitrary amount]. I think it’s [a fixed value]. The end of the discussion.
He didn’t say that [it’s] the cheapest [item] in the world. He said that a coin can be worth [a specific amount].
On the board there is a number that has the same denomination that is standard. You can’t get it from the bank [in that form]. You can’t get it from the bank. It is not [just any] coin. It is a [specific] coin. It is a [specific] coin. It is a [specific] coin.
You can get it from the bank. It is a coin. It has a denomination that is the same as the [standard] coin. You can get it from the bank. It is a coin. It has a denomination that is the same as the [standard] coin…
[Text becomes repetitive and trails off]
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End of Chunk 1 of 6
Note: This transcript appears to be a heavily garbled automatic transcription of a Torah lecture originally delivered in Hebrew/Yiddish. Many technical terms have been severely mistranscribed. I have attempted to clarify where possible, but significant portions remain unclear.
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Moshe says, regarding Av Beit Din, they won’t shoot him. Av Beit Din says, regarding Av Beit Din, they won’t shoot him. They won’t shoot him? No, they are Av Beit Din, they won’t shoot him.
Av Beit Din says, regarding the place. They kill Av’s stable [unclear], they won’t shoot him. Do you think that Rambam… I don’t know, I saw Av Beit Din and I gave him to them, they won’t shoot him.
Do you think that Rambam… That Rambam has Av before him, right? It’s important for some reason that he is Av. He says, in Av there is a shiv’im [seventy], if you know what I mean. There is a shiv’im, in Av, there are 70 people, or 69 people. They won’t shoot him.
If you are a clerk, you have three tables of Moshe, one of the tables is a shiv’im, but if you are a priest, you say, regarding the shiv’im, they won’t shoot him. You can say, the original… I don’t know if you understand.
You can say, if the Lazar [?] is a shiv’im, if he is a king, they won’t shoot him, or if he is Av Beit Din. No, no, they won’t shoot him. They won’t shoot him. They won’t shoot him. Even in the world, they won’t shoot him.
Do you think that the Lazar is a shiv’im? Of course they are a shiv’im. Ah, maybe not. But they won’t shoot him. Why not? Is the shiv’im more important than the shiv’im? No. It’s like Av Beit Din. Do you understand? Av Beit Din is a symbolic thing. No, it’s not. It should be like that.
But it’s for sure… No, the idea is that they won’t shoot him, and he will sleep, and they won’t kill him. So the whole idea of 70 people, they won’t shoot him, they won’t shoot Moshe. They are the best. So it’s for sure that they won’t shoot him, because they are the best. They won’t shoot him, they are Av Beit Din.
It’s fair that the Lazar is a shiv’im. They won’t shoot him. Then he will be an extra character. There will be more fights. The Lazar is not important, I don’t know what happens to the Lazar. But the shiv’im and the Lazar are the next two, Rishon [first] best, after Moshe. So maybe it’s different. They are the Rishon best. The Rishon is more expensive, so if you want to call them…
The Lazar was Polish, so he was on their level. Is it possible that the Lazar will be known as melameid [teacher]? He was melameid from the beginning, not from Moshe. It’s not about hair yet. He could have been a hair [unclear]. But he was also a shiv’im in the beginning. Not clear.
You see, the Lazar was a shiv’im. The Lazar with the hair. But later. The Lazar was seen as a Lazar. So what do you want? The shiv’im was from Moshe, and the Lazar from the hair. I don’t know. The Lazar and the Lazar were shiv’im. The Lazar with the hair. They saw the Lazar as a shiv’im. And then he fought Moshe.
He fought between limud Moshe [learning of Moshe] and kibbel Moshe [receiving from Moshe]. He fought for all shiv’im, but there were only three kabbalot [receptions/traditions]. Maybe. It’s a bit later. Kibbel, yes. He fought Moshe, kibbel, Torah, mesorah [tradition], shura [row/line], and Yehoshua. He didn’t fight all shiv’im, but there were mesorot [traditions]. Kabbalah and mesorah.
Kabbalah means the one with the hair. The one with the hair in the village. But the problem is that only Yehoshua and Pinchas are there. Ah! The Lazar is you. You are on the same level as Pinchas but you don’t know Moshe. Maybe the Lazar has three. The Lazar has three. No, it’s not like that. The Lazar has three shiv’im. The Lazar is 70. The Lazar is a good guy.
I think Torah is the one with the hair. The Lazar is like the one with the hair in the village. He fights for all shiv’im, but he can’t do it. He can’t be like that. He can be like that. But the Lazar can’t be like that. He’s the biggest guy. He wants to… Let’s leave it like that. The Lazar is Pinchas. The Lazar is Moshe. You can’t be like that. [Repeated several times]
I don’t know exactly how it works. Okay. Yehoshua, talmid of Moshe. Moshe and talmid. One of them was the biggest mesorah. Moshe, Torah and shiv’im. Shiv’im and olam [world]. Shiv’im and olam. Not only shiv’im. Shiv’im and olam. Shiv’im and olam.
[Several unclear passages]
But this is the first level of Moshe and Talmud. Now if Talmud finds Yehoshua… They can rob him. Then they can’t. The next time they can’t. They can’t find Yehoshua. It’s not the same for no one. Interesting. The same word for no one. They can’t find him. They write it in Israel. It’s not the same for no one. They can’t find Yehoshua alone. Or they can’t find him in a loose pile.
We know that. We don’t need one Moshe in every village. We’ve learned that from everyone. You’re not here with us. You’re not here with us. [Repeated]
He says… Yes, if he hears something about Yehoshua he hears something about no one. It doesn’t matter. Yehoshua has no one. Sometimes he thinks that with Moshe and Yehoshua it’s a little different. It’s an interesting thing.
Sometimes… Moshe has a being that he has learned from his own heart with his being. And Yehoshua doesn’t. We can [ask]: can Yehoshua in every village learn from his being? In Yehoshua there is no one. There is no one in his being. Maybe they will make him go to jail. Maybe. But all Yehoshua have all been from Yehoshua. So Yeshiva? It sounds like. The best is you. I don’t know exactly what you mean.
[Discussion about transmission of Torah]
So you are saying that there is no one in Moshe and Yehoshua but only from Yehoshua not from all beings? Yes. And the same thing about Lazar Pesch [?] that only from Moshe and not from all beings? Not only Lazar Pesch. All 70 are not from Moshe and Yehoshua. Moshe and Yehoshua don’t have anyone.
We should have this theme that says that there is no man in Moshe and Yehoshua but only from Moshe and not from all beings. So it sounds like there is no one in Moshe and Yehoshua but only from Moshe and not from all beings. You are the best. You are saying that there is no one in Moshe and Yehoshua but it’s a different situation. That’s what it sounds like.
Moshe understands me from what? Moshe was the one who conquered the Alps [?]. Only he can say that he conquered but not from Yehoshua. I understand. But he understands what is Yehoshua. Kabbalah from Yehoshua is different than kabbalah from other places. Yehoshua was a place that was called Yehoshua. It was a living chazara [review] like the Alps [?].
I was the first. I was the second. I was the second daughter. Sometimes people say that Yehoshua is inside of Moshe but Yehoshua is inside of Moshe but Yehoshua is inside of Moshe. Yehoshua has a different level. There is no Talmud. No Talmud. [Repeated several times]
[Discussion about differences between Moshe and Talmud]
What is different between Moshe or Talmud? For Moshe the first thing that comes is the office. It is Pinchas. The trick is the first sentence was Pinchas the end is [unclear]. It’s because Pinchas was the only person who knew Pinchas. The [unclear] was [unclear]. Pinchas is magic. He skips the 108 [?].
It was very long I don’t understand. Moshe was a great [unclear]. He didn’t have a school. He didn’t go to the country. He went to the [unclear]. [Unclear] I mean the [unclear] in the back. He had a [unclear]. [Unclear] means he skips. He skips the school. I don’t understand. He skips when he skips. He skips when he can’t see the Catholic Church [likely mistranscription].
That’s it. That’s it. We have a little Pinchas. It was the fastest to see. It was a trick. You saw one of the [unclear] musicians. It was like a trick. From time to time we put a piece to the trick to make it stronger. I don’t think it’s three. But you put a piece to the trick. No. Not only that. It goes back.
Pinchas is a direct [connection] to Moshe. Eliyahu is a direct [connection] to Moshe. Eliyahu is a direct [connection] to Moshe. It’s a reality. It goes 24 hours later. It’s a reality. It goes back. Same principle. Maybe. Exactly.
So this situation Moshe is here but Eliyahu is still an insider. So I don’t know her. So Eliyahu was a… [trails off]
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End of Chunk 2
He didn’t go to David; he went to Eliyahu HaNavi. Eliyahu HaNavi went to Achiyah HaShiloni. So he connected the transmission line. There was a chain in a certain time period.
But he didn’t go directly. In a certain time, he went to the Rabbanim. I can’t remember exactly when. Then Eliyahu HaNavi went to Achiyah HaShiloni. Yes, he went to Achiyah HaShiloni.
The problem is, Eliyahu HaNavi came much later. Why couldn’t Eliyahu HaNavi go directly to David? That’s the issue. Eliyahu HaNavi lived in the time of Achav. Do you understand?
Achiyah HaShiloni knew the tradition from Moshe through David to Eliyahu HaNavi. Achiyah HaShiloni is a great, great man.
It’s interesting. The Rambam wanted to know who had the tradition. Shlomo, Shlomo’s children, Shlomo’s son. But no, Melachim (Kings) don’t count. They’re excluded. Only Nevi’im (Prophets) count here. Except for David—David was a Navi.
The Rambam dealt with all the Nevi’im. You don’t speak with Nevi’im directly; you speak through Ruach HaKodesh. You speak with those who have Ruach HaKodesh. You don’t talk directly with Nevi’im in that way.
A conversation was held between the Nevi’im and the Rambam. The Rambam can only rely on Chazal, Pirkei Avot, the Levi’im. And now the Rambam contracted with the Nevi’im tradition.
The Levi’im are claiming certain territories. Aliyah from Levi is claiming Judea. Zechariah and other Nevi’im are claiming Judea. So it’s Nevi’im and Nevi’im—there’s no difference.
So if all the Nevi’im, except those who are with certain groups, are from the same lineage, they still have authority and they still claim Judea. Exactly.
It’s interesting, especially what the Rambam has learned about the Nevi’im. Not just about Nevi’im, but through Nevi’im. It’s actually the opposite—it’s much better than direct prophecy.
The Rambam has learned that certain Nevi’im can’t claim specific territories, can’t go to certain places—it’s not the same. So they have two categories, two ways of relating to the Nevi’im.
Zechariah, Hoshea, Amos, and others—because certain Nevi’im have different status, they’re not the same as other Nevi’im. They are distinct.
Hoshea, Amos, and others from specific periods are not the same as the people from other traditions; they are different.
[The remainder of this section becomes increasingly unclear due to transcription issues]
[Technical difficulties – no usable content in this segment]
*Note: This portion of the recording contains technical issues and no substantive lecture content was captured.*
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Okay, a little bit. We have to double it. More cheese. We’ll see. We’ll not believe the cheese is true. Because we kill them. Ah, they wrote it down. Kill them. They wrote it down. Not only Russia—they wrote it down. It’s written. It’s written by itself. Everybody wrote it. I didn’t write it. No? No, I wrote it down. Because we kill them. Ah. Interesting. Spread the word.
Come on, come on, what do they do? I think I’ve already said it. Office starting. They’ve already known—if he knew it would get further the trouble. Let’s leave it like this. They didn’t know… When I look at it, it looks like they know they need to come up with something.
Did you learn yet? What have you got so early? The problem is that up until now we’ve thought that everyone gets to feel it in his own home. But nobody—I didn’t write any numbers. Of course, it’s not a problem. We can learn more. Up until now, we’ve only looked at the expensive ones.
It’s decentralized. In all the books, only one book is in the book. No, it’s not right. Both are wrong. What’s not right is the decentralization. We, the Rabbeinu HaKadosh, we’re one place. We’re not coming down. We’re one number written by the Rabbi, by the minister. Now you have a number and you can’t learn another one. It’s taken for the next class. That’s a bad thing. That’s a bad thing.
So what do we do? We have to look at it. Why do you have to look at it? I don’t want to hear about it. Why do we have to look at it? Look at it.
For example, how many places in the Mishnah are there? Because there are shortcuts as a part of the stolen land. Many places in the Mishnah have solidary boundaries without gaps. The Mishnah is also a very profitable place. There are a few Mishnah palaces. Not so many Mishnayot. The Torah is young and it’s big. There aren’t many Torahs. In the middle of the streets…
How long does it take to learn the whole Mishnah? I don’t know. Half an hour? Half an hour. It doesn’t take that long. Imagine driving until you reach the conclusion of the Mishnah that you want to learn.
My father didn’t want to go to the city. He thought it would take a lot longer because he had to gather a lot of other rabbis, a lot of other people. Now, from one place to another, I don’t want to be forgotten. I used to call my mother every day and tell her to take the Mishnah, but it all just happened to me three years ago. She would push me up the stairs and knock, and I would wake up and I’d be racing three hours and it was too late to be going to the city.
She would tell me that my father didn’t want me to go to the city. We had finished school because he was pregnant and it was just around the time that he can’t go to the city. He didn’t want me to race till he’s 45, he said then. But my father said, I don’t know what he’s going to do tomorrow but I still have to go. I have to be there at 8 o’clock. I can’t go until 8 o’clock. I don’t know. I have to be there at 7 o’clock. I have to be there at 7 o’clock.
Shine, we thought that three months… But, okay, that’s not important. I can’t go to the city because I have to go to my father. He doesn’t want me to go to my father. So I have to be there at 7 o’clock. I don’t know what he’s going to do tomorrow. But, okay, that’s not important.
[*The remainder of this section contains repetitive fragments about being there at 7 o’clock and appears to be a transcription error*]
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End of Chunk 5
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Yes. And you have to remember that God is the King of Israel. He is not just the most important—He *is* the most important. Because here, you know, you can skip all of them, right? I mean, you can skip Moshe Rabbeinu, you can skip all the prophets, but you can’t skip Hashem Yisbarach.
So when we talk about Moshe Rabbeinu being the greatest of all the prophets—is this referring to the *power* of Moshe Rabbeinu, or is this referring to the *lineup* of prophets? Yes, those are two different things.
So all of the prophets received prophecy directly? Yes, through Moshe Rabbeinu. So Moshe Rabbeinu is the greatest prophet. Yes, I think that’s what it means.
Okay, I can read it. Baruch Hashem, it’s amazing.
Yes, the tradition teaches us: This is our right, and if we don’t preserve it properly, we won’t have continuity, because we learned it there. And we learned it through the people of Babylon—the Babylonian community, okay?
I haven’t seen Jerusalem yet, but I already remember so much. This shows the power of oral tradition.
Do you have round numbers for it, or do you have exact figures? Yes, sure, it’s round numbers so it’s easy to remember, it’s for sure. They used round numbers because they’re easier to transmit and remember. Later, from different communities, we know they did it slightly differently—some with more precision, others kept it simpler…
And you can use shortcuts in transmission. It’s okay, you can. Will the students be able to reproduce them? You control everything through these mnemonic shortcuts.
We know each other’s traditions, because we’ve known each other of course since the generation of the Tannaim, remember? That was significant. Yes, we preserved the oral tradition—the practice of transmission, it’s called the chain of tradition. It’s not just one method or another; there are several approaches that work. This one is about how traditions were transmitted, and each community had its own approach. And there are a few other places where you see different transmission methods.
Yes, it’s amazing. I’ve said this before: you can’t just rely on a piece of paper. You can’t just hang everything on a written document. I experienced this myself, and other people have written to me about it. You can’t just rely on the written text alone. You have to keep the tradition alive through active transmission.
It’s a bit like when you’re trying to preserve a narrative—you can’t just hang on to a piece of paper. In the European tradition, there’s the concept of continuous transmission. Every scholar from one generation would pass down the tradition, and I would receive it, but the communities were dispersed.
So I wanted to preserve it in writing, but I couldn’t rely on writing alone. You couldn’t just depend on the written word.
So this is the oral tradition? That’s it. Amazing. It’s exactly like that.
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[End of Chunk 6]