Absolutely wonderful and engaging lecture! I learned sooo much!

Yasher Koach well done again Dr Abramson, I listened from Melbourne Australia. The "Lecha Dodi" was written by the esteemed R Shlomo Alkabetz TZL. Can you imagine living in Tzefad (The Holy City of Safed) at that time with such outstanding personalities, (more or less around the mid to late 1500's):: R Yosef Caro THe Mechaber of The Shulkan Aruch is the Rabbi of the city, The RAMAK TZl , R Moshe Codevero and The Holy ARI TZL R. Yitzchak Luria TZl and his students are learning the Mystical side of The Torah and R Moshe Alshich TZL gives public shuirim on the parsha and R Shlomo ALkabetz TZl living in Tzefad at more or less the same time! What incredible Torah personalities, Gedolei Torah, Zechus Yagen Aleinu may their great merit protect us and Klal Yisrael.

Crusaders in Safed. At the center of Safed on the hilltop, the Knights Templer built a giant castle. It was torn down by Saladin. People in Safed call the castle ruins "the Metzuda" and it is a park now. The Crusaders were defeated at the Horns of Hittin, which is seen from Safed, and that is where the Crusaders of Safed died, so there was no resistance when Saladin tore down the Metzuda. The Mongols were in Safed also a few years until the Muslims defeated them near Afulla.

Alternative ending to the Howard joke - 'Howard, give me the 'get' already!' She was an 'aguna' and he was hiding because he did not want to give her a divorce!

yeah woke up thinking of that name: Alkabets Since I am aware of no other yet Jewish historian tuned in. He was like the imprinter. the first link in a chain of manifestation. Not surprised he did the grave thing. I like to think he found the 'underground river' where the spirit was closest to the surface. Nice lecture.

I am very annoyed when I can't see the material you are showing on the screen. I know what you look like already...let me see the screen!!!

Great lecture. Is there any book where I can find how the Abravanel family managed to take money out of Spain?

great performance ! Lotus position, ha!

Perhaps worth nothing that the minhag of many of the Edot HaMizrah is to stand and turn around from the outset of the poem, not the last stanza.

You have the good lecture of the Jew peoples. I hearing many times the bad talkings about the Jew peoples. But I study many your story of the history and learn the true meanings of the inner heart and the lie about the Jew peoples. I also see you write some book. I buy the way of god by rabbi Luzato. That because of your lecturing. I just begin the reading. I think in some ways different from the teachings of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some way the same teaching. Even the Jewish thinking have the different theologies like the panentheism of the Hasidics and the happy joy of every day. Compare to the more intellectual of the brain power of the Wilma of Gaon. It all have the interesting to me. Do you know we have the Swami who are the Jew? Some peoples talk the bad talk about them. But this help me understand the true knowledge.