Rambam to the Vilna Gaon
Crash Course in Jewish History

Though every Jewish exile begins peacefully, eventually they all turn bitter and violent. Rabbi Wein takes us through some of the grimmest periods in our history: the Spanish Inquisition and the Chmielnicki massacres in Poland. Amidst such danger, longing for the Messiah grew, giving rise to the Kabbalah on one side and Shabsai Tzvi on the other. The massive disappointment after this false messiah, coupled with the secularizing ideals of the Enlightenment, created the forces that continue to challenge Jews today.