The episode discusses the Cherem of 1781, exploring its prime cause which might be linked to the printing of the sefarim of R Yaacov Yosef of Polna or the Beshts Holy Letter.

In this episode of Gaon, Rabbi Arnie Wittenstein explores the Vilna Gaon's nuanced approach toward the Chassidim in the 1770s, questioning whether his opposition to Beshtian Chassidus affected his personal interactions with them.