Pardes from Jerusalem: Recent Episodes
Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
This podcast is a production of Pardes North America. It features a weekly parasha commentary from one of the faculty members or guest lecturers at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.
What does it take to build a society where justice is truly shared?
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Tani Cohen-Fraade explore Parshat Shoftim and the Torah’s vision for building a just society. Through judges, kings, priests, and prophets, they … Read the rest
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Why might kindness be perceived as weakness, and what does Avraham’s response teach us?
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Leon Morris examine Avraham’s moral decisions in Parshat Vayera, focusing on the qualities that led to the downfall of … Read the rest
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What can Avraham’s journey teach us about finding inner light when surrounded by uncertainty?
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Nechama Goldman Barash to delve into Parshat Lech Lecha. They discuss the complex dynamics between Sarai and … Read the rest
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How can we remain hopeful amid life’s turbulent “floodwaters”?
In this week’s Parshat Noach episode, Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Yiscah Smith to explore the relevance of Noah’s story and how, even amid overwhelming turmoil, one can find an “ark” … Read the rest
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This week’s podcast is sponsored by Simonne Abadee in celebration of the beginning of our creation, the new year, and a new reading of our Torah, offering the chance to engage anew in our learning.
Ten years ago, Simonne came … Read the rest
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How can embracing vulnerability lead to a deeper sense of joy during Sukkot?
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy delve into the paradox of Sukkot, exploring how vulnerability and joy are deeply intertwined in the festival. … Read the rest
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What role does vulnerability play in the Yom Kippur process of teshuvah?
In this Yom Kippur-focused episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Elisha Ancselovits explore how to approach this sacred day following a year marked by deep pain and loss. … Read the rest
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This Rosh Hashana podcast is sponsored by Ricki and Dr. David I. Bernstein in memory of Ricki’s parents, Beatrice and Murray Kirschblat z”l, survivors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, respectively. Beatrice and Murray were each the sole survivors of large families … Read the rest
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How do words of encouragement shape Joshua’s leadership and the future of the Jewish people?
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Aviva Lauer explore Parshat Vayelech, focusing on the leadership transition from Moshe to Yehoshua. Join them and dive into … Read the rest
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In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Raphael Polisuk delve into the covenant ceremony at Har Grizim and Har Eval in Parshat Ki Tavo. They explore how this moment of blessings and curses establishes a collective responsibility among the Jewish … Read the rest
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In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Michael Hattin explore the mitzvah of Shiluach HaKen (sending away the mother bird) in Parshat Ki Teitzei. They discuss how this seemingly small commandment reflects deeper values of compassion and limits on consumption. … Read the rest
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How does the Torah guide us in creating balanced and just leadership?
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Nechama Goldman Barash explore Parshat Shoftim, delving into the Torah’s vision for leadership and governance. They discuss the various models of leadership … Read the rest
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How do our perceptions, whether clear or confused, impact our understanding of Torah and our relationships?
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek explore Parshat Re’eh, focusing on the intriguing and often perplexing laws of kashrut. They … Read the rest
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How can a single word in the Torah guide us toward deeper spiritual understanding?
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Yizcah Smith dive into Parshat Ekev, exploring the profound spiritual insights hidden within the word “Ekev.” They discuss how the … Read the rest
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Why does Moshe mix harsh rebuke with a profound sense of hope in his final speech?
In this episode, Tzvi Hirschfield and Tovah Leah Nachmani delve into Parashat Va’etchanan and into the complex layers of Moshe’s final message, where deep … Read the rest
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What can a giant teach us about overcoming obstacles and building a better society?
In this episode, Tzvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Haim Shalom delve into the Parsha of Devarim, highlighting the significance of Moshe’s speeches as the Jewish people stand … Read the rest
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What happens when a collective seeks fulfillment outside the promised land?
In this episode, Rabbi Tzvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Leon Morris delve into the intriguing narrative of the two and a half tribes—Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe—who choose to … Read the rest
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What drives someone to take extreme action in the name of faith?
In this week’s episode Rabbi Dr. Howard Markose and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield unravel the gripping narrative of Parsha Pinchas. Join them as they dive into a tale where … Read the rest
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How do we navigate the complexities of being a unique people while integrating into the modern world?
In this week’s episode, Rabbi Avi Spodek and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield delve into Parsha Balak, highlighting the themes of identity, isolation, and the … Read the rest
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Why does a ritual meant to purify others render the priest impure?
In this week’s episode, Join guest host, Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash and Dr. Daniel Reifman as they delve into the perplexing ritual of the red heifer, emphasizing the … Read the rest
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How do we navigate leadership challenges and personal ambition in times of crisis?
In this week’s episode, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield and Aviva Lauer delve into Parsha Korach, exploring leadership and rebellion within the context of the Jewish people’s journey through … Read the rest
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What do you do when reality falls short of high expectations?
In this episode, Rabbi Tzvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy delve into the Parsha of Shlach, highlighting the challenges and disappointments faced by the Jewish people on the … Read the rest
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How do ancient trumpets teach us about modern journeys and transitions?
In this episode, Rabbi Tzvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Rafael Polisuk delve into Parshat Behalotcha, highlighting the themes of journey and transition within the Torah portion. They discuss the creation … Read the rest
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How does our unique role strengthen the Jewish communities?
In this episode, Rabbi Tzvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Michael Hatton delve into Parshat Naso, highlighting the importance of each person’s contributions to the community. They discuss how the counting of the … Read the rest
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How does the Jewish people’s journey through the desert shape our approach to Torah?
In this week’s episode, Rabbi Leon Morris and Rabbi Tzvi Hirschfield explore the theme of openness in Torah study, using the wilderness in the Midbar as … Read the rest
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Can we approach the Torah as a rational guide for living wisely while allowing space for genuine emotional and spiritual experiences?
In this week’s episode, Rabbi Dr. Elisha Ancselovits and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield delve into the concept of reward and … Read the rest
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Why is Mount Sinai mentioned in connection with the laws of Shmitta (Sabbatical year) and Yovel (Jubilee year)?
In this thought-provoking episode, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield and Rachel Friedrichs delve into the profound significance of this week’s Torah portion of Behar … Read the rest
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How do we approach texts in our traditions that seem to discriminate against or exclude certain groups of people?
In this thought-provoking discussion, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Haim Shalom wrestle with the disqualification of kohanim (priests) with physical deformities … Read the rest
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In a world rife with conflict and oversimplified narratives about “the other,” how can we embody true holiness by cultivating empathy, humility, and deeper human connection?
Rabbi Brent Spodek joins our host Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield this week for a thought-provoking … Read the rest
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How can the Jewish people maintain a sense of unity and connection as a nation despite geographical separation and divergent experiences between the Diaspora and Israel?
In this week’s episode, Rabba Shani Gross joins us from afar for a discussion … Read the rest
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Can we transform the “bread of affliction” into the “bread of redemption” this Passover?”
Yiscah Smith returns this week with a call for us to see ourselves (“l’rot atzmo”) as leaving spiritual enslavement each Passover. Drawing from the Piazner Rebbe … Read the rest
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Can we uncover hidden blessings, even from within painful experiences? Join us this week as we delve into the profound purification rituals surrounding the mysterious affliction of tzara’at (often translated as “leprosy”) in the weekly Torah portion of Metzora.
In … Read the rest
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How do we navigate the tension between devotion to mitzvot and the pursuit of understanding their significance in our lives?
In this week’s parsha, we explore the seemingly archaic ritual purity laws. Rabbi Michael Hattin joins the discussion to highlight … Read the rest
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In this week’s episode, we navigate the complexities of failure and growth in the aftermath of pivotal moments in the Tanakh.
Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy draws a parallel between the incidents of the Golden Calf and the death of Aaron’s … Read the rest
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In the 1973 Yom Kippur war, many IDF soldiers were taken captive. Do the same pidyon shvuyim guidelines apply, or are there unique considerations when we are dealing with soldiers?
Credits:
Rabbi Dr. Levi Cooper – Pardes Faculty… Read the rest
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Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash joins us this week for an investigation of the eternal flame that burned upon the altar.
Contemplating the balance between the passion of the burning fire and the steadfastness of its daily lighting, Zvi and Nechama … Read the rest
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Join Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield this week as he delves deep into the rich theological tapestry of Purim alongside Rafael Polisuk. Together, they explore the intricate messages woven into the fabric of the holiday and the profound challenges encountered by the … Read the rest
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In what way does the Mishkan (Tabernacle) serve as a metaphor for organizing one’s relationship with God, oneself, and others?
This week, we’re joined by Rabbi Dr. Daniel Reifman for a discussion of the meticulous detailing of the construction of … Read the rest
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What is it that makes us join together with different groups?
Over the past two parshiot, we’ve seen two gatherings, one in which the people gathered to create the Golden Calf, and another in which they gathered to build the … Read the rest
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Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash joins us to share her take on this week’s parsha, and the infamous story of the Golden Calf. We’ll discuss how this event can serve as an example of the inevitable moments of collapse and the … Read the rest
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Do the clothes we wear define us?
Rabbi Daniel Reifman joins our host Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield this week for a discussion on the priestly vestments as described in this week’s parsha in precise detail. Does the Torah teach us to … Read the rest
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Can we find value in tangible expressions or experiences of spirituality, even if they challenge our rational view of the world?
Pardes President Rabbi Leon Morris joins us this week to explore the challenges raised by the commandment to build … Read the rest
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This week’s parsha is primarily concerned with laws meant to order and structure our interactions and society, including a prohibition against cursing judges and the king. In light of this prohibition, Sefi Kraut, Pardes Director of Mahloket Matters, asks us … Read the rest
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What is our responsibility to the rest of the world, and how might that impact the image that we want to project to humanity at large?
Tovah Leah Nachmani joins us in the studio this week to discuss Yitro, an… Read the rest
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Dive on in as Yiscah Smith joins Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield to discuss the story of the Red Sea, reminding us that we had to first jump into the water before it would split.
Can we view faith as a concious … Read the rest
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On the cusp of leaving Egypt, the children of Israel are told that they must remember the Exodus. For over 2,000 years, this commandment to remember the past has helped the Jewish people remain connected to their history as a … Read the rest
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How may we be redeemed when we feel as if our spirits have been crushed?
Rabbi Leon Morris joins us this week to discuss the idea of kotzer ruach, a crushed soul, and how Moshe faced resistance from those who … Read the rest
The post Va’era 5784: Cultivating Hope, Awaiting Salvation first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This week, we begin the book of Shemot and are introduced to Moshe. Yet, by the time Moshe takes up the mantle of leadership, he’s already in his later years, and his developmental years are practically skipped over.
Rabbi Dr. … Read the rest
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When thinking of traditional inheritance, we often think of the firstborn as being the main heir, and in many ways the Torah confirms this, yet throughout the book of Bereishit we see the script being flipped, with the younger sibling … Read the rest
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Can the pains of the past be overcome, opening the way for relationships to heal and be redefined?
In this week’s parsha, we witness the emotional reunion between the sons of Israel, with Yosef revealing himself to the brothers who … Read the rest
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What might Yosef’s story, so full of pain yet hope, teach us about maintaining our own faith during difficult times?
During these challenging times, many feel themselves torn between a desire to stand firmly in their Jewish identities and values … Read the rest
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What can the mitzvah of yibum, Levirate marriage, teach us about making difficult decisions and personal growth?
In this week’s episode of Pardes from Jerusalem, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Daniel Reifman unpack the complicated family dynamics of … Read the rest
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What can a fraught meeting between brothers teach us about our own instincts?
The events of October 7 shattered the worldview for many of us, and can cause us to approach how we understand the Torah differently. In this week’s … Read the rest
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What might Ya’akov’s nocturnal revelation teach us about how to approach darkness?
As we continue to pray for the safe return of the hostages and yearn for better days ahead, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy delve into … Read the rest
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The book of Bereishit, filled with the themes of covenant and birthright, tells the story of the progenitors of the Jewish people. Among the many characters we meet in the book are pairs of siblings of which one gets chosen … Read the rest
The post Toldot 5784: The Challenge of Chosenness first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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What does the Torah teach us about encountering grief?
As we mourn the tragedies of October 7, Ilana Gleicher-Bloom and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield explore Avraham and Yitzchak’s response to the passing of Sarah. How does Avraham mourn for his wife, … Read the rest
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Do we allow our pursuit of spirituality to get in the way of true divine connection?
In this week’s episode of Pardes from Jerusalem, Yiscah Smith and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield discuss Parshat Vayera through the lens of human and divine … Read the rest
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This episode is sponsored by Jeff and Alissa Hurok in honor of their dear friends and family who have engaged with and enhanced Jeff’s Torah study and have encouraged his participation with Pardes.
Judy Klitsner joins us in the studio … Read the rest
The post Lech Lecha 5784: Avraham’s Global Family first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Dedicated to the healing of those who were injured, to the memory of those who lost their lives, and with hopes and prayers for the rescue of all those who are being held hostage.
Disclaimer: This episode was recorded before … Read the rest
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Dedicated to the healing of those who were injured, to the memory of those who lost their lives, and with hopes and prayers for the rescue of all those who are being held hostage.
Including an opening message from Pardes … Read the rest
The post Bereishit 5784: Let’s Talk About Rain first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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“Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom God singled out, face to face…”
Rabbi Amirit Rosen joins Zvi in the studio to discuss the final words of the Torah, the last words of Moses to … Read the rest
The post VeZot HaBracha 5784: A Growing and Expanding Torah first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Rabbi Michael Hattin returns to the studio to explore the multifaceted holiday of Sukkot. From its dual nature balancing community and individual perspectives to its fusion of agricultural and historical significance, Sukkot seemingly weaves together separate messages. Join Michael and … Read the rest
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In this week’s episode, Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek calls into the studio to speak with our host, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield, about one of the most challenging days of the year, Yom Kippur, and the story of Yonah. Why would Yonah … Read the rest
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This Rosh Hashana podcast is sponsored by Ricki and David Bernstein in memory of Ricki’s parents, Beatrice and Murray Kirschblat z”l, survivors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, respectively. Beatrice and Murray were each the sole survivors of large families which perished … Read the rest
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Rabbi Michael Hattin returns to the studio to discuss this week’s double-parsha, Nitzavim-Vayelech and how the Torah teaches us to live within the tension of accepting imperfections while striving to always improve ourselves.
As the Children of Israel stand poised … Read the rest
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Zvi is joined this week by Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy, who shares with us her insights into connecting our personal story to the story of the Jewish people, and doing so can give us the gift of gratitude and generosity. … Read the rest
The post Ki Tavo 5783: How Do I Tell Our Story? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this week’s episode, Zvi is joined by Yiscah Smith for a discussion of the mitzvah of “sending away the mother bird,” and how the Talmudic rejection of finding reasons for the commandment became an invitation for Hasidic thinkers to … Read the rest
The post Ki Tetze 5783: It Starts From Below first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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What are the three kinds of leadership the Torah requires the Jewish people to create when they become Sovereign in their own Land? What are their roles and the potential dangers inherent in the powers they hold?
In this week’s … Read the rest
The post Shoftim 5783: Navigating the Dynamics of Leadership first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Zvi is joined across the ocean with Pardes North America faculty member Rabbi Brent Spodek, host of Good Jewish Lover, to discuss the weekly parsha. Brent discusses our tendency to lean on core negative images, failing to see ourselves as … Read the rest
The post Re’eh 5783: Growth is Possible first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Are we truly able to be aware of and appreciate the blessings in our lives?
This week, Zvi is joined in the Pardes from Jerusalem studio by Rabbi Michael Hattin. Michael shares with us how Parshat Ekev teaches us about … Read the rest
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Join Pardes President Rabbi Leon Morris joined Zvi in the studio to discuss his personal journey on a path to Jewish practice. Listen in as Leon combines insight into the text with the practice of tefillin, to show us how … Read the rest
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How are we able to live in the past, future and present all at the same time?
Aviva Lauer, Director of the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators, joined Zvi to discuss Devarim and Moshe’s opening speech for the final book … Read the rest
The post Devarim 5783: Listening Between the Lines first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this week’s episode, Zvi is joined by Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy for an exploration of Matot and Massei, discussing the challenging tale of the tribes who chose not to settle in the land of Israel.
Meesh offers us different … Read the rest
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In this week’s episode, Zvi is joined by Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash in an exploration of Parshat Pinchas and the story of the Daughters of Zelophehad.
Zvi and Nechama discuss the transformative role of the Daughters of Zelophehad in creating … Read the rest
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In what ways might we find deeper meaning to our parsha through an examination of the haftarah?
In this week’s podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbi Amirit Rosen to discuss one of the wildest stories of the Torah, … Read the rest
The post Balak 5783: The View from the Inside first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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How is it possible for a relationship to be strengthened through conflict?
In this week’s podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbi Brent Spodek, Pardes North America faculty member and host of Good Jewish Lover. Together, they discuss the … Read the rest
The post Chukat 5783: Loving Conflict first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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How we can have hard conversations that lead to growth and renewed relationship, as opposed to anger and distance?
In this week’s Parsha Podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Pardes Faculty member Sefi Kraut, one of Pardes’s lead educators … Read the rest
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How can we connect with the Godliness within ourselves?
In this week’s Parsha Podcast, our host, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield, is joined by Pardes faculty member Yischa Smith to discuss the failure of the spies sent ahead of the tribes of … Read the rest
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Imagine being on a journey filled with excitement and hope, only to have it quickly derailed. That’s exactly what happens in this week’s parsha. What causes this sudden shift, and what can we learn from it?
In this week’s Parsha … Read the rest
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What threats and opportunities can their be found in the concept of vows as presented through Judaism?
In this week’s Parsha Podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbi Daniel Reifman for an exploration of this week’s parsha. Together, we … Read the rest
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Can pluralism and individuality enhance our sense of a shared framework and obligation to one another?
In this week’s Parsha Podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbi Jonathan Leener, Pardes North America Faculty Associate, for an exploration of this … Read the rest
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How do the restrictions and limitations of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years shape our understanding of power, ownership, and social responsibility?
In this week’s Parsha Podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbi Elchanan Miller for an exploration of the … Read the rest
The post Behar – Bechukotai 5783: The Boundaries of Love first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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How do build a community that is both coherent and inclusive? In this week’s Parsha Podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash for a discussion on the tragic episode of the blasphemer, and how the search … Read the rest
The post Emor 5783: The Power and Pain of Exclusion first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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How do we balance a sense of reverence and our desire for closeness with the Divine? In this week’s episode of the Pardes Parsha Podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash for a discussion on boundaries … Read the rest
The post Acharei Mot – Kedoshim 5783: Boundaries and Making Space for the Other first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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How do we make sense of Divine reward and punishment in our complex world? In this week’s episode of the Pardes Parsha Podcast, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Dean Emeritus Dr. David I. Bernstein for a discussion on theodicy, … Read the rest
The post Tazria-Metzora 5783: Uncertainty & Divine Providence first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Is there a reason behind the laws of keeping kosher? Join Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Elisha Ancselovits as they tackle this question, exploring the various explanations for these laws and unpacking Rabbi Elisha’s personal theory.
Credits: Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield … Read the rest
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Passover is all about telling the story of the Exodus, but that wasn’t always the case. How did the central ritual of Passover shift over time from the paschal sacrifice to the ritual of storytelling? In this special episode of … Read the rest
The post Pesach 5783: The Repackaging of Passover – How Pesach Became a Holiday of Storytelling first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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So much of Sefer Vayikra (the Book of Leviticus) is steeped in concepts that are foreign to us today – the temple cult, the offering of sacrifices – that it’s de rigueur to assume we won’t understand or care very … Read the rest
The post Vayikra 5783: What Do We Do With a Book Full of Animal Sacrifice? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The Sanctuary’s washbasin came from mirrors donated by the Israelite women. Yet, Rashi’s comment raises some doubts that Moses had regarding the propriety of using these mirrors, items that are generally used for feminine beautification. This opens a discussion of … Read the rest
The post Vayakhel-Pekudei 5783: The Washbasin – Sanctuary and Sexuality first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Rabbi Elisha Anscelovitz and Yiscah Smith discuss the historical roots of Purim as an agricultural holiday while drawing from the Hasidic masters to help us find deeper meaning to the holiday.
Credits –Rabbi Elisha Anscelovitz and Yiscah Smith – … Read the rest
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This podcast is in memory of Arlene Ruby Harel z”l upon the occasion of her first yahrzeit. Arlene’s welcoming, free-spirited nature, warmth, authenticity, candor, humor and openness is missed deeply by all of us who were privileged to work with … Read the rest
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Parshat Mishpatim tells us that we should distance ourselves from lying. Join Pardes faculty members Yiscah Smith and Rabbi Dr. Howard Markose for an exploration of why human beings lie, similarities between the Torah and Hammurabi’s Code, and Divine compassion.… Read the rest
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In Yitro, we see Moses learn that it takes more to be a public religious leader than simply being a person of faith. How does Moses learn to be a person who has experienced faith on a personal level bring … Read the rest
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In this week’s parsha podcast, Rabbis Amirit Rosen and Elisha Anscelovitz discuss Shirat Hayam, the Song of the Sea, and the importance of taking pauses in life.
Credits:Rabbi Amirit Rosen and Rabbi Elisha Anscelovits – Pardes Faculty… Read the rest
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Alex Israel and Sefi Kraut discuss the concept of the New Moon and the notion of time: the freedom to take control of our own time, the calendar as a nation-building tool, the challenge of procrastination, and the gift of … Read the rest
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The parsha opens with the names of God, and that sets the stage for the revelation which comes through the plagues. This podcast touches how this dynamic expresses a deeper layer in the whole relationship between Creator and creation as … Read the rest
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Join Rabbi Brent Spodek and Professor Ziva Hassenfeld as they discuss the first parsha of Shemot and explore the topic of Miriam the Prophetess as a young girl.
Credits: Professor Ziva R. Hassenfeld and Rabbi Brent Spodek… Read the rest
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Meesh Hammer-Kossoy and Nechama Goldman Barash talk about contrasts in the parsha, control or lack thereof in our lives, and the power of a blessing.
Credits:Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy and Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash – Pardes Faculty… Read the rest
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During a holiday where there is both darkness and light, where we retreat indoors and shine brightly from the windowsill, go on a journey with Pardes North America to find meaning in the discord within our tradition.
Night 8 – … Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5783: One Candle, Then Another, Then Another first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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During a holiday where there is both darkness and light, where we retreat indoors and shine brightly from the windowsill, go on a journey with Pardes North America to find meaning in the discord within our tradition.
Night 7* – … Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5783: Deborah and Judith: How Our Heroines Harmonize Across a Millennium first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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During a holiday where there is both darkness and light, where we retreat indoors and shine brightly from the windowsill, go on a journey with Pardes North America to find meaning in the discord within our tradition.
Night 6 – … Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5783: Combatting Darkness first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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During a holiday where there is both darkness and light, where we retreat indoors and shine brightly from the windowsill, go on a journey with Pardes North America to find meaning in the discord within our tradition.
Night 5 – … Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5783: The Window or the Table: Spreading Light to Eradicate Hate first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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During a holiday where there is both darkness and light, where we retreat indoors and shine brightly from the windowsill, go on a journey with Pardes North America to find meaning in the discord within our tradition.
Night 4 – … Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5783: The Light of Hanukah: Let’s Light Up the Streets! first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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During a holiday where there is both darkness and light, where we retreat indoors and shine brightly from the windowsill, go on a journey with Pardes North America to find meaning in the discord within our tradition.
Night 3 – … Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5783: “More is More” vs. “Less is More” first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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During a holiday where there is both darkness and light, where we retreat indoors and shine brightly from the windowsill, go on a journey with Pardes North America to find meaning in the discord within our tradition.
Night 2 – … Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5783: Rediscovering the Minimalism of Hanukah first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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During a holiday where there is both darkness and light, where we retreat indoors and shine brightly from the windowsill, go on a journey with Pardes North America to find meaning in the discord within our tradition.
Night 1 – … Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5783: Forgetfulness that Leads to Blessed Discord first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this week’s parsha, we learn the story of Yosef and Potiphar’s wife, and the events leading up to Yoseph’s imprisonment. Just what happened between Yosef and Potiphar’s wife? Did Yosef desire her, and if so, did he actually give … Read the rest
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Yaakov returns from Lavan’s house to meet Esav, and he is petrified. Esav is coming with 400 men. Is he seething with hatred and violence, or has he possibly missed his brother and is instead coming to welcome him. The … Read the rest
The post Vayishlah 5783: Confronting Hate first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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How can we understand the setting of this week’s parsha? What is this place that Ya’akov comes to, and why at nighttime? Rabbi Leon Morris and Rabbi Daniel Reifman discuss the journey the journeys and travails of Ya’akov in this … Read the rest
The post Parashat Vayetze 5783: Our Heads and Our Hearts first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Credits: Judy Klitsner and Rabbi Elchanan Miller – Pardes Faculty
… Read the rest
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Parashat Chayei Sarah and Preparing for Thanksgiving.
Credits: Tovah Leah Nachmani and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield – Pardes Faculty
… Read the rest
The post Parashat Chayei Sarah 5783 – Where Would I Be Without You: Perks and Pitfalls of Gratitude first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Are we blinded by our reading of the text? When we read about characters that are often portrayed negatively, such as Ishmael, are we truly giving them a chance? And what about our heroes? Are we allowing figures, such as … Read the rest
The post Parashat Vayera 5783: Examining Our Own Narratives first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this week’s Torah portion, we examine a story that many today would consider jarring. How do we take the afflictions placed upon the Egyptians for Sarah’s kidnapping? Was Sarah a victim or Pharoah and patriarchy, or were the Egyptians … Read the rest
The post Parashat Lech Lecha 5783: The Beauty of Sarah first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Rabbis Meesh Hammer-Kossoy and Elisha Ancselovits bring poetry, midrash, Talmud and a Nobel Prize winning economist into dialogue about how Noah and the 7 Noahide laws are relevant to our current climate crisis.
Credits: Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy and Rabbi … Read the rest
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Bereishit takes us from Creation to God’s decision to destroy the world. From “Tov” – a world filled with good – to “Ra” – a world in which evil prevails.
How do we get there?
In this podcast, Alex Israel … Read the rest
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Sukkot 5783 – Sukkot and the Secret of Jewish Happiness
This podcast is a republication of last year’s Sukkot special.
Why is Sukkot described as the “Season of our Rejoicing”?
What is the objective of sitting in the Sukka?
What … Read the rest
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Ha’azinu speaks of God as a parent, as the Being that created and formed us all. What implications does this fact have for our spirituality and consciousness? Yiscah Smith presents a teaching of the Hassidic master – the Piazecne Rabbe, … Read the rest
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How do we approach the complicated dynamic in the High Holiday liturgy? What is the dynamic between Rosh Hashana’s haftarah reading of the Binding of Isaac and Yom Kippur’s reading of the Book of Jonah?
Credits: Rabbi Brent Spodek and … Read the rest
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This Rosh Hashana podcast is sponsored by Ricki and David Bernstein in memory of Ricki’s parents, Beatrice and Murray Kirschblat, survivors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, respectively. Beatrice and Murray were each the sole survivors of large families which perished in … Read the rest
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Love learning Jewish history? Join Rav Mike Feuer for the Jewish Story Live!
The Jewish Story Season 6
Episode 1: Prologue: A New Perspective
Season 6 of The Jewish Story has finally begun! Here is a prologue to help frame … Read the rest
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How does the law of bikkurim (sacrifice of the first fruits) relate to the Exodus from Egypt? Why does the blessing from the farmer use the plural tense, and why would a farmer who had never experienced the Exodus need … Read the rest
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This week’s parsha depicts four modes of administration in ancient Israel. What are these four centers of societal leadership, and how do they interact? How does our parsha give us room to consider our own political climate? What does this … Read the rest
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In this week’s Pardes Parsha Podcast, Aviva Lauer joins Rabbi Michael Hattin to discuss parashat Re’eh.
As the people of Israel prepare for their entry into the land of Israel, Moses teaches them that God will choose the place for … Read the rest
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This podcast is sponsored by Suzana and Alan Caro in memory of Avi West z”l. A brilliant educator and master teacher, Avi touched the lives of thousands of Jews in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. His breadth of knowledge spanned … Read the rest
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In this week’s parsha, Moshe recalls several events and presents for us what many consider to be one of the foundational texts of Judaism, the Shema. Join Yiscah Smith as she discusses the parsha and some of the fundamental values … Read the rest
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The Jewish Story Season 5
Episode 22: Soviet Jewry – The End Game
The third and final episode in our series on Soviet Jewry in which Russian Jews are finally able to leave the Soviet Union. The 1980s saw a … Read the rest
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Rabbi Michael Hattin discusses Devarim with Rabbi Alex Israel, exploring the question of repetition in Deuteronomy. The Rabbis called Devarim “Mishneh Torah” – the Repetition of the Torah. How is the retelling different to the original? Is Moses manipulating the … Read the rest
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How do we distribute scant resources in a needy world? Are wealthy societies obligated to share their fundamental resources with more impoverished societies in need?
This podcast takes us to a challenging passage in Nedarim which draws its prooftext from … Read the rest
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This podcast is dedicated to Shlomo Berlin, Shlomo Ben Rachel v’Shimon – שלמה בן רחל ושמעון, with prayers for a refuah shelaymah from Rabbi Hayim Herring and Terri Krivosha.
Nechama Goldman Barash and Alex Israel discuss Parashat Matot and the … Read the rest
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Parashat Balak: The Outsider’s View
Description: Parashat Balak narrates the strange tale of a foreign seer who is hired to curse the Israelites but is compelled by God to bless them. What is this story doing in the Torah? It … Read the rest
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The Jewish Story Season 5
Episode 8: The Raid on Entebbe
Heroism is a precious quality, and one strong enough to change the world. Here is the story of the Israeli mission to free hostages on Entebbe, perhaps the most … Read the rest
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Parashat Chukat: Moses. The Hand and the Word
Description: In our parsha we read the episode of “Moses’ Sin” in which Moses hits the rock instead of speaking to it. In this podcast, Pardes faculty Alex Israel and Gila Fine … Read the rest
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Parashat Korach 5782: Was it all Negative?
Description: In this podcast, we explore the mixed motivations behind Korach’s challenge to Moshe and Aaron’s leadership. Can one be driven by ego and still mix in a valid claim? Was Korach’s claim … Read the rest
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Parashat Shelach Lecha 5782: Slandering Israel
Description: The story of people who toured Israel and emerged with a negative assessment of the Land of Israel. Is criticism of Israel legitimate or is it a sin? Join Pardes faculty member Rabbi … Read the rest
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Parashat Behaalotecha 5782: The Power of Inclusion
Description: An exploration of the narratives about Pesach Sheni and the naming of the 70 elders and Eldad and Medad. Two stories that combine Law and Narrative, also portray the value of initiative … Read the rest
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Parashat Naso/Shavuot 5782: Har Sinai – the First Beit Midrash
Description: What was the Torah that the Israelites actually heard and learned?
Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, write to us at elmad@pardes.org.il. We appreciate … Read the rest
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Parashat Bamidbar 5782: Heavenly Jerusalem, Earthly Jerusalem.
A Shiur for Jerusalem Day and Bamidbar
Description: In Celebration of Jerusalem Day, we study Psalm 122 and its dreamy depiction of an ancient Jerusalem pilgrimage. We reflect on the makom (place/space) and … Read the rest
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Parashat Bechukotai 5782: Ancient Metaphors and Contemporary Realism
Description: This podcast focuses on understanding the blessings and curses in this week’s parasha with Rabbi Dr. Howard Markose.
Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, write to … Read the rest
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Parashat Behar 5782: The Economy of Spirituality
Description: This special podcast features Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair. Join us to hear our discussion of how the Sabbatical and Jubilee years described in parashat Behar are providing the spiritual values which are … Read the rest
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Parashat Emor 5782: The Jewish Year Cycle, Emor-Style
Description: While the Torah lists our holidays several times throughout the five books, there is something special about the way it’s done in this week’s parasha. Find out what that is by … Read the rest
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Parashat Kedoshim 5782: “Be Holy!” How?
Description: The Torah instructs the Jewish people to “Be Holy!” But how might that be performed? In this podcast, Alex Israel discusses three approaches to this question, considering the question of withdrawal from and … Read the rest
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Parashat Metzora 5782: Sitting Alone Outside the Camp
Description: On the 7th day of Pesach, we commemorate the people of Israel’s successful traversal of the Sea of Reeds. While the moment was exceptional, even eliciting an epic song, we must … Read the rest
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Pesach 5782: Three Keys to Freedom – Three Features of the Seder
Description: What are the key elements of free life? This podcast identifies three features of the Exodus, also manifested in the Seder rituals, and proposes that these can … Read the rest
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Parashat Metzora 5782: Sitting Alone Outside the Camp
Description: The graphic description in the Torah of tzaraat, leprosy, leaves modern readers alienated and baffled. Can moral flaws truly manifest physically? Aesthetics and ethics mix in this week’s reading, where immoral … Read the rest
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Parashat Tazria 5782: Selective Memory; Choosing Productive Narratives
This podcast episode is sponsored by Pardes alum Graham Hoffman in honor of his parents, teachers, and role models Rabbi Richard and Rebbitzen Debra Zussman.
Description: Why bring a sin offering after … Read the rest
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Parashat Shemini 5782: The Aftermath of Grief
Description: In this podcast, we will look at the deaths of Aaron and the different stages of grief presented in the midrash that reflect our own awareness that processing death takes time and … Read the rest
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Parashat Tzav 5782: Pushing Ourselves By-the-By
Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, write to us at elmad@pardes.org.il. We appreciate you leaving us a review with 5-stars if you enjoy these podcasts.
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Parashat Vayikra 5782: Calling. Listening. Giving.
Description: This week, Rabbi Alex Israel discusses some of Rashi’s opening remarks to Vayikra highlighting some critical spiritual messages for our fast-paced world.
Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, … Read the rest
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Parashat Pekudei 5782: The Eyes Have it – The Divine as Israel’s Tour Guide
Description: As we bring the Book of Shemot – Exodus – to a close in this week’s Parasha, Parashat Pekudei, we conclude the final chapter with … Read the rest
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Parashat Vayakhel 5782: Repairing Even the Worst Ruptures
Description: Even after warning against all forms of constructive creativity in the Ten Commandments, the Torah explicitly warns now against using fire on Shabbat. Legal ramifications aside, the prohibition against fire cautions … Read the rest
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The feminist movement and Jewish American life came together in the 1960s and 70s – each influencing the other. In this episode, we touch on Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique, the religious activism of women like Sally Priesand and the Ezrat … Read the rest
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Parashat Ki Tisa 5782: The Inherent Value of the Individual
Description: Cultivating a Healthy Self-Esteem through the Parsha in the midst of the growing crisis of loneliness, lack of self-worth and alienation from a sense of one’s own being. You … Read the rest
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Parashat Tetzaveh 5782: The Golden Altar of Incense
Description: While the Mizbach Hazahav or Golden Altar occupies a central place within the space and ritual of the Mishkan or Tabernacle, it is not mentioned at all in last week’s description … Read the rest
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Parashat Terumah 5782: Stop the Clocks or Hang the Flags? How Moderns Create Jewish Space
Description: This podcast takes us on a roller-coaster of a trip from the tabernacle in the desert to 19th century ultra-orthodoxy in Hungary to 20th … Read the rest
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Parashat Mishpatim 5782: God and Government
Description: Is our public discourse too aggressive? Are our public institutions vulnerable to attack? In this class, Alex Israel addresses a verse (22:27) in Parashat Mishpatim which warns of attacks on Government figures. Why … Read the rest
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Parashat Yitro 5782: Is the Idolatry a Relevant Category for Contemporary Life
Description: In this week’s podcast, Rabbi Mike Uram tackles Parashat Yitro noting that the first of the 10 Commandments is one that prohibits idolatry. Is this a relevant … Read the rest
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Parashat Beshalach 5782: A Taste of Something Rare
Description: The story of the manna in the wilderness occupies a significant place in the larger desert narrative. A great many verses are devoted to the role of manna in the survival … Read the rest
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Parashat Bo 5782: Locusts That Last a Lifetime
Description: In this week’s Torah portion of Bo, God rains down upon Egypt the last three plagues. One of these three is the plague of locusts. Learn along with PCJE Director, Aviva … Read the rest
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*This podcast is sponsored by
Drs Amy Fox Griffel and Martin I Griffel
in memory of her mother, Sally Fox,
Sima Bat Moshe v Michla
on the occasion of her yahrtzeit.*
Parashat Vaera 5782: The Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart
Description:… Read the rest
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Parashat Shemot 5782 – The Power of Sisterly Love
Description: Why isn’t Miriam named in this week’s parsha, despite the fact that her leadership is equated to that of Moshe and Aaron? She is teaching Moshe (and us) what brotherhood, … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 48: The Conclusion
A special note to the listener: In general, listeners are encouraged to independently prepare the primary material from one podcast to the next, preferably in a havruta learning dynamic. However, the … Read the rest
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Parashat VaYechi 5782 – The Blessings of Rebuke
Description: There are things we have to hear and there are things we have to say. What enables us to receive words of critique with an open heart? What critical tips can … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 47: The Census
Podcast Overview: The book concludes with David’s ill-considered census, the ensuing plague and the building of an altar to God. (Samuel II 24:1-25)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 46: David’s Mighty Men
Podcast Overview: David’s final words are followed by a list of his mighty warriors. (Samuel II 23:1-39)
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Parashat Vayigash 5782 – Yoseph’s Legacy to Every Jew: Forgiveness
Description: There are moments that change the world. There is such a transformative moment in this week’s parasha. It happened when Yoseph finally revealed his identity to his brothers.
Download … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 45: The Song of Triumph
Podcast Overview: An epic poem of triumph reminds us of David’s trust in God. (Samuel II 22:1-51)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 44: David’s Legacy: Pledges Kept and Giants Defeated
Podcast Overview: The final four chapters of the book provide us with a retrospect of David and his reign. (Samuel II 21:1-22)
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A … Read the rest
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This podcast is sponsored by Rabbi Shalom and Shana Kantor on the occasion of their son Noam’s bar mitzvah. Mazal tov!
Parashat Miketz 5782 – Pharaoh’s Dreams and Their Fascinating Interpretation
Description: Pharaoh’s dream of seven cows and seven stalks … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 43: Sheva ben Bichri’s Rebellion
Podcast Overview: David returns to Jerusalem but a new rebellion now breaks out. (Samuel II 20:1-26)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 42: The Aftermath
Podcast Overview: The news of Avshalom’s death reaches David. Shattered by the report, he begins to make his way back to Jerusalem. (Samuel II 18:19-19:44)
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Parashat Vayeshev 5782 – Why is Joseph Known as Joseph the Tzaddik?
Description: A Conversation About Potiphar’s Wife Through the Lens of Non-Consent – In this podcast, Pardes faculty members Alex Israel and Nechama Goldman Barash discuss the complex story … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 41: Avshalom’s Defeat
Podcast Overview: David’s fortunes turn, as Avshalom’s men are defeated in battle. (Samuel II 17:1-18:18)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 40: Avshalom Ascendant
Podcast Overview: Avshalom triumphantly enters Jerusalem. There will be no turning back. (Samuel II 16:1-23)
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Parashat Vayishlach 5782 – Cyclical History
Description: Does History repeat itself? Nachmanides thinks it does! He reads the entire standoff between Jacob and Esau as a paradigm of future events – Isael and Rome, Judaism and Christianity. What are we … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 39: David’s Exile from Jerusalem
Podcast Overview: Avshalom rebels against his father David and the kingdom threatens to unravel. (Samuel II 15:1-37)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 38: Avshalom Rehabilitated
Podcast Overview: Through the agency of Yoav and the parable of the wise woman of Tekoa, David is convinced to allow Avshalom to return to Jerusalem. But the resolution is a … Read the rest
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Parashat Vayetze 5782 – Ya’acov and the Stone Upon the Well
Description: After securing the blessings, Ya’acov must flee the wrath of his brother Esav. Arriving at Charan, he encounters the shepherds and their flocks, and when he sees Rachel … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 37: The Rape of Tamar
Podcast Overview: The consequences of David’s crime now begin to play themselves out, with great destructive effect. (Samuel II 12:24-13:39)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 36: David and Batsheva Part 2: The Punishment
Podcast Overview: Natan the prophet pronounces God’s harsh judgment against David. (Samuel II 11:16-12:23)
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Parashat Toldot 5782 – But I Didn’t Do Anything Wrong
Description: The podcast examines the different strategies that rabbis and others have used to lessen the moral issues of Jacob tricking Esau to get the birthright and tricking his father … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Crises & Kings Episode 35: David and Batsheva Part 1: The Crime
Podcast Overview: David’s glorious ascent is abruptly derailed by a crime that redefines him and his kingdom. (Samuel II 11:1-15)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 34: David’s Victories
Podcast Overview: David secures the realm by defeating all of the surrounding kingdoms that threaten it. He also keeps his pledge. (Samuel II 8:1-10:19)
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Parashat Chaye Sarah 5782 – Rivka: The Original Influencer
Description: In Parashat Chaye Sarah, Avraham sends his servant Eliezer on a mission to find a spouse for his son Yitzchak. Avraham doesn’t offer much in the way of criteria, but … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 33: David’s Desire to Build the Temple
Podcast Overview: With his kingdom becoming secure, David expresses his wish to finally build the Temple. God, however, has other plans. (Samuel II 7:1-29)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 32: The Ark of the Covenant is Brought to Jerusalem
Podcast Overview: Having established Jerusalem as his new capital, David relocates the ark to it. (Samuel II 6:1-23)
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Parashat VaYera 5782: Human Sacrifice – Problematic or Profound?
Description: Why would Avraham’s 10th and final test be to participate in a cruel and despicable act of human sacrifice which blended him with the polythe,istic and immoral world that surrounded … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 31: Jerusalem, David’s City
Podcast Overview: In his first act as king over all of Israel, David conquers Jerusalem and makes it his capital. (Samuel II 5:1-25)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 30: The Fall of the House of Shaul
Podcast Overview: The last difficult obstacles to David becoming king are unexpectedly removed, even as David takes no active role. (Samuel II 3:2-4:12)
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This podcast is sponsored by Suzana and Alan Caro in honor of Rav Meir Schweiger, a master teacher who held up the tradition as a mirror to us to live an ethical and rich life of meaning.
Parashat Lech Lecha… Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 29: The Struggle Over Succession
Podcast Overview: Shaul is dead but David will not become king over all of Israel immediately. (Samuel II 2:1-3:1)
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The Book of Samuel II
Episode 28: David Receives the Tragic News
Podcast Overview: Through an unlikely source, word reaches David that Shaul is dead and David laments. (Samuel II 1:1-27)
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This podcast is sponsored by Pardes Year Program alumnus Jason Gusdorf & Family in celebration of his new album, After the Seventh, inspired by his time at Pardes. After the Seventh will be available on Spotify, Apple Music, and … Read the rest
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In this podcast, we will look at a series of midrashim that reflect on the irrationality of God’s desire to create human beings and the enormous potential for connection and engagement with the Divine that exists inside of this very… Read the rest
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Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah 5782: Meaningful Partners or Accidentally Attached?
Podcast Overview: Together we will explore the origin of finishing the Torah reading cycle on Shemini Atzeret and how this practice reveals a deep meaning of Simchat Torah. We … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I & II Bonus Episode with Rabbi Alex Israel and Rabbi Michael Hattin
Episode 28: The Interview
Podcast Overview: In this bonus episode, Rabbi Alex Israel, in conversation with Rabbi Michael Hattin, goes behind the scenes … Read the rest
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Sukkot 5782 – Sukkot and the Secret of Jewish Happiness
Why is Sukkot described as the “Season of our Rejoicing”?
What is the objective of sitting in the Sukka?
What messages does it have to our technological and materialistic age?… Read the rest
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Parashat Ha’azinu 5782 – The Eternity of the Jewish People
Moshe’s words in this week’s parasha contain both a sacred history of the Jewish people as well as a vision of their future, until the end of time. We will … Read the rest
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Yom Kippur 5782 – Who is the Hero of the Jonah Story?
In this podcast, Aviva Lauer explores the Book of Jonah, read on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, in an effort to understand what message we are meant to … Read the rest
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Vayelech 5782/Shabbat Shuva – Who Would you Invite to Dinner?
This class imagines an imaginary dinner between R. Zera (4th century CE) and Moses. How are these two figures similar? How are they different? And what can their differences teach … Read the rest
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Thank you for listening to Crises & Kings: The Book of Samuel I & II. Our first 27 episodes discussed at length the first book of Samuel. We will take a short break for the High Holidays 5782 and return … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 1: Resurrection and Rosh Hashana: Multivalent Perspectives on the Binding of Isaac
Description: There is no story as rich and complex, as troubling and inspiring, as Akedat Yitzchak, the binding of Isaac which is … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 2: Rosh Hashana: Power of Choice
Description: In this special Pardes from Jerusalem podcast for Rosh Hashana, Nechama Goldman Barash explores both ancient and modern sources that reflect on the power of choice and … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 3: Days of Awe-some or Awe-ful
Description: The High Holy Days are also known as the Days of Awe which can be awesome, or awful. Here is a look at how to tie the … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 4: Death and Life: The Meaning of Yom Kippur According to the Rabbis
Description: What is the link between afflicting one’s soul on Yom Kippur and the day being the ultimate Shabbat? What do … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 5: Yom Kippur: Hilchot Teshuva
Description: In this special shiur for Yom Kippur, Rabbi Meir Schweiger discusses Hilchot Teshuva, the laws of Teshuva.
Credits
Host: Meir Schweiger – Meir teaches Chumash, Parshat HaShavua, Mishna, … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 6: Yom Kippur: Insights on The Book of Jonah
Description: Sefer Yona, the book of Jonah, is read at the Mincha service of Yom Kippur day. In this podcast, Rabbi Michael Hattin considers some … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 7: Yom Kippur: The Repentance of Nineveh
Description: Sefer Yona, the book of Jonah, is read at the Mincha service of Yom Kippur day. In this podcast, Rabbi Alex Israel delves into repentance by … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 8: Yom Kippur: Those who Believe in Sin, Please Stand Up
Description: In a class given at Pardes Jerusalem as part of the Community Education Program, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield looks at why we fast … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 9: Why do we fast on Yom Kippur
Description: Rabbi Howard Markose discusses Yom Kippur looking at how we relate to sin in the 21st century.
Credits
Host: Howard Markose – Howard Markose teaches … Read the rest
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Greatest Hits: The High Holidays
Episode 10: Yom Kippur: Making it Meaningful
Description: In this episode of Yom Kippur – Making it Meaningful podcast Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield is joined by PCJE faculty, Sefi Kraut, and PCJE’s Director of Digital Content, … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 27: Shaul’s Bitter End
Podcast Overview: In this final battle Shaul dies, but as the noble king of Israel. (Samuel I 31:1-13)
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A special note to the listener: In general, listeners … Read the rest
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*This Rosh Hashanah podcast is sponsored by Ricki and David Bernstein in memory of Ricki’s parents,
Beatrice and Murray Kirschblat z”l, each a sole survivor of large families which perished in the Shoah.*
Nitzavim/Rosh Hashana 5782 – One thing I … Read the rest
The post Nitzavim/Rosh Hashana 5782 – One thing I have asked of HaShem… first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 26: David’s Triumph
Podcast Overview: Sent home by the Philistines, David and his men discover that Ziklag has been sacked by the Amalekites. How will David regroup? (Samuel I 29:1-30:31)
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A … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 25: Shaul and the Witch of En Dor
Podcast Overview: As the Philistines mass for battle, Shaul becomes desperate. God will not respond to his entreaties, so instead, he reaches out to the spirit … Read the rest
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This podcast is sponsored by Jeff and Alissa Hurok in honor of our dear friends and family who have engaged with and enhanced Jeff’s Torah study.
Ki Tavo 5781 – Inscribe the Words Today
In this podcast, the manner in … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 24: David and Shaul’s Final Encounter
Podcast Overview: In an encounter very reminiscent of chapter 24, David and Shaul meet for a final time. Now, though, David will make it clear that Shaul has … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 23: Avigayil’s Intervention
Podcast Overview: David is saved from spilling blood through the heroic intervention of a wise woman – Avigayil. (Samuel I 25:1 – 44)
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A special note to the … Read the rest
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Ki Tetze 5781 – Remember Amalek
This parasha presents us with seventy-four mitzvot – the most of any weekly reading. The last lines appear to be a return of a taste of narrative, but they open up for us a … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 22: Shaul in Pursuit
Podcast Overview: After Nov’s overthrow, Saul continues to pursue David. David manages to stay one step ahead, until their meeting at the cave in Ein Gedi… (Samuel I 22:17 – … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 21: Achimelech and the Priests of Nov
Podcast Overview: David’s flight takes him to Nov and to Philistine territory. Saul’s rage will know no bounds. (Samuel I 21:1 – 22:16)
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A … Read the rest
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The learn how to register for the All in the Family event please visit www.pardes.org.il/pew.
Shoftim 5781 – Access to the Law
This week we hear about the mandate to appoint magistrates and police “in all your gates”. Why does… Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 20: Jonathan and David
Podcast Overview: Jonathan emerges as David’s defender and true friend. In an ultimate act of altruism, he will put David’s future ahead of his own. (Samuel I 20:1 – 42)… Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 19: David in flight from Shaul
Podcast Overview: David’s triumph is short-lived as he is forced to flee Shaul’s jealous wrath. (Samuel I 18:1 – 19:24)
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A special note to the … Read the rest
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This podcast is sponsored by Rivka and Seth Weisberg, in honor of our teacher and friend David Richman, who led us to Pardes.
Re’eh 5781 – Consuming Meat
As long as the people of Israel wandered in the wilderness, they… Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 18: David and Goliath
Podcast Overview: In one of the most famous moments in the Hebrew Bible, David puts his trust in God and defeats the Philistine giant Goliath. (Samuel I 17:1 – 58)… Read the rest
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This podcast is sponsored by Emily Simon in honor of the loving memory of her father, Akiva Ben Zerach u’Devorah z”l.
Ekev 5781 – Memory as a constructive process
The book of Devarim has a special relationship to the rest … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 17: The Unlikely Election of David
Podcast Overview: Saul’s rejection as king leads unexpectedly to David’s emergence from obscurity. (Samuel I 16:1 – 23)
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A special note to the listener: In … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 16: Shaul’s Undoing
Podcast Overview: God gives Saul a second chance and commands him to destroy Amalek. But Saul has other ideas. (Samuel I 15:1 – 35)
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A special note to … Read the rest
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VaEtchanan 5781 – It’s Only Holy Because You Don’t Own It
Why does Moshe before he dies beg God to see the Land? Knowing human nature, what is the greatest pitfall about which Moshe warns the Israelites and their descendants? … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 15: Yonatan’s Steadfastness
Podcast Overview: Even as Saul stumbles as king, his son Yonatan emerges as a natural and inspired leader. (Samuel I 14:1 – 52)
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A special note to the … Read the rest
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This podcast was originally published in 2017 and even more relevant today.
Devarim 5781: The Words of Moses — The Torah’s First “Translation”
In many ways, the book of Deuteronomy — a series of long discourses by Moses — is … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 14: Shaul’s Tragic Lapse
Podcast Overview: Saul now faces his first serious crisis as King. How will he respond? (Samuel I 13:1 – 23)
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A special note to the listener: In … Read the rest
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The spiritual practice of finding safety within our internal “cities of refuge – arei miklat.” Based on a teaching of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, teaching on the spiritual ramifications today of the establishment of this radical and… Read the rest
The post Matot-Masei 5781: Finding Safety Within the Cities of Refuge first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally published in 2018.
9 days. 9 podcasts. Your Guide to Tisha B’Av with Pardes North America
Dive deep with 9 days of curated Tisha B’Av themed podcast by Pardes North America from the Pardes archive. In memory … Read the rest
The post 9 days. 9 podcasts. Is God our Judge, our Enemy, or our Source of Faith? Three Perspectives from Eicha first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally published in 2018.
9 days. 9 podcasts. Your Guide to Tisha B’Av with Pardes North America
Dive deep with 9 days of curated Tisha B’Av themed podcast by Pardes North America from the Pardes archive. In memory … Read the rest
The post 9 days. 9 podcasts. Devarim and Tisha B’Av: The Date of Moshe’s Death first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally published in 2018.
9 days. 9 podcasts. Your Guide to Tisha B’Av with Pardes North America
Dive deep with 9 days of curated Tisha B’Av themed podcast by Pardes North America from the Pardes archive. In memory … Read the rest
The post 9 days. 9 podcasts. Abraham and Job: When Bad Things Happen to Good Biblical Characters first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally published in 2018.
9 days. 9 podcasts. Your Guide to Tisha B’Av with Pardes North America
Dive deep with 9 days of curated Tisha B’Av themed podcast by Pardes North America from the Pardes archive. In memory … Read the rest
The post 9 days. 9 podcasts. “That’s Alright, Dear. I’ll Sit in the Dark” Why Do We Do It? How Can We Change It? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally published in 2020.
9 days. 9 podcasts. Your Guide to Tisha B’Av with Pardes North America
Dive deep with 9 days of curated Tisha B’Av themed podcast by Pardes North America from the Pardes archive. In memory … Read the rest
The post 9 days. 9 podcasts. Fasting during a pandemic first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally published in 2008 and republished in 2010.
9 days. 9 podcasts. Your Guide to Tisha B’Av with Pardes North America
Dive deep with 9 days of curated Tisha B’Av themed podcast by Pardes North America from the … Read the rest
The post 9 days. 9 podcasts. Tisha B’av: Kamza and Bar Kamza first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally published in 2018.
9 days. 9 podcasts. Your Guide to Tisha B’Av with Pardes North America
Dive deep with 9 days of curated Tisha B’Av themed podcast by Pardes North America from the Pardes archive. In memory … Read the rest
The post 9 days. 9 podcasts. Trusting Our Children When They Can’t Be Trusted: Textual Paradigms and Modern Wisdom first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally published in 2017.
9 days. 9 podcasts. Your Guide to Tisha B’Av with Pardes North America
Dive deep with 9 days of curated Tisha B’Av themed podcast by Pardes North America from the Pardes archive. In memory … Read the rest
The post 9 days. 9 podcasts. How to Restore Unity to a Fragmented World: “Loving one’s fellow as oneself” first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This podcast was originally published in 2016.
9 days. 9 podcasts. Your Guide to Tisha B’Av with Pardes North America
Dive deep with 9 days of curated Tisha B’Av themed podcast by Pardes North America from the Pardes archive. In … Read the rest
The post 9 Days. 9 Podcasts. The Three Weeks: What Being Broken has to Add first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 13: Retrospect for Shmuel
Podcast Overview: Shmuel, old and tired, officially hands over power to the king. But will the king be able to live up to the example of Shmuel’s lifetime of selfless … Read the rest
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Moses hands over the reins of power to Joshua. “HE shall command him in the eyes of the nation.” What did Moses instruct Joshua? What critical message needed to be communicated during the transition of power. And how did that… Read the rest
The post Pinchas 5781: Leadership Lessons first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 12: In Those Days there was a King in Israel
Podcast Overview: Although Saul is officially king, he will not win the people’s confidence until he can act like one. The defat of the … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 11: A Tentative Coronation
Podcast Overview: Saul is offered three curious signs to indicate that he has been chosen. But they are not random. (Samuel I 10:1 – 27)
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A special … Read the rest
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Parshat Balak is highly unusual. On the one hand, it does not contain even a single mitzvah. On the other hand, it describes events that are supernatural and strange. Perhaps the most peculiar occurrence in the parasha concerns Bilam’s talking… Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 10: In Search of Donkeys
Podcast Overview: The appointment of Israel’s first king implausibly begins with Saul’s fruitless search for lost donkeys. It ends with Saul instead discovering kingship. (Samuel I 9:1 – 27)… Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 9: The King’s Law
Podcast Overview: Monarchy as an institution has great potential but also carries great risks. In this podcast, we begin to consider both. (Samuel I 8:10 – 22)
Download Source Sheet… Read the rest
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Parashat Chukat marks many transitions, not the least of which is the end of an era in leadership. This podcast explores the sin of Moshe at the waters of Meriva and offers insight into the critical lesson that real leaders… Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 8: The Clamor for a King
Podcast Overview: With Shmuel’s career-ending, the elders and the people demand that he appoint a king. But Shmuel is reluctant. A close reading of Deuteronomy 16 – 17 … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 7: The Ideal Judge
Podcast Overview: The old corrupt order has been swept away. Shmuel now emerges as a true judge in Israel, highlighting what real religious/political leadership can accomplish. (Samuel I 6:19-7:17)
Download … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 6: The Philistines Chastened
Podcast Overview: The pagan Philistines believe that by capturing the ark, they have prevailed against the God of Israel. But He soon makes it clear that while His ways are … Read the rest
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In this podcast, we will look at the controversy of Korah which was not for the sake of heaven but for his own private interests and the ongoing disagreements between the sages Hillel and Shamai which were considered to be… Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 5: The Israelite Defeated
Podcast Overview: Initially defeated in battle by the Philistines, the Israelites bring the ark of the covenant to the fray. But its mere presence will not grant them victory. The … Read the rest
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Critical thinking is the hallmark of our tradition. Overly critical thinking that leads to pessimism, on the other hand, can lead us down a path of demoralization and destruction. What was the failed leadership of the leaders who were sent… Read the rest
The post Shelach 5781 – Fixing our Broken Compasses first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 4: Shmuel’s Coming of Age
Podcast Overview: Eli the high priest is young Shmuel’s mentor and guide. But now the word of God comes to Shmuel directly, sidelining old and blind Eli in the … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 3: The Crimes of the Priests
Podcast Overview: Chana’s piety stands in direct contrast to the officiating priests at Shilo, Chofni and Pinchas the sons of Eli. These two abuse their power and exalted … Read the rest
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How does one rise to the occasion and do what needs to be done? How does one know when to lovingly detach from a situation because you have done what you can do? A Rashi that is deceptively unremarkable yields… Read the rest
The post Beha’alotecha 5781 – A Time To Step Up and a Time to Step Down first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 2: Chana’s Triumph
Podcast Overview: Our book begins by introducing us to the fraught family dynamics of Elkana and his two wives, Penina and Chana. Chana, childless and desperate, teaches us about hope and … Read the rest
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The Book of Samuel I
Episode 1: Introduction – The Backdrop of the Book of Judges
Podcast Overview: In order to appreciate the opening chapters of the book of Samuel, we must first consider the backdrop of the book of … Read the rest
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Parashat Naso contains a variety of topics, including the Birkat Kohanim, the priestly blessing. While at first glance, the life of a Kohen, priest, is a life of glamour and elite status, when one delves a bit deeper into the… Read the rest
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Parashat Bamidbar is always read around Shavuot time. What is the connection? And what is the eternal message that emerges from the long census and mapping that fills our parasha? The answer is connected to the flags.
Sources: Bamidbar 2:1-2 … Read the rest
The post Bamidbar and Shavuot 5781: Flags, Identity and Perfection first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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What is the connection between the three mitzvot of Shmittah, Yovel and Reebeet in Parashat Behar and tranquility of the heart? How important is letting go, relaxing one’s grip and releasing in cultivating this sought after and yearned for the… Read the rest
The post Behar Bechukotai 5781 – Cultivating Tranquility and Calmness of the Heart first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The opening line of our Parasha has been interpreted as a key to effective and sensitive education. We shall study several readings of this verse to extract some useful and thought-provoking guidelines as to how we might all become more… Read the rest
The post Emor 5781 – We Can all Educate first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally posted on Authentic Jewish Living with Yiscah Smith. From Yiscah: “The first ordained female Orthodox rabbi post-shoah. A voice of change that the world needs to hear. Her calling brings spiritual awareness to others, encouragement and … Read the rest
The post PFJ Special: Authentic Jewish Living with Yiscah Smith – Episode 38: In Conversation with Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The parshiyot of Acharei Mot and Kedoshim contain much disparate material but both sections conclude with a similar description of the holiness of the land of Canaan. In this podcast, we consider the nature of this holiness and how the… Read the rest
The post Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5781: The Holiness of the Land first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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A teaching from Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo addressing Israel’s uniqueness among the global community. He shares his thoughts on the paradox of Israel’s reality: as long as it insists on its vocation of uniqueness, it will enjoy security and… Read the rest
The post Yom HaZikaron/Yom HaAtzmaut 5781: Recognizing, Honoring and Cultivating Israel’s “Radical Otheness.” first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The book of Vayikra introduces us to a whole new lexicon of terms for our spiritual life. This podcast introduces the ideas of tumah and taharah – purity and impurity – and illuminates some of their aspects through two examples… Read the rest
The post Tazria Metzora 5781 – the Messiness of Life first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Aharon’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, make a tragic mistake during the inauguration of the mishkan and it costs them their lives. When Moshe attempts to console Aharon, the Torah reports that Aharon was silent. How do we interpret this reaction?… Read the rest
The post Shemini 5781 – Vayidom Aharon: Learning to Live With the Unimaginable first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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A look at the enormous challenges presented in the post Temple era in reformulating a Temple based holiday into something of meaning and why there is an unfinished passage in the Haggada.
Sources: Mishna Pesachim Chapter 10, 1-5, 8-9 / … Read the rest
The post Passover 5781: How The Rabbis Saved Passover first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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What does Freedom look like? When does a transforming process of freedom involve the pursuit of more control in our lives and the tightening of the reins of our grasp on our existence? And when does the pursuit of real… Read the rest
The post Tzav 5781 – Shabbat HaGadol – Freedom and Letting Go of Control first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The rabbis tended to focus on the communal daily Tamid sacrifice as a spiritual model for prayer, but Vayikra puts the individual voluntary sacrifices front and center. By doing so, the Torah emphasizes the importance of choice and volunteerism in… Read the rest
The post Vayikra 5781: Because I Want to: The Semi-Regimented Spiritual Models of Olot, Menachot and Zevach Shelamim first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The exterior courtyard of the Mishkan/Tabernacle was dominated by a large bronze altar, used for animal sacrifice. In this podcast, we consider some of the altar’s unusual features as we ponder the deeply symbolic ritual associated with it. While animal… Read the rest
The post Vayakhel Pekudei 5781 – The Altar of Sacrifice first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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When put together, Ki Tissa and parashat Parah make a tale of two cows – the Golden Calf and the Red Heifer. This podcast explores what each can teach us about the power and problematics of objectification in relationships, and… Read the rest
The post Ki Tissa 5781: Parashat Parah – A tale of two cows first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Why is this the only parasha from the beginning of Exodus until the end of Deuteronomy in which we find HaShem speaking to Moshe, but we do not find Moshe Rabbeinu’s name in it? HaShem speaks to Moshe throughout the… Read the rest
The post Tetzaveh 5781 – Actualizing the Potential of a Soul’s Mission first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The story of Esther is a story that is replete with rich costumes which can reflect or at times reveal the key personalities. This shiur will examine the role of the sartorial masks of the Megilla and in particular, the… Read the rest
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The obligation to destroy Amalek and their descendants, which is read of Zachor, is one of the most problematic commandments in the bible. See how medieval commentators explained it away and how modern commentators honed even this difficult mitzva for… Read the rest
The post Terumah 5781: Shabbat Zachor, the Mitzvah of Genocide first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The essence of Judaism seems to be encapsulated by a broad reading of the first two of the Ten Commandments: There is one God, and God has no body. With that as a basis of faith, we may be unnerved… Read the rest
The post Mishpatim 5781: And They Saw the God of Israel? Language, Allegory and Representation first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Judith Plaskow challenged us to confront the disturbing warning issued by Moses to “the nation” at the foot of Mt. Sinai: “Do not go near a woman.” Were women not included in revelation? In our brief time together, we will… Read the rest
The post Yitro 5781: “Do Not Go Near a Woman”: But Didn’t We All Stand at Sinai? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The portion of Beshalach contains events of truly biblical proportions, and between the crossing of the Red Sea and the song which Israel sang on the other side there lies an important lesson. This podcast explores what the parasha can… Read the rest
The post Beshalach 5781: Seeing is believing first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Locusts, darkness and death descend upon Pharo’s kingdom. After 3 generations of anxiety and oppression, the Israelites finally walk out of Egypt. The Israelites are commanded to use ritual objects to remember those times. Following a miraculous event – or… Read the rest
The post Bo 5781: Engaging with Emuna first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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… Read the rest
The post Too Jewish Podcast: Interview with Rabbi Michael Swirsky, founder of the Pardes Insititute of Jewish Studies first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this podcast, Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash looks at the mention of four women in chapter six and the midrashic narratives that intertwine these verses into larger Biblical narratives.
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Sources include Shemot 2:1, Shemot 6:15
Please … Read the rest
The post VaEra 5781 – Midrashic Women in Va’Era first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This week’s parasha introduces us to Moshe, the future liberator of Israel. A fanciful Midrash reconstructs his childhood, as baby Moshe is placed in a fateful situation and must childishly make a choice. As we shall see, the Midrash not… Read the rest
The post Shemot 5781: Moshe’s Choice first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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VaYechi is more than the end of the book of Genesis, it is the end of an era. The Torah tells us of the death of both Yaakov and Yosef in this parashah, and each has a lesson to offer… Read the rest
The post VaYechi 5781 – Everything Follows the End first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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After an impassioned speech from Yehuda, Yosef dramatically reveals his identity, and it is finally his chance to unleash his years of pent up anger and frustration on his brothers. However, Yosef chooses a different approach and calmly demonstrates to… Read the rest
The post Vayigash 5781: Seeing Things in a New Light first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In a challenging comment at the end of last week’s Torah reading, the Midrash condemns Joseph for putting his faith in human assistance rather than turning directly to God. We pose the question: Does faith entail an abandonment of human… Read the rest
The post Miketz 5781: Human Effort and Faith in God. A Contradiction in Terms? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The conflict between Yoseph and Yehudah runs like a seam across the entire history of Israel. At times Yoseph gains the upper hand, and at times Yehudah prevails, but the schism always resurfaces. In Tractate Sukkah 52 a-b, our sages… Read the rest
The post VaYeshev 5781: Yoseph & Yehudah – Healing a Rift Extending Across History and within the Individual Self first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This podcast examines the story of Hanukah as told in the Book of Maccabeus as a classic example of clash of civilizations and identity groups that ends in a violent civil war. The question is are there alternatives? Is it… Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5781: Between Civil War and Nonviolent Demonstrations: How Best to Respond to Discriminatory Decrees? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This was originally posted on Authentic Jewish Living with Yiscah Smith. From Yiscah: “Nechama Goldman Barash is a role model for spiritual authentic living, a dedicated Torah scholar and educator specializing in matters of gender and Jewish law AND … Read the rest
The post Authentic Jewish Living with Yiscah Smith – Episode 32: Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Jacob is a man divided within himself, as suggested by the paradoxical statement that “Jacob remained alone,” yet “a man struggled with him.” With an emphasis on the recurring “guiding words” in the text, we will explore the nature of… Read the rest
The post VaYishlach 5781: Facing Forward first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this podcast we will look at the broad sweep of the narrative that includes the complex dynamic and relationship between two sisters married to one man. After summarizing the entire Torah portion through the lens of their relationship, we… Read the rest
The post VaYetze 5781: The Twinning Relationship of Leah and Rachel first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Sometimes we need to shed our disguises in order to discover who we really are. At other times we need to dress up in disguises to remind us of who we want to be. The story of Jacob and Esau… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Toldot: The Blessings of Putting On and Taking Off Disguises first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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At least half of the relationships in our modern times don’t last. When we are looking for love that will last, how do we know what to look for? And once we find love, how do we rekindle the sparks… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Chaye Sarah: Looking for Love first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This week’s parasha contrasts two acts of hospitality: Avraham welcomes three strangers to his tent at Elonei Mamrei, and Lot later welcomes two of them to his home in Sodom. Superficially, the episodes are similar but we will discover that… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Vayera: Life’s Concentric Circles first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Avraham is both the Idol Smasher and the Harbinger of Justice and Righteousness. The Torah tells us explicitly why Avraham was chosen in Genesis 18:18-19, and the rabbis tell a story intended to explain what qualified him for the job.… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Lech Lecha: Why is Avraham Really Chosen? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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There are many points of connection between the story of creation and the story of the flood, and at least one significant difference. The permission given to Noach and his descendants to eat meat is the opening of a new… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Noach: To Meat or Not To Meat first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Bereishit opens with the hope of a new world. But ends with God’s decision to destroy his world. What happened. This shiur offers two readings of the final verses of Bereishit, verses that depict the moral descent towards the Deluge.… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Bereishit: From Creation to Destruction first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This podcast was first published in 2009, for Simhat Torah 5770. We hope you enjoy this replay. In this podcast, Rabbi Daniel Landes discusses Maimonides’ teachings (Mishneh Torah, Rest on a Holiday 1) on how to properly celebrate the festivals.… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Simhat Torah: Maimonides on How to Celebrate the Festivals first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Our practice today of shaking the lulav every day of Sukkot is based on a decree that R. Yohanan b. Zakai made post Temple destruction. From where did he get the daring to institute that we would continue to perform… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Sukkot: The Ritual of Lulav; To Rejoice for Seven Days Before the Divine first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Moving away from feeling distant from the Divine Presence – the Shechina – towards sensing closeness to Her. Why do we in fact feel distant, feel far, feel disconnected at times? And why do we sense closeness and connection at… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Ha’Azinu: Cultivating the Spiritual Practice of Remembering first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This Rosh Hashanah podcast is sponsored by Ricki and David Bernstein in memory of Ricki’s parents, Beatrice and Murray Kirschblat, each a sole survivor of large families which perished in the Shoah.
This podcast compares the popular song “Kol… Read the rest
The post 5781 — Rosh Hashana: A Very Narrow Bridge: Getting to the Other Side first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Nitzavim sees the Nation of Israel renew their covenant with God. One word – “Hayom – Today!” – repeats itself throughout the parsha. We offer four different meanings of this word, with some inspirational messages for the New Year and… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Nitzavim-VaYelech: Living for “Today!” first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Parashat Ki Tavo contains the command, found in Devarim 28:9: “And you shall walk in His ways.” The Rambam counts this as one of the 613 mitzvot, and explains that it charges us “to resemble Him according to our capacity.”… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Ki Tavo: Cultivating the spiritual practice of Walking In His Ways first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Kickstart your Torah routine with Pardes Daily!
For the month of Elul, traditionally a time when Jews prepare for the upcoming new year, Pardes Daily will be offering three Rosh Hashanah themed daily learning tracks featuring beloved Pardes Faculty. After … Read the rest
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This week’s parasha (Deuteronomy 21:10) introduces us to a Torah command with a seemingly obvious rationale. We will explore the interpretation of the Sefer HaChinuch who sees in this mitzvah a foundation principle: we are subject to laws of nature… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Ki Tetze: The Mitzvah of the Roof Rail – Guarding Against a Fall first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The juxtaposition of judges and police officers in the Torah is deliberate. What does this juxtaposition teach us about the inevitability of force in law? What do the rabbis have to say about recent calls to defund the police?
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The post 5780 — Shoftim: Shoftim v’Shotrim: Go together like a Horse and Carriage? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this podcast we will look at the moral complexity behind the command to utterly annihilate an Israelite city proven to be idolatrous. The debate around the practical application of this passage results in some interesting textual comparisons to other… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Re’eh: Was there ever an Ir Nidahat or Subverted City? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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We hope that the Divine is on our side, especially when circumstances are far from optimal. How do we go about making sure that the Lord is with us in all of our earthly endeavors? In this podcast, Rabbi Howard… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Ekev: Bribing God–Not Such a Great Idea? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this podcast we will look at Shema as the affirmation of commitment to a loving relationship with God contingent about a structure of ritual, practice and belief that will be accessible to all Jews at any time and in… Read the rest
The post 5780 — VaEtchanan: Committing to Love first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This week we begin a new book of the Torah, one which seems somehow different from the others. Devarim is also known a ‘Mishne Torah,’ meaning a repetition or retelling of what has come before. In this podcast, we explore… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Devarim: What is in a name? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Parshiot Matot-Masei includes a long list of place names that trace the wanderings of the Children of Israel through the Sinai wilderness on their way to the Land of Israel. Is this simply a geographical-historical recording of the physical journey… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Matot-Masei: The Long Walk to Freedom first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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What does it mean to “keep the peace” in society? Is it about enforcing the law and order of society in order to ensure against anarchy or is it about balancing between conflicting perspectives and needs of various members and… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Pinchas: From Pinchas to the Police: What Does it Mean to Truly “Keep the Peace?” first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The end of parsha Balak presents three attempts to end a plague. The divergent approaches of Moses and Pinchas reflect different priorities, each essential for our consideration in modern times.
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The post 5780 — Balak: How to Stop a Plague. And at what cost? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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There is no Talmud on Tractate Parah, the Mishnah tractate which deals with the red heifer ceremony. What did the Babylonian rabbis learn from this temple ritual in the course of other discussions? In this podcast, Rav Rahel Berkovits examines… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Chukat: Action vs. Intent: Human Domain vs. The Godly Realm first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In parshat Korach, the leadership of Moshe and Aharon is seriously challenged by the rebellion of Korach. Although Korach and his followers are defeated, the discontent of the Israelites lingers until the sign of the blossoming staff. In this podcast,… Read the rest
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The mitzvah of tzitzit commands the Jewish people not to lust after our hearts and eyes and to be holy. Through a Rabbinic story concerning a man, whose tzitzit smack some sense into him as he is about to bed… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Shelach: Tzitzit–A Model for a Rabbinic Sexual Ethic first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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What is humility? Why is it important? What is its power? Based on a teaching from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in his article, “Humility,” in Covenant and Conversation, Parshat BeHa’Alotecha, 5768/2008, where he compares Moshe Rabeinu’s responses to two different events.… Read the rest
The post 5780 — BeHa’alotecha: Cultivating the Jewish spiritual practice of humility first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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What part do human beings play in the revelation of Torah in the world? How do the Rabbis see their role as interpreters of Biblical text? The Torah says to count the omer from the day after the Shabbat yet… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Shavuot: From Sefirat HaOmer to Revelation: How the Rabbis Read Biblical Texts first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this podcast we will read the Biblical text and compare it with the rabbinic text in the tractate Sotah in order to highlight some significant differences between the rabbinic interpretation and Torah portion. An interesting feminine voice found in… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Parshat Naso: Uncovering the Sotah first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The midbar is both the name of the parsha as well as the setting for most of the narratives of the book of Numbers. While the word is often translated as “desert”, we will discover that it means something else… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Parshat Bamidbar: The Theme of Passage first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Unemployed, and with a bleak economic forecast, many people we know have experienced a blow to their self-esteem, and a dampening of their ability to imagine how they will regain their financial and emotional footing. What does this Torah portion… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Parshat Behar Bechukotai – Living with Compassion in a Competitive Society first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This podcast challenges traditionalists who believe “eye for an eye” always meant monetary compensation and liberals who believe that compensation is a rabbinic innovation. It does this using clues from the bible itself.
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The post 5780 — Emor: A Blind, Toothless World first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Jews have been praying for the governments of the countries they lived in since the time of the Babylonian exile. Yet the founding of a Jewish and democratic state presents a radically different relationship between the State and its citizens,… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut: The Beginning of the Flowering of our Redemption: Praying for the State of Israel first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Parshiot Acharei Mot-Kedoshim speak of a land intolerant of sin. But can a land, soils and stones, be holy? In this podcast, Rabbi Alex Israel reflects on the nature of the land of Israel’s holiness, and reflects on the holiday… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Acharei Mot, Kedoshim, Israel Independence Day: Homeland or Holy Land? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The strange skin ailment called Tzara’at, described at length in our double parsha, sounds arcane and irrelevant to our modern ears. Long ago, the ancient rabbis considered the matter, and rescued tzara’at from oblivion by making the matter not only… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Tazria-Metzora: Making the Case for Tzara’at first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This podcast is a response to current conditions throughout the world and to this week’s Biblical list of proscribed animals. In this podcast, Rabbi Elisha Ancselovits tours Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible) to discover one of the critical reasons for Biblical… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Shemini: Mutual Care, Food Proscriptions, and Permitted Locust first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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We may never have experienced this before, but our ancestors paved the way. They teach us 4 important lessons, 1. fear is real, 2. make your home a sanctuary, 3. invoke and celebrate divine protection through faith, 4. Make sure… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Pesach: Celebrating and Trusting in Divine Protection first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Sometimes it can seem that the book of Leviticus is speaking to a world which is no more. In this podcast, Rabbi Mike Feuer explores how the ‘torot,’ the practical instructions on sacrifice which lie at the heart of Tzav,… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Tzav: The Torah of drawing close first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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What do we do when angels of discomfort land on our planet? What are they calling us to do and how can we respond in a way that empowers us to create a new ‘normal’ for our lives? Revealed and… Read the rest
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This year, Shabbat Vayakhel-Pekudei is also Shabbat HaChodesh. In this podcast, Yiscah Smith discusses inner renewal, revival, and redemption from the place of disappointment, darkness and despair: the spiritual meaning of the Jewish tradition adopting a lunar-based calendar.
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The post 5780 — Shabbat HaChodesh: Cultivating the spiritual practice of hitchadshut–renewal first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this podcast, Nechama Goldman Barash links the stories of Eden and the Golden Calf, and looks at how the process of reconciliation begins in the aftermath of such a rupture. Interestingly, the same material–gold will be used to build… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Ki Tisa: Denuded of Beauty in the Aftermath of Sin first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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On the surface, Purim and Pesach have a number of things in common: 1) we drink four cups of wine on Pesach; we drink ad d’lo yada on Purim. 2) We have a festive meal on Pesach; we have a… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Purim: Purim and Pesach: So Close and Yet So Far Away first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In the special haftarah for Shabbat Zachor, Saul loses his kingship over a failure to thoroughly destroy the tribe of Amalek. Did Saul just err by leaving the king alive, or was there something more sinister happening here?
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The post 5780 — Shabbat Zachor: What did Saul Get Wrong? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The Pardes Center for Jewish Educators is proud to produce this podcast series to support and inspire tefilah education. Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield, Pardes faculty member, leads a panel of veteran educators in an invigorating discussion of how to make prayer… Read the rest
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From an irresistible page-turner throughout the Egyptian slavery, the traumatic plagues, the exhilarating exodus, and earth quaking revelation at Sinai, the Torah slows to a crawl, with a series of five Torah portions, spread over nearly 15 chapters dedicated to… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Terumah: Three Life Lessons about Furniture, Love Languages, and Silver Sockets first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Standing at the foot of Sinai should be the ultimate expression of freedom, and yet Parsha Mishpatim begins with the laws of the Hebrew slave. In this podcast, Rabbi Mike Feuer discusses why that might be, along with an exploration… Read the rest
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Following the great revelation of Sinai, God issues a series of commands that sound like a repetition! Why are they there? And how do they direct Israel to react and respond to the Sinai experience?
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When faced with their miraculous salvation at the sea, the Israelites respond as poets. Yet throughout the surrounding narrative, their reactions to events–a litany of virtually relentless complaints–demonstrates the very opposite of a poetic mindset. In this podcast, Judy Klitsner… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Beshalach: Poets with Mud on Their Shoes: The Song of the Sea and its Aftermath first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Every day of our lives we tell stories – about the small stuff, and about the big stuff of our lives. A story doesn’t have to be an impressive, heroic tale. Very often there is a significant lesson for us… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Bo: What Our Stories Tell About Us first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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After the failure of Moshe’s mission to Pharaoh to free the Israelite slaves, God indicates that He will intervene forcefully. While He had appeared to the patriarchs and matriarchs employing the name El Shaddai, He will now make his name… Read the rest
The post 5780 — VaEra: The Name El Shaddai first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This week we begin a new book–Shemot or “names.” It makes much more sense to call the book “Exodus” since most of the book describes the process of the Jewish people going from slavery to freedom–their struggle to leave Egypt… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Shemot: Who are You–What is Your Name? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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At the end of the book of Bereishit, Jacob’s life comes to an end. As Jacob moves to bless two of his grandchildren, Jacob and Joseph engage in what might be considered to be less than a smooth exchange. Then,… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Vayehi: Family Dynamics at the End of Jacob’s Life: Not What We Expected first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In parshat Vayigash there is a tantalizingly elusive reference to Serah the daughter of Asher. No other granddaughters of Jacob are mentioned and women in general are scarce from this point in the narrative until the end of the Torah.… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Vayigash: The Unusual Persona of Serah, Daughter of Asher first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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If someone pulled you out of a pit and asked if you could help, would your first answer be, not me?! Joseph’s response to Pharaoh at the beginning of our parsha can help us understand his ongoing relationship with his… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Miketz: Righteous are the foundation of the world first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In the world of Torah numbers are more than just math, they are a symbolic language which conveys meaning; and the number most deeply connected to Hanukah is the number thirty-six. Here is an exploration of the meaning hidden in… Read the rest
The post Hanukah 5780: By the Light of Thirty-six Candles first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Pardes alumna 2017, Rabbi Lisa Malik, Ph.D. & Professor Adi Wyner, Ph.D. in memory of Lisa’s beloved father, David Malik z”l, on the occasion of Sheloshim. David Malik died on 21 Cheshvan 5780 (November… Read the rest
The post 5780 — Vayeshev: Turbulence and Tranquility first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Walking With Your Inner Spirit: six opportunities, practices and encounters experiencing the Divine within.
This is a new podcast series from Yiscah Smith releasing weekly with the first episode during the first week of Hannukah 5780. Be sure to subscribe … Read the rest
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After 34 years as a fugitive on foreign soil, Yaakov returns home to resettle in his ancestral land. What makes him instigate a hazardous encounter with his brother Esav, who vowed to kill him for ‘stealing’ his blessing decades earlier? … Read the rest
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In this podcast, Yiscah Smith discusses the paradox between Yaakov’s two disparate aspirations: Are we here for ourselves or to be in service to something greater than ourselves?
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The opening verse of parsha Toldot highlights that Isaac is the son of Abraham, which is unnecessary. Rashi comments that this statement draws our attention to how events in Isaac’s life mirror those of Abraham’s. In this podcast, Rabbi Meir … Read the rest
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In this podcast Avraham is old, of advanced age, and Hashem blessed Avraham with everything. Gen 24:1. What does it mean to be fully blessed? The perspectives of the Talmud, the Sefat Emet, and the simple reading of the text.
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In this podcast we will re-read the Akedah and wonder whether the story might have ended differently, for Abraham, Isaac, Sarah and even for God, if Abraham had chosen to protest or challenge the command.
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The post 5780 — Vayera: Did Abraham Pass the Test? A Different Look at the Akedah first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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A challenging life situation becomes a ‘test’ when it requires making a difficult choice between two values that are both important to us. What are Avraham’s tests in this week’s Torah Portion that force him to painfully decide between competing … Read the rest
The post 5780 — Lech Lecha: What We Need Most When We are Tested first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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After the flood is over and Noach disembarks from the ark, he and his family are commanded by God to not consume a limb torn from a living creature and to not commit murder. Our tradition expands God’s prohibitions to … Read the rest
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The story of creation starts with repeated ‘good’ but seems to go ‘bad’ quite quickly. In this podcast, Rav Mike Feuer (host of the Jewish Story) explores a different understanding of the meanings of these simple terms in which good … Read the rest
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Listeners will focus on one metaphor in this week’s poem – Deuteronomy/Devarim ch.32 – that charts Jewish History. We find that Israel is depicted as God’s child, and God as our parent. Why? Why is the husband-wife metaphor, so common … Read the rest
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Sukkot: Four Species, Five Principles
In this podcast, Rabbi David Levin-Kruss takes the five explanations given for the four species and uses them to create modern principles of faith that emphasize multiplicity, depth, and complexity.
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Death and Life: The Meaning of Yom Kippur According to the Rabbis
What is the link between afflicting one’s soul on Yom Kippur and the day being the ultimate Shabbat? What do the Rabbis think are basic human needs? Why … Read the rest
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Vayelech and Shabbat Shuva: תשובה – Déjà Vu Perhaps?
Cultivating the spiritual practice of returning to, reclaiming & renewing a moment from our past; a moment deeply implanted in all of us at conception.
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There is no story as rich and complex, as troubling and inspiring, as Akedat Yitzchak, the binding of Isaac which is the Torah reading for the second Morning of Rosh Hashanah. Akedat Yitzhak is a great story precisely because there … Read the rest
The post 5780 Rosh Hashana — Resurrection and Rosh Hashanah: Multivalent Perspectives on the Binding of Isaac first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Nitzavim: Redemption and Return
Are we waiting for God for Redemption, or is God waiting for us? Nitzavim charts out our national redemption. We shall study two models of redemption – in Deuteronomy and Leviticus – and see how the … Read the rest
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Satan: Adversary, Tempter, Exposer of Truth
In this week’s podcast we will look at the model of reward and punishment as set out in the parashat of Ki Tavo and compare it to the model set out by Satan in … Read the rest
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A teaching on the spiritual practice of cultivating closeness with the Divine through integrating Tefilah and Talmud Torah: talking to the Divine in your own unique and authentic way causes the Divine in return to speak to you in an … Read the rest
The post 5779 — Ki Tetze: Cultivating closeness with the Divine through an ongoing private conversation first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Parsha Shoftim discusses the four institutions of communal leadership: judge, king, priest and prophet. In this podcast, Rabbi Schweiger examines the first and uses it as a springboard to discuss the question of Rabbinic authority. What powers does the Sanhedrin … Read the rest
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How do we shape a prospective on life that allows us to keep faith with our dreams and aspirations, and at the same time to recognize the world as it is, and respond to that reality in ways that are … Read the rest
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Was there one Ark of the Covenant, or two? In this podcast, Rabbi Alex Israel discusses the debate of whether there were one or two arks, and what was in them. The shiur will also uncover some surprising contemporary insights … Read the rest
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Parashat VaEtchanan is traditionally read on the Shabbat following the 9th of Av. In this podcast, Rabbi Michael Hattin considers the implications.
The 9th of Av is a national day of mourning that commemorates the destruction of the 1st and… Read the rest
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In this week’s parsha of Devarim, Moshe begins his parting words and speeches to the Jewish people, as they are poised to enter the Land of Israel. Interestingly, the first narrative he tells is the story of the spies, which… Read the rest
The post 5779 — Devarim: Navigating Conflicting Narratives–What Really Happened in the Story of the Spies? first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this podcast, Nechama Goldman Barash compares stories from the beginning of the book of Numbers with two stories at the end the book as Moses begins to bid farewell to the nation. Moses emerges as the consummate leader that … Read the rest
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The Tribes of Reuven and Gad request to reside in Transjordan and not to enter the land of Canaan. Why? This podcast offers a novel approach that speaks of the pain of rejection and insult, misunderstandings and the failure of … Read the rest
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Last week’s parsha (Balak) was a cliff hanger which left us wondering – was Pinchas a hero or a murderer? This podcast explores the covenant of peace which Pinchas receives. Along the way we learn about the power of the … Read the rest
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In this podcast we will look at the end of the Torah portion, at the going astray of the children of Israel with the daughters of Moab and what the word Zenut represents. We will compare two midrashic narratives and … Read the rest
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In this week’s Parsha, we encounter a fascinating but cryptic story – the waters of Meriva. This story seems to be a re-telling of another story that appears in Exodus, Chapter 17. Unfortunately, it has a tragic ending – G-d … Read the rest
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In this podcast, Yiscah Smith discusses the spiritual malady that Korach’s argumentative personality introduced into the nation of Yisrael, its source and the spiritual practice we need to cultivate to bring healing.
This podcast episode is sponsored by Pardes Seminar … Read the rest
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Our parsha this week deals with leadership, as 10 spies manage to sway an entire nation to reject the Promised land. Two individuals stand against the crowd. But the two are not identical. Calev and Yehoshua are very different people. … Read the rest
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Parsha BeHa’alotcha describes the only Passover sacrifice offered by the people of Israel during the course of their forty-year journey through the wilderness. But it does so out of order, because this celebration actually took place two full weeks before … Read the rest
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In this pre-Shavuot podcast, Judy Klitsner explores two paradoxical elements of the revelation at Sinai: our intimate, yet distant, relationship with God; and our special, yet not so special, place among the nations. In exploring these contradictions, we will consider … Read the rest
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Queen Heleni of Adiabene donated a golden plaque for the Temple etched with the Sota text to be copied and fed to a suspect adulteress. Is this a demonstration of sisterhood? An examination of this institution helps us see why … Read the rest
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The opening line of the book of Bamidbar seems like nothing more than an introduction, but in reality it has a profound lesson to teach. This podcast explores what it means to live in life in reference to the Divine … Read the rest
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In this podcast, Rabbi David Levin-Kruss examines how Genesis 2 and 3 and Bechukotai tell us how to create heaven on earth without falling prey to the excesses and failure of twentieth century utopian movements.
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The post 5779 — Bechukotai: Till We Have Built Eden in Israel’s Varied and Challenging Land first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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We are all familiar with the inscription on the Liberty Bell which says: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the Inhabitants.” This line, in fact, is taken from the opening section of our parsha, which outlines the laws … Read the rest
The post 5779 — Behar: The Jubilee Year: A Collective Restart first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Parshat Emor is filled with many topics. In this podcast, Rabbi Mike Feuer ties together the kohanim and the counting of the Omer in order to get us ready to stand at Sinai.
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The Torah instructs the Jewish people to “Be Holy!” But how might that be performed? In this podcast, Alex Israel discusses three approaches to this question, considering the question of withdrawal from and engagement with regular life and living.
Accompanying … Read the rest
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The Passover sacrifice is so essential to the original experience of Passover and yet now in the modern day we might feel very disconnected from it. Can studying a rabbinic dispute about the time of eating the sacrifice add to … Read the rest
The post 5779 – Passover Edition: “Eat it on this Night”- The Passover Sacrifice and the Timing of Redemption first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The book of Vayikra is filled with laws of purity and impurity which are often difficult to understand and even harder to make relevant. In this podcast, Rabbi Mike Feuer explores one verse at the end of the parsha. It … Read the rest
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Why bring a sin offering after giving birth? The Gemara suggests that is all about forgetting. Parshat HaChodesh, on the other hand, is all about remembering. Yet these parshot usually fall together in leap years. Perhaps this points to the … Read the rest
The post 5779 – Tazria/HaHodesh Selective Memory: Choosing Productive Narratives first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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This week we read a special maftir, which discusses the laws of the red heifer. The Rabbis see the red heifer as the quintessential chok–a law which is irrational and that defies our understanding. In this podcast, Rabbi Meir Schweiger… Read the rest
The post 5779 – Shemini: The Riddle of the Red Heifer — The Secret of Being Jewish first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Spiritual insights into the meaning of the verse: “Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not be extinguished.” (Leviticus 6:6) Keeping the flame burning–a Divine invitation to be in partnership, in relationship, in connection with God.… Read the rest
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Amalek’s assault on the newly-freed people of Israel looms large in our collective Biblical memory. Why did Amalek attack and why did the Torah demand that we preserve that memory forever?
Please let us know your comments and thoughts about … Read the rest
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In this podcast Rabbi Alex Israel discusses the historic drama in which God, estranged from Israel after the Golden Calf, returns to the center of the Israelite Camp. The opening line of the Parsha is “Mishkan Ha-Eidut – The Tabernacle … Read the rest
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This week’s Torah portion of VaYakhel discusses once again the Mishkan (tabernacle). In parallel, we are also reading the seasonal Shekalim portion about annual donations to the maintenance of the tabernacle or temple services. These readings raise the problem of … Read the rest
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Moses’s breaking of the Tablets is usually understood to be a result of his uncontrollable anger toward the people for building a golden calf. In the rabbinic imagination it is far more. It is at the very heart of the … Read the rest
The post Ki Tisa 5779: Shattering the Tablets: Uncovering the Meaning of Jewish Life first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Alas, many of us judge people by their appearance when we know we should not. This class examines the purpose of priestly clothing and sees what messages the clothing has as to how we can live the most productive life… Read the rest
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In this podcast we will explore the idea of the Tabernacle and what it means to create a place for God to dwell. Through three midrashic parables we will see that it is not only human beings who seek out … Read the rest
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In this week’s Parsha, the Jewish people are given a very detailed code of social laws, which begin with the laws governing a Hebrew slave. In this podcast, we will examine how the Torah allows for the institution of a … Read the rest
The post Mishpatim 5779: I Am Not Your Slave – I Only Work For You first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Who is Yitro? What drives him? We shall examine this intriguing character who on the one hand, proclaims God’s supremacy, but on the other, decides to leave the camp of Israel before the key moment of revelation. You can download … Read the rest
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After miraculously escaping slavery in Egypt, the Israelites reached the desert and complained that they had nothing to eat. The Almighty gave them the magical manna to sustain them, with a double portion on Friday. The Israelites are told to … Read the rest
The post B’Shalach 5779 – Cherishing the Gift of Shabbat first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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God brought ten plagues upon Egypt right before the Israelites exited from Egypt, right? Well, that is not quite how the Psalmist remembers it. What can we learn from the inconsistent reports of the ten plagues as recorded in different… Read the rest
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While chapters 7-9 of parsha Va’era tell a miraculous tale of Divine redemption, chapter 6 highlights the Children of Israel’s role in their own enslavement and redemption. In doing so, it forces us to reexamine the binary between strong and … Read the rest
The post Va’era 5779 – Let My People Go: From Victim and Object to Subject first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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At the opening of the book of Exodus, the children of Israel have been in slavery for hundreds of years. Parshat Shemot tells the story of the trigger of redemption–of why such a long lasting situation will suddenly change. Learn … Read the rest
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Jacob crafts his funeral in a pedantic and deliberate manner. He repeats the details of his funeral over and over. What values does he seek to transmit through these instructions and what legacy does he leave?
Please let us know … Read the rest
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Joseph is remarkable in his ability to forgive his brothers and see his years of suffering as God’s will. He and his brothers are paradigms of self-transformation. Joseph’s rapprochement with his brothers helps us to understand the connection between taking … Read the rest
The post Vayigash 5779: Shaping a Theology of Forgiveness: Joseph, Free Will and Divine Providence first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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For many of us, the festival of Hanukah is about the kindling of the hanukiah and the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days. But from a historical perspective, Hanukah was actually about the military defeat of the … Read the rest
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In contrast to the Patriarchs, Joseph and his brothers never experience G-d speaking to them, neither directly or indirectly; nevertheless, they discover G-d in their life experiences. In this podcast, Rabbi Meir Schweiger examines the transformative process that both Joseph … Read the rest
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Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash looks at the story of Yehuda and Tamar. She also examines the complex nuances of the story being told in the aftermath of the sale of Joseph by his brothers.
This podcast is sponsored by Marcia Waitzman … Read the rest
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Shimon and Levi avenge their sister’s rape by killing the inhabitants of Shechem. Was their violence justified or did they commit a massacre? In this podcast, Rabbi Israel discusses the parsha’s episode and enables us to reflect on the benefits … Read the rest
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The stories of the forefathers which make up the backbone of the Book of Bereishit can be read as a journey of prayer. This podcast touches on the various postures of prayer which they teach us, but it also speaks … Read the rest
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This week, Yiscah Smith discusses parshat Toldot: Cultivating the practice of spiritual conflict resolution between our inner Yaakov and our inner Esav–and reaching harmony through compassion, gentleness and trust.
Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, … Read the rest
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Our parsha begins with the words: “And the life of Sarah was..” , but does not tell us anything about her life other than how long she lived. It then goes on to say that when she died, Abraham came … Read the rest
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Bob Dylan’s dark song, Highway 61, is actually an extended midrash on the story of the binding of Isaac. In this podcast, Rabbi David Levin-Kruss explicates the biblical roots of the song and connects it to what was happening in … Read the rest
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In the aftermath of his defeat of the powerful eastern monarchs, Avram has a fateful encounter with two men: the king of Sodom and the king of Shalem. In that moment, destiny hangs in the balance.
Please let us know … Read the rest
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Noach is commanded to make a “tzohar” in his ark. Is that a window or a glow-in-the-dark gem? And what does it tell us about how to balance the values of developing relationships, helping others, self-protection and intimacy?
Please let … Read the rest
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In this podcast for parshat Bereishit, Yiscah Smith discusses a teaching from the Netivot Shalom, Rabbi Sholom Noach Berezovsky, the Slonimer Rebbe, d. 2000, Jerusalem. The podcast explores the spiritual and deeper meanings of the phrase “V’yehi Ohr – Let … Read the rest
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The sukkah seems like a simple construct–shade above and walls below, but it holds deep mysteries. In this podcast, Rabbi Mike Feuer explores why the Zohar calls the sukkah “the shadow of faith” and what it means when the gemara … Read the rest
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In the closing verses of this week’s parsha, Moshe is told that he will not enter the land which is destined to be the eternal possession of the Jewish people; rather he is to ascend Mount Nevo, to see the … Read the rest
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Seder HaAvodah (the Avodah Service) recalls the approach of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies and the sending off of the scapegoat into the wilderness. With the destruction of the Temple, sacrifices ceased, and the ancient rite of … Read the rest
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Parshat Vayelech describes Moses committing the “Torah” to writing. But what does the term “Torah” mean? And wasn’t the “Torah” given at Mount Sinai? And how did the Torah come to be written? Rabbi Alex Israel discusses these questions and more … Read the rest
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In this week’s parsha, it says: “For this matter is very close to you–in your mouth and in your heart to do it.” In this podcast, Rabbi Meir Schweiger examines a variety of readings of this verse to see how … Read the rest
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The text of the Torah states that Rosh Hashana should be a day of blasting–yom teruah–however, the verses do not specify what type of instrument should be sounded to create the teruah sound. From where do the Rabbis learn that … Read the rest
The post Rosh Hashana: The Shofar, a Proclamation of Equality first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Chapter 27 describes how the Israelites are to stage a mass gathering, a covenantal ceremony at Mount Eval in Canaan. This ceremony mirrors the covenant of Sinai. Why do we need a second Sinai? Might we all be in need … Read the rest
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In this week’s parsha on Ki Tetze, Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield confronts the challenge of a passage in the Torah that at first glance seems incredibly difficult. Through the lens of the Talmudic Sages and Medieval Commentaries, Rabbi Hirschfield explores the … Read the rest
The post Ki Tetze: Thoughts on a Rebellious Son, From a Rebellious Son first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Is Fiddler on the Roof a celebration of Eastern European Jewish life or sentimental kitsch? And why should we care? This podcast looks at the fallacy of living in the past and shows how Jewish law is structured to honor … Read the rest
The post Shoftim: Am I a Bad Jew if I Don’t Like “Fiddler on the Roof?” first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Throughout our parsha, the word “blessing,” or a variation thereof, appears numerous times. So, too, does the expression: “the place which G-d has chosen to establish His name therein.” In this podcast, Rabbi Schweiger examines the connection between the two … Read the rest
The post Re’eh: Seeing the Blessings in Our Lives first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The root Shema appears 92 times in the book of Devarim, suggesting an important theme-motif in Moshe’s last words to the nation before he dies. In this week’s parsha podcast on Ekev, Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash will look at some … Read the rest
The post Ekev: Learning to Listen first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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One of the deepest teaching of the Torah is hidden right at the beginning of parshat Va’etchanen. Why was Moshe pleading to enter the land when he knew the Divine decree, and what can his struggle teach us about our … Read the rest
The post VaEtchanan: The Power of Failed Prayer first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Parshat Devarim is always read on the Shabbat preceding the 9th of Av. In this podcast, Rabbi Michael Hattin discusses the chronology associated with Moshe’s final words to the people. He also examines how the tradition of Moshe’s date of … Read the rest
The post Devarim and Tisha B’Av: The Date of Moshe’s Death first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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The prophetic selections of Haftarot during the summer months are not chosen to connect with the weekly Torah portion. Their messages of chastisement and consolation revolve around the historical and religious commemorations that take place this time of year. This … Read the rest
The post Matot Masei: Even the Haftarah Brings an Important Message first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Pinchas and Eliyahu are biblical figures who are rewarded for their zealousness. For many of the later Rabbis, such zealousness is problematic, and they read a degree of rebuke into the biblical text. What results is a shift in the … Read the rest
The post Pinchas: From Superheros to Real World Heroes — Pinchas and Elijah first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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From the moment Parshat Balak opens from the viewpoint of King Balak of Moab, it is an exploration of the power of perspective. The potential and danger of seeing something from the outside, and the challenge of only seeing part … Read the rest
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Parshat Chukat reports the passing of Miriam and Aaron, the brother and sister of Moshe. In remembering some of their contributions recorded in our Torah text, Rabbi Dr. Howard Markose considers how they might be emulated by our current generation.… Read the rest
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Through a fanciful Gemara about an unsung heroine, the wife of On ben Peleth, Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy examines what it means to be a good friend, neighbor, or family member, as well as the complexity of Korah’s holiness claim. … Read the rest
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In this podcast, Yiscah Smith discusses the high value that the Jewish tradition places on bitachon atzmi–self-confidence–and being able to trust in one’s self and one’s judgment. The shiur is based on the verse in Numbers 14:24, referring … Read the rest
The post Shelach: Cultivating the Spiritual Practice of Humbled Self-Confidence first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Humility has a bad name for many modern people. Many value achievement, assertiveness, self-promotion. Even when humility is discussed it’s usually to tell us that humility is a good tool to get to something else. This class looks at why … Read the rest
The post Beha’alotecha: I’m More Humble Than You first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Parshat Naso presents us with the matter of the Nazir. As the commentaries indicate, the Nazir asks us to consider the inherent tension between living a material life in this world versus cultivating a profound spiritual awareness. In this week’s … Read the rest
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The word midbar means desert, and its root d-b-r (in Hebrew) means word. What does one have to do with the other? In this podcast, Rabbi Meir Schweiger discusses this question and, by doing so, examines how this experience was … Read the rest
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Parshat Behukotai ends with a blessing and a curse, and hidden within the words of the curse is a term which offers the power to transform one into the other. In this week’s Pardes from Jerusalem parsha podcast, Rabbi Mike … Read the rest
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Jewish tradition lauds the compassionate unconditional giving of tzedakah, while modern social justice advocates tend to emphasize policy reform. How does our parsha balance both of these imperatives as well as teach us the core values of compassion and interdependence? … Read the rest
The post Behar: Tzedakah and The Elimination of Poverty — The Jewish Way first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this week’s parsha podcast, Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels discusses Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk’s teaching on parshat Emor: he describes how we can use our Jewish life as a path of joy and compassion, finding both in our practice of … Read the rest
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The Torah calls on us to “surely rebuke thy neighbor” Are we in the 21st century comfortable with being actively critical of others? Perhaps more importantly, how are we at accepting negative feedback? Let’s take a close look at the … Read the rest
The post Acharei Mot, Kedoshim: The Art of Giving (and Receiving) Criticism first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Our double parsha is filled with details that articulate the Torah’s world of ritual purity and impurity -“Tumah” and “Taharah”. Why do we need these categorizations? How are these concepts relevant to our world? In this week’s parsha podcast on … Read the rest
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Parshat Shemini introduces us to an extended discussion of the laws of Kashrut. In this podcast, Rabbi Michael Hattin considers the interpretation of the Rambam, who understood the matter from an exclusively rational perspective.
Credits:
Larry Kluger – Creative Consultant
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Before you wear yourself out Pesach cleaning, take a few moments to prepare for the positive commandment to tell the story of the Exodus. In this week’s special podcast for Pesach, Rabbi Mike Feuer explores Rambam’s understanding of this commandment, … Read the rest
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Pardes alumna 2001-2002 Marni Mandell in memory of her beloved grandfather, Joe Hara z”l.
In Parshat Tzav, the Torah starts off talking about the burnt offering, but actually focuses on the eternal fire that … Read the rest
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The notion of sacrificial offerings was an anathema in the shaping of a modern Jewish life. These most ancient forms of divine service were understood as primitive and outmoded. To the sensibilities of modern Jews attempting to shape a modern … Read the rest
The post Vayikra Reconsidered: Study, Gift and Sacrifice first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this podcast, Nechama Goldman Barash looks at the thronging women who donated their mirrors for the basin and laver in the Tabernacle. Are mirrors merely articles of vanity or do they reveal something much deeper about ourselves?
Please note … Read the rest
The post Va Yakhel, Pekudei: Mirrors first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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Parshat Ki Tisa tells the story of the worst breakdown in relationship between Gd and Israel which we find in the Torah, and the great depth which emerges from it.
If you listen to this podcast via itunes or other … Read the rest
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This week is Shabbat Zachor, where we remember Amalek. In this podcast by Rabbi Dr. Daniel Roth, he explores who Amalek is and different interpretations as to how the struggle with them began as well as opportunities for how we … Read the rest
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In this podcast, Yiscah Smith discusses the practice of cultivating “הלב התנדבות” —the spirit of generosity— that allows for the building of one’s inner spiritual home, manifesting in the revelation of the Shechina, the Divine Presence. This shiur is … Read the rest
The post Teruma: Building a Beautiful and Unique Home for Each Individual and God to Dwell Together first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this podcast, Rabbi Alex Israel explains the wonderful history of the half-shekel annual tax, from its origins as a method to take census in Moses’ time, to a strange coin discovered by Nachmanides when he arrived in Eretz Yisrael … Read the rest
The post Mishpatim: Shabbat Shekalim — The Amazing History of the Half-Shekel first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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There are two accounts of the ten commandments – one, in our parsha, which is happening in “real” time. The other account appears in Deuteronomy, when Moshe re-tells the momentous events of Sinai to the new generation that has grown … Read the rest
The post Yitro: The Two Dimensions of Shabbat first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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In this week’s parsha podcast, Yiscah Smith focuses on cultivating the spiritual practice of seeing light in the darkness, in the pain and in the suffering. Based on a teaching by Rabbi Kalonymous Kalmish Shapiro, the Piaseczna Rebbe, from his … Read the rest
The post BeShalach: The Pillar of Fire That Provides Light and Clarity in Those Moments of Darkness and Suffering first appeared on Elmad Online Learning.
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