Vayechi - Double Blessings

We continue with last week's discussion in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 16:06

Moshiach times? Food for thought

I just watched the following video, and if you have the patience to watch the whole thing, it is a remarkable contrast to the craziness we have heard on the Moshiach blogosphere since its inception. I invite you to contemplate the full meaning of the video's closing.


The Fallen of World War II from Neil Halloran on Vimeo.

Vayigash - Counting to Seventy

Why does the Torah tell us there were 70 people who made up the Jewish people as they came down to Egypt, if there are only 69 enumerated? What is the underlying theme between all of the individuals who are the missing 70th? What is the depth of the fact that Dan's son Chushim was deaf, as well as an only child, yet he was blessed to have great numbers? Why is Dan's area referred to in words that have to do with the moon and the month? What was the secret of Serach, the daughter of Asher, and her longevity?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 25:58

Miketz - Wake Up Call

Why do the brothers only start speaking about their guilt in regards to the sale of Yosef when they have been released from incarceration? Why don't they think of it at the beginning? What is the depth of the idea that Yosef is telling them when he says, "Do this and live?" What does it mean to really live both in a spiritual and physical sense? How does one answer the 'wake up call?'

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 20:08

Vayeshev - Free Will Spectrum (Yosef vs. Yehuda & MBY vs MBD)

What is the difference between Yosef and Yehuda's approach to free will and our level of involvement in doing God's will? Why did the brothers say that there was a difference between the dreams of Jacob and Joseph? What character attributes did they work on to receive prophetic dreams? Where does one cross the line and find oneself in God's exacting justice? What was the deeper message of the dreams of Pharaoh's baker and his winemaker?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 24:40

Vayishlach - Distorted Reflections

Why are the three locations that the midrash says clearly belong to the Jewish people all currently being claimed by the Arabs? When we do not understand a word in Hebrew, why do we turn to other languages to understand that word? What is the significance of the city of Shechem? Why is it given to Joseph? What is the significance of its numerical value of 360? Why does the story there revolve around an issue of connection between male and female? Why does the Torah stress that Jacob came there first on his way into Israel? Why does he buy property there?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 25:58

Vayetze - Spiritual Transitions

Why does the ladder represent so many different things: the temple, Mount Sinai, four exiles? Why do the angels who destroyed sodom return here? Why were they out of commision for 138 years? Why are they all of a sudden returned to their post now? How could the angels say something wrong? What does it mean that Hashem hovers over the ladder or Yakov?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 21:04

Toldos- Choosing Greatness

Why did Isaac's vision become weak in his old age? Why would people say that Esav's evil reflects poorly on him? Why did the angels cry at the binding of Isaac? What do our sages mean when they say that Isaac 'looked at the divine presence' in an inappropriate way at the binding? What does Rebecca mean when she refers to what Jacob did when he stole the blessings as if he did it himself? Didn't she push him to do it and take the responsibility for it?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:38

Chayei Sarah - Laying Claim to Israel

Why do the children of Ishmael and Canaan lay claim to Israel specifically in front of Alexander the Great? Why do the responses come from Gevia the hunchback? Why does Alexander feel drawn toward Jerusalem? Why does he want to enter the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount? What does it mean that Abraham blessed Isaac 'with everything?' Why did he send the others away from Isaac?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:47

Yosef & Yesh Tikvah

It was recently that I remembered that two different important events for me were connected. In 2011, I was zoche to visit Kever Yosef three times. The last time I went was on December 27, 2011, which was Rosh Chodesh Teves. Here's a little clip from that day.

It was exactly two weeks later at the very middle of the month of Teves that I composed and wrote the first draft of the song "Yesh Tikvah." Looking back, it feels like they are connected. The idea of being in darkness and facing it with faith and the knowledge that there is hope is certainly what Yosef represents to me.

As we have watched Kever Yosef be a point of destruction and rebuilding over and over, it must serve as a source of chizzuk for us that we will rise from all the challenges, and the very difficulties themselves will build a greater future for us.

Here's a video from Arutz 7 of the rebuilding of Kever Yosef after the recent destruction.

Vayera - Formed Through Fire

Why does the Torah deem it important for us to hear the story of Sarah's abduction? Why does it happen immediately before she conceives with Yitzchok? Why does the story repeat itself on two different occasions, and what is the significance of each? Why does intense good need to be preceded by intense challenge?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 23:25

Lech Lecha - Abraham's War and the Final War

What is the importance of the story of the war of the five kings vs. the four kings? What do our sages mean when they say that the war was about killing Abraham? Why does Abraham not accept the people of Sodom into his own care? What is the connection between this and the story the midrash tells about R' Eliezer ben Hurkenus? How does that war parallel the final war of Gog Umagog?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 25:23

Noach - Invisible Unity

Why does the Torah leave out most of the story of generation of the dispersion without even giving details about their sin? Why does the Torah leave out the beginnings of Abraham and his philosophical war with the idolators of his generation? Why does Abraham begin his preaching by smashing the idols into pieces? Why is dispersion the appropriate punishment for that generation's rebellion against God?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 24:52

Succos - Waters of Appreciation

What is the concept of water? Why does it come into play so much during Succos? How does it relate to the clouds of glory? How does it relate to the Lulav and the Succah (schach)? What is the connection between drawing the water to be offered on the mizbe’ach and ‘drawing’ Divine Inspiration? How does being engulfed in the Divine Presence create love? How is that reflected in Moshe’s bracha to Binyomin in v’zos habracha?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:42

Haazinu-Succos - Song of Joy

How does the concept of the song move from one of repentance to one of joy? How is that manifest as we move from Yom Kippur into Succos? How is the Torah brought from a higher realm to be accessed here below? How does this parallel the aspect of song? Where do we find this idea in the holiday of Succos?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 19:45

Vayelech-Yom Kippur - Song of Repentance

What is the concept of the song of Haazinu? If it is filled with words of rebuke, how can it qualify as a song? What is special about Yom Kippur which draws even the most unaffiliated Jew back to the synagogue? What is the communal song of forgiveness that we all sing on Yom Kippur? How can we sing this song to all those we encounter?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 19:13

Nitsavim - Rosh Hashana - Connecting to Spiritual Essence

What is the significance of the fact that we stand before Hashem 'Today?' What does it mean that the day is 'sometimes dark and sometimes light?' Why is unity the prerequisite for redemption? What is the secret for achieving unity and breaking barriers? What is the meaning of the teaching that the Jewish people existed before time, in the present and in the future? How does one attach to the spiritual essence denoted by this timelessness?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running Time: 19:57

Ki Savo - Deep Listening

What is the understanding of our Sages statement that in the spiritual realms 'only a vessel that is full can hold more?' What is the concept of the word 'Amen?' Why does one merit to say Amen in the next world if one says Amen in this world? Why does one merit to 'hear the voice' in the future world if one 'hears' the Torah in this world? What is the depth of the concept of hearing?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 21:55

Ki Seitze - Intuition and Transcendence

Why does the Torah only tell us the reward for two out of the 613 commandments? Why does it specifically tell us by honoring parents and sending away the mother bird? What is the deeper understanding of the idea of sending away the mother bird when taking the eggs or chicks? How does one access the light of transcendence without being blinded by its' light? How is the intuitive faculty a reflection of that light? How does this idea manifest in the days of the week?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 25:55

Shoftim - King of Israel

What is the concept of a Jewish king? Why does the Torah command us to appoint a king, while it seems that it was not a good thing when the Jews asked for a king in the times of Samuel? Why do we pray three times daily for the king messiah, if the midrash states explicitly that we ultimately want God alone to be our king?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:27

Re'eh - Israel - Mind of the World

Why does the Torah constantly connect the keeping of the commandments with the land of Israel? Why do we spend the ten weeks leading up to Rosh Hashana reading Moshe's speech at the threshold of Israel? Why do we focus on the destruction and future rebuilding of Israel during this time? Why does the Torah refer to God's divine providence in Israel as 'the eyes of God?' Why is Rosh Hashana called the 'head of the year' as opposed to the 'beginning of the year?'

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 24:49

Ekev - Accessing the Supernatural

Why does the midrash need to 'prove' that Hashem is trustworthy in His promises? What is the idea behind the promises being fulfilled such that we receive the fruits in this world, and the principle in the next? What is the proof of Hashem's trustworthiness from the righteous, like R' Pinchos ben Yair and R' Shimon ben Shetach? What is the deeper message of the supernatural events that are promised by the Torah for keeping the law, and those that surrounded the stories of R' Pinchos ben Yair?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:06

Va'eschanan - Staying Connected to God

What are the two modes of our relationship with Hashem? What is the path into ecstatic experience of God? How does one find God in the mundane - 'whenever we call out to Him?' Why is God's name 'Elokim' in the plural form? What is the concept of dew?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 24:18

Devarim-Tisha B'av - Rectifying a Splintered Reality

Why did Moshe translate the Torah into 70 languages if the Jewish people at that time only spoke Hebrew and Egyptian? What is the curative power of the Torah? How does the Torah transport a person to the World to Come? How did Moshe go from a person who was 'not a man of words' to being able to speak 'all of these words?' Why is this parsha read before Tisha B'av? Why don't we learn Torah on Tisha B'av?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:21

Matos-Masei - Good Subsumes Evil

Why did Joshua only live to be 110 years old as opposed to Moshe who lived until 120? Why did Moshe want to see the 'revenge' of the Jewish people on Midian before his death? What does the word nekama (revenge) really mean? What is the difference between seeing and hearing?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 25:19

Pinchas - Leadership by Example

Why does Bilaam direct Balak to cause the Jewish people to sin through immoral behavior with the daughters of Midian? What was the character of the leadership of Doson and Aviram in the rebellion of Korach? How does the same principle apply for good, as expressed in the leadership of Joshua?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 18:24

Balak - Amalek, Israel and Moshiach - who is Amalek today?

Why is the verse that speaks about the 'tents of Jacob' immediately before the verse that speaks of the destruction of Agag, king of Amalek? What is represented by the number 72? How does Amalek manifest as the counter-force to the Jewish people? Who is Amalek today? How do we 'fight' Amalek in our times?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:29

Chukas - The Gift of Love

What was the difference if Moshe spoke to the rock or struck the rock in order for it to bring forth water? How does that affect the learning of Torah to this day? How does speaking connote love, while striking connotes judgment? How does one reach the level of love in one's relationship with Hashem?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running Time: 21:33

Korach - Women's Wisdom

What was the difference between the wife of On ben Peles as opposed to the wife of Korach? What is the secret to getting through the challenges the come along in relationships? How can one apply this to one's own life?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running Time: 15:37

Shlach - Releasing Fear and Bias

What was at the root of the mistake of the spies? What was the Jewish people's mistake in sending them? Why were Caleb and Joshua different? What are the signs of a true agent? How does one deal one's naturally occurring bias and fear?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 21:42

Behaaloscha - Earning the Free Gift

Why does Hashem ask us to light the Menorah - does He need our light? What is the significance of Aharon's fear of unworthiness in serving Hashem? Why did Moshe tell him 'this is why you were chosen?' If we were given free choice in order to choose the good and earn a relationship with Hashem, why do we seem to find that we are expected to realize that we can not earn that relationship?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 21:12

Nasso - Protecting the Blessings

What is the concept of Blessings? Why do they need protection? What does it mean that the 'vessel that holds blessings is peace?' Why did the priestly blessings take a different form in Temple? Why does the form of the blessings increase at it goes along? Why did Isaac want to give the blessings to Esau? How does one make proper use of one's blessings?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 23:24

Bamidbar-Shavuos - Destination Within the Journey

Why is the parsha of Bamidbar always read right before the holiday of Shavuos? What is the parallel between the journey of the Jewish people through the wilderness and the counting from Pesach to Shavuos? What is greater - the traveling and counting or reaching the destination? What is the paradox of counting or journeying toward a specific goal?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 18:14

Behar-Bechukosai - 50,000 Years of the World

What is the 'secret' of the Shmitah and Jubilee years? How do they correspond to the 50,000 year cycle that the world will last for? How does the Yovel (Jubilee) correspond to Shavuos, which is on the 50th day? What is the difference between the concepts of six and seven (Moshiach ben Yosef and Moshiach ben Dovid) as opposed to the eighth and fiftieth? Why couldn't Moshe get into Israel? Why couldn't he perceive the fiftieth gate of intuition? Why is exile the punishment for not keeping Shmitah and Yovel?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 23:14

Emor - Secret of the Omer Offering

What is the depth of the Omer offering? Why do we count 'the omer' instead of counting the weeks, or counting up to receiving the Torah? What are the 'evil winds' and 'evil dew' that we hope to counteract with the waving of the Omer? What is the connection between the omer and the Sotah (wayward wife)? How does the barley flour offering serve to bring peace between man and wife? Why is the Omer the merit to inherit the land of Israel and for numerous redemptions that occurred to the Jewish people?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:39

Acharei-Kedoshim - Who's Holier?

What is the concept of holiness? What does it mean when the midrash says that Hashem takes one crown of holiness for Himself and gives two crowns of holiness to the Jewish people? Why does another midrash seem to imply that Hashem's holiness is greater? What can one do if one has fallen in to sin in order to rectify his misdeed?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 24:19

Tazria-Metzora - Beyond Process

Why does the Torah skip the process between conception and birth - why mention conception at all? Why is the concept of the seven days the mother is impure immediately followed by the concept of the eighth day of the bris? Why is the creation of Adam so relevant to this idea, and what is the significance of his soul being created on day one, as opposed to his body on day six of creation? What is the depth of the idea that both originally and in the future, conception and birth will happen without a nine month process?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running Time: 24:15

Shmini - Quiet Love

What is the difference of approach between Moshe and Aharon when Nadav and Avihu die? How does each of their approaches parallel the path of Yosef and Yehuda (and Moshiach ben Yosef vs. Moshiach ben Dovid)? If one is in a place of grace, as in the way of Moshiach ben Dovid, does that mean that one does not act any longer? How does one approach the tragedies that befall him or her in life?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:22

Tzav - Poor Man's Offering

What is the power of the poor man's prayer? How does his prayer rise from a place of constriction to a place of expansion? What is the power of the Tzaddik-righteous individual who resides in expanded consciousness but also touches constriction? How do we find the tzaddik and poor man within ourselves?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 21:21

Vayikra - Prophetic Paradox

Why was Prophecy suddenly limited to being experienced in the Tabernacle? What is the significance of the special nature of Moses' prophecy? Why does the midrash end with talk of the future, when all will experience prophecy? What is the difference between the revelation at the burning bush and the revelation in the Mishkan (Tabernacle)? Why was prophecy originally more widespread then it became after the Tabernacle was erected?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 23:28

Vayakhel-Pekudei - Silencing the Scoffers

What is the problem with admitting to old sins? Why was Moshe silent when some of the people of Israel said that Hashem would not return His divine presence to His people? Why was there three months from the time that the material of the Mishkan was completed until it was erected? Why was it erected specifically in Nissan? Why was it constructed in the winter months? Why was it done with special Divine assistance?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 20:40

Tetzaveh - Moshe and Aharon

Why does the parsha of the menorah, which is lit by Aharon, as well as the clothing of the Kohen Gadol and Kohanim, immediately precede the parsha of Ki Sisa which speaks about the sin of the Golden Calf? If Aharon was involved in that sin, why was he allowed to serve in the mishkan? Why is Moshe's name not found in this week's parsha? What is the significance of the fact that the parsha centers around Aharon and leaves out Moshe? What is the significance of the clothes of the Kohanim?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 19:49

Terumah - Giving Back

Why did Hashem give righteous individuals gems alongside their Manna? What value were they to the righteous if they were just to be given as a donation to the Mishkan-Tabernacle? Why was it necessary for Jacob to instruct his children to prepare items which would be used more than two hundred years later in the construction of the Tabernacle? Why does a child learn the entire Torah in the womb, if that child will forget it all when he comes into the world?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running Time: 23:48

Mishpatim - Borrowing Power

Why does the Torah ask us not to charge interest when we lend money? What does the midrash mean when it says that all of Hashem's creations 'lend to each other?' Why does the midrash choose the many symbols it does, amongst them - moon and stars, day and night? What is the concept of money and lending of one's money?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:58

Yisro - All is One

Why does the Torah preface the Ten commandments with the statement that God spoke 'all' of these matters? What is the concept of kol - all? What does it mean that the entire Torah is included in the ten commandments and that all ten are included in the first commandment? How are we to understand the multiple facets of reality that seem to be both good and bad, yet are all included in God manifesting in reality?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 24:21

Beshalach - Singing Redemption's Song

Why do he Jewish people sing? What is the concept of song? What is the power of the shofar? What does the verse mean when it says that God is with His bride (Israel) from Lebanon and returning? What is the song that is sung on the mountain of Amana?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running Time: 20:45

Bo - Conserving Spiritual Power

What is the aspect of the 'First Born' as represented by the people of Israel? How is it counteracted by Amalek, which is 'first of the nations?' How does one maintain continuity in the face of what seems to a setback in one's spiritual achievements? Why do we preface our prayers with a mention of the exodus and the destruction of the first borns?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running Time: 18:27

Va'era - Surmounting Challenges

What is the parallel between the experiences of the Jewish people in the Exodus and the experience of every individual Israelite? How does one face off with and surmount the challenges that continuously arrive? What is the power of prayer and how does it partner with the power of commitment?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running Time: 19:49

Shemos - Slaying the Snake

When Moshe doubts the Jewish people will believe him, why does Hashem tell him to throw down his staff? What is the symbolism of the staff? What is represented by its transformation into a snake? What is the unique power of the tzadik (which is contained in all of us) which transforms the snake back into a staff?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 16:33

Vayechi - Hastening the End of Days

What is the goal of Yakov when he gathers his sons? Why is he unable to reveal the End? Why does his rebuke to Reuven, Shimon and Levi involve a directive to be careful about being hasty? What is the difference between Asifa-gathering and Kibbutz-gathering? How does waiting for the end paradoxically hasten its arrival?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running Time: 20:20