Succos - The Mitzvos We Love

Why was Rabban Gamliel willing to spend 1000 zuzim on his Lulav and Esrog set, the equivalent value of 500 goats? Why did the people of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) walk around all day holding their set of arba minim (4 species)? Why did King Solomon indicate that he could not understand the concept of the arba minim? How do the four species represent the different aspects of the Jewish people? How do they correspond to the four letters of Hashem's holy name? What can we think about as we perform the mitzvos we love?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Bitachon 130 - Leave the Linear

We discuss a midrash that speaks of the difference between the 'linear' world, where everything is 'predetermined' and the transcendent realm - which involves Torah and Mitzvos - where financial matters related to them are fluid and expansive.

CLICK HERE to listen to the audio

Running time: 21:20 

Haazinu-Yom Kippur - Lend Your Ear

How do the concepts of Heaven and Earth correspond to the human being that is composed of soul and body? What is behind the Midrash's statement that because Moshe 'lent his ear' to hear what the Torah said, therefore the Heaven and Earth were silenced when Moshe spoke? What are the boundaries that Hashem set for the world, and how does it ingrain awe in us when those boundaries are broken? How does the Tzadik's ability to bend nature serve to give us more fear of Heaven? How does all of this relate to Yom Kippur?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 29:00

Bitachon 129 - Trust in a Good Judgment

We explore a Midrash that explains the first pesukim of chapter 27 that we have been learning for the last few weeks, and it does so in the context of the days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur which have a special relationship to Bitachon and trust in a good judgment.

CLICK HERE for the audio

Running time: 20:22

Rosh Hashana - Day of Hashem's Mercy

Why did Hashem make the day of reckoning for the world to be on the day of Adam's creation? How was the decree of Adam after his sin reflective of Hashem's mercy? What does the Shofar represent and what is the meaning of the root Sh-F-R - 'beautify' - as it applies to the Shofar and to Rosh Hashana? Why is the Shofar shaped in such a way as to be thin on one side and wide on the other? How does the Shofar cause Hashem to leave His throne of judgment and sit on His throne of Mercy?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 28:46

 

Bitachon 128 - Hashem Strenthens Your Heart

We continue studying the final passuk in Tehillim ch 27 which speaks of strengthening our confidence in Hashem, and we discover that when we try our best to strengthen our Bitachon, Hashem responds by strengthening us in return.

CLICK HERE to listen to the audio

Running time: 22:03

Nitsavim-Vayelech - Walk Through the Gate

What is the concept of the blessing we make before and after studying Torah? What is the difference between Torah study and the study of all other intellectual pursuits? What is the secret of the Queen bee and how does it relate to Torah study? How do we merit blessings in our lives? How do we approach the study of Torah, which seems to be so vast and intimidating at times? How do we begin a life of lasting change?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 26:39

Bitachon 127 - Hope to Hashem

We explore the last passuk of L'Dovid Hashem Ori which speaks of how we are to 'hope to Hashem, strengthen our hearts, and hope to Hashem.' In understanding this we speak about a few points - among them: that prayer and Bitachon go hand in hand, as the prayer reinforces my belief that all my needs come from Hashem. The second is that the Bitachon and prayer of a person, even when it's not immediately answered, serves to reinforce the Bitachon itself. A third is that our prayers need to be real - with our hearts, and they need to be directed to the location of the Holy of Holies.

CLICK HERE to listen to the audio

Running time: 22:23

Ki Savo - Rain, Livelihood, Resurrection

Why do the concepts of Rain, Livelihood and Resurrection of the dead all have the word 'opening' used in their contexts? What do these three things have in common? Why do we mention that Hashem brings rain in the context of the second bracha of Shemoneh Esrei, which speaks of Him bringing the dead to life? Why do we ask for the blessings upon the earth and grains to grow, but not really speak directly about livelihood? What is the song that is related to the falling of the rain and the resurrection of the dead?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 25:07