Toldos - Simplicity and Trickery

Why did Yakov need to obtain the blessings of Esav through trickery? How do we understand this in light of Yakov's unique attribute being Emes-Truth? What is the idea of Yakov's appearance being the same as Adam's? Why is the snake described as being 'crafty?' How does one properly employ the ideas of simplicity and trickery?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 22:12

Vayishlach - Shimon and Levi

This week's podcast is dedicated in memory of Eliyahu ben Aharon and Pinchos Ben Yakov by Arthur Shisman. Why are Shimon and Levi referred to as the 'sons of Yaakov?' Why are they called the 'brothers of Dinah?' What is the true concept of a brother or sister? How were they so sure they would conquer the city of Shechem? What is the meaning of the Yaakov capturing the city with his sword and bow? Why do the nations of the world threaten to take away any gains the Jewish people make in the land of Israel?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 25:06

Vayetzei - Purifying Challenges

Why does Yaakov face the challenge of Esav, his brother who wants to kill him, then run off to Lavan's house and face the new challenge of another difficult character? Why do the matriarchs have such difficulties - both with each other and with Yaakov? Why does Leah stop being able to conceive when Yehuda is born? Why does the Torah (and history) abound with descriptions of suffering on the part of the Jewish people?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 24:57

Toldos - Chamber of Exchanges

Why does Yaakov have to trick Esav to give him the spiritual firstborn rights? Why does he have to trick his father Yitzchak to get the blessings? Why didn't Hashem just cause Yaakov to be born first? Why was Yosef a younger brother when he, too, could have been born earlier and avoided the trouble? How could justify 'stealing' the blessings? What is the concept of the 'chamber of exchanges?'

Find out in this week's parsha podcast

Running time: 24:06

Mishpatim - Preparatory Angel

Why does Hashem inform the Jewish people of their future in the very midst of the revelation at Sinai? Is the angel who will lead them in the future a positive or negative force? What is the reassurance to Jacob that he can 'ascend the ladder' and that he will never fall, if the Jewish people could sin and fall? What is the significance of the angel's presence in the blessings and in times of trouble?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 25:11

Vayechi - War of Gog Umagog

What is the parallel between the blessings of Jacob and that which occurs on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur? Why do the 10 tribes gather to the portions of Yehuda and Benjamin? Why do they need to 'show honor to Judah and Benjamin?' What is the idea of there not being 'any arguments' as a prerequisite for the advent of the Messianic age? Why did Jacob reveal the idea of the War of Armageddon to his sons? Why does this war center around Jerusalem? Why was all this revealed in the context of the revelation of the unique attributes of each tribe?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:31

Vayishlach - Rising Above Angels

How can we understand the contrast between when Jacob returns to Israel and battles with the angel, as opposed to when he left Israel and just passively observed them climbing and descending the ladder? What is the depth of the idea of the name of Esav's angel, which denotes 'blinding?' Why does Jacob have all these traumatic experiences on his return to Israel? Why is the battle with the angel in the center of the description of his encounter with Esav - before he even meets him? Why did Jacob 'remain behind by himself?' Why did this bring about the struggle with the angel? What is the meaning of the midrash's statement that 'all the Hashem will do in the future, the righteous do in this world?'

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 24:44

Vayetzei - Drawing Hashem into the Darkness

What is the idea of the vow that Jacob makes as he leaves the land of Israel? Why does he ask for such basic things - bread and clothing? What is the understanding of R' Bachya's teaching that he received much more than bread and clothing? What is the depth of R' Yeshoshua's explanation to the proselyte that when Hashem promises 'bread and clothing' it means Torah and eternal spiritual life? What is the connection between Jacob's vow and all future vows of the people of Israel? What is the connection between Jacob's vow and the future redemption of the Jewish people?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:44

Korach - You Can Have It All

Why does Korach indicate that he is looking for social equality, if he really wants to take over as high priest? Why does the midrash indicate that he wanted to be the prince of the family of Kehos, if Moshe seems to indicate he was after the high priesthood? Why does Moshe tell the Levites that they already 'have much' - isn't it good to want a lot when it comes to spiritual matters? What do our sages mean when they say that in the spiritual realm 'a full vessel is one that holds, and an empty vessel can not hold?' Why does Esav say 'I have a lot,' while Yaakov says, 'I have it all?'

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:29

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

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

Masei - Warring for Israel

Why do the thirty one kings desire to fight in the war on Sisera's side against the people of Israel? Why are they willing to do it for free? What does it mean that they 'thirst to drink of the waters of Israel?' Why did Jacob, Moses and King David run away from their enemies? When is it time to run, and when is it time to fight? What is the secret power of the Jewish people when they reach the amount of 600,000?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:14

Mishpatim - Redeeming Truth From Darkness

Why does a thief have to pay double if he steals, and four or five times if he slaughters and sells the animal he stole? How does falsehood dress itself up as truth? What is the amazing power of Truth to dispel the darkness? How does one access Emes L'amito - the True-Truth?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 20:24

Vayechi - Blessings and Prayers

What is the general concept of a blessing? Why do I need to go to a tzaddik to get a bracha? What does a bracha do for me more than I already have, and why can’t I access it myself? When Yaakov gives the brachos, is he just stating a fact as to the nature of that person, or his he drawing down some spiritual reality upon that person? Why do these brachos come when the tzaddik is about to die, as we also see with Yitzchak? What is the deeper concept of prayer? How is prayer connected to blessings?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 22:05

Vayeshev - Yaakov and Yosef

Why does Joseph seem to have so much charisma with everyone except for his own family? Why does the Torah place the story of Joseph immediately after the enumeration of the generations of Esau? What is the significance of the numerous parallels between the life of Jacob and Joseph? What is the concept of the all inclusive aspect, as it is reflected in Jacob and Joseph?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 24:08

Vayishlach - Truth of the Soul

Why does Yaakov return for the pachim ketanim - the small jugs? Why does the angel fight with him at that very moment? What is the difference between Esav's statement 'yesh li rav,' - I have a lot - and Yaakov's statement, 'yesh li kol,' - I have it all? Why is Yaakov's name changed to Yisrael at this point, after all his children are born? What is the concept of 'Yisrael' in this context? What is the difference between the enumeration of Esav's progeny as 'nefashos' - souls, as opposed to Yaakov's progeny as 'nefesh' - one soul?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 18:07

Vayetzei - Synthesis of Opposites

What is the significance of the contrast between Rebecca coming to Israel to marry Isaac, as opposed to Jacob going to Charan to marry Rachel and Leah? Why is it as 'hard' for Hashem to create matches between men and women as it is for Him to split the sea? Why did Jacob remove the rock covering the well and push it down into the earth? What does the rock represent? What is the 'wondrous work' that we thank Hashem for after we use the facilities?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 24:09

Toldos - Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov

How do we see a reference to all three patriarchs in the first verse of the parsha? What does the midrash mean when it says that Avraham was saved from the fire in the merit of his grandson Jacob? What does the midrash mean when it says that all of the patriarchs were referred to as Israel? What are the unique character traits of each of the patriarchs, and how do they relate to their experience in the land of Israel?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 22:09

Moshiach podcast 13 - Secret of Thirteen

We uncover the secret of the thirteenth aspect. There is a higher aspect of it, which is represented by Yaacov, and a lower aspect, as it is revealed in the lower realms, which is represented by Yosef. We explore how this applies to the tribes and the leap year, why it is necessary, and what this means for the Moshiach ben Yosef process. We also explore why it is impossible to guess the date when Moshiach will reveal himself.

Here is the thirteenth Moshiach Podcast.

Running time: 37:29

Vayigash - deep tikkun

What is the root of the problem that caused Yosef to go down to Egypt? What is the deep tikkun that is accomplished through the entire story?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 16:23