Devarim - Humble Blessings

What is the idea behind the fact that Hashem promises to reveal His 'two letter' name, but ultimately reveals the 'name of 72?' Why do the righteous 'say a little and do a lot?' Why did Hashem not reveal the concept of the Manna to Abraham? How could the Jewish people make the claim that they had eaten the Manna during their servitude to Pharaoh? Why does King David ask that he not have grievances to the Jewish people, and they not have grievances toward him? Why does he ask that they 'hear' or listen to him?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:44

Yisro - Hearing Hashem's Voice

What is the difference between Moshe's experience of the revelation at Sinai as opposed to the entire Jewish people's experience? Why is his experience described as 'seeing' as opposed to the Jewish people's which is described as 'hearing the voice?' Why does the Torah use the name of Hashem in the interactions with Moshe, as opposed to Elokim, which is used for the Jewish people? What are the 'seven voices' that were heard at Sinai? What is the idea that Sinai is the source of all prophecy and wisdom?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:39

Re'eh - Hearing and Transcending

Why does the Torah speak about 'seeing' and 'hearing' in the context of our free will choices? What do we learn from the 'listening' that Adam did as opposed to Avraham? What is the depth of the concept of voice, sound and hearing? How does it relate to the mitzvah of blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 26:55

Pekudei - Counting Toward Unity

Why does the Torah speak of the 'counting' of the Tabernacle, and then speak of the Tabernacle as the 'tent of testimony?' How do the concepts of counting and testimony relate? What is the significance of the word 'these' in this context? Why did the Jewish people receive 'crowns' when they accepted the Torah upon themselves? Why is the root of the word 'crowns' in this context the same as the word for 'witnesses?' Why do the bold letters in the sentence of Shema - 'hear O Israel' -spell the word 'witness?' What is the connection between hearing and testimony? Why is the word 'these' also used in the context of ingathering of the exiles?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:45

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

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

Mishpatim - Seeing and hearing

Why is the first of the Mishpatim specifically the law of the Jewish slave? What is the significance of the fact that his ear is pierced at the doorpost? Why is he reminded of what he 'heard' at Sinai, as opposed to what he 'saw?' How is he remember what he 'heard' if he wasn't there? What is the significance of his 'six' years of work? Why do the Jewish people accept the word of Hashem multiple times? Why does the first time only involve a statement of 'we will do,' as opposed to the second time where they also said, 'we will listen?' What is the significance of the twelve monuments? Why does Moshe go to sleep in the middle? What is the parallel to Yakov and his twelve sons?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Haazinu & Rosh Hashana - Bearing witness

How can the heavens and earth bear witness? Why is the Torah referred to as a song? How can a song bear witness? Why is Rosh Hashana on the only holiday on the first day of the month? Why was Adam created on this day? Why do we blow the Shofar on this day? What does the Shofar represent?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

(Running time: 20:16)