Pinchas - Humble Leadership

What prompted Moshe to ask Hashem to appoint a leader over the Jewish people for when he would leave the world? Why was Joshua appointed instead of Moshe's sons? What was special about the fact that Joshua would 'arrange the benches and the mats' for Moshe's students? Why were the sages of Joshua's generation embarrassed as a result of Joshua's accomplishments? Who is a truly wise person?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 27:19

Vayikra - Heed the Call

What is the significance of Moshe's not entering the Mishkan when the cloud fills it? Does he do that because he's unable to enter, or because he chooses not to enter? What is the pattern of Moshe's standing back, and why is he chosen for this trait? How can we use this idea in our own lives?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 21:58

Chayei Sarah - Surrender and Sacrifice

Why is the description of the Akeida (Binding of Isaac) and Rivka's birth juxtaposed to Sarah's death? Why is it so hard for Avraham to purchase the location for Sarah's burial? Why must he pay top dollar? Why does Eliezer have to go so far to find a wife for Yitzchak? Why is it that in the merit of Avraham overcoming his mercy, he is able to ask Hashem to overcome His judgment?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 21:48

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

Metzora - Pride and Humility

What are the seven sins that result in tzara'as - spiritual leprosy? What was the sin of the daughters of Zion? Why did they originally focus on the Jewish young men, and ultimately end up with the 'generals of the enemy?' Why did R' Yanai need the spiritual teaching of the 'peddler' if he was already spiritually advanced? What is the contrast between R' Yanai and the daughters of Zion?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:46

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

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

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

Noach - Revealing Hidden Kindness

What is the difference between Noach and Moshe? Why is Moshe's generation saved while Noach's is destroyed? What is the concept of the secret hidden kindness of Hashem that keeps the world functioning despite people's distance from Him? How does one access that kindness?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 18:53

Shlach - Letting Go Of Results

Why is the rectification for the sin of the spies forty years in the wilderness which correspond to the forty days they traveled through Israel? How does this fit the crime? What was behind the spies assumption that the Jewish people could not overcome the inhabitants of Israel? How does the concept of humility play itself out in this story?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 22:55

Behaaloscha - Shining God's Light

Why does Hashem command the Jewish people to light candles in the Tabernacle if God does not need our light? What is the significance of the 'pure olive oil' that is used to light the menorah? Why does Moshe have to find it so difficult to form the shape of the menorah from gold? How does the lighting of the menorah serve to impress the nations of the world?

Find out in this week's parsha podcast.

Running time: 20:27

Acharei-Kedoshim - Balancing Spiritual and Physical

Why does the Torah preface the avodah of Yom Kippur with the mention of the death Aharon's sons, Nadav and Avihu? Why does the high priest keep changing his garments during his service on Yom Kippur? If the white garments represent absolute humility, why doesn't he wear them the whole time? If the gold garments represent judgment, why does he wear them at all? Why does the high priest fluctuate in his service between the Holy of Holies and the main area of the sanctuary? What is the concept of Koach Hamoshech - the pulling force, and koach hamachriach - the pushing force? How does one bring these into balance?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 19:43

Shmini - Accessing the Transcendent

What is the depth of the idea of the loss of the students of R' Akiva between Pesach and Shavuos? Why do Nadav and Avihu die during the great joy of the dedication of the Mishkan? What was the significance of the fact that they did not ask Moshe and Aharon for advice? What is the aspect of the eighth day? And the count to fifty? What is the secret aspect of humility that nullifies everything and allows one access to the realm of fifty, the realm of eight, the world of Beriyah, the world of the throne, a world beyond time, a world of love and perfection?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 22:14

Ekev - Divine Advice

How does one approach the problem of becoming confused and believing that he has accomplished on his own? How does one realize that it is really Hashem who has given the advice to his heart? Why does the Torah repeatedly refer to the merit and love Hashem has for the forebears of the Jewish people?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 24:02

Matos Masei - Vows, Humility and Unity

Why does the Torah speak only briefly about the vows of a man, and then speak at length about the vows of women? What is the deeper understanding of the Torah's teaching that are women's vows beholden to their father or husband? What is the greatest manifestation of Hashem in our world? How do we align ourselves with His humility? What is the balance between giving space and still seeking a relationship?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 27:13

Haazinu & Yom Kippur - Transitions

Why is Moshe not buried in Eretz Yisrael? Why are his siblings Aharon and Miriam also not allowed to be buried in Israel? What is the concept of forty in this context? Why is Moshe Rabenu's grave impossible to access?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 23:16

Shoftim - The judge's example

What is the 'strength' that the Judge must show? How does one develop the humility that others will be drawn to? What is the difference between the 'honor of kings' and 'the honor of Hashem?' What is the secret of the 'pause' that is the first step in the process of teshuva?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 22:04

Matos - humility and redemption

Why does Moshe forget a law? Why does he give Elazar Hakohen the chance to say the law? Why is it necessary for Elazar to quote Moshe by name? What is the concept of bringing redemption by quoting in someone's name? Why did Esther wait until the second party to cause Haman's downfall? Why was the point of redemption when Mordechai was honored? What is the connection between these two stories?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 22:15

Bimidbar - Lesson of the wilderness

Why are the Jewish people counted? What does the midrash imply by telling us how each of the names of the nesi'im had to do with some essential aspect of his tribe? Did they have any personality of their own? Why was it specifically hinted to in their names? What is the significance of the concept of the midbar? Why are the Jewish people forged as a nation in the wilderness? Why is it necessary to have these nesi'im as a prerequisite to the counting?

Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Running time: 18:40

PS I have not forgotten about the Moshiach podcast on current events. I have been extremely busy finishing Sheves Achim 2, which is now complete, so I hope to get to it soon, be'H.

Yosef's credentials

Rav Chaim Friedlander asks some incisive questions in regards to the story of Yosef's rise to power, that I believe are very instructive as to what we can expect from a true king of the Jewish people.

He points out that it is remarkable that Yosef was raised to the unbelievable height of power as Egypt's second in command in such a short span of time. He had just come out of jail to attempt an explanation for Paroh's dream, and within moments of giving him a satisfactory answer, he was made the leader of the land. How did Paroh have the confidence in Yosef to give him this position so quickly? Was Yosef the only intelligent person that was around? Giving a good 'pshat' in a dream seems a highly unlikely impetus for such a high-ranking position to be obtained. How do we understand this?

As the story continues, there is continued reason to be amazed. It is clear that the people of Egypt were completely ready (at Pharaoh's command) to do whatever Yosef requested of them. In the end, they willingly chose to be slaves to satisfy Yosef's demands. What was the reason for Yosef's mesmerizing power of the people?

Rav Friedlander notes that if one were to try to figure out how to take control of a group of people so that they would be completely subservient to their ruler, there is only one way to do so where the people serve willingly. This can be accomplished only if the ruler exhibits completely and honestly that he has no concern for himself, and that he is totally dedicated to the needs of his people.

As Yosef entered Paroh's court, the first thing Paroh said was, "I have heard you can hear a dream and interpret it."

Yosef could easily have responded and said, "Yes it is true."

Instead, he took no credit, but rather gave it to Someone else - Hashem. By continuously doing so, he showed that he was not looking for self-aggrandizement, but was truly a servant-leader. Everything Yosef did saw success, because Yosef was never looking for his own benefit, rather for the benefit of others.

In fact, at the end of the story, we find that Paroh specifically tells Yosef to send gifts to his father. Why was it necessary? The meforshim explain that Yosef was so careful never to touch anything that was not his, that if Paroh had not commanded him, he would not have sent anything to his father!

If we want to know what Moshiach will look like, we need look no further than Yosef himself, who was the quintessential Moshiach ben Yosef. His motivation was purely to act as a facilitator for others' benefit, to bring Hashem's goodness to the world and specifically to the Jewish people. Moshiach will have no thought of himself, and will only look to benefit others. He will have a tremendous חן, all will make themselves subservient to him, because they will know that he truly is subservient to them.