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