KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Gender Differences in Halakha Part 1, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela

Parshat Vaera with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Did Hashem Really Take Away Pharaoh's Free Will? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - There's No "Retirement" from Religious Growth #3 - Midrash - Promise Made and Promise Kept - The Different Names of Hashem #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - Freedom from Slavery and a Slave Mentality - A Profound Insight from the Sefas Emes #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - The 4 Cups of Wine @ The Pesach Seder #6 - Sparks of Mussar - Mishkal HaChassidus and Seeing the "Bigger Picture" and Impact of Our Actions

Vaera | Brotherhood at Last, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The opening section of Parashat Vaera includes several seemingly tangential and/or redundant passages, including a re-assignment of Aharon as Moshe's "prophet" as well as the odd genealogical table of the Levites. By looking carefully at the step-by-step inauguration of Aharon into a leadership role, we identify the new information in each passage and the contextual relevance as well as necessity for the "tangents" - and then, looking back at Sefer Bereishit, propose an explanation of why it took brothers working hand in hand, side by side, to effect the redemption from slavery and delivery from Egypt. Source sheet >>

Parshat Shemot with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Moshe: What's in a Name? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - The Message Behind the Mystery: Why Must Moshe Stop and Remove His Shoes? #3 - Midrash - The Surprising Connection Between Gratitude and Faith #4 - Sparks of Musar - The Source of Moshe's Selection: The Powerful Insight of the Alter of Kelm #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - Risking Your Life for the Jewish People #6 - Sparks of Chassidus - Life's a Journey: A Inspirational Message from R. Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev

Shemot | The Roots of Subjugation, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The opening chapter of Shemot details the oppression, mandated infanticide and overall enslavement of Bnei Yisrael under the thumb of Egyptian rule. After a brief introduction in which we discuss the nature and causality and its inherent multi-layered reality, we observe several linguistic nuances in this opening chapter which seem to point to a connection between these horrors and the narratives of Yoseph as a brother as well as Yoseph as an Egyptian viceroy. The literary structure of the passage (1:15-22) is then presented, as an argument towards seeing an overt as well as covert cause behind the servitude and related decrees. Source sheet >>

Vayechi | Menasheh and Ephraim: More Than Just a Hand-Switch, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom. The description of Yaakov's deathbed blessing of Yosef/Ephraim-Menasheh is riddled with difficulties. Why does Yaakov mention God's blessing at Beit-El? Why does he bring up Rachel's sudden death and burial on the road? Why doesn't Yaakov recognize his grandsons - whom he had just "upgraded" to "sons" by name? Above all - what's behind that change of status, and the hand-switch that prefers Ephraim? We explore all of these in a special shiur given in memory of Rav Etshalom's mother, MIriam bat Yitzhak veRivkah z"l, whose yahrzeit is on 9 Tevet. יהי זכרה ברוך Shiur given at SCY HIGH in San Diego on Wednesday Dec 16. Source sheet >>

Parshat Vayechi with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Why Was Rachel Not Buried in Me'arat Ha-Machpela? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - The True Meaning of Achdus: A Remarkable Teaching from Rav Lichtenstein #3 - Midrash - Why Did Yaakov Not Want to Be Buried in Egypt? #4 - Sparks of Musar - The Greatest Blessing: Understanding Who Our Children REALLY Are #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - Can Women Recite Kaddish

Special sicha with Rav Aharon Lopiansky, a dvar Torah for Parashat Vayechi as well as a Question & Answer session with the Overseas Talmidim. Dec 13, 2021. Rabbi Lopiansky is the Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington. Rav Lopiansky has written a number of seforim in both Hebrew and English as well as a Siddur mefurash. We thank him for taking the time to address our students.

Vayigash | Of Farmers and Ranchers, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom In the Egyptian narratives, there are several references to תועבת מצרים For Egyptians to break bread with Hebrews is considered an "abomination", as well as the status of shepherds - and the sheep themselves are called that by Moshe. What is the "abomination" here and what is behind it? We survey the approaches of the Rishonim and, building on the proposals of ibn Ezra and Radak, propose a novel explanation.

Miketz | Dreams and Interpretations, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom An inquiry into the development of Yosef's dreams. There are three dream-sets in the Yosef narrative; two that he dreams, two that he interprets while in prison and the two dreams of Pharaoh. While we assume that Yosef's awareness of the meaning of his dreams was a constant, it is possible that each dream-experience enhanced his art as a dream-interpreter. We explore this approach, noting that his full acceptance of the responsibility of his own two dreams only takes place after all three dream-sets. Source sheet >>

Parashat Vayeshev with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentaries - Who Sold Yosef? It's Not As Simple As You Might Think #2 - Contemporary Commentaries - What Can We Learn from Esav's Children? An Amazing Teaching from the Oznayim Le'Torah #3 - Sparks of Chassidus - Being True To Yourself - A Beautiful Teaching from the Sefas Emes #4 - Sparks of Musar - The Hardest Thing in Life: Admitting Mistakes #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - The Prohibition to Embarrass Another Person

Vayeshev | Yosef's Dreams by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Yosef's Dreams begin the narrative cycle we refer to as "the Yosef Story" - and these dreams impact through his life and career. What are we to make of these dreams? Are they prophetic (as he seems to believe) or are they psychologically propelled (as his brothers and, perhaps, father apparently think)? What are the "stars" as opposed to the "sheaves"? And what are we to make of the sun and moon and their obeisance to Yosef? Source sheet >>

Vayishlach | Revisiting Shkhem, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The "rape of Dina" and the bloody aftermath, which comprise all of chapter 34 and the middle of Parashat Vayishlach, is replete with difficulties which make the conventional understanding of Dina's rape and abduction and of Yaakov's silence as well as his response to Shimon and Levi difficult to explain. By analyzing the terms used to describe the encounter between Shkhem and Dina, we propose a novel understanding of the events, of Yaakov's broader plan in moving to Shalem, east of Shkhem and of the meaning behind Yaakov's dying words to Shimon and Levi. Source sheet >>

The Inner Beauty of Chanukah, shiur by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, part 1 of a 2-part series on Chanukah, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela

Parashat Vayishlach with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentaries - Shimon and Levi Slaughter Shechem: Righteous Justice or Unethical Vengeance? #2 - Contemporary Commentaries - The Greatness of Yaakov: Rav Kook's Fascinating Interpretation #3 - Sparks of Chassidus - Yaakov and the True Source of Humility: The Incredible Insight of the Sefas Emes #4 - Sparks of Musar - Harnessing the Potent Power of Prayer #5 - Midrash - Who Was Yaakov Fighting and Why Were They Fighting? A Midrashic Interpretation

Vayishlach: ויאבק איש עמו - The Mysterious Wrestling Match, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Yaakov's encounter with the mysterious "man" which lasts until dawn, is "a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, folded into a conundrum" - we survey four of the classic Rishonim with their widely divergent takes on this momentous episode and discuss the vantage points from which they started and which led to each unique and illuminating interpretation. Source sheet >>

Empathy: Learning About Ourselves By Connecting With Others, the second of a 2-part series on Mitzvot and Middot Bein Adam LeChaveiro, given as part of the weekly women's shiur in Kehilat Ha'Ela, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Parashat Vayetze with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Did Yaakov Really Place a Condition on His Commitment to Hashem? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - Torah Study as the Foundation of our Professional Lives #3 - Sparks of Musar - Yaakov's Dream and The Limitless Capacity for Human Greatness #4 - Midrash - Appreciating Greatness

Chesed - The Gift of Giving, the first of a 2-part series on Mitzvot and Middot Bein Adam LeChaveiro, given as part of the weekly women's shiur in Kehilat Ha'Ela, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Vayetze | The "Duda'im" Story: A Janus Narrative? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom In the midst of the "birth narrative" of Yaakov's family in Haran, the Torah interjects a brief story about Reuven's collecting דודאים (mandrakes) and bringing them to Leah, his mother. Rachel desires them and agrees to give up her night of intimacy with Yaakov in order to get these valuable (?) flowers. The narrative is odd on the face of it, and there are several textual nuances that catch our attention - and redirect that attention back to an earlier narrative in Yaakov's life in which he plays an active role - and a later event in Rachel's life which proves to be fateful for her and for the family. The brief story of the דודאים reflects back and forward, providing added insight into two other narratives in the story of Yaakov's family. Source sheet >>

Parashat Toldot with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Why Did Yitzchok Want to Bless Esav and not Yaakov? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - Yaakov's Moral Dilemma #3 - Sparks of Musar - How We Spend Our "Free Time" Defines Us #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - The Greatest Gift is a Relationship With Hashem #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - Is a Blind Person Obligated in Mitzvos?

Birkat HaMazon - Why, What, Where and When Part 2, given as part of the weekly women's shiur in Kehilat Ha'Ela, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Toldot | Your Curse, My Son, Be Upon Me, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What did Rivka mean? When Yaakov expressed concern over his being caught by his father when trying to gain Esav's blessing, he said והבאתי עלי קללה ולא ברכה - "I may bring upon myself a curse instead of a blessing". Rivka's response to assuage his concern: עלי קללתך בני is a mysterious phrase, with a wide range of exegetical approaches taken by the Rishonim. After surveying the most well-known interpretations, we suggest a different take, anchored in a comment in Bereishit Rabbah, based on understanding Rivka's vested interest in the success of the ruse. Source sheet >>

Birkat HaMazon - Why, What, Where and When Part 1, given as part of the weekly women's shiur in Kehilat Ha'Ela, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Shabbat Candles, Why, Who, What and When Part 2, given as part of the weekly women's shiur in Kehilat Ha'Ela, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Parashat Chayei Sara 5782 with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Avraham's Marriage Advice: Bad Midos Are Worse Than Avodah Zara #2 - Contemporary Commentators - "Ger ve'Toshav": The Dual Identity of the Jew #3 - Sparks of Chassidus - What's Truly Important in Life? A Powerful Insight from the Tolna Rebbe #4 - Sparks of Mussar - Calm Under Fire: Learning From Avraham's Inspiring Example #5 - Midrash - Who Was Eliezer? The Midrash Paints a Complex Portrait

Chayei Sara | Place your Hand under my Thigh - Solving a Bereishit Riddle, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom When Avraham prepares to send his slave to find a wife for Yitzhak, he makes a curious demand of him: "Put your hand under my thigh" either as a prefatory act to an oath or as part of the oath itself. This request/demand appears in only one other place in Tanakh - when Yaakov has Yosef put his hand under his father's thigh before committing to bury his dying father in Canaan. What is the meaning of this odd practice? Is it rooted in near eastern oath customs? Connected to the Halakhic requirement of holding a sanctified item while swearing? Is it a sign of servitude? We survey the approaches of the Rishonim - including some surprising observations - and then offer a new wrinkle to solve this age-old conundrum.

Thoughts about Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks - based on the Netziv's profile of Sara Imenu, by Rav Moshe Taragin For more in tribute to Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt"l >>

Parashat Vayera 5782 with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - What Event Led to Akeidas Yitzhak? #2 - Sparks of Chassidus - The Secret to Avraham's Success: A Remarkable Insight from the Kozhnitzer Maggid #3 - Contemporary Commentators - The True Beneficiary of Our Chessed: A Powerful Chiddush from Rav Nissan Alpert #4 - Sparks of Mussar - Sara's Laughter And Our (non)Belief in Mashiach - An Incredible Teaching of the Chafetz Chayim #5 - Midrash What Happened to Avraham and Yitzchok On the Way to the Akeida?

Vayera | "If There Are Fifty": Why Fifty, Why Ten...Why Not One?, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Avraham's famous negotiations with God to spare the city of Sodom are perhaps the most gallant confrontational stand any human has taken against God - yet the power of the scene eclipse some of the oddities of the give-and-take. Why does Avraham start his negotiations with "If there are 50 innocent people..." - and why does he stop when he successfully gets God to agree to spare the city if there are only ten innocents? More to the point - what are these numbers all about? Why not argue that if one innocent person dies, to borrow from Blackstone, that is a lack of justice. In addition, the text goes out of its way to tell us that Avraham gazed down at the destruction which leaves us wondering why this story is in Chumash at all. Sourcesheet >>

Parashat Lekh Lekha with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Did Avraham Sin By Leaving Eretz Yisroel and Putting Sarah in Danger? #2 - Sparks of Chassidus - Why Was Avraham Chosen? An Inspiring Insight from the Sefas Emes #3 - Sparks of Mussar - Overcoming Life's Challenges #4 - Contemporary Commentators - What Does it Mean to be "Tamim"? A Fascinating Explanation from the Beis HaLevi #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - Is Conversion a Mitzvah?

Lekh Lekha | Who is Avraham's Future, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom When we are first introduced to Avra(ha)m, he is married to Sara(i)h - and the first thing we learn about her is that she is barren. Yet, Hashem commands Avraham to go to K'naan where He will make him into a great nation. The apparent incongruity of the command and the reality shape one of the two journeys in Avraham's life - and the entire Parashat Lekh Lekha is the road map of those two journeys. While Avraham continues to seek out "the land that I will show you", he also continues to attempt various solutions to the progeny problem - until Hashem informs him of how it will all play out. But there are numerous surprises along the way... Source sheet >>

Shabbat Candles, Why, Who, What and When Part 1, given as part of the weekly women's shiur in Kehilat Ha'Ela, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Noach | Avraham and Terach: A Midrashic Take When Hashem charged Avraham with his mission, He directed him to leave his father's house. This could easily be seen as an obstacle to his mission - for how could he demonstrate "the way of Hashem, doing justice and righteousness" if he abandoned his father for the last 60 years of his life. We explore several Midrashic (and proto-Midrashic) traditions about their relationship and find that these traditions do not speak in one voice. We also explore the textual basis for these traditions and note the nuances which allow for these exegetical approaches to develop. Source Sheet

Tidbits for VeZot HaBerakha and Sukkot Appreciating Eretz Yisrael - Important Mussar from Rav Yerucham Understanding the Deeper Message of Sukkos Through Prism of Koheles Chag sameach!

Parsha Tidbits with Rav Dovid Gottlieb, Vayelech-Ha'azinu-Special Yom Kippur Vort Vayelech #1 - Sparks of Chassidus - An Inspiring Teaching from R. Tzadok Hakohen - Connecting the Parsha to the Yamim Noraim Haazinu #1 - Contemporary Commentators - R. Soloveitchik's Approach to Reward and Punishment #2 - Sparks of Chassidus - Historical Sensitivity as a Catalyst for Teshuva - The Remarkable Insight of the Shem MiShmuel #3 - Sparks of Mussar - Is Success in Torah Study a Gift or a Result of Hard Work? Special Yom Kippur: The Culmination of 40 Days of Transformation

R. Yosef Babad_Minchat Chinuch__23 Elul 5634, by Rav Binyamin Tabory, originally given for Parshat Nitzavim 5767 With this installment we conclude this series. Ketiva vechatima tova.

Rosh Hashana as "Yom HaDin": Understanding Our Responsibilities, weekly women's shiur in Kehilat Ha'Ela, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Parashat Nitzavim with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - The Gift and Responsibility of Teshuva: An Awesome Insight of the Meshech Chochma #2 - Midrash - "Lo Bashamayim Hi" - The Amazing Interpretation of Chazal #3 - Sparks of Musar - Breaking Free from the Shackles of Habit and Routine #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - Appreciating the Unity of the Jewish People: A Remarkable Teaching from the Lubavitcher Rebbe #5 - Machshava / Jewish Thought - Is Teshuva Based on Fairness or Compassion, Din or Rachamim?

Parashat Ki Tavo with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Accepting the Validity of Torah - Even More Important than Observance #2 - Contemporary Commentators - Appreciating the Kedusha of Eretz Yisrael: A Beautiful Though from Rav Schwab #3 - Sparks of Chassidus - Bikkurim and Eretz Yisroel: The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Beautiful Explanation #4 - Sparks of Mussar - Appreciating the Bigness of Small Things: The Key to Avodat Hashem #5 - Machshava / Jewish Thought - Happiness as a Religious Value

What You Need to Know for Your Kitchen and Garden (part 2), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb. A discussion of [1] Otzar Beis Din, [2] eating at someone's home who has a different standard than you, and [3] some practical halachos of home gardening.

What You Need to Know for Your Kitchen and Garden (part 1), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Parashat Ki Tetze with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Eishset Yefat Toar: What Is the Torah Thinking? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - Parenting Lessons from the Ben Sorrer U-Moreh: Rav Hirsch's Brilliant Insight #3 - Sparks of Chassidus - Going Out to Spiritual War - Strategic Advice from the Sefas Emes #4 - Machshava / Jewish Thought - Gratitude as a Religious Obligation #5 - Sparks of Mussar - The Moral Message of the Issur to Charge Interest

R. Reuven Margolios_7 Elul 5731, by Rav Binyamin Tabory, originally given for Parshat Shoftim 5768

Parashat Shoftim with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Rabbinic Authority - Even if They're Wrong?? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - Political Leaders as Religious Role Models - The Inspiring Vision of the Oznayim Le'Torah #3 - Sparks of Musar - Striving for Growth and Honest Self-Evaluation: R. Moshe Feinstein's Recipe for Spiritual Success #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - Healthy and Balanced Religiosity - The Kotzker's Remarkable Insight #5 - Machshava Jewish Thought - The Torah's Ideal Form of Governance and Political Leadership: 3 Approaches

Parashat Re'eh with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - The False Prophet - If He's "False" Then How is He a "Prophet"? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - The Highest of the High & the Lowest of the Low: Appreciating the Uniqueness of the Jewish People #3 - Machshava / Jewish Thought -What's the Jewish Ideal: Unity or Uniformity? #4 - Sparks of Chassidus & Mussar - Kosher Fish, "Kosher Jews": The Shared Vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Rav Elyashiv #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - The Mitzvah of Tzedakah

Parashat Ekev with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Is Yiras Shamayim a "Small Thing"?! #2 - Contemporary Commentators - How Can We "Bless Hashem"? Rav Hirsch's Revolutionary Approach #3 - Sparks of Musar - Why Do We Bentch? The Amazing Insight of the Meshech Chochma #4 - Machshava / Jewish Thought - "Fear of Heaven" - What are we Scared Of? #5 - Sparks of Chassidus - The Interrelationship Between Doing and Understanding: An Incredible Teaching of the Sefas Emes

Parashat Vaetchanan with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Loving Hashem - The Rambam's Perspective #2 - Sparks of Mussar - Learning from Moshe: Belief in the Power of Prayer #3 - Machshava / Jewish Thought - "Anochi Hashem" - Knowledge or Belief in God? #4 - Moshe's Desire to Enter Eretz Yisroel - And Ours #5 - Sparks of Chasidus - Praying to be Able to Pray: The Powerful Insight of R. Levi Yitzchok

Parashat Devarim / Shabbat Chazon with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - What's Devarim All About? The Ramban's Theory #2 - Classical Commentators - Who Was Responsible for the Cheit Ha-Egel - Hashem or the Jewish People? #3 - Halacha from the Parsha - Kavod Ha-Beriyos: Human Dignity as a Halachic Value #4 - Midrash - Learning How to Give - and Grow From - Criticism #5 - Sparks of Chasidus - "Chazon": The Eish Kodesh's Inspiring Vision of Hope Amidst the Destruction

R. Chaim Ozer Grodzinski_5 Av 5700, by Rav Binyamin Tabory, originally given for Parshat Matot-Masei 5768