KMTT - the Torah Podcast

The Weekly Mitzva - Vayakhel-Pekudei, Engraving Letters, by Rav Yair Kahn The shiur distinguishes between writing words directly and causing words to appear indirectly.

Topics in Practical Halakha #11 Benching and Zimmun Part 1

The Weekly Mitzva - Ki Tisa, Pitum Haketoret, by Rav Yair Kahn The shiur deals with the issur of leaving out one of the ingredients of the ketoret

Parshat Ki Tisa, written by Rav Ezra Bick The series of interactions between God and Moshe in the aftermath of the sin of the golden calf can be difficult to follow and understand. By examining these interactions, we arrive at a fascinating insight into Moshe's ability to achieve forgiveness from God on behalf of the people of Israel.

Parshat Tetzaveh - Tamid, written by Rav Ezra Bick Thetamid, the continual, twice-daily burnt offering, is described in two separate sections in the Torah. How can the subtle differences between these two series of verses help us understand two aspects of the relationship between man and God?

Am Levadad Yishkon #17 – “Story of Bilaam Part Four – Pinhas and the War of Midian” The story of Bilaam appears to end with his failure, on all three attempts, to curse the Jewish People. However, a closer reading of the text shows that the narratives that follow, involving the sin of Baal Peor, the act of Pinhas and the war of Midian, are an integral part of the story. These events form a tragic and triumphant conclusion to the showdown with Balak and Bilaam, and give us additional insight into the eternally unique qualities of the Am Levadad Yishkon.

Topics in Practical Halakha #10 Shabbat Zachor and Purim, by Rav Mordechai Friedman

The Weekly Mitzva - Tetzaveh, The Ner Tamid of the Mikdash, by Rav Yair Kahn To what extent can the menora be described as a 'ner tamid'? After all, the mitzva is to light it only till the morning.

The Weekly Mitzva - Teruma, The Halakha of "Nediv Lev", by Rav Yair Kahn Under what conditions can one create a binding obligation through unverbalized thought.

Parshat Teruma - The Kaporet, written by Rav Ezra Bick The kaporet is described in the Torah not only as the golden cover for the aron, but in many ways as an independent vessel with its own unique identity. What can the kaporet's dual role tell us about the confluence between the physical and the spiritual in the Holy of Holies?

Topics in Practical Halakha #9 Tu Bishvat, by Rav Mordechai Friedman We apologize for the late posting.

Am Levadad Yishkon #16 –“Story of Bilaam Part Three – Curses Turned to Blessings,” by Rav Asher Haber Three times Bilaam attempted to curse the Jewish People, and instead pronounced blessings instead of curses. These short poetic passages contain some of the most eloquent praises of Am Yisrael ever uttered. We can learn a lot about ourselves by listening to them.

Am Levadad Yishkon #15 –“Story of Bilaam Part Two – Bilaam’s Stubborn Insistence,” by Rav Asher Haber Why does Hashem seemingly change His mind – after telling Bilaam the first time not to go, the second time, He tells him to go. And once He allowed him to go, why does He then get angry at Bilaam for going? And what’s the whole incident with the talking donkey about?

The Weekly Mitzva - Mishpatim, The Source of Judicial Authority, by Rav Yair Kahn An analysis of contradictory sugyot regarding the requirement that judges have semikha.

Parshat Mishpatim - God, the Angel and the Jews, written by Rav Ezra Bick Throughout the Torah, angels serve as agents of God, carrying out His will in a variety of ways. But why would God choose to act through the agency of an angel, and what can this teach us about the relationship between God and man in general?

Parshat Yitro, Epilogue, written by Rav Ezra Bick The revelation at Sinai is immediately followed by a series of commandments that seem to bear little connection to this momentous event. But is there truly no connection between the Ten Commandments and their epilogue?

Am Levadad Yishkon #14 – “Story of Bilaam Part One – Balak’s Unnecessary Fear,” by Rav Asher Haber We begin an analysis of the parsha containing the verse “Am Levadad Yishkon.” Balak, King of Moav, was terrified of Am Yisrael, even though a careful reading of the Biblical text makes clear he had nothing to worry about. Why was he led to believe he was in danger?

The Weekly Mitzva - Yitro, The Mechanics of Kriat Hatorah, by Rav Yair Kahn The shiur will analyze the relationship between the role of the person who gets an aliya and that of the ba'al koreh.

Am Levadad Yishkon #13 – “A Roadmap for Jewish History,” by Rav Asher Haber The Jewish People are required to follow the Torah; nothing less than the destiny of the entire world depends on it. But what if they don’t? The Torah answers that question with a descriptive narrative that predicts the entire course of Jewish history in advance.

Parshat Beshalach - What is it? written by Rav Ezra Bick The very meaning of the word "man" implies curiosity and bemusement. What is it about the manna that makes it so fascinating - in some ways the focal point of the people of Israel's experience in the wilderness?

The Weekly Mitzva - Beshalach, The Mitzva of Hallel, by Rav Yair Kahn The shiur begins with the argument between the Rambam and Ramban, whether hallel is a Torah obligation or a rabbinic one. In the course of the discussion, there is an attempt to clarify the criterion that generate the obligation to recite hallel and to define the precise definition of that obligation

Topics in Practical Halakha #8 Gezeirot Akum, by Rav Mordechai Friedman

Parshat Bo - Confrontation of Moshe and Paro, written by Rav Ezra Bick The first seven plagues occur in Parashat Va'era, while the last three occur this week in Parashat Bo. What is the reason for this division, and what does it tell us about the nature of Moshe's series of dramatic meetings with Par'o?

Am Levadad Yishkon #12 – “Mamlechet Kohanim V’Goy Kadosh – Part Two,” by Rav Asher Haber With its mitzvot, Torah addresses every single aspect of human life – not only for the individual but also for the nation as a whole. Among other things, the Torah tells us how to run a political system and government, an economy, a system of legal and criminal law with a judiciary and a police force, an education system and an army. In each of these areas, the Torah’s vision is revolutionary.

The Weekly Mitzva - Bo, Exemption of Tefillin at Night, by Rav Yair Kahn Both night and Shabbat are times that the mitzva of tefillin doesn't apply. The shiur will explore the basic difference between these two exemptions.

Topics in Practical Halakha #7, Ma'aseh Akum, by Rav Mordechai Friedman

Parshat Vaera - Liberating the Spirit of the Israelites, written by Rav Ezra Bick Moshe, the man of "impeded speech," was not your typical inspirational leader. What, then, is the key to Moshe's success in liberating the people of Israel, both from the land of Egypt and from their own slave mentality?

Am Levadad Yishkon #11 – “Mamlechet Kohanim v’Goy Kadosh – Part One” by Rav Asher Haber What does it mean that we are meant to be a “Kingdom of Kohanim”? What’s a Kohen, and how are we to fill this role? And what does it mean specifically to be a “Kingdom”? The answer involves new insights into the role of Am Yisrael in the world, and a new understanding of what the Torah is.

The Weekly Mitzva - Vaera, The Four Cups of the Seder Night, by Rav Yair Kahn The shiur discusses the specific halakha of the four cups as well as the laws of the seder night in general.

Parshat Shemot - From Egyptian Prince to Israelite Redeemer, written by Rav Ezra Bick In the early part of his life, Moshe undergoes a series of dramatic personal transformations. By examining the incidents recounted in this week's parasha, and with a special focus on the language the Torah uses, we will see how these transformations turn a member of Paro's household into the leader of the Jewish people.

Am Levadad Yishkon #10, “Sinai: The Foundational Moment,” by Rav Asher Haber After a lengthy period of slavery and suffering in Egypt, the moment had finally arrived: Am Yisrael was redeemed from bondage, and headed for the Promised Land. However, even before the process began, Moshe Rabbeinu was informed that there was a more immediate destination, something they would need to do before entering the Land. First, they need to “serve God” on Mount Sinai. What was to happen there, and why was it necessary?

The Weekly Mitzva - Shemot, The Laws of Adoption, by Rav Yair Kahn The shiur will deal with various laws connected with adoption and consider the extent to which an adopted child is compared to a biological one.

Parshat Vayechi, From Egypt to Canaan Ya'akov's extreme distaste for the land of Egypt expresses itself in his insistence that Yosef not bury him there. But what is at the root of this attitude, and how is this reflected in his choice of words to Yosef?

Am Levadad Yishkon #9 – “A Pre-ordained Exile” by Rav Asher Haber Having been charged with the mission – and the promise – of founding the Chosen People, Avraham Avinu and his descendants Yitzchak and Yaakov faced many obstacles. Ultimately, Yaakov Avinu found himself on the way down to Egypt for what would be several generations of exile, slavery and suffering. Why was this necessary?

The Weekly Mitzva - Vayechi, Reciting Baruch Shem Kvod Malchuto Quietly, by Rav Yair Kahn The shiur will discuss various aspects related to reciting Baruch Shem Kvod Malchuto, and show how this relates to the mitzva of Kriat Shema.

The Weekly Mitzva - Vayigash, Greetings in the Midst of Kriat Shema, by Rav Yair Kahn This shiur will discuss the halakhic parameters regarding the issue of greeting a friend in the middle of kriat shema and analyze the core idea at the root of this halakha.

Parshat Vayigash, The Twilight Years, written by Rav Ezra Bick Surprisingly, Ya'akov is still frequently referred to by his old name even after he becomes Yisrael. What is the significance of the Torah's choice of one name over the other, particularly during the final years of Ya'akov's life?

Parshat Miketz, Yaakov and Yehuda, written by Rav Ezra Bick

Topics in Practical Halakha #6, Chanuka Part 2, by Rav Mordechai Friedman

Am Levadad Yishkon #8 – “Avraham Avinu: The Man, The Mission, The Challenge” by Rav Asher Haber We’ve reached the point in our series where we can begin to understand the reasons for the strange and almost incomprehensible entity known as “Am Yisrael”. After the events described in Parshiot Bereishit and Noach, the need for a Chosen Nation becomes clear, and Avram was picked to be the one to found that great nation. And yet, some very strange things happened to him that seem to undermine those goals.

Topics in Practical Halakha #5, Chanuka, by Rav Mordechai Friedman

The Weekly Mitzva - Miketz, Birkat Hagomel, by Rav Yair Kahn A discussion of the halakhot regarding birkat hagomel. What are the conditions that obligate reciting the berakha and how is this connected to the nature of the berakha.

Parshat Vayeshev - Toldot Yaakov, written by Rav Yair Kahn What does Ya'akov's reaction to the news of Yosef's death teach us about the value of unity in Am Yisrael?

Am Levadad Yishkon #7: "From Noach to Avraham," by Rav Asher Haber In this week's podcast, we trace the developments described in Parshat Noach - from a world on the brink of destruction to a world that will never be destroyed, and from one man to seventy nations in need of someone to lead them.

The Weekly Mitzva - Vayeshev, Fasting in the Wake of a Bad Dream, by Rav Yair Kahn The shiur deals with the unique halacha of a "taanit chalom" and discusses how this fast circumvents the standard requirement of accepting a personal fast on one's self the previous day and why it is permitted to fast a "taanit chalom" on Shabbat.

Topics in Practical Halakha #4, Amira LeAkum, by Rav Mordechai Friedman

Am Levadad Yishkon #6: A World Almost Destroyed, by Rav Asher Haber

Parshat Vayishlach - Beit El, written by Rav Ezra Bick When Ya'akov finally returns to Beit-El after leaving the land of Israel for twenty years, some things have changed, while others remain the same. What role does Ya'akov's second visit to Beit-El play in his own personal narrative and the narrative of the nascent nation of Israel?

The Weekly Mitzva - Vayishlach, The Significance of a Ketuba, by Rav Yair Kahn

Parshat Vayetze - The Covenant of Separation, written by Rav Ezra Bick The covenant that Ya'akov and Lavan forge over the pile of stones is highly unusual in many ways. What is the meaning of this covenant, and what can it teach us about the nature of Ya'akov's continuing journey?