KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Asara BeTevet | History and Laws, by Rav Eli Weber Source sheet >>

The Mysterious Date of Chanuka, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why does Chanuka begin on the 25th of Kislev? Every other day that is marked in our calendar for celebration has a clear source as to why that date was chosen. In the case of festivals marked in the Torah - that is the source. In the case of Purim, the text records that the Jews of the Persian Empire celebrated on the 14th (and, in Shushan, on the 15th) of Adar and declared that those days will be kept for generations. There is, however, no clear source as to why Hanukkah begins on the 25th. Suggestions, such as that that was the day the battle for Yerushalayim was won or that was the day that the Mikdash was finally under Jewish control don't fit with what we know about the history of the event. The Mikdash had to be cleansed, the defiled altar destroyed and the new one built. Furthermore, there is evidence in Megilat Ta'anit that the Hashmonaim had control of the Mikdash already in the month of Marcheshvan - over 4 weeks earlier. Why did they wait to renew the Avoda? This mystery and a number of others are addressed in this shiur.

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 10 | Vayigash, by Rav Eli Weber What's the purpose of Yehuda's speech? Why does Yehuda quote Yaakov as saying his wife had two sons? What was it that moved Yosef so much?

Vayigash | Yaakov's Daughters, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How many daughters did Yaakov have? (it's not so simple...) As we all know, Yaakov had 12 sons and one daughter; he had over 45 grandsons and - one granddaughter. This is the information given to us throughout the second half of Bereishit, culminating in the list of emigres to Egypt in Bereishit 46. The statistical improbability of this gender gap is difficult; in addition, the text makes several references to the "daughters" of Yaakov. We survey the opinions of several of the Rishonim in grappling with this problem and then discover a (possibly) surprising approach adopted by both Shmuel David Luzzato as well as R. Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, contemporaneously in two corners of the 19th century Jewish world. Source sheet >>

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 09 | Miketz - Chanuka, by Rav Eli Weber What does the Torah have to do with Chanuka? Why is the commandment for the menorah where it is? What did the brothers feel guilty of? Why did the brothers lie to Yaakov?

"Mizmor Shir Chanukat haBayit...leDavid?" An analysis of Psalm 30 and its association with Chanuka, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why is there a psalm titled "Mizmor Shir Hanukkat haBayit leDavid" - if David never saw the Mikdash built? A custom is recorded in Maskhet Soferim (c. 9th century) to recite Psalm 30 on Hanukkah. We study the psalm, exploring the meaning of the words, structure of the psalm and its powerful message - and then present an innovative explantion as to the propriety of its recitation on Hanukkah. Along the way, several methodological strategies for the study of Tehillim are presented. Source sheet >>

Miketz | Pharoah's Dreams | Chida veChalom, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How are we to understand the amazement with which Pharaoh and his advisors reacted to Yoseph's solutions to the king's dreams? Pharaoh's Dreams (the cows and the sheaves) reexamined, based on an observation of Dr. Moseh Zeidel z"l. The "Hidah" (riddle) and "Halom" (dream) are associated in Bamidbar 12 and therein begins our inquiry, including an analysis of Shimshon's famous riddle. Source sheet >>

The Overlap Between Chanuka and A Christian Holiday: Perspectives Upon the Impact of Chanuka upon the Non-Jewish World, by Rav Moshe Taragin

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 08 | Vayeshev, by Rav Eli Weber Why did Esav go to Edom and why does Yaakov stay? Did Yaakov believe Yosef's dreams? Was Yosef always a tzadik?

Where Mikra Meets Midrash - The Case of Yosef haTzaddik, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom In this shiur, we examine the Midrashic martyrology of the עשרה הרוגי מלכות and how it developed from several Midrashic tropes in a reading of the story of the sale of Yosef. The shiur was given in the context of the SAR-sponsored Yemei Iyyun in Tanakh (June 23, 2024) and was given in memory of Ari Levine. ארי בן מנחם צבי ז"ל. Source sheet >>

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 07 | Vayishlach, by Rav Eli Weber What do we need to do in response to a modern Esav? Were Shimon and Levi right? Why did Yaakov not bury Rachel in Chevron?

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 06 | Vayetze, by Rav Eli Weber Did Yaakov hate Leah? Why does Yaakov get angry at Rachel? Why does Yaakov get angry at Lavan?

Vayetze | Yaakov's Years in Haran, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Parashat Vayetze, from beginning to end, details Yaakov's years "on the run", all of which are in Haran. How long was he there? Yaakov tells us - "I was in your house for 20 years..."; however, limiting Yaakov's years there to 20 raises numerous challenges, both within the text and with "realia". In this shiur, we propose a different chronology which serves to respond to these challenges. Source sheet >>

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 05 | Toldot, by Rav Eli Weber Why did Hashem swear to each of the Avot? Did the Avot keep the Torah before it was given? Why was Yaakov ashamed of what he did?

Toldot | "Do You Have Only One Blessing, Father?" by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The central story of Parashat Toldot is Yaakov's successful deception of his father, Yitzchak, to "steal" the blessing intended for Esav. When Esav learns of the ruse, his plaint to his father is "do you have but one blessing, my father"? Indeed, why does Yitzchak have only one blessing for his sons? And why is a blessing, given under false pretenses, valid and irrevocable? A careful read of the text reveals what may be a surprising answer. This shiur was given, at the UCLA Hillel, in memory of "Jabo" Ehrlich, an amazing teacher and friend, lover of Tanakh and Eretz Yisrael, who fell defending our country last week. יהי זכרו ברוך. Source sheet >>

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 04 | Chayei Sara, by Rav Eli Weber What was the miscommunication between Avraham and Efron? What is the meaning of a burial plot? What fulfills a person?

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 03 | Vayera, by Rav Eli Weber Why was Sedom punished? What does this have to do with Pilegesh BaGiv'a? What is the point of the Akeda?

Vayera | What Really (Almost) Happened in Sedom, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How could Lot conceivably offer his daughters to the men of Sedom? We are accustomed to reading the story of Sedom and imagining an angry gang of the men of the town surrounding Lot's house and demanding that he send out the two visitors for purposes of a gang-rape. We reexamine that assumption and note that our reading is influenced by the text in Shoftim 19 - and even that, as Rada"k points out, may not be as prurient a story as we imagine. In addition, Lot's readiness to offer his unmarried daughters to the gang is, in light of the common understanding, the most dastardly thing we could imagine a father doing. We propose a different understanding of the intent of the townsfolk and, in light of that, the context of Lot's offering his daughters to the crowd. Source sheet >>

Rav Asher Weiss on War (4): The "Spier and the Shield" of Torah Study, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb The 3rd and final installment of R. Asher's 1st public address, delivered "the day after", on 10/8, highlighting the need for "offense and defense" both in war and in Torah study. "

Rav Asher Weiss on War (3), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb What is the role of Torah study during the war? Does people learning "on the home front" help the soldiers? [Needless to say, this is part of a very sensitive topic currently being debated]

Lekh Lekha | The Ethics of Rejoicing Over the Death of our Enemies, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The current war that we are fighting has brought many moments of despair and sadness, but there have also been moments of triumph, including the notifications of the "neutralization" of some of our worst, bloodthirsty, barbaric enemies. Looking past the understandably human reaction to celebrate the vengeance, we look to our sources to explore whether it is seen as inappropriate, acceptable or even praiseworthy to exult at the death of our worst enemies. Much of this shiur was inspired by the work of Prof. David Henshke. Source sheet >>

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 02 | Lekh Lekha, by Rav Eli Weber

Iggeret HaRamban | 2 | Anger is a "Gateway to Sin" - Stay Away! by Rav Dovid Gottlieb A new series of shiurim on Iggeret HaRamban. The Ramban wrote a letter to his son which is a classic of machshava and mussar. The letter is basically an ethical will about what's important in life and how to be a good. Everyone knows that anger is bad and that we're better off if we can control our temper: * what is so bad about anger? * what practical steps can we take to try to control our temper

Torah Study vs Army Service: What Do the Sources Say? by Rav Dovid Gottlieb In light of Rav Gottlieb's recent shiurim on Rav Asher Weiss and his teshuvot regarding army service, and the debate that ensued, we felt it more than appropriate to release a shiur given by Rav Gottlieb to his shana bet talmidim in Har Etzion, to better understand his personal view on the subject.

Iggeret HaRamban | 1 | The Importance of Midot and Modeling Proper Behavior, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb A new series of shiurim on Iggeret HaRamban. The Ramban wrote a letter to his son which is a classic of machshava and mussar. The letter is basically an ethical will about what's important in life and how to be a good person. As such, it is just as relevant to each of us as it was to his son.

Rav Asher Weiss on War (2): The Day After - Now What?? by Rav Dovid Gottlieb In his recently published "Minchas Asher - Emunah U-Bitachon" R. Asher has a section dedicated to discussing the religious challenges of of the war. On October 8th, 2023, Isru Chag, the day after the horrific attacks, R. Asher gave his 1st public address, during which he attempts to process the shock and horror of what happened on Simchat Torah.

Rav Asher Weiss on War: "Shema" is a Segula for the Soldiers, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb In his recently published "Minchas Asher - Emunah U-Bitachon" R. Asher has a section dedicated to discussing the religious challenges of of the war.

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 01 | Noach, by Rav Eli Weber Did Hashem give up on humanity? Was Noach a tzadik? What does it mean that Hashem remembers?

Noach | Days of Wine and Curses: A Fresh Look at The Curse of Canaan, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What was Cham's sin in the tent? The immediate postdiluvian scene (Bereishit 9:18-29) is troubling on several accounts. Why is Cham introduced (twice!) as "father of Canaan"? What did he do that was so egregious that he earned his father's eternal curse? Why was that curse placed on Canaan, Cham's youngest son? How did Noach even know what happened, if he was asleep? Who are Canaan's brothers, to whom he is to be enslaved? Building off of Midrash Chaza"l and several contemporary observations, we propose a more text-friendly way of reading Cham's sin and Canaan's curse. Source sheet >>

Teshuva and the Fatal Flaw of Religious Mediocrity, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb What does it take to be "written" in the Book of Life? Is it enough NOT to be wicked or is something more impressive and ambitious expected of us?

Rav Soloveitchik on Teshuva (6): Erasing our Past or Elevating It? by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Sixth in a series of mini-shiurim on R Soloveitchik's approach to Teshuva based on his famous and incredible sefer Al HaTeshuva. How should we relate to our sinful past? Does teshuva require me to "amputate" my past experiences and memories? (This is my favorite piece in the whole sefer - it changed my life when I first learned it 30 years ago. for real.)

Kohelet 3 | To Everything a Season, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is the wisdom hiding behind the famous "Song of the Seasons" in Kohelet 3? The third chapter of Kohelet begins with a famous poem, where the author presents 28 "seasons", some positive and some drastic, noting that there is a time for each of them. The choice of these 28 "times" has long challenged commentators; even more difficult is the sequence and hierarchy of these choices or experiences. Using Kohelet's own weltanschauung and utilizing literary structural analysis, we propose an explanation that not only explains the selection of these "times", but also their unusual sequence. Source sheet >>

Yom Kippur 5785 | Looking Back At Past Redemptions, by Rav Moshe Taragin To better navigate the current historical moment

The Role of the Tzibbur in Avodat HaKohen HaGadol, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is the role of the community in the Avoda of Yom haKippurim? Vayikra 16, which is read in its entirety as the Kriat haTorah of Yom haKippurim, details the Avoda of the Kohen Gadol. At first read, it appears to be a ritual that the Kohen Gadol must perform any time that he chooses to enter the "Dvir" (Kodesh Kodoshim) - or if there is an occasional need to cleanse the Mishkan from Tum'ah. Yet, at the end of the chapter, we are told that this is an annual rite, one in which only one person performs all of the Avoda and no one else is even allowed to be inside the Mikdash while he is in the innermost sanctum. How are we to understand the sudden "imposition" of an obligation of everyone to afflict himself or herself and the nearly utter isolation of the central actor on this day? We propose a historic precedent which serves as more than background, but is essentially reenacted on an annual basis with an eye towards repairing what was broken back then. Source sheet >>

Sichat Mussar for Yom Kippur | 5785, by Rav Moshe Taragin Dissecting the Pathology of Sin; Seeing Through Fantasy and Photoshops; 3 Tips For Immersive Yom Kippur: Watch Your Tongue, Ignore Your Watch and Avoid "Sunday Thoughts"

The Road to Teshuva | Part 9, by Rav Moshe Taragin Personal and Collective Viduy; Macro and Micro Teshuva; Creating Shock and Sorrow

Exploring the Themes and Pesukim of Rosh Hashana Part 2, by Rav Moshe Taragin Take Our Pain As Our Prayer; The Ashes; Love, Not Memories; Sacred Thunderclaps; The Melody of Pride

Changing the Tone of Selichot after October 7th, by Rav Moshe Taragin This shiur was delivered before selichot Motzaei Shabbat Nitzavim-Vayelekh, in Congregation Rinat Yisrael, 2024 (Teaneck, NJ)

Elevating our Sacrifice and Commitment, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb The soldiers are committed to the mission above all else - how can we make ourselves worthy of their commitment this Rosh Hashana?

Rav Soloveitchik on Teshuva (5): The Two Dimensions of Teshuva, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Fifth in a series of mini-shiurim on R Soloveitchik's approach to Teshuva based on his famous and incredible sefer Al HaTeshuva. Part 2 of our discussion of the second essay in the sefer. Is Teshuva an "obligation of the heart" or is there a required action?

Rav Soloveitchik on Teshuva (4): Is Teshuva a Mitzva? Must I Repent? by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Fourth in a series of mini-shiurim on R Soloveitchik's approach to Teshuva based on his famous and incredible sefer Al HaTeshuva. Part 1 of our discussion of the second essay in the sefer. If a person sins MUST he / she do teshuva or is that something that can be done of one wants? In other words, if I sin and don't do teshuva, is that a 2nd sin (because I am obligated to do teshuva) or is it merely 1 sin with a missed opportunity to get forgiven for that sin??

Exploring the Themes and Pesukim of Rosh Hashana, by Rav Moshe Taragin Bringing Hashem to a G-dless World; The Anthem of Jewish History

Ramban on the Torah | 61 | Nitzavim-Vayelekh, by Rav Eli Weber "You stand this day, all of you, before your God." Don't we always live our lives in God's presence? And more...

Vayelekh | Hakhel in Yavneh... And Beyond, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is the impact of Hakhel in our day? The penultimate Mitzva found in the Torah is the command to assemble all of the people at the end of the Shemitta year, to hear a public reading of the Torah (התורה הזאת) - including the men, the women and the children. In a famous story recorded in Tosefta Sota, a homily of R. Elazar b. Azariah's about Hakhel is recorded, and is followed by two more homilies which all seem unrelated. Tying R. E;lazar b. Azariah's revolutionary approach (see BT Berakhot 27b) to education, we tie these three דרשות together into a weave that forms the foundation of this astonishingly new approach to teaching and publicizing Torah - all anchored in this ancient Mitzva. Source sheet >>

The Road to Teshuva | Part 8, by Rav Moshe Taragin Avoiding "Viduy Traps": Denial, Deflection, Disingenuousness

The Road to Teshuva | Parts 6-7, by Rav Moshe Taragin Paradoxes of Teshuva: Can Teshuva Be Selective?; The Halakhic Definition of What is Considered "Forgotten" Paradoxes of Teshuva: Personal Teshuva vs. Collective Teshuva; Believing in Jews as a Route to Teshuva; Covering With Snow Rather Than Cleansing

Ki Tavo | Why Did Bnei Yisrael Need a Second Tokhacha? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why is the imprecation (תוכחה) in our Parasha so much more frightening and graphic than the earlier one in Vayikra 26 Parashat Ki Tavo is perhaps most well-known for the lengthy and painful imprecation which Moshe integrates into the covenant which he initiates with Bnei Yisrael in the Plains of Moav - a decidedly second and "other" covenant to the original one entered into at Sinai. We explore the need for a second covenant and the significantly more frightening imagery in the second תוכחה and propose why it may have been needed for this second generation, born free in the desert. לע"נ אחי יונתן הלל בן הרב אשר אהרן ומרים Source sheet >>

Ramban on the Torah | 60 | Ki Tavo, by Rav Eli Weber What is the meaning of Vidui Bikkurim? Is there a meaning to what the goyim think of us? What is the meaning of writing the Torah on stones?

The Road to Teshuva | Part 5, by Rav Moshe Taragin Teshuva Paradoxes- "We Will be in the Same Place Next Year"- 3 Ways to Solve the Hypocrisy of Religious Recidivism

The Road to Teshuva | Part 4, by Rav Moshe Taragin Can Teshuva Aspiration be Too Ambitious; Divine Reassurances Without Reducing Standards