KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Ramban On The Torah | 34 | Tetzaveh, by Rav Eli Weber What is the meaning of the mishkan? How does God dwell among us? What is the meaning of Mizbeiach Haketoret?

On the Importance of Friendship, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Torah sources supporting the "secular" roles of friendship, as well as the "religious" benefits. Bookended by two mishnayot in Pirkei Avot. A shiur in practical halakha given at Kehillat Haela, Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Teruma | Just a Vav: Rashi and Textual Criticism, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why is Rashi explaining a "Vav" that isn't there? (Shemot 25:22). Rashi's comment on Shemot 25:22, explaining the letter "vav" in the word ואת as being superfluous, has raised eyebrows over the centuries...since in our Sifrei Torah, the word is את, without a Vav. We identify other Rishonim who apparently had that reading in their text of the Torah and then review those supercommentaries of Rashi who addressed this unusual note. This leads us to a discussion of the phenomenon of textual variants in Tanakh and the fact that it is not an isolated phenomenon; we see examples of this in the manner in which Biblical texts are quoted in Chazal as well as the well-known story of the three Sifrei Torah found in the Azara, each of which had one unique feature relative to the other two, leading the Chakhamim to favor the two over the one. The unexpected result was that each of these scrolls was ultimately judged to be invalid. Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 33 | Teruma, by Rav Eli Weber How can we explain the order of the parashot? What is the purpose of the Mishkan?

Mishpatim | A Thought on the Parasha, by Rabbi Aharon Lopiansky, followed by Q+A with the overseas talmidim Rabbi Aharon Lopiansky is the Rosh HaYeshiva of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington – Tiferes Gedaliah, accepting the position in July of 2014. He studied and received rabbinic ordination from the Mir Yeshiva of Jerusalem. In Israel, Rabbi Lopiansky taught at Aish HaTorah from 1983-1990, and then taught at the Mir for five years before assuming the post of Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva Gedolah of YGW in 1995. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with our overseas talmidim.

Mishpatim | The Hebrew Maidservant and Marital Obligations, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why does האמה העבריה serve as the source for a husband's obligations towards his wife? The second entry into the Law Code (Parashat Mishpatim) is the law of the Hebrew maid - האמה העבריה. In a surprising twist, the rules governing her proper treatment serve as the basis for the Torah's mandated obligations of husband to wife. We explore the text and attendant Midrash Halakha, in both Mekhiltot and both Talmudim, continuing with a survey of the Rishonim. After a brief tangential excursus about the methodology of P'shat study of legal passages, we revisit the five verses that make up this Parasha and propose a novel reading of the text with several surprising results. Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 32 | Mishpatim, by Rav Eli Weber Why are the judges called "Elohim"? What is the meaning of "An eye for an eye"? Why does the Torah protect the Gerim specifically?

Ramban On The Torah | 31 | Yitro, by Rav Eli Weber Is there "mukdam and meuchar" in the Torah? What is the mitzva in the pasuk "Anochi Hashem E-lokecha"? Did God tell us all ten commandments or only the first two?

Israel at War: New Identities, Equilibriums and Dynamics In this episode, Rabbanit Esti Rosenberg continues her conversation with her mother Dr. Tovah Lichtenstein. Their discussion is centered around the hostages and how we as a people can best connect to the pain of their families and help secure their release. They address the question of what it means to be a religious Israeli today and how the different parts of our identity inform our connections. Finally, they close with thoughts on what it will mean to establish new equilibriums and dynamics within a family structure and setting as soldiers begin to come home after months away on the front. *This podcast was created thanks to the Arev Fund's generous support.

Israel at War: Milchemet Mitzva In this episode, Rabbanlt Esti Rosenberg sits down with her mother, Dr. Tovah Lichtenstein, to discuss their feelings and thoughts surrounding the current war, Swords of Iron. They share their personal perspectives on what this war is about, the mix of emotions that people in Israel are experiencing and how the routine of daily life during these challenging times is being balanced and navigated. They also address some of the different realities and effects of this war from past wars in Israel and how as a country and a nation we can prepare ourselves to move forward from here in the best ways possible. *This podcast was created thanks to the Arev Fund's generous support.

Yitro | How Did We Get to the 6th of Sivan? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How did Shavuot become Chag Matan Toratenu? Our annual celebration of Matan Torah, on חג השבועות, has long been a conundrum. The festival is noted several times in each of the four chumashim that contain legal codes; it is called יום הביכורים, חג הקציר and חג השבועות - but at no point is it associated with a commemoration or anniversary of מתן תורה. How did the date - ו' סיון - become identified as the day of the Revelation at Sinai? Surprisingly, the answer may lie in a careful reading of the story of the מן and discerning the relationship between the מן, the שבת and מתן תורה. After presenting this novel approach to explaining the rabbinic assumption of ו' בסיון as זמן מתן תורתינו, we share a passage from the Book of Jubilees (part of the library of the Apocrypha) which seems to point to a connection between "the feast of weeks" and the covenant at Sinai. Source sheet >>

Asseret HaDibrot: False Testimony | Coveting, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Fifth of 5 shiuirim on what is arguably the single most important "unit" on mitzvot and values anywhere in the Torah! Individually they are all fascinating and important - and as a unit you can really appreciate them.

Asseret HaDibrot: Adultery | Kidnappping, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Fourth of 5 shiuirim on what is arguably the single most important "unit" on mitzvot and values anywhere in the Torah! Individually they are all fascinating and important - and as a unit you can really appreciate them.

Asseret HaDibrot: Honoring Parents | Murder, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Third of 5 shiuirim on what is arguably the single most important "unit" on mitzvot and values anywhere in the Torah! Individually they are all fascinating and important - and as a unit you can really appreciate them.

Asseret HaDibrot: Taking Hashem's Name in Vain | Shabbos, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Second of 5 shiuirim on what is arguably the single most important "unit" on mitzvot and values anywhere in the Torah! Individually they are all fascinating and important - and as a unit you can really appreciate them.

Asseret HaDibrot: Belief in Hashem | Idolatry, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb First of 5 shiuirim on what is arguably the single most important "unit" on mitzvot and values anywhere in the Torah! Individually they are all fascinating and important - and as a unit you can really appreciate them.

Ramban On The Torah | 30 | Beshalach, by Rav Eli Weber Why did God send us the long way if we were going to fight with Amalek anyway? What made Pharaoh chase us in the sea?

Tu Bishvat | Choni, the Carob and the Dream, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How are the Choni legends - the long slumber, the carob tree and the rain-circle - related to each other? In honor of Tu biSh'vat, we explored the story of Honi HaMa'gil (or Hame'agel) and the various Aggadot associated with him, in the scholion of Megilat Ta'anit, the Mishna, Bavli and Yerushalmi - and in Josephus' Antiquities. In our survey we noted that these narratives had a number of conflicting details. We discussed how to address differing narratives about what seems to be the same event and proposed several strategies for resolving these discrepancies. The shiur was given at GPATS (Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic Studies) at Stern College for Women.

Bo | The Four Parashot of Tefillin, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom KeNegged arba'a tefillin dibra Torah. What is unique about each of the four Parashot of Tefillin? Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 29 | Bo, by Rav Eli Weber What really happened in Makkat Choshekh? What is the mitzva of "החודש הזה לכם ראש חודשים"?

Women and Kaddish, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb "Why can't I say kaddish like my brother?" Or can she??

Kiddush: Principles and Practical Applications | 2, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb 3rd part in a series on The Sanctity of Shabbat, combining questions of both philosophy and halakha. Shiur given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela. Topics discussed include: grape juice vs wine, whisky, who has to drink, plastic cups and more

Special | Thoughts about the "Trial of Israel" in The Hague, by Rav Moshe Taragin As we stand "on trial" in The Hague we are literally living through a prophecy. Fortunately, we know how it ends.

Vaera | The Makkot In Narrative and in Song, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why are only 7 of the Makkot mentioned in Tehillim 78? Why are a different 7 or 8 listed in Tehillim 105? Although we are all instinctively familiar with "10 Makkot", we have a wide range of approaches to read the story of God's punishment/education of the Egyptians; indeed, in the famous Midrash which appears in the Haggada, as many as 50 Makkot are suggested. Yet in two of the Psalms, the Makkot are adumbrated yet only 7 of them are listed - and not the same 7. In Tehillim 78, כנים (lice), שחין (boils) and חשך (darkness) are omitted. In Psalm 105, the cattle plague (דבר) and boils (שחין) are left out - and the "swarm" (ערוב) may also be omitted. We explore each of these lists, the order of their presentation and the rhetoric of their description to suggest that the author of each of these psalms utilized those Makkot and particular features of each of them to drive home the particular message of his psalm. To that end, we explore the overall theme of each psalm and then suggest how the selected Makkot and their particular order and descriptions fit each of those themes. Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 28 | Vaera, by Rav Eli Weber How can God suspend Paroh's free will? It seems unfair. The Pasuk וידבר ה' אל משה לאמור is the most repeated Pasuk in the Torah. But what does it really mean? That and more in this week's Ramban al HaParsha!

Kiddush: Principles and Practical Applications, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb 2nd part in a series on The Sanctity of Shabbat, combining questions of both philosophy and halakha. Shiur given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela.

Archaeology, Epistemology and Orthodoxy, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How far can we, as traditional Jews, dig below the earth to discover meaning in Tanakh? This lecture was given at Century Village, Boca Raton FL as part of a Scholar-In-Residence weekend. Although the central topic was the positive role of archaeology and related disciplines in aiding our understanding of Tanakh, broader issues such as the reliability of sources, the breadth of informational sources we are willing to gain from in our study of Torah and other related topics. Source sheet >>

Shemot | The Mystery Behind Moshe's Name, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Is "Moshe" a Hebrew name or an Egyptian name? We explore the first 10 verses of Shemot 2, detailing the birth of the baby who would prove to be the agent of salvation - his being hidden in the reeds of the Nile, the role of his sister and the princess in saving him and his naming. We review the passage carefully, noting each unusual twist in the text, including unexpected additions and surprising omissions from the story. Along with numerous methodological parenthetic observations, we analyze the Egyptian and/or Hebrew meaning of the name of this baby who ultimately leads Bnei Yisrael from Egypt to Sinai to the east banks of the Jordan. This shiur was given in memory of החבר יחיאל at the Young Israel of Hollywood. Source sheet >>

Q+A with Rav Asher Weiss 2nd half of a special shiur with Rav Asher Weiss, given to the Bnei Chul, following the Old City Shabbaton, motzaei Shabbat Parashat Shemot 5784

Swords of Iron | Divrei Chizuk, by Rav Asher Weiss Motzaei Shabbat Parashat Shemot 5784, given to Bnei Chul following the Old City Shabbaton

The Magic and Meaning of Shabbat, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb First part in a series on The Sanctity of Shabbat, combining questions of both philosophy and halakha. Shiur given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela.

Shemot | "The Midwives of the Hebrews - And Their Houses?" by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Who built houses for the midwives? And why? In the opening chapter of Sefer Shemot, we are informed about Pharaoh's plan to have the newborn Hebrew male children killed - or are they newborns? This is to be carried out by two Hebrew midwives - or are they Egyptian midwives of the Hebrews? These two, due to their fear of God, refuse Pharaoh's orders and God rewards them by having the nation increase in size. We are then told that since they feared God, "he made houses for them" - ויעש להם בתים. Who made houses? What type of houses? For whom? And to what end? The opinions about each of these unspecified words range broadly among the classic commentators - and we survey that range, explaining the methodological approach of each, with a brief interlude regarding the broader issue of the approach to a text and its impact on its understanding. We then propose a slightly nuanced explanation, based on a combination of insights of several Rishonim as well as the literary structure of the pericope. Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 27 | Shemot, by Rav Eli Weber An introduction to Sefer Shemot and the beginning of Moshe's journey to become a prophet

All It Takes to Change History Are Men and Women of Moral Courage, by Rav Moshe Taragin Sichat Mussar for Shemot

Vayechi | "My Father's Blessings Increased": Birkat Yosef and Birkat Yehuda, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What did Yaakov mean when he said "The blessings of your father surged higher than the blessings of my parents..." (49:15 - if that's what הורי means...) The penultimate scene in Sefer Bereishit, undoubtedly one of the most dramatic and impactful to the future nation is the gathering of Yaakov's sons around his bed as he blesses each of them and alerts them as to what will befall them "at the end of days". Notably, nearly all of the brothers are given short (1-2 verse) blessings which are singular in focus. Yehuda and Yosef, however, are given much lengthier (5 verses each) blessings, each oriented to a range of blessings and roles. A careful look at these two heptads, which at first blush seem to be of different aims, proves that they not only share significant focal points, but that both of them seem to be anchored in the blessings that Yaakov himself received from Yitzchak. We explore the entire "blessing-scene" with an eye towards linking these two brothers' ברכות to the ברכות that Yaakov himself was granted. Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 26 | Vayechi, by Rav Eli Weber

Vayigash | "Seventy Souls" - Reconsidering the Count, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Q. Who is #70 in the count? Q: Where are all the girls? Q: How did the LXX get to LXXV? Parashat Vayigash includes the detailed list of Bnei Yisrael who descended to Egypt, detailed by son, clan and then a total. This list raises three questions - one internal, one intrinsic and one external. The number "70" does not fit the itemized count, which reaches 69 (or, arguably, 68). The lopsided amount of males (67/69) in the list is a statistical improbability which is also challenged by the text. In addition, the LXX (Septuagint) lists five additional descendants of Yaakov and presents a total of 75 (as it does at the beginning of Shemot). We explore all three of these anomalies, beginning with traditional exegetical answers and then proposing an explanation for all three omissions and/or additions. This shiur was given in memory of Rebbetzin Miriam Wise z"l, מרים בת יצחק ורבקה, whose yahrzeit is on ט' בטבת. She was a true inspiration of a student and devotee of Tanakh. יהי זכרה ברוך. Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 25 | Vayigash, by Rav Eli Weber

Miketz | Haftara: Mishpat Shlomo - Solomon's Famous Judgment, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How did Shlomo figure out which was the "real" mother? The rarest Haftara chanted is read when Parashat Miketz is not on Chanuka - as is the case this year for the first time in two decades. The Haftara read in this unusual year is the story of Shlomo's brilliant solution to the dispute between two "zonot" over a single baby. We explore the text of the story carefully to discern what Shlomo heard - and understood - that led him to his great bluff and which exposed the treachery of the "faux-mere". Source sheet >>

Chanuka | On the Desecration of the Temple by the Greeks, by Rav Moshe Taragin Shiur given to Bnei Chul alumni during a special Chanuka Day of Learning, Wed Dec 13, 2023, the sixth day of Chanuka. Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 23 | Vayeshev, by Rav Eli Weber The Ramban thinks that "stealing" the Berakhot doesn't guarantee anything. One has to accept the bad (Avdut Mitzrayim) to get the good (Eretz Yisrael). And that's what Esav refused but Yaakov agreed to do. That and more in this week's Ramban al HaParsha.

Chanuka | Ner Chanuka and the Enumeration of the 613 Mitzvot, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How did the Geonim justify including the Mitzva of Ner Chanuka in their enumeration of the 613 Mitzvot? Following the famous homily of R. Samlai (BT Makkot 23b) that Moshe received and conveyed 613 Mitzvot, interest was only sparked in the post-Talmudic era as to the makeup of that list. The earliest proposals, including that of R. Shimon Kaeira (Halakhot Gedolot), included a number of Mitzvot that we commonly view as Rabbinic in provenance, notably (for purposes of our shiur), lighting Ner Chanuka. The inclusion of these Mitzvot in a number of lists from the Geonic era motivated Rambam to define, in no uncertain terms, his approach that only Mitzvot that are explicit in the Torah ought to be reckoned on this list. We explore several formulations that include Ner Chanuka (and, inter alii, Mikra Megilla) and, with the help of several lesser known passages authored by R. Saadia Gaon, come to a new understanding of the source and significance of Ner Chanuka (and Mikra Megilla) within the larger rubric of the Mitzvot. Source sheet >>

Chanuka | Lighting up the Night, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Shiur given at Kehillat Haela, Ramat Beit Shemesh on November 29, 2023

War and Religion #7: Is Revenge a Mitzva? by Rav Moshe Taragin What form of revenge is valid?

War and Religion #6: Thoughts about Freeing Hostages, by Rav Moshe Taragin

War and Religion #5: Protecting "Innocent" Civilians During War, by Rav Moshe Taragin On allowing escape routes and preserving human dignity

War and Religion #4: Unifying Three 'Sectors' for War, by Rav Moshe Taragin Gidon's success and Devorah's frustration

War and Religion #3: Believing that Hashem Directs War, by Rav Moshe Taragin While also celebrating the heroism of our soldiers.

War and Religion #2: When Evil Cultures Hold Back Humanity, by Rav Moshe Taragin Looking at Tanakh figures as warriors

War and Religion #1: War and the Cleansing of Cultural Evil, by Rav Moshe Taragin