TORCH Fundraiser — support the Ethics Podcast Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Ethics Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Ethics Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Why dont humans naturally love each other? Why is there often di...
Mar 19, 2024•33 min
TORCH Fundraiser Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Parsha Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Parsha Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Our Parsha deals exclusively with sacrifices. Since the destruction of the Temple nearly 2,00...
Mar 19, 2024•53 min
TORCH Fundraiser Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Parsha Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Parsha Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – In Parshas Vayikra, the first Torah section in The Book of Leviticus, we learn about the proc...
Mar 17, 2024•53 min
TORCH Fundraiser Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Parsha Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Parsha Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The narrative of the Tabernacle spans many chapters at the end of the book of Exodus. The nat...
Mar 14, 2024•54 min
TORCH Annual Fundraiser Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Jewish History Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Jewish History Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Straddling the Mediterranean Sea is a very special sliver of...
Mar 13, 2024•1 hr 17 min
TORCH Fundraiser — support the Ethics Podcast Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Ethics Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Ethics Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The requirement to love God is featured prominently in our relig...
Mar 13, 2024•58 min
TORCH Fundraiser — support the Mitzvah Podcast Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Mitzvah Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Mitzvah Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sacrifices, like many other things, can contract ritual impur...
Mar 12, 2024•49 min
TORCH Fundraiser — support the This Jewish Life Podcast Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the This Jewish Life Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the This Jewish Life Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The Bible is written in Hebrew. Th...
Mar 12, 2024•1 hr 2 min
TORCH Fundraiser -- support the TORAH 101 Podcast Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the TORAH 101 Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the TORAH 101 Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – What is the point of resurrection? This question has d...
Mar 12, 2024•1 hr 9 min
TORCH Fundraiser Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Parsha Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Parsha Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The most ambitious initiative ever undertook in the history of mankind was the construction o...
Mar 11, 2024•1 hr 17 min
Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Jewish History Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Jewish History Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Is a two-state solution a viable way to finally resolve the Israel Palestine conflic...
Mar 11, 2024•55 min
Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . This is a matching campaign and every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Parsha Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Parsha Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The final parsha in the Book of Exodus wraps up the account of the construction of the Tabernacle, a...
Mar 10, 2024•39 min
There are three ways to achieve transcendental greatness: There is the path of intense practice and training in your desired field of excellence; there is the path of Bezalel who was endowed with supernatural abilities and preordained to greatness; and there is a third path -- the path of the ascension of heart. In our Parsha we learn about people who accomplished otherworldly things: Bezalel and his army of lieutenants built the Mishkan and its many vessels and accouterments. A deep study of th...
Mar 07, 2024•57 min
Torah was not given to angels. Torah was given to humans. One way to expand our ability to acquire Torah is by enhancing our humanity. The more human we are, the more we are a worthy receptacle of Torah. But what does it mean to be a human? – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php . Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – –...
Mar 06, 2024•18 min
The Torah's narrative surrounding the Tabernacle is not one-and-done an cut-and-dried. The Torah does not simply tell us that a Tabernacle was built with the requisite materials. Instead of a succinct detailing of the Tabernacle, the Torah tells the Tabernacle narrative in a sprawling and often repetitive fashion over the course of five Parsha sections. Why is the Torah obsessed with the Tabernacle? Why is the narrative surrounding God's Sanctuary the focus of so much of the Torah? What are the ...
Mar 05, 2024•58 min
After the Torah delineates the instructions to assemble the materials for the construction of the Tabernacle in Parshas Terumah and the creation of the vestments of the high priest in Parshas Tetzaveh, Parshas Vayakhel outlines the implementation those plans: The massive fundraising efforts, and the actual building of the Tabernacle and its vessels under the auspices of Bezalel. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donat...
Mar 03, 2024•1 hr 1 min
The final instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle are conveyed at the beginning of this week's parsha. After Moshe is told to appoint Bezalel as the head overseer of this enormous project, the Torah cautions us against constructing the tabernacle on Shabbos. Although we are required to build the Tabernacle, and we are inclined to be expeditious in the performance of this great mitzvah, nevertheless, we may not do it on Shabbos. When the Torah conveys this to us, the verse seems to ha...
Feb 29, 2024•51 min
Our thoughts matter. This is especially true when it comes to sacrifices. The thoughts of those who are processing the sacrifices must be aligned with the protocols of the sacrifices. Or else, they are rejected - they are Piggul. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – This Mitzvah Podcast is dedicated towards the complete and speedy recovery of Tzvi Simcha ben Fruma . May he merit a complete Refuah Sheleimah. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider suppo...
Feb 28, 2024•26 min
The golden calf is one of the most inexplicable events in the Torah. What went wrong? Who is to blame? In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast we propose a novel idea that threads throughout the entire Parsha. We emerge from this episode with a greater appreciation of the indivisibility of our nation. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://w...
Feb 27, 2024•42 min
This week’s parsha contains several instructions related to the Tabernacle, but the majority of the parsha is dedicated to arguably the most shocking and troubling episode in the whole Torah, the Golden Calf. Forty days after the nation reached the pinnacle of human accomplishment – a national revelation at Sinai – the same nation committed what seems on the surface to be idolatry. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a do...
Feb 25, 2024•1 hr 6 min
This week's Parsha is dedicated to the priestly class: It begins with the oil that the High Priest kindles; it describes in great detail the special vestments that the priests wore; and it proceeds in outlining the process of inauguration of the priests. In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast we go deep and deeper behind the scenes, beneath the veneer, under the substratum of the Parsha and see what secrets we uncover. In particular, we examine a peculiar and uncharacteristic statement in...
Feb 22, 2024•57 min
There is not an indefinite amount of time to consume a sacrifice. Each sacrifice has its specific protocol and time frame in which it must be eaten. What happens with the leftovers? – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php . Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and fee...
Feb 21, 2024•25 min
Our Sages tell us that each one of us is unique and has a unique mission to fulfill. Humans are not fungible, moist, robots that can be swapped for each other. Each one of us is our own world. We must each say: "the world was created for me." But how do we discover our life mission? How do we know what the Almighty expects of us specifically? In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast, we suggest a new approach to determining what it is that you were placed on this Earth to accomplish. – – – ...
Feb 20, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Our nation is at war. Our brothers and sisters are in combat in Gaza, displaced from their homes in the north and the south of Israel, traumatized from the atrocities of October 7th, and of course there are 100 plus hostages still in Gaza. Our nation is experiencing pain and challenge the likes of which we have not seen for a very long time. Although we may be far away in the Diaspora, it is imperative that we not forget the plight of our brethren in Israel. We must each do what we can to help t...
Feb 19, 2024•1 hr 19 min
In a natural continuation to Parshas Terumah, in Parshas Tetzaveh we learn about the instructions to build the Tabernacle. Whereas last week the focus was on the edifice itself and its vessels, this week we will orient primarily on the special garments that the priests wore in the Tabernacle, and of course subsequently in the Temple. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educa...
Feb 18, 2024•56 min
The Tabernacle was a portable Temple in which the presence of God dwelled. Our Parsha begins with the fundraising effort to be conducted in the Wilderness where the nation was asked to donate the required materials for the construction of the Tabernacle, it's vessels, and the vestments of the high priest. In this enjoyable Parsha podcast we go deep and deeper on three different parts of the Parsha: we discuss the unusual ordering of the materials needed for the tabernacle; we probe the apparentl...
Feb 15, 2024•58 min
The great medieval sage my Maimonides - Rambam - has been guiding us throughout our studies of the 13th principles of faith. This transcendental scholar, who's magisterial writings are authoritatively accepted amongst the entirety of the Jewish people, was one of our people's greatest personalities. His writings are enormously influential and authoritative in matters of philosophy and the foundations of our faith. In this episode we go through Rambam's epistle on Resurrection. In his lifetime, t...
Feb 14, 2024•1 hr 10 min
This week's Parsha marks the beginning of the Torah's detailing of the Tabernacle and its vessels and operations. This subject makes up the bulk of the remaining narrative of Exodus, and Leviticus contains much of the laws related to the Tabernacle. We have never witnessed the Tabernacle, nor it's successor, the Temple in Jerusalem. The whole notion of a dwelling house for God is somewhat strange to us. What can we take out of these sections? In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast we disc...
Feb 13, 2024•59 min
One of the fundamental principles of Jewish philosophy is the idea of “Kedushah”, holiness. Holiness, according to the Jewish definition, is when the physical and spiritual worlds meet. In no location in the world is holiness more present than the Temple, and its predecessor, the “Mishkan”, the Tabernacle. In this week’s parsha we read about the instructions to raise the materials and to construct the Tabernacle and most of its vessels. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH...
Feb 11, 2024•52 min
Immediately after the Sinai Revelation, the Torah begins telling us many of the laws. In this Parsha podcast we focus on two of the laws: the famous verse of "an eye for an eye", and the requirement to aid your enemy when his donkey is struggling under its load. As is our mandate in year 8 of the Parsha Podcast, we go deep and deeper beneath the surface, trying to find insights and secrets beyond the text. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting th...
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 1 min
