To get to the bottom of the shofar's secret, we need to travel back to the Exodus story. Looking closely, we can see that Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush was more than just a long job negotiation. God was trying to convey something extremely important. So important, in fact, that He encoded it into His own name.

Click here for a free copy of Rabbi Fohrman's e-book, "Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden". 

Click here to start your 7 day FREE trial at Aleph Beta, and gain access to our entire library, as well as exclusive A Book Like No Other bonus content.  

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

You sit in shul. The shofar blows. What do you feel? You may not want to admit it, but for many of us the answer is: nothing. For a long time, that’s how Imu felt also. Until a chance observation, one historic Erev Rosh Hashana, sparked a conversation with Rabbi David Fohrman that would change everything. 

Come along on this deep dive through the Torah, revealing a hidden story from the Burning Bush to Mount Sinai to the walls of Jericho—that will finally make the shofar blast truly meaningful. 

In this first episode of the new season, we begin that journey of discovery with a first look at the origins of the shofar in the Torah text.

For the Rosh Hashana course Rabbi Fohrman and Imu discuss in this episode, click here. 

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

Come spend Tisha B'Av with us! We’re going to be having a live online event in the afternoon. It’s a chance to join hundreds of Jews from around the world to learn together, connect and make this day about community instead of being alone. Click here to learn more. 

Click here for a free copy of Rabbi Fohrman's e-book, "Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden". 

Click here to start your 7 day FREE trial at Aleph Beta, and gain access to our entire library, as well as exclusive A Book Like No Other bonus content.  

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

After thoroughly dissecting every verse of Shir HaMaalot, the season finale attempts to put all the pieces back together. The first three verses were about moving from dreams to true joy; the second three were about Joseph and Jacob's saga. Could both of these themes somehow be related?

Click here for a free copy of Rabbi Fohrman's e-book, "Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden". 

Click here to start your 7 day FREE trial at Aleph Beta, and gain access to our entire library, as well as exclusive A Book Like No Other bonus content.  

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

Do you really know what Joseph's dream of the wheat sheaves was about? We'll bet you missed something big. And perhaps, so did Joseph. See how the ambiguity of the dream presents Joseph with a choice: am I destined for power, or for benevolence?

Click here for a free copy of Rabbi Fohrman's e-book, "Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden". 

Click here to start your 7 day FREE trial at Aleph Beta, and gain access to our entire library, as well as exclusive A Book Like No Other bonus content.  

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

The beginning and end of Shir HaMaalot discuss dreams and sheaves of wheat. Where have we heard this before? Rabbi Fohrman and Imu explore the clear parallels between this chapter or tehillim and Joseph - a dreamer and a captive. They discuss Joseph's outpouring of tears, compared to Jacob's persistent weeping, and offer a consoling message that the tears we spill for those we mourn may not be in vain.

Click here for a free copy of Rabbi Fohrman's e-book, "Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden". 

Click here to start your 7 day FREE trial at Aleph Beta, and gain access to our entire library, as well as exclusive A Book Like No Other bonus content.  

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

This season's focus is on Tehilim (Psalm) 126, otherwise known as Shir HaMaalot. You know, the one that Jews sing before bensching on Shabbat and festivals. This short but powerful poem tells us that when the redemption comes we will be "like dreamers." But is this a good thing? What if our dream state prevents us from coming to terms with the actual redemption? And if so, how do we "wake up"? Listen to this entertaining but groundbreaking investigation of a familiar text.

Click here for a free copy of Rabbi Fohrman's e-book, "Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden". 

Click here to start your 7 day FREE trial at Aleph Beta, and gain access to our entire library, as well as exclusive A Book Like No Other bonus content.  

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

PLEASE FILL OUT OUR SURVEY: https://bit.ly/BLNOlistenersurvey

In the season finale, Rabbi Fohrman and Imu explore the final commandment—“Thou shalt not covet”—through the emotional reunion of Jacob and Esau. As they unpack the psychological wounds left by their father’s perceived favoritism, a deeper truth emerges: healing comes not from acquiring more, but from seeing the divine in one another. Through a close reading of the text, they reveal how these once-bitter rivals move beyond envy, offering a profound lesson on finding wholeness in our relationships.

For more on Rabbi Fohrman's reading of the deception story, see this essay from his book Genesis: A Parsha Companion, as well as this video Why Did Rebecca Trick Her Husband Isaac.

Click here for a free copy of Rabbi Fohrman's e-book, "Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden". 

Click here to start your 7 day FREE trial at Aleph Beta, and gain access to our entire library, as well as exclusive A Book Like No Other bonus content.  

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

PLEASE FILL OUT OUR SURVEY: https://bit.ly/BLNOlistenersurvey

What drives someone to steal? And why does the Bible warn so strongly against false testimony? In this episode, Rabbi Fohrman and Imu Shalev examine how the story of Jacob, Rachel, and Lavan provides surprising insight into the psychology behind the 8th and 9th commandments. From Rachel's theft of her father's idols to Lavan's self-righteous covenant at Gal'ed, this episode reveals how our deepest pains can lead to actions that ultimately cannot heal us, and how the Ten Commandments offer wisdom rather than mere prohibition.

For more on Rabbi Fohrman's reading of the deception story, see this essay from his book Genesis: A Parsha Companion, as well as this video Why Did Rebecca Trick Her Husband Isaac.

Click here for a free copy of Rabbi Fohrman's e-book, "Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden". 

Click here to start your 7 day FREE trial at Aleph Beta, and gain access to our entire library, as well as exclusive A Book Like No Other bonus content.  

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

PLEASE FILL OUT OUR SURVEY: https://bit.ly/BLNOlistenersurvey

Continuing their journey through the Ten Commandments, Rabbi Fohrman and Imu examine murder and adultery through the lens of the Genesis Deception story. They unpack why Esau—usually painted as the bad guy—holds back from killing Jacob even when he knows exactly where to find him, giving us a fresh take on "Do not murder." Then they explore how Laban's meddling in Jacob's marriage to Rachel offers a surprising spin on adultery—showing it's not just about infidelity, but about the damage caused when someone interferes in sacred relationships. Through their analysis, a profound message emerges: the commandments aren't simply rules, but wisdom about how our actions affect our deepest connections and desires.

For more on Rabbi Fohrman's reading of the deception story, see this essay from his book Genesis: A Parsha Companion, as well as this video Why Did Rebecca Trick Her Husband Isaac.

Click here for a free copy of Rabbi Fohrman's e-book, "Serpents of Desire: Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden". 

Click here to start your 7 day FREE trial at Aleph Beta, and gain access to our entire library, as well as exclusive A Book Like No Other bonus content.  

We love to hear from you! Click here to share your thoughts, insights, questions, and reactions by voice note, or send us an email at [email protected].

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.