Jerusalem Lights

This week's Jerusalem Lights podcast is in honor of the ancient, unsung Biblical holiday of Tu B'Av, the fifteenth day of the month of Menachem Av, called by our sages 'the happiest day of year.' What is the source of the great joy, and customs of matrimony, associated with this day? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share Torah wisdom and insights that illuminate the inspiring and revealing lessons of our sages for Tu B'Av, and every day of the year.

This week the house of Israel observes Tisha B’Av, the day of national mourning for the destruction of the Holy Temple and the tragic template of suffering throughout Jewish history. With so much upheaval in Israel and all over the world, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine Tisha B’Av from a fresh perspective that emphasizes the Temple’s role in social justice, human compassion, and the spiritual elevation of all humanity. Our hosts provide insight into what is going on behind the headlines, and examine the dual nature of this month of ‘the Consoling Father,’ as we transition from Tisha B’Av to the joyous celebraation of Tu B’Av.

This week’s Torah reading cycle begins the book of Deuteronomy, and Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the transition to this unique book of Torah in this week’s podcast. Our hosts discuss the essential and indispensable Oral Tradition, misunderstood by some as ‘traditions of men’ but in reality, G-d’s own authoritative, sacred wisdom as revealed to Moses at Mount Sinai and passed on through every generation, from teacher to student; an inseparable and integral unit of Torah.

In this week’s rousing episode, hosts Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman focus on the trailblazing work of Biblical archaeologist and Torah scholar Vendyl Jones, Jim’s mentor of blessed memory. Vendyl brought many non-Jews to a recognition of the G-d of Israel and a love for Torah, and Jim reports his experiences after attending an inspiring conference that was recently held in his memory. Rabbi Richman expounds upon Maimonides’ ‘Thirteen Principles of Faith,’ a universal credo that expresses the fundamental articles of faith cherished by Jew and Gentile alike.

In this week’s Torah portion of Pinchas, we meet the High Priest Aaron’s grandson, for whom the portion is named. Pinchas suddenly emerges as a bold new leader for this new generation of the Children of Israel, and his unprecedented strike against the heinous immorality calculated by the wicked Bilaam and King Balak to destroy Israel, earned him a Divinely-appointed 'Covenant of Peace'… and a covenant of 'Eternal Priesthood.' This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on the unusual step taken by Pinchas to save his people from the abyss of immorality. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman connect the themes of the portion with our contemporary reality, and offer some deep insights into the existential separation anxiety and spiritual roots of the annual ‘Three Weeks’ of mourning for the Holy Temple, which begin with the Fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz, observed this year on July 6th.

(Due to technical issues, this week's podcast is available in audio format only)

The Hebrew month of Tammuz has now begun, and this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at some of the mystical, as well as practical dimensions of this month, whose main spiritual challenge is associated with the healing of our vision. Things are not always as they appear to be in this life, a theme also expressed in the Torah readings in the book of Numbers. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine the elusive thread that connects the Red Heifer, Moshe’s striking of the rock, and AI…only to discover, like the old song goes…how little we know.

The Torah portion of parashat Korach introduces us to the first rebellion mentioned in Torah (or was it the second?) – the insurgence against Moshe led by the illustrious Levite, Korach. Who was this man and what life-lessons does Torah impart to us through this remarkable episode? Why Did Korach’s showdown with Moshe feature 250 Talitot of pure sky-blue color? In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share Midrashic, spiritual and psychological insights that provide backstory and context to illuminate this fascinating and compelling story.

This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at the enigmatic Generation of the Desert, that generation of Israelites who participated in the Egyptian exodus, were present at the transformative Sinai experience, and rose to a great level of holiness, yet ultimately failed dismally, as we learn from the sin of the spies. How do we understand the extreme dichotomy of people who could be so righteous and yet, so flawed at the same time? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine this question in the light of fascinating Torah insights into the nature of the human condition, the essence of true leadership, and the natural desire that pulls towards materialism, vs. the spiritual hunger for closeness to G-d.