KMTT - the Torah Podcast

July 20th, 2016 at Kehillat Shivtei Yisrael, Raanana. With Rav Yair Kahn - "Eish Tamid and Ner Tamid" and Rav Menachem Leibtag, Tzelem Elokim and Mikdash Me'at". Divrei Peticha by Prof. Joel Hirsch

Parshat Pinchas, The Second Census, written by Rav Yair Kahn

Why were the people of Israel commanded to battle Midian twice, and what does this teach us about the evolution of Israel's national identity?

Parshat Balak - I Will Bless Those Who Bless You, written by Rav Yair Kahn

What is the deeper meaning of Bil'am's narrative arc, and how is this connected to the role of blessings and curses in the Torah?

Parshat Chukat - Benei Yisrael: The New Generation, written by Rav Amnon Bazak

What is the meaning of Moshe and Aharon's silent reaction to the nation's complaint at Mei Meriva, and what does this tell us about the nation's evolving relationship with God at the time?

Parshat Korach - The Entire Nation is Holy, written by Rav Yair Kahn

Despite Korach's rebellious intentions, he had a legitimate complaint. How can we answer Korach's charge that "the entire nation is holy"?

Parshat Shelach, The Mission of the Spies, written by Harav Yaakov Medan

The details of the story of the spies in Parashat Shelach are notoriously difficult to understand. How can we make sense of the episode's various incongruities and shed light on Moshe's role in this historic disaster?

Parshat Beha'alotekha - The Episode of the Cushite Woman, written by Rav Amnon Bazak.

What is the true nature of the complaint of Miriam and Aharon about Moshe, and how can we understand Moshe's reaction to this complaint?

Parshat Naso - Bridging Vision and Reality, written by Rav Yair Kahn

How do the three prominent halakhic passages of Parashat Naso fit in with the overall narrative structure of Sefer Bamidbar?

Parshat Bamidbar - Not Just Numbers, written by Rav Yair Kahn

Why does Sefer Bamidbar open with the census of the people of Israel, and why do Chazal seem to view the census as reflective of the very essence of the book?

Parshat Bechukotai, The Harmony of Shemitta, written by Rav Avraham Walfish

How does the seemingly anti-climactic final chapter of Parashat Bechukotai fit into the larger context of Sefer Vayikra, and how does this connect to the relationship between the different types of sanctity discussed throughout the book?