KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Ramban on the Torah | 55 | Vaetchanan, by Rav Eli Weber

Which is the "real" text of the aseret hadibrot? Treating a derabanan mitzva as deoraita - is that bal tosif? And more...

Ekev | How Do You Spell "Mezuzot"? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

How many ways can "Mezuzot" be legitimately spelled? The Orthography of the Torah

Rashi, in his comment on Devarim 6:9, infers from the written form of "Mezuzot" - מזוזת - that we need only write the words of שמע...ואהבת (and the rest) on one doorpost, since the written version alludes to "Mezuzat". However, our Sifrei Torah all have that word written מזזות. We explore the phenomenon of כתיב מלא וחסר - (plene and "defective" orthography), where Hebrew letters are used to "guide" reading and are read as vowels. We also explore the rabbinic history of variant texts of the Torah and how that challenge was met.

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Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Parts 32-33), by Rav Moshe Taragin

In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot:

#32: Rabbis Should Be Humans Not Angels; Too Much Kavod?; Rav Amital's Honest and Brilliant Confession; Gaining the Respect of the "Rebetzin" #33: Encountering the Modern Culture; "I Have No Easy Solutions ("Patentim" in Hebrew); Avoiding Simplistic Faith

Vaetchanan | The Second "Version" of the Decalogue, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

The dibrot are repeated in Devarim, but with some significant (and some subtle) variations.

The Decalogue is repeated in Devarim, but with some significant (and some subtle) variations. An approach to understanding all of these variations - large and small - is proposed, in light of the significantly different station of the generation born in the desert.

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KMTT - Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Parts 30-31), by Rav Moshe Taragin

In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot:

Torah Wisdom of HaRav Amital #30: Two Ways To Understand the "Eternity of Torah"; Torah Isn't Meant to Be Heavy; Focus on Chumra Saps Religious Energy for Internalism #31: Naturalist Religion: Avodas Hashem of Volition or of Compulsion?; The Maharal's Calibration ;Holiness Isn't Esoteric or Detached from Daily Routine; Can "Values" Become Mitzvot?

Tisha BeAv | Why Were the Keruvim Hugging at the Time of the Churban? by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

The Romans couldn't understand why they found the keruvim in a loving embrace when they destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. As a result they ridiculed us for this seemingly base display of affection. How do WE understand this phenomenon? What should we know that they were missing? A number of new approaches to understand the symbolism of the keruvim's embrace at the time of the churban: Hashem's enduring love of the Jewish people, Hashem comforting us - and us comforting Him, advice about the need to be active, mindful and serious about Yiddishkeit in galut.

Eicha | "Cheit Chat'a Yerushalayim" by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

On the power and potential of our actions

Chazal seem to emphasize that we - the Jewish people - are uniquely responsible for our actions and their impact on the events of history - how do we understand this and why is it fair?

Ramban on the Torah | 54 | Devarim, by Rav Eli Weber

Why are some mitzvot only written down in Sefer Devarim? What do the Meraglim have to do with Moshe not entering Eretz Israel? Why does Hashem make the goyim fear Am Israel?

Amos | The Opening Oracles Against the Nations, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

Many of our literary prophets issued rebukes, warnings and dire threats against the nations surrounding Israel and Amos's opening chapters are often cited as the paradigm for this genre of prophetic oratory. Yet, a closer look at these prophecies and their setting reveals that Amos, who indeed coined a significant number of prophetic stylings and nuances, had a different agenda in presenting these oracles to his Israelite audience. This shiur was given as part of Michlelet Herzog's ימי עיון בתנ"ך.

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9 BeAv | Text Study of Psalm 137 - על נהרות בבלת, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

When and why was על נהרות בבל composed? Psalm 137, the dirge of the Levi'im "at the waters of Babylon" is an intricate and multi-layered psalm that evokes a surprisingly hopeful and defiant message. (This session was held in Ramat Beit Shemesh; thank you to the Reichs for their hospitality.)