KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Pinchas | "And Their Libations", by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

Why are the libations and grain offerings (נסכים ומנחות) repeated with each korban in our parasha?

Parashat Pinchas is known for its presentation of the "Mikdash-Calendar", i.e. the listing of Korbanot to be brought daily, every Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh and on Moadim in the Mikdash. However, in spite of the already presented laws of the grain+oil offerings (מנחות) and wine libations (נסכים) that are to accompany most Korbanot, these are spelled out and repeated in each section in our presentation. We explore the dual nature of these Parashot - one standard and one unique - and suggest that the "surprising" perspective may hold the key to these seemingly needless repetitions. This shiur was given on the occasion of Rav Etshalom's father's 25th yahrzeit: לע"נ אבי מורי הרב אשר אהרן בן אברהם בנימין ז"ל - may his memory always be an inspiration.

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Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Parts 21-22), 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:

Rav Amital's Holocaust Infused "Grounded" Zionism; A Country for the Jews; Response to the Partition Plan The Value of Imperfect Jewish Sovereignty; Yitzchak's "Failed" Gamble For Jewish History; The Evolution of Political Systems; The Dashed Expectations of 1948

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 20), 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:

Tefillah is Existential not Philosophical; Tefillah After the Holocaust; Changing Hashem's Will; Man is Defined By His "Dependency"

Special | A Communal Reassessment of our Relationship to America and Israel, by Rabbi Michael Rosensweig

Rabbi Rosensweig, Har Etzion alumnus '73, is Rosh Yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University and the Rosh Kollel of the Beren Kollel Elyon.

Ramban on the Torah | 51 | Balak, by Rav Eli Weber

Who, and what, was Bil'am?

Ramban on the Torah | 50 | Chukat, by Rav Eli Weber

What is so strange about Para Aduma? What's the sin of Moshe and Aharon? Was there kiddush Hashem in Mei Meriva?

What's the Right Way to Disagree? (Avot 5:17), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Sharing the Torah of Rav Asher Weiss

What is a "machloket l'shem shamayim" and why does it endure?

Balak | The Book of Bil'am, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

Why do Chazal credit Moshe with writing "his book (Torah) and Parashat Bil'am". What is "Parashat Bil'am"?

The story of Bil'am has always inspired consternation. Amongst the mysteries unique to this narrative is one of setting - it is the only story in the Torah since the end of Sefer Bereishit where Am Yisrael is not front and center - in fact, during this entire narrative, Am Yisrael isn't even in the background; they are the target and focus of discussion and attempted spiritual ambush - but we never see or hear them. This oddity likely led Chazal to ascribe "Parashat Bil'am" to Moshe Rabbenu - even though they already credited him with writing most/all of the Torah. There is, however, another way to understand that unusual statement. A Ritb"a suggests, there was a separate book, known as "the book of Bil'am", that Chazal were able to reference - and this is somewhat substantiated by an odd conversation between R. Hanina and a sectarian (BT Sanhedrin 100). where the latter refers to something he read "in Bil'am's log book". These mysterious statements gained more traction with a remarkable find in Tel Dir-'Alah (Biblical Sukkot, on the East Bank of the Jordan) in February 1967 - the mysterious "Book of Bil'am bar B'eor". Enjoy!

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Why Does Hashem Test Us (Avot 5:3), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb

Sharing the Torah of Rav Asher Weiss

What was accomplished by Avraham "passing" 10 tests? What's the point of it all?

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 19), 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:

Tefilla as a Barometer of Authenticity and Spirituality; The Ba'al Shem Tov's Assurance to his Talmidim; Focusing on the "Little Things"