KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Pinchas | כצאן אשר אין להם רעה Moshe's Demand that Hashem Appoint a Successor, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

The most popular verse in the entire canon - וידבר ה' אל משה לאמר - is inverted one time, in the middle of פרשת פנחס. After the census and the assignation of the Land division, Hashem tells Moshe to prepare to "be gathered to his people" but Moshe resists and "commands" Hashem to appoint a successor so that the nation should not be like "a flock without a shepherd". This leaves us wondering what God's original plan was - why wouldn't a ready successor be in place for Moshe to publicly hand over the mantle of leadership, just as Aharon did with Elazar, his son? By looking at this interaction in the larger context of these final chapters of Bamidbar, we discover a surprising "alternate" future that was, perhaps, reshaped by Moshe's demand.

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Megillat Eikha 3 - Chapter 2, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

As the desolate city burrows deeper into her isolation, she reflects on the loss of Divine protection and the frightening turnabout where God has aimed His arrows at her heart, conspiring against her and following through on that anger. She cannot find solace, but the mekonen adjures her to arise, weep at night and beseech God - but to no avail.

From Redemption to Consolation: Between Pesach and 9BeAv. Our Best Strategies for Bi'at Ha-Go'el.

#10 Overconfidence and the Destruction of Two Temples, by Rav Gidon Rothstein

In Yirmiyahu and in the Gemara, we see people too sure of their way of averting destruction; we can hope to learn from them to look more carefully and tread where Hashem wants.

Special sicha. Rav Yosef Blau, mashgiach ruchani at RIETS, honored us with a short dvar Torah on the parasha, followed by an open conversation with the bnei chul at yeshiva, discussing the complexity of the founding Roshei Yeshiva and the Rav zt'l. Introduced by Rav Eli Weber.

Balak | Making Sense of Bilam's Blessings, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

In engaging in the study of the curses-turned-blessings of the wizard Bilam, we typically approach our task with two assumptions. First - that Balak's aim in hiring Bilam was to eradicate Am Yisrael. Second - that each of Bil'ams curses-turned-blessings stands alone, as he had no way to know that Balak would ask him to try again from another vantage point. We demonstrate the likelihood that both of these are misconceptions and using a fresher understanding of both Balak's stated aim as well as Bilam's literary strategy, we propose a new understanding of these marvelous and elegant blessings.

Megillat Eikha 2 - Chapter 1, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

The bereaved widow, abandoned by all of her friends and separated from her children, cries out in the pain of her desolation. This first chapter of Eikhah is a dialogue between the mekonen (Yirmiyahu) and the city, giving the eternal readership both first person as well as eyewitness perspectives on the fundamental devastation felt in Yehudah in that summer of 586 BCE.

From Redemption to Consolation: Between Pesach and 9BeAv. Our Best Strategies for Bi'at Ha-Go'el.

#9 Fasts with Lessons, 10 Tevet and 17 Tammuz, by Rav Gidon Rothstein

The fasts of 10 Tevet and 17 Tammuz are more than historical: they point to fundamental errors of the past that we can avoid for the future.

Megillat Eikha 1 - Introduction, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom

Introducing some of the unique features of the structure of Eikha, which speak directly to its message. Why is Eikha in Tanakh?

From Redemption to Consolation: Between Pesach and 9BeAv. Our Best Strategies for Bi'at Ha-Go'el.

#8 Tokhacha and the Ideal Jewish Society, by Rav Gidon Rothstein

The mitzva of remonstration, where we do it, where we don't, and its value for a Jewish society.

Parashat Korach with Rav Dovid Gottlieb

#1 - Classical Commentators - "Va'Yikach Korach" - What Did He Take? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - "The Common Sense Rebellion" - R. Soloveitchik's Timeless Message #3 - Sparks of Mussar - Korach's Lust for Power: A Penetrating Insight from the Steipler #4 - Machshava / Jewish Thought - Rejecting "Cancel Culture": The Torah's Approach to Machlokes #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - "Oy L'Rasha Oy L'Shecheino" - What's the Problem With Having a Wicked Neighbor? #6 - Sparks of Chassidus - Ideas Must be "Clothed" in Action - The Kedushas Levi's Explanation of Korach's Mistake