Seven Minute Torah

When the world feels like it’s unraveling, where do we find strength and direction? Rabbi Micah Streiffer turns to Moses and his unwavering sense of justice, offering a framework for grounding ourselves and navigating an increasingly unstable world.

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What does it mean when the Torah tells us that God “hardened Pharaoh’s heart”? Rabbi Micah Streiffer explores a contemporary interpretation that understands Pharaoh’s stubbornness as a return to entrenched, harmful habits—and considers how this reading speaks to our own era of geopolitical uncertainty and our enduring responsibility to pursue justice.

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In this week’s Torah portion, Joseph tearfully reunites with his brothers after two decades of separation, and many more years of pain and animosity. Rabbi Micah Streiffer speaks with Rabbi Steven Garten about how this powerful story can serve as a model for repentance and redemption in our own lives.

Cross-posted with the Jewish Faith and Facts podcast.

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When Abraham dies, the Torah surprises us by revealing that his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him together. What lessons can we learn from this surprising moment in Torah? What does it teach us about family, about our own relationships, and about relations between nations.

An encore presentation of Rabbi Micah's 2021 podcast on this parsha. Per the episode, the short story "A Wind From the South," can be found here: https://jewishliteraryjournal.com/fiction/a-wind-from-the-south/.

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Seven Minute Torah is a production of Laasok: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/.

For weekly, live study of the torah portion through Zoom, visit https://laasok.org/studygroups/ 

To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution.

Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

The Torah tells us we can’t see God—yet this week’s portion, Vayera, begins with the words, “God appeared to Abraham.” What does it mean to “see” a God who has no image? In this episode, Rabbi Micah explores how Vayera—filled with stories of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and Isaac—turns the act of seeing into a spiritual theme. The challenge is not that God can’t be seen, but that we so often forget to look.

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The Torah begins with a question: "Am I my brother's keeper?" And although it never answers it directly, the rest of the Torah IS an answer to that question. In this episode, Rabbi Micah Streiffer discusses why the answer is a resounding "Yes!" and what that means for our Jewish lives today.

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A Yom Kippur reflection with Rabbi Micah Streiffer -- exploring a Talmudic story, the book of Jonah, and the lessons of a gourd plant. What does Jewish tradition really teach about forgiveness, and how can seeing the humanity in others move us toward healing?

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How can we respond when the world feels chaotic—when society seems to be unraveling around us? Join Rabbi Micah Streiffer in exploring what Torah teaches about finding responsibility and purpose in challenging times.

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One of Judaism’s most famous teachings is that every person is created B’tzelem Elohim—in the image of God. But what does that really mean for how we see and treat each other, especially those who have done wrong? In this episode, Rabbi Micah Streiffer digs into a surprising Torah passage and rabbinic midrash to explore dignity, justice, and the limits (or lack thereof) of seeing the divine in every human being.

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This week’s Torah portion is full of laws—about food, tithes, debts, sacrifice. Hard to relate to? Maybe. But beneath the rules lies a profound truth: the Shema’s declaration that God is Oneness. What happens when we see the divine not as a distant lawgiver, but as the sacred unity that connects us to everything and everyone?

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