Why does Balaak bless Israel - and then later in the Torah Moses rebukes Israel?  A midrash and the Shem Mishmuel have a pretty powerful insight.  

A strange episode with snakes in the Torah this week leads us on a journey toward a practical and spiritual takeaway that is key to our happiness.  Along the way we get to learn why a word is not just a word, and to learn from the Akedat Yitchak's (15th c) beautiful grammatical-spiritual insight into one word in particular....

I bit of a departure from the usual format.  On the eve of Independence Day, we explore the relationship of Jews and Jewish values to America.  This podcast briefly discusses the weekly portion but we'll return next week to the usual deep dive on the parshah.

In this week's Parshah Study on parshat Shelach L'cha, we explore the true error of the scouts.  We'll look at Rashi, Ramban, and the Shelah to see what we can learn from this episode. 

Aaron, the Israelites, Rashi, Midrash Tanchuma, the Shem Mishmuel and the Kotzker teach a lesson about drawing on who you are not in order to be who you are.

The census in the Torah portion, the Talmud's reflection on the problem of counting people, and a magnificent teaching from Kedushat Levi.  

A stunning teaching about self restraint and ego from the Mei HaShiloach.  Along the way, a little Sifra, a little Rashi, a little Seforno, and a plug for our June 8th Program with Congregation Pnai Or.

Fast forwarding through the Movie of Your Life (to find the plot twist), understanding the counting of the omer through the lens of manna, and Rav Ashlag on the Zohar.