Simply Deep

Simply Deep

By Elie FederReligion & SpiritualityJudaism
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Simply Deep episodes

  • Haman’s Downfall!!!
    Happy Purim!!! The Gemara (megilla 16a) fills in more details of the story of Mordechai’s interaction with Haman when they were getting ready to ride Mordechai through the streets on the king’s horse. This episode discusses how this Gemara reveals new insight into Haman’s downfall.
    22 min
  • Esther Accusing Achashverosh?
    The Gemara in Megilla 16a says that Esther started pointing at Achasherosh to accuse him of trying to kill her nation, until the malach came and pushed her hand towards Haman. Why would she do such a thing? It seems like suicide? I and Ezra (my son) present two different interpretations of this enigmatic Chazal.
    12 min
  • Purim Miracles
    Starting with the miracle of Achashverosh not being able to sleep on the layla hahu (that night), this episode analyzes the Purim miracles and the idea of nes nistar (a hidden miracle).
    46 min
  • The Mashkon of the Mishkan
    In the beginning of Pikudei (35:21), Rashi explains that when the two batai mikdash were destroyed for our sins, they serve as a collateral. What does this mean?
    10 min
  • Purim Gematrias
    After a brief introuction to gematria, this episode (from a shiur I gave a few years ago and wrote about in my book) discusses two interesting gematrias regarding Purim. The first involves the gematria of Haman's rov banav, many sons, which indicates that he had 208 sons. The second involves the gematria equivalence of hakesef, the money (that Haman offered Acheshverosh to kill the Jews), and ha'etz (the tree the Haman was hanged upon).
    1 hr 34 min
  • Choni Hameagel’s Circle
    The famous Gemara in Taanis 23a tells the story of Choni refusing to leave his circle until it rained, thereby “manipulating” Hashem to provide rain.
    42 min
  • The Sin of Staring at a Rainbow
    The Gemara in Chagiga 11b discusses the terrible sin of staring at a rainbow. One can help but wonder: Why is this so bad??? By analyzing the aftermath of the story of the flood, this episode explains this enigmatic Gemara and elucidates the significance of the rainbow.
    1 hr 12 min
  • The Laziness of the Nisiim
    Rashi (Shmos 35:27) says that the Torah left out a yud of nesi’m because their laziness caused them to offer to pay the balance of the funds for the Mishkan instead of paying first.
    10 min
  • The Beloved Mirrors of the Kiyor

    When the women brought their vanity mirrors as gifts to the mishkan, Rashi (Shmos 38:8) tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu didn't want to accept these tools of the yetzer hara. But Hashem told him that these were the most beloved gifts to Him because they were used to help build klal yisrael. It's also therefore fitting that the kiyor (which is made from these mirrors) is used to bring peace between a man his wife (who is a Sotah).

    42 min
  • Seeking Hashem in Moshe’s Tent
    In Shmos 33:7, the Torah tells us that ALL who sought out Hashem would go to the Ohel Moed, i.e., Moshe’s tent. Rashi has two interpretations of ALL: (1) anyone who seeks out a Zaken is like they’re encountering the presence of the Shechina. (2) even the angels would seek the Shechina in the tent of Moshe. This episode analyzes these two pshatim.
    38 min

About Simply Deep

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Although the words of the Torah, Chazal, and Rishonim may at times seem simple, they are deeply layered with profound insights and lessons. This podcast explores the hidden depths beneath seemingly…