Simply Deep

Guest episode with Rabbi Zimmer:

This is a compelling defense of Rashi from the accusation of modern academics that Rashi advocated the heretical position that the text of Tanach was amended by later scribes.

Rashi (45:27) says that Yosef’s wagons (agalos) contained a hidden message to Yaakov about egla arufa, the subject they were learning before Yosef was sold. This episode analyzes this strange connection.

This episode resolved an apparent contradiction between two Rashis which discuss the afflictions of Yaakov Avinu. It reveals an aspect of Hashem’s fine tuning in His treatment of humans.

Rashi (42:36) says that Yaakov suspected that the brothers killed or sold Shimon like they did to Yosef. But did Yaakov know what they did to Yosef? And why would they do anything to Shimon?

This episode discusses the purpose and ideas of Haneiros Halalu and Maoz Tzur.

Is Chanuka about the miracle of the oil or the miracle of the war? If both, how do they relate to one another? Also, why was the miracle of the oil necessary?

Rashi says that the wife of Potifar seduced Yosef for the sake of Heaven. This episode analyzes this incident and provides a new perspective on the wife of Potifar.

In Breishis 34:30, Yaakov gave a weak criticism to Shimon and Levi for their killing the people for Shechem. This episode analyzes why and generalizes to lessons we can learn about giving rebuke.

The Torah says Yaakov and the sons of Yaakov acted with mirmah, literally deceit. Rashi and Onkelos say that it really means with chochma, wisdom.