The Parasha with Rabbi Dweck

In this episode (from 2022) we explore the position of the Kohen Gadol, The High Priest of Israel. He was a major personality in the nation and the office had unique characteristics when it was held by faithful men. We look at the powerful role of the Kohen Gadol and why Hillel the Elder implored us to learn from him and follow his ways.

Amongst the vessels made for the Tabernacle, is the Ark of the Covenant. God commands Moses to adorn it on top with two golden cherubs. Rabbi Yehuda Halevi (12th century Spanish Rabbi) questions the difference between these golden images and the golden calf that incurred God's wrath in the desert. In this episode we explore his answer and its implications upon our beliefs and behaviours.

While the parasha seems to present a series of simple, everyday human laws to the people, the ending is as epic as it gets. The covenant between God and the Children of Israel is set and accepted. And the journey of the special relationship between God and His nation officially begins. But there is an interlude at at the end that is a bit peculiar. The dignitaries are invited by God for a more intimate meeting on the mountain, and God must restrain Himself from striking them. Why? In this episode we explore what happened at the episode and what it teaches us about our relationship with God.

The Children of Israel have reached the foot of Mount Sinai and they are preparing to receive the Torah from God. Yet, God calls Moses to the mountain and insists that a short preamble be spoken precisely to the people before anything else is said. In this episode we consider the implications of that preamble and its massive meaning on the entirety of Judaism.

The Children of Israel step into freedom and they immediately face potential war with the Philistines. God is concerned about this and that they might run away from it back to Egypt. To stop this, God diverts the people away from the Philistines and towards the Red Sea. In this episode we question why God is so concerned about the retreat to Egypt and how He deals with it. What are the implications about what he expects of us and our capabilities?

After 7 plagues, Pharaoh admits that God is right and he and his nation are in the wrong. Yet, he cannot stop his maniacal control of the Children of Israel. He sees the brick wall coming but cannot stop driving himself and his nation towards it. In this episode we explore what was happening with Pharaoh and why it was so important to God to bring him through the whole ordeal.

There is a curious sub-theme of reptiles in the story of the Exodus. A staff is turned into a snake (or is it a crocodile??), the haftara has Pharaoh as a crocodile. Pharaoh wears a serpent on his head... what might this be about? What could it have to do with freedom? And how does it touch our lives today?

Shemot opens the epic story of the Exodus from Egypt. It is a story that highlights freedom in all of its components. In this episode we explore the fact that Pharaoh believed the slaves had too much time on their hands and it threatened freedom seeping in to their slave mentality. What is the place of thinking time in a quest for freedom?

With the close of the first book of the Torah, Yaakob our forefather dies. But before he does he gives his last thoughts and blessings to his twelve sons. In this episode we look at the blessing given to Shimon and Levi. It does not on its surface sound anything like a blessing. In fact the word 'curse' is used in it! We look at the effects these last words had on these men and how it developed in their lives and tribes that followed them.

This is out of order because the audio was originally lost but now recovered! This was the episode on Bereshit in which we look at the layered readings of the creation story and discover an important way to understand its presentation. We also recognise that in the story there is much hope and an understanding that the world will be ok. In fact, it is getting better!