The Portion

For our first live show, we talked about the completion of the Tabernacle and the end of the Book of Exodus. We continue our discussion about creativity and get into why this is an appropriate place to end the book. Also... audience questions.

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In this week's episode, we can't help but notice that the Torah portion of VaYakhel looks very similar to the earlier portion of Trumah. We talk about the nature of repetition and what we might learn from it. Also discussed: creativity, performance art, meditation and self help books (and Aaron's struggle to finish them). We also analyze the kiyor (or laver) in the Mishkan and what it tells us about the Jewish outlook on sexuality.

We're only a few days from our live show. You can still get tickets at: https://katzjcc.org/forum/

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This week, we die into - of all things - census counts. Why does the Torah tell the Israelites to give a half shekel as a way to count men for military service? What is the significance? Does it have some lesson for politics in modern America? We say yes. We also discuss the sin of the golden calf, one of the most shocking events in the Torah. 

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In this week's episode, a look at the garb of the High Priest leads to a conversation about clothing and uniforms in general. It's a loose episode, that incorporates cultural references to the Beastie Boys and "Close Encounters" but also has lots of Torah insight into things like what clothing says about us, the position of the incense alter in the Mishkan, and the bells hanging from the priestly robes. Also, Aaron tells a story about a grad student who takes the Urim V'tumim very seriously. Join us.

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In this week's episode, we follow along while the Torah takes another turn, from the legalistic - in last week's portion, Mishpatim - to the ritualistic, as the Israelites receive instructions for constructing a Tabernacle (or as Aaron would prefer to say, a Resting Place) in the desert. We discuss the many levels of meaning and symbolism associated with what might otherwise look like a dry set of instructions. In the process, we get in a lawyer joke (courtesy of Aaron's dad) and discuss the Ark of the Covenant's big moment on screen. 

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In this discussion of Parshat Mishpatim, Aaron and Rabbi Bienenfeld note the abrupt shift the Torah takes from narrative to law and talk about the vision for society that these laws portray. Then things get real as they talk about the ways the Torah's laws are influenced by the experience of slavery and the ways they are not.

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In this episode, we introduce a new feature... a quick summary of the Torah portion before we really get into it. We talk about the Yitro's character, the importance of delegating, and whether Aaron is wrong to call Yitro "flaky." We discuss the Ten Commandments and the parameters of jealousy. Aaron also shares his story about meeting the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

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In this week's episode, the splitting of the sea. We discuss miracles, manna, Biblical poetry, Robert Alter, Shlomo Carlebach, Jerry Garcia and why the Israelites complain so much.

And some firsts! We announce our first sponsor, the Pravda Family Foundation, and our first live show, as part of The Forum at the Katz JCC on Saturday night, March 2 (on the show, we said March 1, but that was wrong).

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In this week's discussion about Parshat Bo, we talk about the meaning of the Exodus and almost start singing Avraham Fried. We ask, was Moshe telling the truth when he told Pharaoh the Israelites were just going to worship for three days? Rabbi Bienenfeld has a surprising answer. And we delve into the significance of the matzoh and how it was a little like "Back to the Future" (just a little). 

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Lots of laughs and intensity in this week's discussion of Parshat Va'Era. Aaron and Rabbi Bienenfeld go deep talking about whether the Exodus narrative is universal or particular to the Jews. We try to make sense of the ten plagues, reference Edgar Allan Poe, and talk about why Pharaoh's magicians were such failures. We also presume the presence of emoji for each of the ten plagues, though we'll ask you, our listeners, for help identifying them.