Medical Treatment on Shabbat 2: Medical Treatment on Shabbat 2: When Shabbat and Saving Lives Go Head-to-Head, Part 2 - Sep 11, 2023 - The decree against use of medicine for low-level illness on Shabbat out of concern that we might eventually grind ingredients, and exceptions to the decree.

The Optimist's Teshuvah: Rav Kook's View of Human Potential - Sep 10, 2023 - Rav Kook's view of aveirot as catalyzing teshuvah and a return to perfection, and therefore being valuable in themselves. We need to be sensitive to the discomfort and anxiety triggered by our sin.

V'Chol Maaminim - Really? - Sep 9, 2023 - How can we assert that "everyone" believes?

Medical Treatment on Shabbat 2: When Shabbat and Saving Lives Go Head-to-Head, Part 1 - Sep 6, 2023 - Categories of illness and what may be done for the patient, and starting to discuss the decree against use of medicine for mild conditions משום שחיקת סממנין

UNetaneh Tokef: Not as scary as I thought - Sep 2, 2023 - Just a very quick idea, explaining the word "UNetaneh" and the message of establishing Hashem's throne with mercy

Ki Tavo: The Distribution of the Shevatim - Sep 2, 2023 - Why were the tribes distributed as they were between Har Grizim and Har Eival - with one mountain hosting Leah's oldest and youngest as well as the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, and the other mountain hosting Leah's middle four and the sons of Rachel?

Medical Treatment on Shabbat 1: Defining the Problem, Part 2 - Aug 30, 2023 - The duty to heal others, and starting to discuss categories of danger to life.

Medical Treatment on Shabbat 1: Defining the Problem, Part 1 - Aug 28, 2023 - The importance of Shabbat, and the importance of guarding life.

Kinot: Al Churban - Jul 27, 2023 - Brief introduction to the kinah, looking at the reverse acrostic, and the themes evoked in the image of taking the vessels of the Beit Mikdash.

Kinot: Yom Achpi - Jul 27, 2023 - Brief introduction to the kinah, looking at the story of Zecharyah ben Yehoyada as it appears in Divrei haYamim, as a story of personal betrayal of Zecharyah's parents, and as it appears in the kinah as a story of religious betrayal of a righteous kohen and navi.