The Unexpected Reversals in the Haggadah - Mar 23, 2023 - Why does our Haggadah emphasize that Yaakov thought he would be in Egypt for a short time? Perhaps this is a polemic against returning to Egypt, based on לגור שם as used elsewhere in Tanach. But perhaps it's part of a theme in the Pesach Haggadah of ונהפוך הוא, of the Divine destiny changing our plans.

Giants Of #18: Shemuel haNagid, Part 2 - Mar 23, 2023 - Shemuel haNaggid's political and military career, but mostly his career as a published talmid chacham and a leader of the Jewish community. Note: The history is more overview than granular, and certainly not academic.

Zecharyah - Prophet of Hope & Armageddon #3: Leadership - Mar 22, 2023 - Zecharyah is consulted by a delegation of Babylonian Jews: Should we continue to fast on Tisha b'Av, now that you are building the second Beit haMikdash? Was this question sincere, or rude? How did Zecharyah respond? Geared toward a group including people who lack strong background in Torah text study.

Zecharyah - Prophet of Hope & Armageddon #2: A Zionist Vision, Part 2 - Mar 22, 2023 - A third vision of Zecharyah: The Menorah, with its two olive trees, representing the "two sons of the olive". What do the symbols mean, and what was Zecharyah's message for the returning Jews, and how did these relate to a great debate among modern Zionists? Geared toward a group including people who lack strong background in Torah text study.

Mishlei, Week 10: 13:21-25 - Reward and Punishment - Mar 21, 2023 - How do we understand Mishlei 13:21-25, and particularly 13:23, with their observations on reward and punishment and how Hashem runs the world? And must we read 13:23-25 as talking about Divine reward and punishment at all?

Haggadah Night 5783 #1, with BAYT - Mar 20, 2023 - Four brief thoughts for your Pesach Seder, on different parts of the Haggadah, from Idan Rakovsky, Rabbi Yehuda Mann, Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner and Prielle Rakovsky!

Ketuvot b'iyun #6 Part 2: ראוה מדברת and שתוקי - Mar 17, 2023 - The Maharik's view of how Zeiri understands our mishnah's use of מדברת instead of נסתרה. And the machlokes between Rashi and Rambam regarding whether our mishnah's case is about a שתוקי's ability to marry into the general kahal, or about a non-שתוקי's ability to marry a kohen.

Giants Of #17: Shemuel haNagid, Part 1 - Mar 16, 2023 - The world of Shemuel haNagid in 10th-11th century Andalusia, and his rise to power. Note: The history is more overview than granular, and certainly not academic.

Parshah Questions: Vayakhel-Pekudei 5783 - The Forbidden Fire of Shabbat - Mar 16, 2023 - A quick look at questions on the parshah. Parshat Vayakhel: Why does the Torah single out lighting a fire as a melachah of Shabbat? And within the view of Rabbi Yosi, why would lighting a fire have a lesser punishment than other melachot?

Shemuel #156 - Chapter 31:3-5 - Shaul's Death - Mar 16, 2023 - Did Shaul die by his own hand, or by the hand of a former Amaleki? How did he die? And how do we understand the ethics of Shaul's request to his aide (and the Amaleki) to kill him?