Parshat Behar: Lessons of a Stone Floor - May 6, 2021 - Understanding Vayikra 26:1-2 in context, and exploring Rashi's explanation for why we don't bow on a stone floor - to avoid emulating the Beit haMikdash.

Done Having Children? Family Planning After 35 - May 4, 2021 -

Shemuel #96 - Reviewing Chapter 19; Why is David in the Palace in Chapter 20? - May 6, 2021 - Asking and answering review questions regarding Chapter 19. And starting to address one of the main problems of Chapter 20: Why would David still be in the palace, after the repeated attempts to kill him? Also: Biblical commentaries which use a "peshat" approach but don't satisfy the text.

Battlefields of Israel 3: Ayalon, Part 2, and starting Kishon - May 5, 2021 - The importance of the Ayalon Valley; Does Jewish tradition universally believe the Sun stopped?; What was the significance of the miracle?; Introducing the story of Devorah and Yael

Business Ethics: Robo-Advising - May 5, 2021 - Who is responsible if a robo-advisor manipulates the market? May investment managers deploy a conversational robo-advisor and pretend it is human? May investment managers sell the dataset accumulated by a robo-advisor from its clients?

Stop Having Kids? Family Planning After 35 - May 4, 2021 - How does one decide to pause or stop having children? Is it legitimate to choose not to have more children? Yoetzet Halachah Rifka Sonenberg and Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner speak on the topic, as part of the Nishmat Global Family Health & Halacha Virtual Conference.

Ruth, Week 7: Who is Boaz? The Reality of Gleaning - May 4, 2021 - If Boaz was wonderful, why did he let Ruth glean, instead of supporting her (and Naomi) directly? And why didn't Naomi turn to him? Also - why did Boaz need to warn his crew not to harm Ruth (and only Ruth)?

Ketuvot 8a - When are Sheva Berachot said? - May 2, 2021 - Why isn't Shehechiyanu said under the chuppah? When before/after a wedding do we say sheva berachot? What about שהשמחה במעונו?

Shemuel #95 - Chapter 19:19-24 - Shemuel's Protection - Apr 29, 2021 - More about Shemuel's defiance of Shaul and parallels elsewhere. Shemuel's parting gift to David: Megilat Ruth? And David is now alone.

Battlefields of Israel 2a: Jericho, Part 2 - Apr 28, 2021 - The battle for Yericho in Yehoshua 6. What was the significance of destroying a walled city, and of the miraculous erasure of its walls? Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.