Shemuel #67 - 16:20-23 - Shaul is Polite; A Higher Form of Music - Jun 18, 2020 - Why did Shaul ask Yishai's permission for David to stay? And why wasn't David dismissed as over-qualified? The dual roles of music in Tanach, and how both roles may have been important for Shaul.

When Political Allies are our Halachic Opposites - Jun 17, 2020 - May we form alliances with people whose behaviour or platform is counter to Halachah? Tanach and Halachah on political alliances.

Rabbis in the New World 3: Turkey, and Jewish Surinam - Jun 17, 2020 - Jewish Life in 16th and 17th century colonies. Why is/was turkey considered kosher? Jewish Life in the Jodensavanne. Beginning to discuss slavery. Part of a Zoom-based series geared toward people without strong background in Torah text study.

Yeshayah, Week 60: 39:1-2 - Who visited, and when? - Jun 16, 2020 - Catching up on some notes which relate to Chapter 38, then looking at who the "Babylonian" king Merodach (or Berodach) was who sent messengers and a gift to Chizkiyahu, when he sent them, and why he sent them.

Legal Ethics: Pro Bono vs Legal Aid - Jun 14, 2020 - A class on the imperative for lawyers to volunteer their time pro bono, and for society to fund communal access to justice via Legal Aid, from perspectives of both Halachah and general society. Geared toward an audience including people without strong background in Torah text study.

The Synagogue: Force for Change or Leading from Behind? - Jun 14, 2020 - Panel discussion with Rabbi Daniel Korobkin of BAYT, Rabbi Jonathan Ziring of Yeshivat Migdal haTorah and former Sgan of Beit Midrash Zichron Dov, Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, and Rabbi Sammy Bergman. Addressing issues which have arisen in the pandemic and during the current anti-racism protests. Part of a weeklong Shavua-ton on Jewish Community in the Era of COVID-19.

Are We Obligated to Go On Vacation? - Jun 13, 2020 - Competing views in Behaalotcha regarding whether we are meant to draw as close as possible to Hashem (Pesach Sheni) or whether we are meant to live human lives (Miriam's position as explained in Shabbat 87a), and a resolution based on Bereishit 2.

Shemuel #66 - 16:16-23 - Shaul's Loss of Ruach, the Rise of Doeg? - Jun 11, 2020 - Comparing Moshe's apparent loss of ruach to the Elders with Shaul's loss of ruach to David; how does the gemara know that Doeg was the one to suggest David to Shaul, and how does the gemara view Doeg?

Rabbis in the New World 2: The Rabbis - Jun 10, 2020 - Jewish Life in 16th and 17th century colonies, and a look at Chacham Yitzchak Aboab and the Pardo rabbinic family. Part of a Zoom-based series geared toward people without strong background in Torah text study.

Behaalotcha: Moshe's Exclusive Ruach - Jun 10, 2020 - Why did Hashem seek to remove ruach from Moshe, in order to give it to the Elders; why not just give them their own? [Especially in light of a midrash which says that Hashem first wished to remove ruach from Moshe, before changing course.] And why was Moshe required to give his glory to Yehoshua, in Parshat Pinchas?