Shemuel #51 - Introduction to Chapter 15, Part 2 - Jan 30, 2020 - Why would Hashem - who displays such sensitivity in the laws of Jewish war in general, as seen in the previous shiur - be so harsh in decreeing an all-out, war of total annihilation against Amalek?

Marijuana, Alcohol and the Jewish Community - Jan 28, 2020 - Why is Jewish tradition against recreational marijuana use? And why is alcohol tolerated? Geared toward a group including people who lack strong background in Torah text study.

Shoftim 9:1-21 - Avimelech Rises, Yotam Speaks - Jan 28, 2020 - Avimelech's bloody accession to power, and Yotam's rebuke and curse for the population that supported him.

Yeshayah, Week 44a: 28:23-29 - The Divine Farmer - Jan 28, 2020 - Radak and Abarbanel explain the end of Chapter 28 of Yeshayah, with its farming allegory, as a lesson in how Gd educates the Jewish people.

Yeshayah, Week 44b: Chapter 29 - The second and third Hoi's: Pick Up Your Voicemail! - Jan 28, 2020 - Rebuke for failure to listen to your prophets - including those who give philosophical excuses for failing to listen and learn. And rebuke for rote observance, and for claiming that Gd cannot see our sins. And a happy ending.

Geulah and Goel - Jan 23, 2020 - What is special about Moshe's speech to the Jews at the start of Parshat Vaera? The importance of having a goel. Application to the invocation of זכר ליציאת מצרים in Kiddush.

Shemuel #50b - Introduction to Chapter 15, Part 1 - Jan 23, 2020 - A brief look at the ethics of war in Judaism, and the problem of civilian deaths. Very brief; better to listen to the classes linked on the source sheet.

Shemuel #50a - 14:46-51 - Yehonatan Freed; Shaul's Wars - Jan 23, 2020 - Yehonatan's role among Shaul's sons, and after these two chapters, who are Shaul and Yehonatan, and what can we observe about their relationship?

Shoftim 8:24-35 - Third Stage of the Decline - Jan 21, 2020 - The Jews descend into idolatry. Is Gidon to blame? And why did he produce 70 sons (and one more)?

Yeshayah, Week 43: 28:1-22 - The first Hoi: Intoxication and Education - Jan 21, 2020 - Yeshayah builds on the image of Israel as a vineyard, describing us as drunk on our own product. The intoxication makes us poor students (or teachers), and we suffer the consequences. And why is this part of the haftorah for Parshat Shemot?