Hallel: The Mitzvah of Chanukah? - Dec 2, 2019 - The centrality of Hallel to celebrating Chanukah's miracles

Elu v'Elu and the Scope of Religious Pluralism - Nov 30, 2019 - A brief introduction to discussion of (1) what "divrei Elokim chayim" means, (2) how opposite ideas could constitute Torah, and (3) why we have psak, if all of the ideas are Torah.

No Canaanites Allowed: Was Avraham Racist? Part 2 - Nov 28, 2019 - Does Judaism hold racist ideas regarding inherited traits? If not, how do we understand Avraham's insistence that Yitzchak should not marry a Canaanite, even a righteous one - while he accepts an Aramean bride? Part 2 of 2.

Shemuel #44 - 14:6-16 - Yehonatan's Attack, and His Sign - Nov 28, 2019 - Yehonatan and his armour-bearer conduct a successful (sneak?) attack on the Plishti position, shocking them. But what was the story behind the sign he requested beforehand?

Life After Death, Week 4: Judgment, Gan Eden, Gehennom - Nov 27, 2019 - The biblical text offers little description of what the Afterlife looks like. How did the Sages extrapolate the idea of posthumous judgment, and places of reward and punishment? And why do talmudic passages describe those places in both physical and spiritual terms? Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Shoftim 6:7-17 - A Prophet's Rebuke, A Harsh Retort - Nov 26, 2019 - A prophet (Pinchas?) rebukes the Jews for their sins; a malach (or prophet?) greets Gidon; Gidon responds harshly.

Yeshayah, Week 37: Perek 23 - The Fall and Rise of Tyre - Nov 26, 2019 - Why is Tyre last on Yeshayah's list of entities which will fall? What is the meaning of the envelope in 23:1-14 regarding their fall? What is the meaning of their 70-year predication? To be continued.

No Canaanites Allowed: Was Avraham Racist? Part 1 - Nov 21, 2019 - Does Judaism hold racist ideas regarding inherited traits? If not, how do we understand Avraham's insistence that Yitzchak should not marry a Canaanite, even a righteous one - while he accepts an Aramean bride? Part 1 of a planned 2.

Shemuel #43 - 13:15-14:5 - Against All Odds - and Yehonatan Doubles Down - Nov 21, 2019 - The Plishtim have overwhelming numbers and weaponry on their side; the Jews panic and flee; and Yehonatan decides to launch an attack, alongside his armor-bearer.

Life After Death, Week 3: Biblical Evidence - Nov 20, 2019 - Arguing for Judaism's belief in the persistence of the soul from biblical evidence of such belief. Also addressing the question of Greek influence, and the

question of why biblical (chumash) promises of reward and punishment focus on this-worldly reward/punishment. Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.