More than a Fish Story 1: Why did Yonah Return? - Sep 11, 2019 - Why did Yonah return to Hashem in Chapter 2? Geared toward a group including people who lack strong background in Torah text study.

Chaggai: Cheerleading, Testing, and Watching the Calendar - Sep 10, 2019 - An overview of the book of Chaggai, with a focus on his cheerleading in 1:1-11, testing the kohanim in 2:10-14, and noting special dates on the calendar. With a special resonance for Elul. For Toronto's Chug haTanach.

The Fast I Will Choose - Sep 10, 2019 - What is the message of Yeshayah 57-58, the haftorah of Yom Kippur morning, and the new approach and paving of the way which Hashem commands? Is it an opposition to ritual and fasting, or is it a deepening of their meaning and significance? (Way too rushed, but perhaps still worthwhile.)

Tishrei in a Day: A Shofar of Cruelty? - Sep 8, 2019 - Why do we use the cruel mother of Sisera as a model for our teruah sound, and for blowing 100 blasts on Rosh HaShanah? Part of our "Tishrei in a Day" program of 30-minute classes on Rosh haShanah, Yom Kippur and Succot.

Tishrei in a Day: Bar Kochba's Etrog - Sep 8, 2019 - The arba minim (Four Species) of Succot appear on coins from the war against Rome at the end of the second Beit haMikdash, and Bar Kochba's Revolt. Even as the Romans were closing on Betar, Bar Kochba sent letters seeking the arba minim for the people in the fortress. Why were the arba minim uniquely important to them?

Tishrei in a Day: A Musical Answer to Rejection - Sep 8, 2019 - Explaining the piyut (liturgical poem) of Kah Kehli as a defiant Yom Tov response to Yeshayah 1:14, in which Hashem said of our holiday korbanot, "I am exhausted of bearing them."

Tishrei in a Day: When "Sorry" Isn't Enough - Sep 8, 2019 - Why is our Yom Kippur machzor so full of prayers that are not Viduy-apologies? What are we supposed to draw from the piyutim and korbanot?

Kings: Positive or Negative? - Sep 5, 2019 - Looking at the role of a King, and the mixed ways in which the position is presented, and the kings themselves lived their role. Using Parshat Shoftim as a starting point. [Didn't really get where I wanted to go with this, but still may be worth a listen.]

Shemuel #37 - Review of Shemuel, and 12:1-5: Shemuel's Self-Defense - Sep 5, 2019 - Starting the new year with a review of major themes and questions from the first eleven chapters of Shemuel, and then looking at three ways to understand Shemuel's defense of his record.

She is Zion; no one seeks her - Aug 11, 2019 - The meaning of Yirmiyahu 30:17, and its application for not only the mournful zecher l'churban, but the hopeful zecher l'mikdash. Using Rav Soloveitchik's distinction of the two types of memorial. The message for Yirmiyahu's day, and for our own.