Shemuel #34 - 11:1-7 - The Return of Yavesh Gilad - Jun 20, 2019 - Why does Amon attack now? Why Yavesh Gilad? Why do they want their right eyes? And how do we understand Shaul's role here?

Leading Philo-Semites: Napoleon - Jun 19, 2019 - Too quick summary of Napoleon's relationship with the Jews. Did he issue a proclamation pledging to establish a Jewish homeland with a Temple in Jerusalem? Why was he so positive toward Jews beyond France, but so harsh for (Ashkenazi) Jews in France? What was the point of his "Assembly of Jewish Notables" and "Sanhedrin"? Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Leading Philo-Semites: Casimir III, Part 2 - Jun 19, 2019 - Part 2 of 2. King Casimir III (Casimir the Great) of Poland maintained and expanded Jewish privileges in Poland. What motivated him? How did his actions affect Poland's national perspective on its relationship with Jews? How have Poles and Jews viewed the story of Casimir and the Jewish Esterke? Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Is Everyone Jewish in the Time of Mashiach? - Jun 18, 2019 - Multiple approaches to the apparent conflict in sources from Tanach and Gemara re: whether non-Jews convert in the time of Mashiach and Olam HaBa. Geared toward an audience including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Shoftim 2:1-10 - A Navi and the Next Generation - Jun 18, 2019 - Pinchas addresses the Jews - but why Pinchas? And why is he called a "malach"? And then the recap from the time of Yehoshua's death, and the rise of the next generation, which "does not know" of what came before, even though they certainly had heard about it.

Yeshayah, Week 29: 19:17-25 - Egypt Converts? A Triad for G-d?? - Jun 18, 2019 - The unique prediction of an Egyptian conversion, and of a triad of Egypt, Assyria and Israel - "Gd's nations"??

Shemuel #33 - 10:17-27 - Unveiling Shaul - Jun 13, 2019 - The lessons of Shaul's reluctance to rule; Shemuel's message to the nation; The nation's split reception of Shaul.

Leading Philo-Semites: Casimir III, Part 1 - Jun 12, 2019 - King Casimir III (Casimir the Great) of Poland maintained and expanded Jewish privileges in Poland. What motivated him? How did his actuons affect Poland's national perspective on its relationship with Jews? Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Leading Philo-Semites: Cyrus the Great - Jun 5, 2019 - Begins with a discussion of what Salo Baron called "the lachrymose theory of Jewish history", and a Jewish view of the Divine goal and design of our national exile. Continues to discuss the record in Tanach of the decree of Cyrus the Great to send the Jews back to Israel and empower them to build the second Beit haMikdash. What motivated him? Geared toward a group including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Yeshayah, Week 28: 19:1-16 - The Demise of Egypt - Jun 4, 2019 - Yeshayah predicts the demise of Egypt, leading into its arrival at the worship of Gd. When does this take place? And what are the messages in the three-part collapse of (1) gods, (2) Nile economy and (3) counselors? And how does Yeshayah manipulate language and literary references in conveying this message? And do we expect the world to convert in the time of Mashiach?