Medical Halachah: The Total Artificial Heart - Jan 20, 2019 - Not psak. (1) Engaging in a risky procedure which could eliminate short-term survival or enable longer survival; (2) How do advocates of a cardiac definition of death deal with halting the heart for bypass and transplant operations?; (3) May one deactivate a Total Artificial Heart when the body's functions are supported entirely by machine?

Eternal War with Amalek? - Jan 17, 2019 - Three different views explaining why the Torah singles out Amalek with a harshness not found regarding other wars, and a discussion of whether Amalek can be "redeemed", or must be destroyed.

Shemuel #19 - 6:12-7:1 - Returning the Aron / Death Toll - Jan 17, 2019 - The Talmud makes suggestions as to what song the cows sang when they returned the Aron; why? What was the Jewish reaction to the return? And why were the Jews killed when the Aron returned?

The Strange Story of Daniel 2: Feral Nevuchadnezzar - Jan 16, 2019 - Second in a four-week mini-series on the odd stories in the Book of Daniel, and their impact on Judaism through the ages. Looking at Chapter 4 - Nevuchadnezzar's punishment, a lesson regarding arrogance. Geared toward a group including people lacking strong background in Torah text study.

Yeshayah, Week 13b: 8:1-4 - The Message of Maher Shalal Chash Baz - Jan 15, 2019 - Yeshayah's third message to King Achaz, in text or pictures: Gd is coming soon to destroy the northern kingdom and its allies. And the invocation of Uriah and Zechariah.

Yeshayah, Week 13a: 7:13-25 - The Message of Emanuel - Jan 15, 2019 - Yeshayah's second message to Achaz: Gd will be with you and Judea, destroying the Syro-Ephraimite Alliance but preserving Yehudah with wealth. The 'sign' of the almah and her son Emanuel.

Mental Health: Is it Yirat Hashem or Anxiety? - Jan 14, 2019 - Why do we need to identify ritual behaviour as a product of Yiras Hashem or Anxiety? And how might we make that distinction? Too rushed, but hopefully useful.

Shemuel #18 - 6:1-12 - Returning the Aron - Jan 10, 2019 - The Philistines test Gd with their attempt to return the Aron. The Jews are rebuked. And cows sing?

Blood on the Doorposts, and the Mezuzah - Jan 10, 2019 - Why does Hashem demand such apparently disrespectful treatment of blood, in instructing us to place it on our doorposts in Egypt? And how can a message from that historical mitzvah inform our ongoing mitzvah of mezuzah?

The Strange Story of Daniel 1: The Furnace - Jan 9, 2019 - First in a four-week mini-series on the odd stories in the Book of Daniel, and their impact on Judaism through the ages. Looking at Chapter 3 - Chananiah, Mishael and Azaryah go into the fiery furnace. Geared toward a group including people lacking strong background in Torah text study.