Kiddushin: Mamzerim, Part 1 - Sep 18, 2018 - Basic introduction. Which relationships generate a mamzer? Whom may a mamzer marry? Must one check the family of one's intended, to ensure there are no mamzerim in the line?

Kiddushin: Marriage of and with Bnei Noach, Part 1 - Sep 14, 2018 - The method of marriage for non-Jews, and halachic recognition of that marriage vis-a-vis Jews

In G-d's Image: How to Forgive - Sep 13, 2018 - Based on Rav Moshe Cordovero's Tomer Devorah, and drawing heavily on ideas taught by Rav Moshe Weinberger as I understand them.

Chanah's Prayer: How Aggressive is Too Aggresive? - Sep 4, 2018 - The Talmud explains Chanah's plea for a child as an aggressive demand, even including a threat to G-d. What is the basis for this read of Chanah's prayer? An does Judaism endorse aggressive prayer for us?

Rav Kook's Teshuvah: Pursuing Perfection - Sep 2, 2018 - Sin as the wake-up call pointing us to what we need to perfect in our on-going process of growth, and teshuvah as the lifelong pursuit of perfection. From Orot haTeshuvah.

A Chance to Do Your Worst - Sep 2, 2018 - A pre-Selichot talk. Judaism's optimism, expressed in the Torah's guarantees of teshuvah and its acceptance, empowers us to try pursuits we find difficult.

Kiddushin: Is there a mitzvah Part 2 of 2 - Aug 30, 2018 - Introductory shiur at the start of Elul on whether kiddushin is a mitzvah. Concluding the basic read of the Rambam's view, and then looking at 7 other possible approaches.

System 1 or System 2? The Psychology of Human Change - Aug 29, 2018 - On teshuvah: Two different types of transgression - Temptation and Automation - and methods for coping with both, based on modern psychology. Emphasis on CBT, as well as the work of Professors Daniel Kahnemann and Amos Tversky on cognitive bias. Geared toward an audience including people without strong background in Torah text study.

Kiddushin: Is there a mitzvah? Part 1 - Aug 24, 2018 - Introductory shiur at the start of Elul on whether kiddushin is a mitzvah. Presenting the problem, and starting on Rambam's view.

Yeshayah 5: The Vineyard and Six Cries of Woe - Jul 22, 2018 - To whom did Yeshayah address his parable about a friend's vineyard? What was it that spurred Yeshayah's righteous anger?