The Gerar Conundrum - Nov 18, 2025 - In reading through the presentation of Yitzhak's life in Parashat Toledot, there seems to be a disconnect between the opening narratives of the birth and early years of Yaakov and Esav, and the subsequent narrative cycle of Yitzhak and Rivkah in Gerar (chapter 26:1-33). We propose what at first seems to be a revolutionary explanation for the puzzles this sequencing raises - but, on further reflection, note that it is built upon an approach that is well-anchored in rabbinic sources.

Keturah and the Sons of the East - Nov 13, 2025 - As the story of Avraham's life comes to a close, we are informed that at some point (perhaps after Sarah died), he took another wife - Keturah and, as the straightforward reading indicates, he also took several concubines. He had children with all of these and sent the sons of his concubines away - to the east - with gifts. We aren't told where he directed Keturah's six sons and their progeny to go. More intriguing is the story itself - why did he marry again, and have so many more children - only to send them away? We explore several points in Avraham's life, informed by the opening charge to him (Beresheet 12:1-3) and how his understanding of this charge evolved over time.

מלכיצדק מלך שלם - The King of Shalem - Nov 4, 2025 - The curious 3-verse interjection of Avraham's interaction with Malkizedek, king of Shalem, who is a Kohen to "El Elyon", seems to interrupt the flow of the story of Avraham's great victory over the eastern Empires and the successful rescue of the hostages taken from the cities of the plain. We explore this interaction, asking a larger question about Shalem - why wasn't this city itself subject to the tribute owed to the eastern kings? And why does the king give Avraham a double-blessing - and why is it immediately followed with a resumption of the narrative of Avraham's interaction with the king of S'dom? All this and more is discussed in this shiur.

Avraham's Early Years: The Genesis of Midrashic Visions - Oct 28, 2025 - There are numerous Midrashim that explore the early years of Avraham, attempting to explain his selection as the progenitor of a great nation and the source of blessing for "all of the families of the earth" Some of these Midrashim portray Avraham as a philosopher, arriving at his belief in one God through observation and contemplation. Others describe him as more of an intuitive believer, imbued with a deep sense of God from his youngest years. Exploring passgaes from the proto-Midrashic literature found in the Apocrypha, we find that each of these approaches can be found in this literature. We also discuss these sources, their likely provenance and their impact on the literature of the Midrash with which we are familiar.

"My Covenant" והקימותי את בריתי אתך - Oct 21, 2025 - In Hashem's instructions to Noah regarding the construction of the Ark, He prefaces the command that Noah, his family and the representatives of the animal kingdom all enter the Ark with an odd phrase - "I will fulfill My covenant with you" - to which ברית is this alluding? The Rishonim are divided on its referent; by exploring Beritot in the Torah and a telling passage in Yirmiyahu, we propose a new understanding of this enigmatic phrase which, in turn, illuminates the role for which Avraham was later chosen.

Yonah #3: Chapter 4 - Sep 30, 2025 - In this concluding shiur, we study the final chapter of Yonah and note the increasingly challenging presentation of the story; the incredible and immediate repentance of the Ninevites, Yonah's self-loathing at his success, his odd reaction to the tree and its subsequent wilting and more. We conclude with a surprising proposal that hopefully will serve as an inspiring and encouraging message for Yom haKippurim.

Sefer Yonah #2 - Chapter 3 - Sep 16, 2025 - As we continue our study of Sefer Yonah, we note the many peculiarities of the narrative in chapter 3. In only 10 verses, it tells us of Yonah's immensely successful prophetic mission to Nineveh, where his simple cry elicits immediate fasting, mourning and (apparently) heartfelt repentance on the part of the Ninevites. We note the striking parallels between the first narrative - on the boath - and this one and how in each case, the foreign audience (sailors, Ninevites) serve as helpful background players and throughout the story, the real character is Yonah himself. Some of the questions that we have raised will be addressed in the final installment of this mini-series.

Sefer Yonah: Overview, Introduction and Chapter 1 - Sep 9, 2025 - In this opening shiur of a three-part series, we explore the historic background of both Yonah and the Assyrian Empire and its impending conquest of Samaria. We then analyze the first chapter of the story - Yonah on the boat - looking for textual and literary clues to understand the underlying message of the story. More to come...

Vayyikra 26: The חטאת of the Nasi (conclusion) - Sep 2, 2025 - We explore the unique offering brought by the Nasi (king?) which is typically considered to be the beginning of the second half of the larger pericope of the "set חטאות". The proposal that it also ought to be seen as the end of the first half of the section is argued, noting that the leaders have a fixed, unique offering, unlike the "regular citizen" (עם הארץ) who has a choice of offerings. We further suggest a connection between the פר (brought by the כהן גדול and the זקני בית דין) and the שעיר (brought by the Nasi) and those same offerings brought on Yom Hakippurim by the כהן גדול.

Vayyikra 25: The חטאת of the נשיא - Aug 26, 2025 - In our analysis of the חטאת החיצונה (the "standard" Hatat, where all of the liturgical processes are performed in the courtyard), we noted that the נשיא (the king - perhaps...) is singled out with his own פרשה with a few nuanced phrases that set his circumstances apart from other citizens. We explore this special offering, posing five questions: 1) Why is his circumstance introduced with the awkward "Asher"; 2) Why are there two distinct phrases indicating his realization that he sinned? 3) Why is his offering singled out with the identifier: חטאת הוא? 4) Why are both the עולה and שלמים referenced in the description of the procedure and 5) Why, indeed, does the king have a unique חטאת?