The Tanakh Podcast

"As the deer craves streams of water,     so my soul craves for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." Who is thirsting for God? Why? Where is he? What is the back-story?

God helps those who help others!

When one is saved by God, how does one respond? Sing God's praises? offer sacrifices? Or dedicate our lives and our lifestyles to God's laws and ideals? That is the topic of our chapter.

This is a chapter of terrible suffering. What is the point of the short lifespan of our lives if it is filled with pain and torment. That is the question asked by our chapter.

This chapter presents a sense of guilt and remorse for (an unidentified) sin. And yet, the sinner is suffering at the hands of violent enemies. Should past mistakes justify the violence perpetrated against him?? Should one perennially be a victim because one has erred? Or might one appeal to God to appreciate ultimately who is on teh side of good, and who on the side of harm and evil?

Our alphabetical Psalm is a meditation on divine justice - that evil will wane and disappear, and the righteous "will inherit the earth". "Don't envy the evil!" it preaches. In the long term, the virtuous will endure and prevail.

There is good and bad. And our heart has to make a choice.

This is a Psalm in 3 stanzas. David is being pursued, betrayed by his friends, and falsely accused. Each segment ends in words of praise to God. One of these features in our prayer "Nishmat" and reads "All my bones say - L-rd, who is like You?" Opening Music. Joey Weisenberg - Nishat Kol Chai Closing Music: Hanan Ben Ari. Kol Atzmotai (Habad Niggun)

This chapter praises God for always assisting teh righteous and saving them from their pursuers and enemies. In the centre of the chapter though, David speaks of "guard your tongue from evil and your lips from falsehood - seek peace and pursue it!" How does this fit in?

Justice rather than war, kindness rather than power, truth, the creativity of language, trust - this is the world-order that is called "yashar" - straight, or upstanding. It is for these values that God created His world.

How do we make amends for our crimes and misdemeanours? How do we deal with guilt and remorse?

This is a chapter of trust and faith in God in the face of violence, accusation and humiliation which the person of faith experiences. The statement here is one of absolute rock-steady reliance on God. For the Habad Niggun - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQlvERRARWg&ab_channel=%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%95%D7%91%D7%90%D7%95%D7%95%D7%99%D7%98%D7%A9 For Rabbi Sacks https://w...

This is a chapter we say daily, but it has an unusual flow of ideas - just when we think we are out of trouble, the chapter plunges back into despair! Why? And what does this have to do with the "Dedication of the House"?

God's name appears 18 times in this chapter. The word for "sound" is repeated seven times. Does the power of God only manifest itself through noise?

We study this exquisite chapter of prayer with its resonating vocabulary. We also talk about the biblical posture for prayer. Finally we discuss how Sefer Tehillim frequently describes God as hearing our prayers from the Temple.

Psalm 27 is recited during the month of elul in Ashkenazi congregations. From a place of absolute security in God, the Psalmist finds himself unmoored, insecure and distant from Hashem. How will he find his way back?

Our chapter contrasts the evil of the outside world with the purity and comfort of God's sanctuary. We relate this contrast to reflect upon Yom Haatzmaut which we celebrate today.

The author of this Psalm is far from perfect. But he has implicit trust in God. In God's forgiveness. In God's salvation. In God's covenant - truth, justice, kindness. In the idea that God will teach the people of his covenant and guide them in a path of betterment

Psalm 24 is the Mizmor for Sunday and the chapter recited in the synagogue when we return the Sefer Torah to the Aron Kodesh.

One of the most famous Psalms - Green Pastures and Still Waters and the Valley of the Shadow of Death. We read this as expressing David's biography. Music: https://youtu.be/436giBnpszY?si=h4s7deqFkQMVNBUD

One of the most desperate of the Psalms.

The King's power and his victories are by the blessings bestowed by God

Tehillim ch.20 is part of our daily liturgy. We also relate to this Midrash: Another interpretation: "The Lord will answer you on a day of trouble." A father and son were traveling when the son became tired and asked his father, "Where is the country?" The father replied, "My son, if you see a cemetery in front of you, know that the country is close to you." So the Lo...

This psalm that we read every Shabbat morning declares how the heavens in their movements and regularity, the sun in its heat - all declare the power and honour of God. But then the chpater starts talking about Torah. What is the connection?

Chapter 18 is David's victory song, found also in 2 Samuel ch.22. It is a long chapter. Today, we break it down into its component segments and explain the biographical and ethical messages behind this poetry.