Simply Deep

This episode discusses various Rashis on Bnei Yisrael’s encounter with Edom and its aftermath.

Rashi tells us that we water for 40 years in the desert because of the zechus of Miriam. This episode speculates about why Miriam is the one through which we merited water.

This episode (a shiur from 2018) discusses various Rashis regarding chukim.

After Korach argued against Moshe, Moshe fell on his face. Rashi (16:4) says this was because Moshe already Davened to protect the Jews from punishment for their sin three times. He was worried that the fourth time wouldn’t work. Rashi supports this point from a mashal with a king and his sinful son. This episode analyzes this point and the relevance of the mashal.

Final point I forgot to add

At the end of Shelach, Rabbi quotes Rabbi Moshe haDarshan who makes five strange connections between Tzitzis and Yitzias Mitzrayim. This episode analyzes these connections and discusses some general ideas about taamei hamitzvos.

The Gemara provides many stories about Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa which present him as a type of miracle worker. This episode is the second of a two-part series presents a new perspective on this puzzling Torah personality.

The Gemara provides many stories about Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa which present him as a type of miracle worker. This episode is the first of a two-part series presents a new perspective on this puzzling Torah personality.

The Torah tells us that Miriam spoke about the isha kushis that Moshe took. Rashi says the Gematria of kushis (736) is the same as yefas maareh - beautiful. Just like nobody doubts the blackness of a kushis, so too nobody doubted the beauty of Tzippora - and yet Moshe divorced her. This episode analyzes these and other strange Rashis on this matter and probes the significance of using Gematria to...

Ever wonder why we make rows after burial for the mourners to walk through? Listen to this episode to find out what it’s all about.

Rashi (Bamidbar 6:23) says that the passuk writes an extra vav to teach the kohanim to give their beracha slowly and with proper intent. This episode discusses four different ways to relate to birchas kohanim and the relationship of these ways to the speed at which the kohanim enunciate their beracha.

Rashi tells us that if we give maaser, then we’ll have a lot of money and if we withhold it, then we’ll only have a little. This episode considers how this works.

The Torah has two mitzvos to write a Sefer Torah: one for a regular person (learned from the passuk in Devarim 31:19 commanding us to write shiras ha’azinu) and one for a king (learned from Devarim 17:18). This episode analyzes the character of each of these mitzvos.

The Gemara in BK 38a describes Ulla’s remarks to Rav Shmuel bar Yehuda upon the loss of his daughter. His words are shocking and seem very insensitive to a grieving father. This episode analyzes this story and derives a message about giving nechama.

In Vayikra 26:8 (bechukosai), the Torah tells us that when we are doing the Mitzvos, 5 of us will pursue 100 enemies and 100 of us will pursue 10,000 enemies. Rashi points out the mathematics of these pursuits is off: the ratio changed from 1:20 to 1:100. Rashi says that the lesson is that you cannot compare a few people doing the mitzvos to many people doing the mitzvos. This episode analyzes thi...

The episode is an interactive discussion (even my bird and kids had alot to say) from 2016 about Rashi and Ramban on Vayikra 26:11 (Bechukosai). It covered a few topics: (1) Among the list of berachos that we'll get for keeping the mitzvos, the Torah says that Hashem won't be disgusted with us; (2) the Ramban discusses how hashgachas Hashem is at times manifest through statistical unlikeli...

Rashi (vayikra 26:1) explains the strange way the Torah ends parshas Behar. Given that it just discussed a Jew who is a servant to a nonjew, he may think that since his Rebbe (master) did avoda zara, Chillul Shabbos, and gilui arayos, so can he. The Torah is reminding him that he cannot. Q: Why would I think he could??? This episode takes up this question and reveals an important point about our k...

Rashi (Vayikra 23:11) says that the mitzva of tenufa (waving) of the Omer is to stop bad winds and dews. This episode goes to Rashi’s source in Menachos 62a and analyzes the ideas involved in this waving.

This episode discusses a chassidisha maaseh I recently heard.

Rashi (Vayikra 19:35) makes a very strong comparison between a corrupt judge and someone who uses corrupt weights. This episode analyzes this comparison and also discusses another difficult Rashi and Rambam about the relationship of false weights to yitzias mitzrayim.

This episode analyzes the Gemara in Shabbos 33b that discusses the famous story about Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son living in a cave for 12 years and their strange encounters upon exiting the cave.

In this shiur, which was given on the 6th Yahrtzeit of my mother Shani Feder AH, we discuss the mitzvah of ואהבת לרעך כמוך, Love your Friend as Yourself. Some questions we take up: Why is it a klal gadol batorah? How is it even possible to love others as yourself?

This advanced episode is Rabbi Zimmer’s presentation of three formulations of the position that Pesach Sheni is its own holiday. It shows that the earlier formulations have problems which naturally force the final formulation.

Rashi and Ramban have two different understandings to Kedoshim Tehiyu. Rashi learns it’s a warning to be separate from arayos; Ramban learns it’s a general more warning to act in the line with the spirit of the mitzvos - not to be a menuval b’reshus hatorah - a scoundrel with the permission of the Torah. This episode analyzes each of these positions, specifically addressing what differentiates the...

In Vayikra 18:4-5, the Torah seemingly repeats the command to guard and do the chukim and mishpatim. Rashi offers two explanations for this apparent repetition, both of which provide insight into different facets of our keeping the mitzvos.