Rabbi David Kasher

Best Book Ever

Religion EN ↓ 158 episodes

Every week, Rabbi David Kasher takes us on a 15-minute dive into the Parsha (the weekly Torah portion), to see some of its layers and complexity. We'll try to get a feeling for why this text has captured the human imagination for millennia, and why the Torah truly is the greatest story ever told.

Author

Rabbi David Kasher

Episodes

EP 8: Vampire Torah - Parshat Vayishlah 15.11.2021 14:31

There's a vampire hiding in your Torah. To find him, you'll have to connect the dots.

EP 7: Talking Rocks - Parshat Vayetzei 09.11.2021 13:31

A talking snake. A talking donkey. And now… talking rocks! Are we really supposed to believe this stuff?! A 16th-century Jewish philosopher offers us a novel approach for reading the wildest texts in our religious tradition.

EP 6: Playing Favorites - Parshat Toldot 02.11.2021 16:19

In this week's parsha, parents are playing favorites - and so is Rabbi Kasher.

Ep 5: Kindred Spirits - Parsha Hayei Sara 25.10.2021 16:24

A Kabbalistic legend traces the Abrahamic family tree to a mysterious village of wise ones who possess great spiritual gifts. A 17th-century Hebrew printer thinks he’s figured out where it is.

Ep 4: Be Disturbed. Be Very Disturbed. - Parshat Vayera 18.10.2021 13:30

The Binding of Isaac is such a nightmarish tale that it can leave us wondering how a holy book can contain such horrors. But what if the horror is intentional?

Ep 3: Children of the Torah - Parshat Lekh Lekha 11.10.2021 15:14

The story of Abraham begins with a thundering call to action, but then quickly starts to sound like a travel itinerary. Why does the Torah give us all the little details of the journey? There are lessons for the future hidden here, if we know how to read the signs.

Ep 2: What's Wrong with Noah? - Parshat Noah 04.10.2021 13:25

“Noah saved all animal species - and humanity itself - from extinction. He’s the ultimate hero! We should be singing his praises every day! But…there’s something wrong with Noah.”

Ep. 1: Naked Torah - Parshat Bereishit 27.09.2021 17:02

In this week's episode (Naked Torah - Parshat Bereishit), we examine the famous story of the Garden of Eden, and ask the question, "Is the forbidden fruit really just a metaphor for sex?" Answer: sort of, but not like you think.