Deeper Look At The Parsha

How are we to contend with scoffers who mock and undermine something important? Rabbi Dunner delves into a Midrash that recalls those who dismissed the birth of Isaac as "fake news" -- he was merely a foundling who Abraham and Sarah claimed as their own. God responded by making Isaac identical in appearance to his father, and by demonstrating that Sarah was a nursing mother. What is the significan...

Why does the Torah focus so heavily on the rivalry between Jacob and Esav? What is the point of knowing that Jacob and Esav fought? Rabbi Dunner cites a classic piece from Toldot Yaakov Yosef, and shares a Nesivos Sholom that explains the necessity for stories about both Lavan and Esav in the Torah.

Studies have shown that wealthier people and wealthier countries are less likely to believe in God. And yet there are startling exceptions, such as John D. Rockefeller, the wealthiest American of all time, and the United States of America, which outranks all other countries in its material wealth. Citing a stunning piece by Rabbi Shimon Sofer of Cracow explaining Jacob's strange vow after his visi...

In Parshat Vayeitzei, God promises the patriarch Jacob that his descendants will spread far and wide. The sages of the Talmud explained that this promise meant that Jacob's inheritance would be "without borders." Rabbi Dunner explores this idea, with the help of a beautiful piece from the Nesivos Sholom, who explains why this "without borders" legacy is uniquely relevant to Jacob, and not to Abrah...

One of the most popular movies of all time is the Robert Redord/Paul Newman crime caper "The Sting". But what can this movie teach us about the episode in Toldot that sees Jacob obtaining the blessings from Isaac instead of his brother Esau? Rabbi Dunner explains.

Rabbi Dunner reflects on his participation in the Rabbi Sacks Legacy Trust "Communities in Conversation" initiative, which saw over 150 communities, schools and organizations in 15 countries study the Torah thoughts and writings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l, to commemorate the first anniversary of his passing. Citing a Hasidic interpretation of a very curious Midrashic narrative, Rabbi Dunner...

Abraham, the founding patriarch of the Jewish nation, is described in Parshat Chayei Sarah (Gen. 24:1) as having become old. The verse informs us that he was “zaken, ba bayamim” – elderly, and advanced in [his] days. The expression “ba bayamim” is uniquely used for Abraham and is not found with reference to anyone else mentioned in the Torah. The verse continues by telling us that “God blessed Abr...

The curious phenomenon of Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt is matched by the equally curious pair of blessings one is directed to say upon seeing that pillar. Intriguingly, the location of the pillar of salt is disputed -- but were we to know its location, why are there two blessings to say, not one? Rabbi Dunner presents a compelling answer suggested by Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook.

At the beginning of Parshat Vayera, according to one interpretation, Abraham told God to wait a moment so that he could take care of his guests. The Talmud says that this proves it is more important to take care of guests than to welcome the presence of God. The whole idea is very puzzling. What could be more important than spending time with God, and how could Abraham abandon God in favor of some...

A beautiful "vort" on an obscure pasuk in Lech Lecha from the late Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski z"l, based on a story he heard from his father, Rabbi Jacob Israel Twerski z"l, the Hornisteipler Rebbe of Milwaukee. What is the secret of leadership and staying ahead of the game? A life lesson for us all.

The portion of Lech Lecha begins with an instruction – “Lech Lecha” – God directs Abraham to leave his family and birthplace, and go to a land that God will show him. This same formulation – “Lech Lecha” – introduces God’s instruction to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at the end of Parshat Vayera. The Midrash correlates these two ‘tests’, noting that it is unclear which of the two is considere...

Historical comparisons are a favorite exercise assigned by history lecturers for their students, who are asked to compare and contrast great personalities from history. A tougher assignment is to decide which of the two is greater than the other. Rabbi Dunner cites a Midrash which unfavorably compares Noah with Moses, and offers the insightful explanation of Rabbi Meir Simha of Dvinsk, author of M...

Must Jews believe that the universe is almost 6,000 years old, and reject the scientific hypothesis of 13.77 billion years? In this podcast, Rabbi Dunner delves into this vexed topic, and offers a fascinating mix of history and sources to unpack one of the most controversial theological issues of modernity.

What does the recent U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan have in common with the Suez Crisis of 1956? And why is this overlap so worrying for the peace and security of the Western world. Rabbi Dunner explains, offering a pertinent lesson from the festival of Sukkot.

Night is day, in this timely lesson from our patriarch Jacob for Yom Kippur. As Rabbi Dunner explains, in Judaism, the impossible is always possible.

Night is day, in this timely lesson from our patriarch Jacob for Yom Kippur. As Rabbi Dunner explains, in Judaism, the impossible is always possible.

Rabbi Dunner uses the story of a chance encounter between the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and a hunchbacked street sweeper in Tel Aviv to help us get our priorities right before Rosh Hashana.

The portion of Nitzavim is always read in the week before Rosh Hashana. Rabbi Dunner shares a piece from Nesivos Sholom, who says that this annual confluence is no coincidence, and is in fact hinted at in the first few verses of the parsha. This shiur contains some powerful lessons for the teshuva process.

Schools reopened this week across the U.S., but there is still tremendous uncertainty. Like so much else during the pandemic, we are consumed with short-term discomfort. But what about the long-term? Rabbi Dunner finds a reference point in Parshat Ki Tavo, buried in one of the last speeches ever given by Moses to the Jewish nation.

Parshat Ki Tavo begins with the mitzva of Bikkurim, which is introduced with the words “when you enter the land” (Deut. 26:1). Rabbi Dunner presents the Nesivos Sholom’s striking explanation of this mitzva for those who will never observe Bikkurim. Based on an interpretation by one of the Hasidic movement’s earliest expositors, Toldot Yaakov Yosef, the Nesivos Sholom suggests that this opening phr...

What happens to identical twins separated at birth and given up for adoption? Rabbi Dunner explores the extraordinary case of the "Jim Twins", and finds a remarkable connection between the nature vs. nurture debate and the Talmud's interpretation of Ben Sorer Umoreh - the "wayward and defiant son".

The IPCC report, warning of global devastation if we don't change our habits and reduce our carbon footprint, is stark in its predictions, but still hopeful for a better future if corrective action is taken. Rabbi Dunner focuses on a curious verse in Shoftim and the interpretations of Maimonides and Abarbanel, offering a fascinating insight into the traditional Jewish view on global warming and cl...

In Parshat Shoftim, Moshe instructs the nation how to deal with those who deviate from the path of God and become idol-worshippers. The Nesivos Sholom is puzzled by the seemingly superfluous inclusion of a clause that indicates that the sinners have done something bad in the eyes of God. Surely including this fact is obvious and unnecessary. Rabbi Dunner shares the Nesivos Sholom's revealing expla...

Historians agree that one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But what was the secret of his incredible leadership? Rabbi Dunner reveals the secret behind FDR's greatness, and ties it in with the Izhbitzer's explanation of a confounding verse at the beginning of Parshat Re'eh.

One of Mitzvot in Parshat Re'eh is the Mitzva of Tzedakah. The Jewish people are expected to take care of their "destitute brother" and to ensure that all those in need are provided for. There are a number of curious anomalies in the verses describing this Mitzva, while the Rambam, Ramban, Sefer HaChinuch, and Ma'or Va'shamesh all underscore how important this Mitzva is - as important as all the o...