KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 20), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Tefillah is Existential not Philosophical; Tefillah After the Holocaust; Changing Hashem's Will; Man is Defined By His "Dependency"

Special | A Communal Reassessment of our Relationship to America and Israel, by Rabbi Michael Rosensweig Rabbi Rosensweig, Har Etzion alumnus '73, is Rosh Yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University and the Rosh Kollel of the Beren Kollel Elyon. 

Ramban on the Torah | 51 | Balak, by Rav Eli Weber Who, and what, was Bil'am?

Ramban on the Torah | 50 | Chukat, by Rav Eli Weber What is so strange about Para Aduma? What's the sin of Moshe and Aharon? Was there kiddush Hashem in Mei Meriva?

What's the Right Way to Disagree? (Avot 5:17), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Sharing the Torah of Rav Asher Weiss What is a "machloket l'shem shamayim" and why does it endure?

Balak | The Book of Bil'am, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why do Chazal credit Moshe with writing "his book (Torah) and Parashat Bil'am". What is "Parashat Bil'am"? The story of Bil'am has always inspired consternation. Amongst the mysteries unique to this narrative is one of setting - it is the only story in the Torah since the end of Sefer Bereishit where Am Yisrael is not front and center - in fact,...

Why Does Hashem Test Us (Avot 5:3), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Sharing the Torah of Rav Asher Weiss What was accomplished by Avraham "passing" 10 tests? What's the point of it all?

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 19), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Tefilla as a Barometer of Authenticity and Spirituality; The Ba'al Shem Tov's Assurance to his Talmidim; Focusing on the "Little Thin...

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 18), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Honesty, Humility and Integrity; The Search for "Emmet"; Avoiding Exhibitionist Frumkeit; Deluxe "Marror"; Don't Become an Onion; Chi...

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 17), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Was Da'as Torah Popular in Europe in the Non-Chasidic World?; Empowering Talmidim with Independence; What Happened in Volozin if a Ta...

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 16), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Symptoms of Religion Becoming Abnormal: Dismissiveness Toward "Ba'alei Batim", Not Singing Zemirot, Detachment From Family, Obsession...

The Power of Habits - for Good or for Bad (Avot 4:2), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Sharing the Torah of Rav Asher Weiss Why are habits (good or bad) so powerful?

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 15), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Calibrating Aspiration With Emotional Health; Interrupting His Son's Bar Mitzvah; Objecting to The Term "Iluy"; Demanding That His Da...

Thoughts about the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Chabad, by Rav Moshe Taragin Upon the rebbe's 30th yahrzeit, 3 Tammuz, 5784

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 14), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Predicting a Crisis in Western Civilization..35 Years Ago; Food Rationing in Israel; Rav Amital's Favorite Sicha From His Rebbe; Resp...

Chukat | The Skirmish at Chormah, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom When did this war take place? The brief mention of a war with "Melekh Kna'ani" immediately after the report of the death of Aharon raises questions about geography, the route that Bnei Yisra'el took in the desert and the larger problem of post-Mosaic additions to the text of the Torah. Rashi, ibn Ezra, R. Yosef Bkhor Shor and Ramban's appr...

Avot 3:2-3 (2 Distinct Themes), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Sharing the Torah of Rav Asher Weiss This shiur was given to the Women's Halakha Group at Kehilat HaEla (RBS) Civil Society and the Dangers of Chaos (Avot 3:2) Torah-Focused Meals and Conversations (Avot 3:2-3)

The Limitations of Ignorance and the Importance of Torah Knowledge (Avot 2:5), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Sharing Torah of Rav Asher Weiss Can an "Am Ha-Aretz" be a good person?

Why is Being Liked by Others a Religious Value? (Avot 3:10), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Does Hashem only like people who are popular? This shiur was given to the Kehillat HaEla women's group in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Does it Matter WHY We Do Mitzvot? (Avot 1:3), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Is it so bad if I do mitzvot for the reward? This shiur was given to the Kehillat HaEla women's group in Ramat Beit Shemesh, on June 19, 2024.

Enhancing our Personal Kabbalat HaTorah, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb This shiur was given to the Kehillat HaEla women's group in Ramat Beit Shemesh, on June 10 of this year, in preparation for Shavuot. 3 independent thoughts on the holiday of Matan Torah / Chag HaBikkurim.  

The Holocaust and Challenges to our Faith, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb This shiur was given as part of the Ramat Beit Shemesh Women's Halakha series the week of Yom HaShoah 5784, on May 9, 2024. "The Jewish people are not witnesses to the miracle, we are the miracle." Emotional and religious considerations of the Holocaust, as well as of our immediate situation. Important items to discuss.

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Parts 12-13), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Part 12: A Strange Voice of Jewish Universalism; The "Meeting" Between the Besh"t and the Maggid; Worrying About Wagon Drivers an...

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 11), by Rav Moshe Taragin A "Pintele Yid" or a "Poshete Yid"; Deveikut with Simple Jews; Grafting Trees; Don't Overhype Expectations; Inside Out; The Honesty to Say "I Don't Know"

6 Stories of Rav Amital Which Shaped My Life, by Rav Moshe Taragin On the power of a story. Sicha given in advance of Harav Amital zt"l's 14th yahrzeit. Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Oct 31, 1924 - July 9, 2010)