KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Pesach | How Many Matzot? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom There are two disputes between Rambam and the Tosafists regarding the Seder. Rambam maintains that the Pesach could be eaten all night, allowing for the "Afikoman" to be eaten quite late; Tosafot takes the position that the Pesach must be eaten by midnight; consequently, the final matza of the evening must be eaten by then. In what seems to an unr...

Pesach | Insights into the Haggada, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, shiur given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela

Pesach | Cleaning and Kashering for Pesach, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, shiur given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela

Pesach | The Four Sons Revisited, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom One of the most beloved and well-known passages in the Haggadah is the Midrash of the "Four Sons". We take a look at that Midrash "top-down," by first examining the context and text of the passages in the Torah and then suggesting what motivated the composer of the Midrash to create the four sons. We explore the variant versions of the Mid...

Special | Two Types of Chinuch, shiur given by Rav Mordechai Willig to the Overseas Students, followed by a short Q+A session.

Parashat Tazria Metzora with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Was Tzara'as a Physical or Spiritual Ailment? A Surprising Debate in the Rishonim #2 - Contemporary Commentators - Defining Greatness: How We Respond to Failure #3 - Midrash - Who Wants Life? Appreciating The Power of Speech #4 - Sparks of Musar - The Gift of Giving - A Remarkable Insight from R. Chaim Shmuelevitz #5 - H...

Pesach | An Overview of the Halakhot of the Seder, part 1 of 3, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, shiur given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela

Hasmadah, Anavah and Ahavah: A Tribute to Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt"l, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Reflections on various aspects of Torah - most notably hasmadah - in a shiur to 1st year students

How Many Questions? Re-examining the Mah Nishtnah, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom One of the most well-known and beloved passages in the Hagadah is the "Four Questions" - which are introduced with the line מה נשתנה הלילה הזה מכל הלילות. But are there really four questions here? Examining the sources, including variant versions of the Mishnah and a careful reading of that source, suggests that perhaps th...

Parashat Shemini with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Why Keep Kosher? 3 Approaches #2 - Contemporary Commentators - Moshe Forgot Something - Cause for Embarrassment? #3 - Midrash - What Was So Bad About What Nadav V'avihu Did? #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - Appreciating Aharon's Apprehension: A Beautiful Insight from the Sefas Emes #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - Must One Drink Chalav...

We gathered today to join Am Yisrael in mourning the loss of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky ztl. Hesped by Rav Moshe Taragin.

Parashat Tzav with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - "Tzav es Aharon" - Appreciating the Moment #2 - Modern Commentators - Korban Todah: Acknowledging the Crisis & the Salvation #3 - Midrash - How Can We Make Up for What We Are Missing Without Korbanos? #4 - Sparks of Musar - Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing #5 - Halacha - Special for Pesach - Shabbos Erev Pesach - How, What an...

Haman: From Mikra to Midrash, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom From the time that we meet Amalek at Refidim to the Midrashic development of Amalek's most infamous scion, Haman, there are (at least) two chasms to bridge - from the genealogical Amalek to the Persian/Medean Haman and from Haman of Esther to the Haman of the Midrashim. We explore the textual basis for both of these spans and demonstrate how t...

Parashat Vayikra with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Why Do We Bring Korbanos? #2 - Modern Commentators - Korban Chatas: Understanding the Role of Shame #3 - Midrash - Hashem's Special Relationship With Moshe and The Jewish People #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - Why Do We Need Forgiveness for Accidental Sins? #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - "Nashim Somchos Reshus" - Can Women Perform M...

Purim | An Halakhic Overview by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, shiur given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela  

Zakhor | What are We Supposed to Remember, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The commandment to "remember that which Amalek did to you" is the focal point of the reading of "Parashat Zakhor"  ( Deut. 25:17-19 ) which is read on the Shabbat before Purim. The oddity of reading a passage which tells you that you must remember it - as opposed to reading the actual story of their attack  ( Ex. 17:8-16 ) is odd;...

Kibud Av V'Eim and Personal Autonomy: When Parents and Children Disagree About Important Life Decisions, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela

Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - The Torah's Approach to Beauty #2 - Modern Commentators - "Seeing" Our Life Mission - An Amazing Insight from R. Moshe Feinstein #3 - Midrash - Betzalel's Wisdom - Practical and Principled #4 - Sparks of Mussar - Do We Really Miss the Mikdash? #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - Shabbos Invitations for non-Religious Guests...

Pekudei | These are the Names - Siyyum on Sefer Shemot, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The conventions we use for naming the books of Humash - as well as the weekly readings - have little or nothing to do with the overall theme of the book (or "Parasha"); they are simply the first significant word in that text. Hazal had other names for the Humashim - e.g. תורת כהנים and משנה תורה. Nonetheless, we may b...

Vayakhel | A Defiant Act of Contrition, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The unusually lengthy description of the construction of the Mishkan, which occupies the last 6 chapters of Shemot, has been the subject of inquiry for millenia. By looking at the intensity and zealousness with which Am Yisrael responded to Mosheh's directive to donate and labor for this magnificent Divine abode, we take a view from...

Kibud Av V'em: What, Why, and How, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela  

Ki Tisa | The Luchot of...Testimony? Covenant? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The most vital component of the Mishkan is, without a doubt, the Aron - and the Aron's sanctity is underscored by the placement of the לוחות inside - but what are these לוחות? What is written on them? A careful read of the various passages concerning the לוחות - both the originals and the second set - reveal that much more tha...

Parshat Ki Tisa with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - "The Sin of the Golden Calf" - How Could They Do It? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - Appreciating the Gift of Shabbos #3 - Midrash - "Moshe's Face Radiated" - What Was the Source of HIs Light? #4 - Sparks of Chassidus & Mussar - The Essence of Teaching and the Key to Leading: Remarkable Insights from R. Gifter and the Sefas Eme...

Tetzaveh | B'nei Yisrael's Presence in the Mishkan, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The first two pesukim in Parashat Tetzaveh - the last two in chapter 27 of Shemot - seem to be out of place and are repeated, nearly verbatim, in Vayikra 24. A reexamination of what is stated and what is NOT stated in this passage sheds light on the symbolism of the contribution of Bnei Yisrael to the light and the associ...

Parshat Tetzaveh + Purim with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Moshe's Missing Name: A Powerful Explanation from the Alshich #2 - Modern Commentators - Moshe Lives on Through All of Us: An Inspiring Teaching from the Kesav Sofer #3 - Midrash - The Symbolism of the Menorah: Learn Torah, Live Torah, and Share Torah #4 - Sparks of Mussar - "It's the Clothes that Make the Man": The Dua...