KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Mordechai and Esther, by Harav Mosheh Lichtenstein What makes Purim a special yom tov and why is it a day of festivity and celebration? Why is Purim unique as opposed to other days of Jewish salvation? Why is the megilla called Megillat Esther and not Megillat Mordechai? A close examination of the Purim story within its historical context provides answers to these questions, by understanding Purim...

Why Isn't It Almost Purim? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom A shiur in advance of Purim Katan.

Teruma | Mishpat and Mishkan, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The Divine commands concerning the construction of a Mishkan are curiously juxtaposed and intertwined with the corpus of Law broadly referred to as "Mishpatim." We explore that association by tracing the chronology of The Stand at Sinai and the unique nature of the Mishkan which was the focal point of the commands given atop the mountain - and...

Anger - Avoid at All Costs, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela Companion shiur to last week's installment on Anava.

Parshat Teruma with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - The Symbolism of Mishkan: What's The Deeper Message? #2 - Modern Commentators - Torah Study: For All People and for All Times #3 - Midrash - What is the Purpose of the Mishkan? #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - "It's the Thought that Counts" - A Profound Insight into Religious Observance from the Sefas Emes #5 - Halacha from the Parsha...

Anava: Balancing Ego and Self-Confidence Part 1, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela  

Parshat Mishpatim with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - The Mysterious and Mystical End of Parshas Mishpatim #2 - Modern Commentators - Balancing Tradition and Innovation - A Beautiful Thought from R. Moshe Feinstein #3 - Midrash - What's So Special About Mishpatim? 3 Insights of the Midrash #4 - Sparks of Mussar - Appreciating Hashem's As a Loving Father - A Lesson Learned from th...

Mishpatim | Moshe's Encounters Read As Prologue, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Moshe's three encounters after his adoption into the palace are rife with internal difficulties; riding above all of that is the general question of what the text is trying to teach us by including these three incidents. A detailed and careful read of the text reveals numerous difficulties which perhaps point to a larger ove...

Parshat Yitro with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - The Danger of Getting Too Close to the Mountain #2 - Contemporary Commentators - "Curious Yisro" and the Quest for Truth #3 - Midrash - The Midrashic Account of Matan Torah - 3 Powerful Messages #4 - Sparks of Mussar - Yisro - Learning the Lesson of Sustained Religious Growth #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - The Essence of Kiddush #...

Yitro | What Inspired Yitro? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The opening passage of פרשת יתרו is full of riddles - why are we given detailed information about Moshe's sons, including the introduction of Eliezer with the reason given for his name? What caused Yitro's reevaluation of his theology, such that he was ready to declare that "I now know that Hashem is greater than all the gods"? Why do חז"ל disc...

Tefillah: Appreciating and Improving Our Davening Part 2, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela

Beshalach | From Marah to Masah, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The brief interlude at Marah, immediately following Shirat haYam, includes two challenging phrases - שם שם לו חק ומשפט and ושם נסהו. After surveying the classic commentaries - including the famous passage in the Mekhilta - explaining these phrases, we look further at the travels in the desert and propose a different perspective on the "test...

Tefillah: Appreciating and Improving Our Davening Part 1, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela

Parshat Beshalach with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - The Manna (מן): Blessing or Challenge? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - Rav Kook's Approach to Kedushas Yisrael #3 - Midrash - The Special Role of Children in "Az Yashir": An Incredible Midrash #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - Why Did the Jewish People Daven at the Yam Suf? A Profound (and Surprising) Insight from the Lubavitcher Re...

Parshat Bo with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - The Nature of Miracles and the Miracle of Nature #2 - Modern Commentators - The Source of the Jewish People's Wealth: The Incredible Interpretation of the Vilna Gaon #3 - Midrash - Moshe & Ahron: A Paragon of Mutual Respect and Brotherly Love #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - The Jewish Approach to Physicality: A Beautiful Teaching from the...

Bo | "What Is This Service...To You?" Reevaluating the "Wicked Son's" Question, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The famous interaction between a son and his father  (Shemot 12:25-26 ) is interpreted in the Midrash Halakhah (and, subsequently, in the Hagadah) as a hostile one, with the son's "question" viewed as a confrontational remark - even though the Rishonim who comment on the passage in context read...

Gender Differences in Halakha Part 2, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela

Contemporary Educational Challenges, a panel discussion with Harav Mosheh Lichtenstein, Rav Eli Weber and Rabbanit Esti Rosenberg, held at the Melave Malka Nov 20, 2021, at Congregation Bnei Yeshurun, Teaneck, NJ. Joined by Rav Moshe Taragin. What has changed since these mechankhim began their careers? What is the greatest issue affecting chinuch today? What should be our policy on cellphone use?...

Gender Differences in Halakha Part 1, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb, given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela  

Parshat Vaera with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Did Hashem Really Take Away Pharaoh's Free Will? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - There's No "Retirement" from Religious Growth #3 - Midrash - Promise Made and Promise Kept - The Different Names of Hashem #4 - Sparks of Chassidus - Freedom from Slavery and a Slave Mentality - A Profound Insight from the Sefas Emes #5 - Halacha fro...

Vaera | Brotherhood at Last, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The opening section of Parashat Vaera includes several seemingly tangential and/or redundant passages, including a re-assignment of Aharon as Moshe's "prophet" as well as the odd genealogical table of the Levites. By looking carefully at the step-by-step inauguration of Aharon into a leadership role, we identify the new information in each pass...

Parshat Shemot with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Moshe: What's in a Name? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - The Message Behind the Mystery: Why Must Moshe Stop and Remove His Shoes? #3 - Midrash - The Surprising Connection Between Gratitude and Faith #4 - Sparks of Musar - The Source of Moshe's Selection: The Powerful Insight of the Alter of Kelm #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - R...

Shemot | The Roots of Subjugation, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The opening chapter of Shemot details the oppression, mandated infanticide and overall enslavement of Bnei Yisrael under the thumb of Egyptian rule. After a brief introduction in which we discuss the nature and causality and its inherent multi-layered reality, we observe several linguistic nuances in this opening chapter which seem to poi...

Vayechi | Menasheh and Ephraim: More Than Just a Hand-Switch, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom.  The description of Yaakov's deathbed blessing of Yosef/Ephraim-Menasheh is riddled with difficulties. Why does Yaakov mention God's blessing at Beit-El? Why does he bring up Rachel's sudden death and burial on the road? Why doesn't Yaakov recognize his grandsons - whom he had just "upgraded" to "sons" by name?...

Parshat Vayechi with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Commentators - Why Was Rachel Not Buried in Me'arat Ha-Machpela? #2 - Contemporary Commentators - The True Meaning of Achdus: A Remarkable Teaching from Rav Lichtenstein #3 - Midrash - Why Did Yaakov Not Want to Be Buried in Egypt? #4 - Sparks of Musar - The Greatest Blessing: Understanding Who Our Children REALLY Are #5 - Halacha from the Par...