KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 37 | Shoftim, by Rav Eli Weber What is the role of the magistrate in the Torah? 

Rav Soloveitchik on Teshuva (7): Appreciating the Different Motivations for Repentance, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Seventh in a series of mini-shiurim on R Soloveitchik's approach to Teshuva based on his famous and incredible sefer Al HaTeshuva.  Sometimes we're moved emotionally to change direction, and other times our motivations are more intellectual - does it matter why we chose to change? In what...

Sefer Devarim | Ekev | 5785 | The Ark of War, by Rav Alex Israel Rashi suggests that there is not one Aron but two - one Ark is in the Mikdash and the second Aron is for the war-front. Why is there a necessity for a special war Aron? What does it contain? What does it symbolize? 

Devarim | Birkat HaMazon: Sources and Development (2), by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Following up from our last shiur, we investigate several observations and proposals made by the Rishonim to discover how Birkat haMazon may have evolved over time. One key question that we address is how all 3 ברכות (at least!) are דאורייתא, if, as some Rishonim suggest, they weren't said at all for a significant perio...

Devarim | Birkat HaMazon (1), by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom A ubiquitous prayer, one of the few commanded in the Torah, is sourced in this week's parasha. Devarim 8:10 - "When you eat and are satisfied you shall bless Hashem, your God, for the good Land which he has given you." - this is known as Birkat haMazon. In this shiur, we explore the textual sources for the three (or four, or five) Berakhot tha...

Sefer Devarim | Vaetchanan | 5785 | Children, Identity, and Hope, by Rav Alex Israel What does it mean to care for your parents? Why is it so important? Rav Alex Israel '85 is an author, Tanakh teacher and international lecturer. He is a teacher at Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and at Midreshet Lindenbaum, and records a daily 929 podcast - The Tanakh Podcast. 

Sefer Devarim | Devarim |  5785 | Lessons of Empowerment, by Rav Alex Israel How are we to view the way that Moshe retells episodes of the past in new ways with fresh details, different from accounts earlier in the Torah?  We shall discover a common message in Moshe's opening stories in Devarim ch.1. Rav Alex Israel '85 is an author, Tanakh teacher and international lecturer. He is a teacher at Ye...

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 36 | Matot-Masei, by Rav Eli Weber What is the meaning of living in Eretz Israel?

Sefer Bamidbar | Matot - Masei | 5785 | War of Midian, War of Vengeance, by Rav Ezra Bick What is the difference between the vengeance of Israel and the vengeance of God? What does it actually mean to avenge the Midianites? Why did the people go out to do this in the name of Moses?

Eikha Rabbati: Rachel's Tears, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How are we to understand the Midrash about Rachel's tears saving Am Yisrael? The Midrash Rabba collection on Megilat Eikha includes some of the most moving literature in the canon. A brief introduction to Midrash Agada, followed by a briefer introduction to Midrash Eikha, is followed by a study of a famous proem ("Petichta") involving the uns...

Divrei Hesped for Mori V'Rebbi HaRav Yehuda Amital on his 15th Yahrzeit, by Rav Moshe Taragin Empowering talmidim; Personalizing religion vs. submitting to religion; Life and religion are Complex; The cry of the baby or the roar of the wicked For more shiuirim by Rav Taragin on Harav Amital zt"l: https://etzion.org.il/en/search?subjects=6103&contentTypes=&authors=5753&series=&tags=&organizations=&...

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 35 | Pinchas, by Rav Eli Weber Why do the daughters of Zelophehad say how he died? Why does Moshe appoint Yehoshua in front of all of Israel? Why are the musafim written in the end of our parasha? 

Sefer Bamidbar | Pinchas | 5785 | The Meaning of Family, by Rav Ezra Bick Forty years later, the Jewish People are counted a second time. What is the difference in the census this time? One word makes all the difference.

Bein HaMetzarim 5785, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom. In memory of my father - הרב אשר אהרן בן אברהם בנימין ז"ל -Tammuz 21 Why do chakhamim set up a parallel between the events that befell our ancestors on each of 17 beTammuz and 9 beAv?  The Mishna in Ta'anit presents a literary parallel between the events that befell our ancestors on 17 of Tammuz and those that happened on 9 beAv. We explore the lists...

Sefer Bamidbar | Balak | 5785 | The Nature of Bilam's Prophecy, by Rav Ezra Bick Why do we need to know what Bilaam said to Balak? What is the significance of the entire story of Balak's failed plan to enlist Bilaam to curse Israel?

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 34 | Balak, by Rav Eli Weber Who is Bilam?

Balak | Mah Tovu Ohalekha Yaakov, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What motivated Bil'am to bless as he did? Following the progression of Bilam's blessings. The lyrical, uplifting blessings with which Bil'am blessed Bnei Yisrael are among the most elegant and moving series of passages in Tanakh. What motivated Bil'am to bless as he did - was he simply a mouthpiece of Hashem, or did he, at some point, iden...

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 33 | Chukat, by Rav Eli Weber What was the sin of Moshe and Aharon?

Sefer Bamidbar | Chukat | 5785 | Taking Initiative, by Rav Ezra Bick What's the difference between the first generation in the midbar and the second? Three short incidents in the middle of the Parasha define the change in the Jewish people after thirty years.

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 32 | Korach, by Rav Eli Weber Why is HaShem offended by Korach? What is Bnei Yisrael's challenge to Moshe?

Sefer Bamidbar | Korach | 5785 | The Holiness of Am Yisrael, by Rav Ezra Bick How does the flowering of Aaron's staff answer the complaint of the Jews? More importantly, is not the argument of Korach, "all Jews are holy", correct?

Korach | Korach, Datan and Aviram: When and Why?  by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What were Datan and Aviram challenging - as opposed to Korach? The story of the rebellion(s) against Moshe is confusing; why are the rebels taking the stand against Moshe? What is their claim? When is this claim being presented? How do they die? A close analysis reveals two different stories being told. Source sheet >>  

Sefer Bamidbar | Shelach | 5785 | The Meaning of Ascent, by Rav Ezra Bick

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 31 | Shelach , by Rav Eli Weber Did Moshe think sending the spies was a good idea?

Shelach | Bamidbar 15: Why Now, Why Here? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why are the mitzvot of Nesakhim, Challa, Tzitzit and more presented in the aftermath of the story of the "Meraglim"?