KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Erev Shabbat Behaalotekha 5785 | Thoughts over the Last 12 Hours, by Rav Moshe Taragin Thoughts about the war in Israel and parashat Behaalotekha Invoking the zechut of Jewish history and unity  They are Hashem's enemies  This time the two pesukim should end suffering

Behaalotekha | Re'uel, Yitro, Chovav, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Who was Moshe's father-in-law? In our Parasha, there is a curious conversation between Moshe and Chovav; does Chovav end up accepting Moshe's invitation to join Am Yisrael? Who is Chovav to Moshe and is he also known by other names? Was Yitro the Kohen Midian or was Reuel - and who was Tzippora's father? All of these are addressed in t...

Sefer Bamidbar | Behaalotekha | The Consecration Ceremony of the Leviim, by Rav Ezra Bick What is the difference between the "purification" of the Leviim and the "sanctification" of the Kohanim?

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 30 | Behaalotekha, by Rav Eli Weber Why did Jewish history change in Parashat Behaalotekha ? What was the great sin of Kivrot Hata'ava?

Naso | The Sotah Mystery Revisited, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What do we anticipate will happen to the Sotah if she is guilty? The Sotah ritual has alternatively been called an ordeal, a deterrent, a mollifier, a Divine judgement and much more. Following the lead of some recent research (cited on the source sheet), a new approach to understanding Sotah is proposed - with an interesting implication...

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 29 | Naso, by Rav Eli Weber Why does Hashem make a miracle to bring peace between a couple? When was Birkat Kohanim given? Why are the korbanot of the chieftains repeated?

Sefer Bamidbar | Naso | Religious Individualism and the Machaneh, by Rav Ezra Bick Why are the Sota and the Nazir in the middle of parashat Naso?

Sefer Bamidbar | Bamidbar | A Lot of Names and A Lot of Numbers, Why? by Rav Ezra Bick Does the population census eliminate individuality in service of creating the national unity, or does it enoble and distinguish the individual? Why are the Jews counted twice in the beginning of Sefer Bemidbar?

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 28 | Bamidbar, by Rav Eli Weber Why does Hashem count Israel? Why does Hashem talk to Moshe from Ohel Moed? Why is Levi the smallest tribe?

Shavuot | The Claims of the Heretics, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The public reading of Aseret HaDibrot (the Decalogue) was practiced on a daily basis in the Mikdash. This practice was banned elsewhere, due to the "Claims of the Heretics" - (תרעומת המינים). Why would there have been an interest in reading the Dibrot publicly every day - and why was it banned? Who are these "heretics" - and what was t...

Tehillim 132: קומה ה' למנוחתך (conclusion), by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom When was Psalm 132 composed - and why? In this conclusion of a two-part shiur, we examine the longest of the שירי המעלה - Psalm 132. This psalm, evidently devoted to the city of Yerushalayim and the Divine choice of both the place and the Davidic line, is especially appropriate as we prepare to celebrate the 58th anniversary of t...

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 27 | Behar-Bechukotai, by Rav Eli Weber What's the Ramban's view on chronology in the Torah? What is the religious meaning of work? Will there be wild animals in the days of the mashiach?

Behar-Bechukotai | 5785 | Abarbanel as Philosopher, by Rav Elyakim Krumbein Reward on earth or in the afterlife?

Kaddish and the Idea of Jewish Nationalism, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is the meaning of Kaddish and why does it require a quorum? How does the impetus for a public declaration shed light on the idea of לאומיות ישראלית - Jewish Nationalism? This talk was given at the annual Karen and Ariel Avrech z"l Memorial Lecture at Young Israel of Century City. יהי זכרם ברוך. Source sheet >>

Tehillim 132: קומה ה' למנוחתך, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What was the occasion that motivated the composition of Psalm 132? A special shiur as we prepare for Yom Yerushalayim. In this first part of a two-part shiur, we examine the longest of the שירי המעלה - Psalm 132. This psalm, evidently devoted to the city of Yerushalayim and the Divine choice of both the place and the Davidic line, is especial...

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 26 | Emor, by Rav Eli Weber Why do we bring Chametz to the Mikdash on Shavuot? When is Shavuot? What is Sefirat HaOmer?

Emor | 5785 | Abarbanel on the Holidays by Rav Elyakim Krumbein How does the Torah use disrupted patterns to create meaning? 

Unraveling the Mystery of Lag BaOmer, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why is there a celebratory air to the 33rd day of the Omer-count? By far the most mysterious of our festive days is ל"ג בעמר, where the cessation from weddings (etc.) turns the day into a joyous outburst of celebration, replete with bonfires, outings and more. What is the story behind this unexplained day? With the help of an ancient m...

Achari Mot - Kedoshim | 5785 | Why Be Holy? by Rav Elyakim Krumbein Abarbanel solves the riddle of Parashat Kedoshim. 

Tazria Metzora | 5785 | The Concept of Tum'a by Rav Elyakim Krumbein Why is ritual purity so central in Sefer Vayikra?

Acharei Mot - Kedoshim | Maaseh Eretz Cenaan, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why is the list of forbidden intimate relations introduced with the broad statement prohibiting us from engaging in the ways of the Egyptians and the Canaanites? Source sheet >>

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 25 | Acharei Mot - Kedoshim, by Rav Eli Weber Everyone knows that the Ramban (like all Jews), loves Eretz Yisrael. But why so much. At the end of Acharei Mot the Ramban explains his philosophy. How is sin different in Eretz Israel than outside of it?

Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 24 | Metzora, by Rav Eli Weber What is tzara'at and its connection to Yom HaAtzmaut? What is the meaning of the promised land? How is tzaraat a miracle?

MiTalmidav shel Aharon | Commemorating the 10th Yahrzeit of Harav Aharon zt"l at Yeshiva University, with two of his talmidim, Rabbi Michael Taubes '77 and Rabbi Mordechai Willig. Divrei peticha: Rabbi Neal Turk. An oved Hashem, of purity of heart.

Yom HaAtzmaut | Psalm 126: BeShuv Hashem et Shivat Tzion, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why are we described as "like dreamers" upon the return to ציון?  Since those miraculous days of 1948, there have been several proposals to amend the National Anthem with the recitation of Psalm 126 - בשוב ה' את שיבת ציון; famously, Menachem Begin read the entire Psalm in the Rose Garden before signing the Camp Davi...