Matan: One on One Parsha Podcast

It is recounted in Talmud Bavli Shabbat 31a, that one of the questions asked of the deceased waiting for final judgement is whether they anticipated the redemption. In this meaningful conversation with Rabbanit Rachel Weinstein, we speak about what redemption might actually look like and what we are anticipating. We delve into a chassidic idea about the month of Av and what it reflects about the p...

Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody wrote Ethics of Our Fighters: A Jewish View on War and Morality before the events of October 7th. Yet its publication shortly after the outbreak of the war in Gaza made the book especially timely—and deeply resonant. In it, R. Brody offers a “Jewish Multi-Value Framework” to navigate the often competing ethical considerations that arise in times of war—from the perspective o...

In this conversation with Dr. Ayelet Hoffman Libson, we discuss the episode of the daughters of Tzelofechad who approach Moshe asking for the right to inherit their deceased father's land. Our conversation speaks about the strength of Moshe as a humble leader as well as the women's wisdom reflected in their request for legal latitude. Thank you to Chana Shefa, Adira Lautman Botwinick, and Sivan Kr...

In this conversation with Dr. Tanya White, we discuss the theological import of the parsha's unusual point of view, the parallels between Pharaoh and Balak's fear of Israel, and why coming to conclusions based on incomplete perceptions is a destructive behavior. This week's episode has been sponsored by Carole Damon in memory of her father Simcha Yisroel ben Shmuel whose yartzeit is on the 6th of...

Parshat Chukat opens with the ritual of the red heifer (para aduma) which purifies individuals from impurity caused by contact with a dead body. Leadership comes in all different shapes and sizes, and in this episode I had the privilege to sit down with a leader of Am Yisrael, one who leads behind the scenes in her life affirming work of caring for the dead. Sharon Laufer has been a member of the...

In this conversation with Matan faculty member Simi Peters, we analyze Korach's tactics that made his rebellion an initial success and what ultimately caused it to fail. In her unique way, Simi weaves in midrashic traditions that underscore deeper points present in the narrative's foundation. These parsha conversations are being recorded in an ever-changing reality here in Israel. This episode ope...

In this conversation with Rabbanit Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel, we explore where the spies went wrong, the possibility that their sin was inevitable, and where this registers in the current Israeli reality. Rabbanit Rachelle is the director of Matan's Hilkhata program and is also co-founder of The Jerusalem Unity Prize and Unity Day. Our Bamidbar Series explores different forms of leadership in the...

Over the last year and a half, many have reflected that these times feel 'biblical.' There is a sense that the ongoing war and the surrounding societal shifts feel more significant than ever. Some of this 'biblical' scale has to do with the struggle for land and legitimacy, and some of it seems to be rooted in the heroism and clarity of the soldiers, both those in active service and reservists. Th...

In this week's conversation with Rabbanit Dr. Adina Sternberg, we discuss the breakdown of leadership in the parsha as well as the fascinating correlation between Moshe's self-perception as a mother to the people with the laws of the 'rebellious son.' Our Bamidbar Series is exploring different forms of leadership in the book and in the Jewish world.

In this moving conversation with Rabbanit Shani Taragin, we explore the different forms of religious and lay leadership in the parsha that will continue to guide the people as they travel through the wilderness. Our Bamidbar Series is exploring different forms of leadership in the book and in the Jewish world. This week's episode has been sponsored by Chava Mann in honor of her children and their...

In this meaningful conversation with Dr. Elana Stein Hain, we probe our individual spiritual biographies in search of what drew us into Torah life and a love of learning. We also reflect candidly about our roles as educators at work and in our homes. Chag Sameach!

In this episode with Matan president Rabbanit Malke Bina, we explore the Devorah narrative in Judges 4-5 and take a deeper look at her and Yael's roles in combat and as a religious leader. We then think about the changing role of women in combat and non-combat positions today. Rabbanit Malke Bina founded Matan in 1988 and served as Chancellor for 33 years. She has now taken on the role of Presiden...

In this beautiful conversation with Gila Fine, we explore the textual complexities of the book of Bamidbar and uncover why it may be the most intricately organized book of the Torah. Moments of chaos and breakdown communicate the need for a new order, and this is exactly what the book of Bamidbar underscores. Our Bamidbar series will be focusing on issues of leadership but this first episode is an...

Jeremiah 30-31 are chapters often quoted and sung because of their beautiful images of divine closeness, renewal, and the posthumous figure of Rachel crying in prayer for the return of her exiled children. Dr. Malka Simkovich, who spent more than a decade teaching in Christian settings, always overlooked these prophecies as significant for the Jewish story, having long ago been adopted by the Chri...

This week's episode with Rabbanit Surale Rosen closes our series on the lived experience of Torah observance. The conversation begins with an idea rooted in our parsha regarding an ethic that may have preceded the official giving of Torah and continues on to explore some of the tensions between Halakhic life and secular sensibilities both in Israel and abroad. When does applying a halakhic frame f...

In this moving conversation, we explore the book of Numbers through the lens of a short journey to a promised land that suddenly went awry, in search of emotional guidance in the face of a war that has continued for longer than the Israeli public anticipated. What does the book of Bamidbar have to tell us about daily life in the face of fear? Why does living in proximity to God feel so scary somet...

In this fascinating and sensitive conversation with Rabbanit Dr. Jennie Rosenfeld, we discuss her involvement in the world of Halakhic writing and guidance as well as the modern challenges that arise from observance of priestly marriage prohibitions. Our Vayikra series focuses on the lived experience of Torah observance and explores some of the harder issues within observant communities in accorda...

In this difficult but important conversation, we explore biblical texts that illustrate how violence against women correlates with a morally decaying society. This episode directly responds to the world's horrifying silence in the face of rape and mutilazation on October 7th and candidly explores why this is such a hard topic to face head on. Yael Leibowitz is a senior lecturer at Matan and other...

This episode brings together the Matan Podcast with the hosts of Intimate Judaism, R. Scott Kahn and Talli Rosenbaum, to discuss the tensions between Jewish sexual ethics and modern sexual trends. What is a Jewish sexual ethic and how much is it related to what appears in the verses of the Torah? What are some of the biggest challenges facing the Orthodox world in the realm of sexuality and what c...

This week Dr. Tanya White shares a novel reading of Terah's journey to Canaan through the lens of grief and how Abraham manages to pick up where his father left off. Dr. Tanya White is a senior lecturer at Matan and Bar-Ilan and the host of the acclaimed podcast series, Books and Beyond: The Rabbi Sacks Podcast. This is a special podcast miniseries produced by Matan and hosted by Dr. Yosefa Fogel...

In this fascinating conversation with R. Alex Israel, we explore several perspectives on Tzaraat impurity and what this means for us today. We conclude with a study of the parsha's haftara reading about the four lepers (II Melachim 7) and how it relates to this week's national days of remembrance and gratitude. Our Vayikra series focuses on the lived experience of Torah observance and explores som...

This is a special podcast miniseries produced by Matan and hosted by Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble. The series will comprise seven episodes to be aired during the seven weeks of the Omer counting between the holidays of Pesach and Shavuot. Each week we will be re-reading iconic biblical texts in light of the changing Israeli, Jewish, and world realities. This first episode is a conversation with Judy Kl...

In this fascinating conversation with Rabbanit Dena (Freundlich) Rock, we use the repeated verse, "Do not cook a kid in a mother's milk" to explore the relationship between Halakhic development and its divine source. Then we explore different rationales for Kashrut laws as well as the reasons why observant Jews wait different amounts of time between meat and milk. This week's episode has been spon...

In this episode with R. Yitzchak Blau, we zoom in on the laws of the Pesach sacrifice in order to zoom out on its meaning within the Exodus experience. Taking the animal on the 10th of the month, spreading its blood on the doorpost and so many other details that seem far removed from our modern reality, become the keys to kernels of wisdom explored in this wonderful conversation. Tucked between To...

Our Vayikra series will be focusing on Mitzvah observance, but we wanted to make sure to include at least one broader conversation about sacrifices as a central form of worship. So this week we are re-broadcasting one of our most popular episodes about sacrifices with Dr. Tova Ganzel. Ganzel explores with us the ancient roots of sacrificial worship, the debates about its inherent worth within the...