Pardes from Jerusalem

Sukkot 5783 - Sukkot and the Secret of Jewish Happiness This podcast is a republication of last year's Sukkot special.  Why is Sukkot described as the "Season of our Rejoicing"? What is the objective of sitting in the Sukka? What messages does it have to our technological and materialistic age? Download the Pardes Sukkot Holiday Companion Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the pod...

Ha'azinu speaks of God as a parent, as the Being that created and formed us all. What implications does this fact have for our spirituality and consciousness? Yiscah Smith presents a teaching of the Hassidic master - the Piazecne Rabbe, and Alex connects Ha'azinu to the upcoming holiday of Sukkot. Credits: Yiscah Smith and Rabbi Alex Israel – Pardes North America Faculty  

How do we approach the complicated dynamic in the High Holiday liturgy? What is the dynamic between Rosh Hashana's haftarah reading of the Binding of Isaac and Yom Kippur's reading of the Book of Jonah? You can also enjoy reading an article written by Rabbi Brent Spodek on the topics discussed in this podcast here. Credits: Rabbi Brent Spodek and Professor Ziva R. Hassenfeld - Pardes North America...

This Rosh Hashana podcast is sponsored by Ricki and David Bernstein in memory of Ricki’s parents, Beatrice and Murray Kirschblat, survivors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, respectively. Beatrice and Murray were each the sole survivors of large families which perished in the Shoah. How does the story of the Binding of Isaac and Sodom and Gomorrah relate, and how do we bridge what appears to be an ethi...

Love learning Jewish history? Join Rav Mike Feuer for the Jewish Story Live! The Jewish Story Season 6 Episode 1: Prologue: A New Perspective Season 6 of The Jewish Story has finally begun! Here is a prologue to help frame the chapter to come. In it I touch on the power of prophetic sight, the Biblical Book of Daniel and why in the Hebrew month of Elul we say that the King is in the field.

How does the law of bikkurim (sacrifice of the first fruits) relate to the Exodus from Egypt? Why does the blessing from the farmer use the plural tense, and why would a farmer who had never experienced the Exodus need to mention it? What can this parsha reveal to us regarding the Jewish view of history? Credits: Dr. David Bernstein and Rabbi Michael Hattin – Pardes Faculty  

This week's parsha depicts four modes of administration in ancient Israel. What are these four centers of societal leadership, and how do they interact? How does our parsha give us room to consider our own political climate? What does this say about our contemporary leadership? Credits: Rabbi Alex Israel and Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield – Pardes Faculty  

In this week's Pardes Parsha Podcast, Aviva Lauer joins Rabbi Michael Hattin to discuss parashat Re'eh. As the people of Israel prepare for their entry into the land of Israel, Moses teaches them that God will choose the place for them to worship, that there will be one location in all of Israel where they will bring their sacrifices. Today, we know that place to be Jerusalem and the Temple Mount,...

This podcast is sponsored by Suzana and Alan Caro in memory of Avi West z"l. A brilliant educator and master teacher, Avi touched the lives of thousands of Jews in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. His breadth of knowledge spanned the entire Jewish canon as well as popular culture. His caring, sense of humor, and ability to inspire fellow educators completely changed the nature of Jewish presc...

In this week's parsha, Moshe recalls several events and presents for us what many consider to be one of the foundational texts of Judaism, the Shema. Join Yiscah Smith as she discusses the parsha and some of the fundamental values and tenets of our faith presented in the Shema. Credits: Rabbi Michael Hattin and Yiscah Smith – Pardes Faculty  

Rabbi Michael Hattin discusses Devarim with Rabbi Alex Israel, exploring the question of repetition in Deuteronomy. The Rabbis called Devarim "Mishneh Torah" - the Repetition of the Torah. How is the retelling different to the original? Is Moses manipulating the truth? Credits: Rabbi Alex Israel and Rabbi Michael Hattin – Pardes Faculty  

How do we distribute scant resources in a needy world? Are wealthy societies obligated to share their fundamental resources with more impoverished societies in need? This podcast takes us to a challenging passage in Nedarim which draws its prooftext from the mitzva of the Levite cities in chapter 35. If my city has water and yours does not, am I obligated to provide for you? The discussion moves t...

This podcast is dedicated to Shlomo Berlin, Shlomo Ben Rachel v’Shimon - שלמה בן רחל ושמעון, with prayers for a refuah shelaymah from Rabbi Hayim Herring and Terri Krivosha. Nechama Goldman Barash and Alex Israel discuss Parashat Matot and the notion of vows or oaths touching on questions of loyalty, accountability, religious grandstanding, and the strength of verbal commitments. What is a vow? Wh...

Parashat Balak: The Outsider's View Description: Parashat Balak narrates the strange tale of a foreign seer who is hired to curse the Israelites but is compelled by God to bless them. What is this story doing in the Torah? It transpires entirely in a foreign royal court, and until the final lines of the parsha, Israel is mere object not subject. In this podcast, Zvi Hirschfield and Alex Israel dis...

Heroism is a precious quality, and one strong enough to change the world. Here is the story of the Israeli mission to free hostages on Entebbe, perhaps the most heroic mission of its time. At its heart lies a person who in many ways embodies the qualities of his generation - Yoni Netanyahu.

Parashat Chukat: Moses. The Hand and the Word Description: In our parsha we read the episode of "Moses' Sin" in which Moses hits the rock instead of speaking to it. In this podcast, Pardes faculty Alex Israel and Gila Fine discuss the tension in Moses' life between his hands, the role of action, and his mouth, the realm of speech. The discussion moves to the perils of social media and the precisio...

Parashat Korach 5782: Was it all Negative? Description: In this podcast, we explore the mixed motivations behind Korach's challenge to Moshe and Aaron's leadership. Can one be driven by ego and still mix in a valid claim? Was Korach's claim that "all the people are holy" easily dismissed? We also discuss the ways in which challenging authority and healthy mahloket (disagreement) are part of our cu...

Parashat Shelach Lecha 5782: Slandering Israel Description: The story of people who toured Israel and emerged with a negative assessment of the Land of Israel. Is criticism of Israel legitimate or is it a sin? Join Pardes faculty member Rabbi Alex Israel and Israel education guru Jonny Ariel as they discuss the biblical and contemporary implications of our parasha. Download Source Sheet Please let...

Parashat Behaalotecha 5782: The Power of Inclusion Description: An exploration of the narratives about Pesach Sheni and the naming of the 70 elders and Eldad and Medad. Two stories that combine Law and Narrative, also portray the value of initiative on the part of the people and the importance of including multiple voices. Sources: Numbers 9:1-14; Numbers 11:10-30 Please let us know your comments...

Parashat Naso/Shavuot 5782: Har Sinai - the First Beit Midrash Description: What was the Torah that the Israelites actually heard and learned? Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, write to us at elmad@pardes.org.il. We appreciate you leaving us a review with 5-stars if you enjoy these podcasts. For more information about Pardes, visit our website www.pardes.org.il. Cred...

Parashat Bamidbar 5782: Heavenly Jerusalem, Earthly Jerusalem. A Shiur for Jerusalem Day and Bamidbar Description: In Celebration of Jerusalem Day, we study Psalm 122 and its dreamy depiction of an ancient Jerusalem pilgrimage. We reflect on the makom (place/space) and complexity of today's Jerusalem and connect this to our parasha - Bamidbar. Download Source Sheet Please let us know your comments...

Parashat Bechukotai 5782: Ancient Metaphors and Contemporary Realism Description: This podcast focuses on understanding the blessings and curses in this week's parasha with Rabbi Dr. Howard Markose. Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, write to us at elmad@pardes.org.il. We appreciate you leaving us a review with 5-stars if you enjoy these podcasts. For more information...

Parashat Behar 5782: The Economy of Spirituality Description: This special podcast features Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair. Join us to hear our discussion of how the Sabbatical and Jubilee years described in parashat Behar are providing the spiritual values which are meant to inform our economic lives. Rav Yedidya Sinclair is a scholar and educator who work as a consultant in environmental and social comp...

Parashat Emor 5782: The Jewish Year Cycle, Emor-Style Description: While the Torah lists our holidays several times throughout the five books, there is something special about the way it's done in this week's parasha. Find out what that is by listening to Zvi Hirschfield and Aviva Lauer discuss everything from Sukkot to Yom HaAtzmaut in this week's Pardes from Jerusalem. Vayikra 23:33-43 Please le...

Parashat Kedoshim 5782: "Be Holy!" How? Description: The Torah instructs the Jewish people to "Be Holy!" But how might that be performed? In this podcast, Alex Israel discusses three approaches to this question, considering the question of withdrawal from and engagement with regular life and living. This podcast was originally published in 2019. Download the Source Sheet Please let us know your co...