Parsha Stories

Click here to listen to last year's telling of Bemidbar! The time has finally come for B'nai Yisrael to leave Har Sinai to begin their journey in the wilderness on the way to Eretz Yisrael. But they can't just run into the wilderness and hope for the best - they have to organize carefully and thoughtfull. Moshe and God make clear, they have a plan.

Yunkele the Farmer finds some daylight in his attempts to argue against the Torah as Moshe presents a "choice." The prophet Yirmiyahu explains to his people that there is more choice in life than Moshe even realized.

Click here for last year's telling of Behar (and Behukotai)! Yunkaleh the Farmer is still struggling with the laws about the Promised Land because they are going to hamstring his attempts for total land domination. Moshe warns about what will happen if they people don't obey and then Yirmiyahu lives the experience during the time of Tzikiyahu HaMelech.

Click here for last year's telling of Parshat Emor! Yunkala the Farmer has a lot to say about why he doesn't think he should have to celebrate the agricultural holidays. Moshe then encounters a very tragic character in the Torah whose life begins and ends with talking.

This week imagines what life was like in Ancient Egypt and the terrible unkindness and immorality that was rampant before the Torah was given.

Click here for last year's telling of Parshat Acharei Mot! Yom Kippur has always been a big holiday for the Jewish people and their leadership. In different generations, the ritual has been modified and changed but it all starts with Aaron and his children.

Listen to last year's telling of Tazria/Metzora here! Listen to last year's telling of Shabbat Ha'Gadol here! We fast forward in time to when Miryam and Aaron complain about Moshe. Miryam is afflicted with skin disease as a punishment for her slander. Moshe finds himself having to decide whether to stand up for his insulting sister or let her live with her skin diease.

Listen to last year's telling of Tazria here!

To hear last year's dramatic telling of Shmeni, click here! King David has just conquered Jerusalem and is ready to start collecting pieces from the original Mishkan for his new capitol city. He leads a convoy to transport the Holy Ark but things quickly take a turn for the worse, in a way that reminds everyone of Nadav and Avihu in the Mishkan. Eventually, David realizes that religious life i...

Listen to last year's version of Tzav! Aaron is nervous about his new responsibility and tries to convince Moshe that he should be the one to be the Kohen Gadol. Moshe does step into the role of Kohen Gadol, but not in the way you might expect!

Click here for last year's episode of Vayikra! In this new book of Vayikra, Moshe begins to explain to Aaron and his sons about the important work of connecting to God through sacrifices. The stakes are incredibly high and the details matter very much. Aaron has a lot of questions that point to the significance of every korban.

Moshe and Betzalel are putting on the final touches of the Mishkan by accounting for all of the donations that had poured in. Moshe becomes nervous because over 1,000 shekels are unaccounted for. But God helps Moshe and Betzalel get over the finish line so that God can dwell among the people.

Listen to last year's telling of Va'yakhel (and Pikudei) here! B'nai Yisrael is ready to build the Mishkan under Moshe and Betzalel's guidance. First, they need to collect all of the valuable materials, which proves to be far easier than anyone expected - especially the Nesi'im. Next they need to do the hands on work of building the Mishkan but Betzalel reminds them that it&#39...

Click here to listen to last year's telling of Ki Tisa! After the dramatic Golden Calf incident, Moshe finds himself playing defense attorney on behalf of the people of Israel. He plays to God's forgiving nature but he also brings up some interesting precedence to convince God to spare his stiff-necked people.

Listen to last year's telling of Tetzaveh here! Aaron and his descendants are chosen to lead B'nai Yisrael's ritual life as the Kohanim. This comes with special clothing that will be used in religious ceremonies as well as magical clothing, worn by the Kohen Gadol, that brings God into daily decision making. Magical clothing can only be created with magical materials and worn by people...

Listen to last year's telling of Parshat Trumah here! Moshe is still up on Har Sinai receiving the Torah and he starts to learn about the construction of the Mishkan. Moshe is overwhelmed by the details and the craftmanship needed for such an expansive and important project. God offers Betzalel to help but Moshe is not sure whether he should take it.

Click here for last year's telling of Parshat Mishpatim! Moshe ascends to the top of Har Sinai to receive the rest of the Torah to share with B'nai Yisrael. When he arrives at the top of the mountain he is met by the angels but his reception is not as warm as he anticipated. The angels express jealousy over the gift of the Torah but Moshe and God convince them that all is right with the wo...

Listen to last year's Parshat Yitro here! B'nai Yisrael receives the great gift of the Torah but, according to the Midrash, it's not just them who are offered these life laws. Other nations have a chance to share in the Glory of Torah but they pass it up because it would require them to rise above their current personalities. Even B'nai Yisrael has a moment of doubt but nothing tha...

Listen to last year's telling of B'Shalach here! Just like Moshe and Miriam lead the people in song after a great miracle, Devorah and Barak lead the people after a great generational miracle themselves. Devorah inspires Barak to call up an army against a formidable foe but their enemies are no match for God, and a well placed tent peg to the temple.

Sorry for the wrong upload at first. It should be correct now! To hear last year's telling of Parshat Bo, click here! Before the final plague that will set the people free, Moshe commands the people to perform the inaugural Pesach Seder. An important message is taught at this first Seder that will be sent down through the generations from King David to Ben Zoma and beyond!

Click here for last year's telling of Va'era! Through Moshe and Aaron, God brings the first seven plagues to Egypt. Each plague slowly wears down the Egyptian people who argue with their stubborn leader to end the madness. The magicians struggle to maintain their loyalty to the Pharaoh as his approval ratings plummet.

Click here for last year's telling of Parshat Shemot! Moshe is famously raised in an Egyptian palace as a prince but he secretly is raised in the Israelite home of his biological parents. This teaches him the middot (Jewish values) to stand up for the oppressed - a skill that he uses over and over. Enjoy the new theme song by Jonah Hassenfeld!

For last year's telling of Parshat Va'Yechi, click here. As Yosef is about to die he calls his sons to him with a final command and final code words to pass along through the generations. The code words catapult the story ahead 200 years to the time of Moshe when an unexpected, familiar face, is prepared to decipher the code and help Moshe lead.

Check out last year's telling of this Parsha here! When Yakov's sons find out that the Vice Pharaoh is their long lost brother, they worry about how to share this news to their father. Ever since Yosef's departure from the family, Yakov has been broken and even the slightest piece of dramatic news (even positive) could totally break him. So they look to an unexpected source to gently s...

To hear last year's telling of Miketz click here. Yosef rises to Vice Pharaoh over Egypt and his brothers come cower before him, without realizing it's their long-lost brother. He decides to cleverly test them to see where their hearts lie. This motif is seen again in 1 Kings when Shlomo Ha'Melech uses his wisdom to put two mothers to the ultimate test.