Parsha Stories

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! This week, B’nai Yisrael starts their journeys off strong by organizing and fortifying their religious and military systems. But by the end, the “complaint department” is flooded with requests for meat and more significant food than the manna that the Israelites had been eating. God agrees to give them their meat but at a very steep cost.

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! The story of Shimshon (Samson) from the haftarah dominates the story of this week’s Parsha Podcast. Shimshon the Nazir is gifted with superhuman strength, making him a champion for B’nai Yisrael against their Philistine enemies. Shimshon’s affinity for Philistine women, particularly Delila, puts him and all of the Israelites at grave risk.

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode: Shabbat this week lines up with the second day of Shavuot, so we take a detour from our normal, weekly, parsha cycle. We all know the story of Revelation at Har Sinai (see Parshat Yitro) but what was B’nai Yisrael thinking the night before the Torah is given? What do they talk about while Moshe is gone? Find out in this week’...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode: As B’nai Yisrael prepares to start their journey through the Midbar (the Wilderness), they need to assemble an army. God has Moshe take a census to conscribe the adult males of fighting age as well as to assign the Leviim as protectors of the Mishkan.

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode: B’nai Yisrael is finally ready to begin their journey to Eretz Yisrael from their stop at the foot of Har Sinai. Before they can begin their journey to the Holy Land, God and Moshe have some rules that they need to know before they can enter this magical land. Laws about shmita, yovel and loans are explained so that B’nai Yis...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode, B’nai Yisrael is introduced to the most beautiful and joyous aspect of our tradition: the haggim (holidays)! But not everyone is so excited about the haggim because being a part of community means making sacrifices and not always prioritizing wealth. Everyone’s favorite (imaginary) complainer, Yunkele The Farmer, expresses co...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode, after Aaron’s sons have died, Aaron learns about a new skill he must hone as the Kohen Gadol: the ability to ask forgiveness for the entire community. As an act of love, Aaron would sacrifice one goat to the Lord and send the other off to Azazel as a symbol of casting away transgressions. Aaron's theme of love continues a...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode: As B’nai Yisrael is figuring out how to properly use the newly built Mishkan, we learn about the health attestation that has to be performed by the Kohanim to make sure that everyone who is bringing sacrifices is considered Tahor (ritually fit). It’s not just the physical body that has to be prepared, but we come to find out...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode, Aaron and his sons have been studying the laws of the Korbanot (sacrifices) and are finally ready to consecrate the Mishkan and start using the Tabernacle as a functioning location. All of the Israelites gather to watch the first successful sacrifice, which is followed by a tragic accident. This sad event causes Moshe to remi...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode, Moshe continues to convey the laws of the Kohen, the Kohen Gadol and the korbanot (sacrifices) to his brother Aaron. Aaron asks important questions to more deeply understand the expectations of him and his children. Also this week, we review the story of Eliyahu Ha’Navi and how he awaits the opportunity to return to earth to...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles. In this episode: With the Mishkan finally built, it is time for B’nai Yisrael to start bringing korbanot to get closer to G-d. However, not just anyone can bring whatever sacrifices they want whenever they want, so Moshe has to convey the strict expectations to Aaron and his sons. Moshe and G-d convene in their new meeting place: the Ohel Moe...

In this week’s double parsha, Moshe instructs the people how to build the Mishkan, the portable house where God will dwell. Thanks to the generous donations and hard work of B’nai Yisrael (for six days at a time), the Mishkan is completed after one year. Now the Divine Presence, the shechina, is able to dwell among the people and journey with them through their travels in the Midbar (wilderness).

Dr. David Reich, a Schechter parent and Harvard geneticist, joins Rabbi Ravid Tilles, Dr. Jonah Hassenfeld and Schechter 8th graders in a discussion of history, science and heritage.

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode, B’nai Yisrael’s impatience with Moshe’s being on top of Har Sinai finally reaches a boiling point and they gather to confront their deputized leader: Aaron. Seemingly in attempt to buy time while they waited for Moshe’s return, Aaron advises the people to build an idol as a replacement for Moshe. The Israelites end up worship...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode, God continues to share mitzvot about the Mishkan. We learn about more elements of the Mishkan and about the role that the Kohanim would play in the Mishkan including their special clothing. Once such special garb is the Hoshen Mishpat which seemingly offers the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) a chance to connect to God in magical,...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode, Moshe is still up on Har Sinai receiving the rest of the Torah to share with B'nai Yisrael. The majority of the instructions enumerated in this week’s parsha are about the construction of God's home: the Mishkan, which is to be built out of precious materials (metals, stones and textiles). This week, we explore some Midrashim...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! Moshe ascends to the top of the mountain to begin the process of receiving the rest of the Torah now that all of B'nai Yisrael has heard the Aseret Hadibrot. These first laws given by God to Moshe on Har Sinai lay the foundation for a moral society that is based on laws and share understandings, including what to do when someone you hate need...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! Now that B’nai Yisrael is absolutely free from Egypt, Moshe’s father-in-law, Yitro, instructs him to delegate responsibility to other leaders, so that Moshe can live a more balanced life. In order for that to happen, the word of God must be written down and transmitted through the Torah. So God and Moshe gather the people at the base of Har S...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! After the final plague, B’nai Yisrael is ready to start their journey to Eretz Yisrael but have one final hurdle to overcome. God commands Moshe to bring B’nai Yisrael “the long way,” which means that they are stopped by the massive Yam Suf (Sea of Reeds). Meanwhile, Pharaoh leads his entire army to chase the Israelites to recapture them, whi...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! The final three plagues prove to be enough to break Pharaoh's stubborn spirit as the Israelites leave Egypt on their journey to freedom and redemption. Before they can be freed, the Israelites must show their faith in God by slaughtering a lamb and practicing the first ever Passover Seder. The parsha ends with the beginning of their journey o...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles ! The war between God and Pharaoh, with Moshe as the emissary, becomes more destructive with the first seven plagues. Moshe and B'nai Yisrael struggle to maintain faith, though they are awed by God's wonders and miracles. The promise of a much darker future for Egypt emerges.  Listen to learn more about Parashat Vaera.

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! This new book of the Torah (with a new theme song!) begins with a new pharaoh as king of Egypt. This new pharaoh enslaves B’nai Yisrael, embittering their lives. Thanks to the bravery of Shifra, Puah, Yochevet, Miriam and Bat-Pharaoh, Moshe is born and protected, so that he can grow up and free the people from their slavery. At the end of the...

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode, Sefer Bereishit ends with the deaths of Yakov and Yosef. But, before they die, they have final messages for their children and grandchildren. Yakov’s wishes to have his body returned to Canaan are realized with great fidelity, while Yosef’s bones remain in an Egyptian tomb—foreshadowing a diminishing relationship with Egypt....

Keep up with the weekly parsha with Rabbi Ravid Tilles! In this episode, Yehudah bravely approaches Yosef, acting as the Vice Pharaoh, to save Binyamin's life. Yosef is so deeply moved by Yehudah's speech that he can't help but reveal his true identity to his brothers. After some apprehension, the brothers are reunited and they return to Cana'an to retrieve Yakov and bring him to Egypt as well. On...

This is the full recording of the story of Miketz. Yosef rises through the power ranks of Egypt to become the Vice Pharaoh. His earlier dreams are realized when his brothers bow to him as they beg for food during the seven years of famine. Yosef is not ready to reveal himself to his brothers and sets them up to force Yakov to send Binyamin to Egypt as well. The drama continues!