Rav Joe's 929 Tanakh Podcast

Ilana Stein, fresh back from appreciating God's world in Kruger, shares thoughts of Rav Amital z"l, on the beautiful verses of this chapter, the vision that despite the diminished status of Jerusalem's in Zekharia's day, nevertheless כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עֹד יֵשְׁבוּ זְקֵנִים וּזְקֵנוֹת בִּרְחֹבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִם וְאִישׁ מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ בְּיָדוֹ מֵרֹב יָמִים׃ Thus said the LOR...

Leeds is not frequently considered alongside Jerusalem. What does England's 3rd city of the North (after Manchester and Liverpool, only just ahead of Newcastle), have to say to that fairest of cities upon which the Divine presence dwells? And yet, this modest town whose football team survives only on memories of victories past, has produced not one but two outstanding 929 voices, sharp in thei...

Leeds is not frequently considered alongside Jerusalem. What does England's 3rd city of the North (after Manchester and Liverpool, only just ahead of Newcastle), have to say to that fairest of cities upon which the Divine presence dwells? And yet, this modest town whose football team survives only on memories of victories past, has produced not one but two outstanding 929 voices, sharp in thei...

Calev Ben Dor focuses on a wonderful Talmudic legend of banishing the evil inclination, based off of our chapter. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Zechariah.5

Two characteristically excellent recordings from Calev Ben Dor - the first focusing on the verse _לא כי, לא החייל כי אם ברוחי - not through my strength, not through my might, but through my spirit_ and the reception of its apparently pacifistic message in modern Jewish history. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Zechariah.4

The unforgettable image of Yehoshua The High Priest, surrounded by both the satan and the angel of God, as filthy garments are replaced with clean robes. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Zechariah.3

Ilana Stein heroically returns with her Torah on the first two chapters. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Zechariah.2

Ilana Stein heroically returns with her Torah on the first two chapters. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Zechariah.1

Ilana Stein introduces the period and teaches both chapters of Hagai in her excellent audios. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Haggai.2

We've spent the last year in the generation of the destruction of the Temple: Yirmiyahu, Yechezkel, most of Trei Asar - warnings of what is to come. But now as Ilana Stein says in her audio, the future has happened. It's a new generation, and the final three prophets of Trei Asar - Hagai, Zechariah, Malachi, the last of the prophets - respond to the many challenges of that period. Ilana St...

Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Zephaniah.3

Ch 2: In which the prophet addresses the nations around him later today. Like Havakkuk, a short, little-read but fascinating book of navi; in which that which happens to Jerusalem will happen to Nineveh too. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Zephaniah.2

Today we are learning the book of Tzephania - a contemporary of Yirmiyahu in the decades immediately prior to the destruction of the 1st Temple. In my recording I introduce the book and the prophet and consider an intriguing suggestion of the Ibn Ezra as to who Tzephania is descended from. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Zephaniah.1

Calev Ben Dor completes this fascinating little book, reflecting upon the profound effect that one verse in our chapter - צדיק באמונתו יחיה the righteous shall live through their faith - had upon Judaism, Christianity and world history. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Habakkuk.2 , https://www.sefaria.org/Habakkuk.3

Havakuk - most of the time this prophet is only mentioned as names that parents are not going to give to children. But within these three chapters is one of the most piercing cries to God for justice in this cruel world. No critique of Israel, no castigations of foreign nations - just one man turning to God and asking why. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Habakkuk.1

Sefer Nahum-the non-identical twin of the book of Yonah - focused totally on the city of Nineveh but a book not of teshuva but of destruction. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Nahum.1

In the final chapter of the sefer the Navi laments the falsehood and violence around him yet וַאֲנִי בַּיהֹוָה אֲצַפֶּה אוֹחִילָה לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי יִשְׁמָעֵנִי אֱלֹהָי׃ "Yet I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God who saves me, My God will hear me". Audio sharing a beautiful idea of the great chassidic writer, the Sefat Emet, on this chapter. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/...

Micah 5 & 6: Chapters that combine visions of future redemption with harsh criticism of a society which puts too much of an emphasis on ritual at the expense of what it is that is asked of us which is 'to perform justice, lovingkindness and to walk humbly with your God כי אם עשות משפט ואהבת חסד והצנע לכת עם אלוהיך (6:8. Calev Ben Dor illuminates ch.6's argument against korbanot by cons...

Micah 5 & 6: Chapters that combine visions of future redemption with harsh criticism of a society which puts too much of an emphasis on ritual at the expense of what it is that is asked of us which is 'to perform justice, lovingkindness and to walk humbly with your God כי אם עשות משפט ואהבת חסד והצנע לכת עם אלוהיך (6:8Audio from myself, focusing on Rav Amital's explanation of a curious...

Rafi Addlestone reflects on his recent trip to Amsterdam, the musical Hamilton, and a verse from our chapter that lies at the heart of Western political thought. https://www.sefaria.org/Micah.4

It's hard to think of a more appropriate chapter for Tisha B'Av as the prophet warns the people of Jerusalem that reliance on the idea that 'God is in our midst' is a dangerous illusion - if they do not build a society worthy of His name, then Hashem has no interest in dwelling amongst them and will do nothing to protect his Temple.

Micha Chapters 1 and 2 - we meet a prophet who lives during the destruction of the northern kingdom yet gives prophecy over Jerusalem. Jonathan Muhlrad considers the theme of corruption in ch.2 as Micha's diagnosis of where Israel is going wrong. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Micah.2

Micha Chapters 1 and 2 - we meet a prophet who lives during the destruction of the northern kingdom yet gives prophecy over Jerusalem. The recording on ch.1 gives the context and compares Micha's take on the churban with that of Yishayahu who lived at the same time. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Micah.1

In today's audio I try to explain the lesson that God is teaching Yonah about the value of even partial teshuva and its resonance for Yom Kippur. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Jonah.4

Ch 3 contains possibly the most successful words of prophecy ever- 5 words from Yonah's mouth and BOOM!, wicked Ninevans are penitents. In my audio today and tomorrow I'll be unpacking the argument between God and Yonah as to the quality of that repentance. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Jonah.3