Real Women, Real Torah

In this second episode of our series on mitzvos asei shehazman grama, Chava Goodman explores the topic from a fresh angle, based on various sources from Kabbalah and chassidus. Rather than looking at women's exemption as driven by pragmatic concerns, this mystical perspective sees it as a product of a cosmic reality. What are the masculine and feminine energies within creation and how does tha...

In this candid discussion with Adi Bitter, she gives an overview of the concept of women's exemption from time-bound mitzvos that is both informative and relevant. She explains the halachic definition for mitzvos asei shehazman gerama, the reasons given in various halachic sources, and the parameters for women voluntarily fulfilling these mitzvos. Throughout the discussion, she sprinkles in in...

This is the final episode in our 3-part Tishrei series with Chana Hirschowitz. In this episode, Chana introduces a maamar from Likutei Torah on Shemini Atzeres. It paints the paradox of our human experience and leads us to a deeper understanding of our true nature. We explore how what seems to be two opposing forces work together to choreograph a beautiful dance. The combination of...

This is the second episode in our 3-part Tishrei series with Chana Hirschowitz.  In this episode, Chana introduces another maamar from Likutei Torah on Shobbos Shuva that looks at teshuva from a cosmic perspective, drawing a parallel between our own individual experience of teshuva and the world's global journey towards Moshiach. Within the miniature world of the human psyche, we examine the...

Join us for the first of a 3-part series with Chana Hirschowitz, exploring the spiritual journey of the month of Tishrei.  In this episode, Chana introduces a beautiful maamar from Likutei Torah that encourages us to turn inward and look at Rosh Hashana from the perspective of our own soul's experience. We discover two dimensions to the neshama; a more superficial dimension that is vulnerable...

When Rosh Chodesh Elul rolls around, there are mixed emotions associated with the upcoming month of introspection. Is it an ominous, tense and foreboding month as we await the dreaded day of judgement? Or is it a month of closeness, connection and hope, as we rekindle a loving relationship with G-d.  In this episode of our monthly maamar series, Zeldy Friedman takes us on a powerful...

In honor of Rosh Chodesh Av, Peshy Raitport joins us to explore a beautiful maamar of the Rebbe Rashab on the theme of ahavas Yisrael. What makes it so difficult for us to get along with other people and why is it that certain people trigger us more than others? This maamar challenges us to take an honest look at ourselves and recognize that at core of all jealousy and divisiveness is our own ego....

This is the last episode in our new podcast series exploring a woman's relationship with Talmud Torah. In this episode, interview Mrs. Rivky Slonim, a shlucha at Binghamton University, an author and lecturer who focuses on the intersection of halacha and contemporary life with a special focus on Jewish women. We explore the challenges women face in integrating serious Torah learning into their liv...

This is the sixth episode in our new podcast series exploring a woman's relationship with Talmud Torah. In this episode, we interview Rebbetzin Holly Pavlov, a lecturer, published author and founder and director of She’arim College of Jewish Studies. We explore the necessity for in-depth Torah study for women in the modern age and how to make Torah alive and relevant in the lives of Jewish women....

This is the fifth episode in our new podcast series exploring a woman's relationship with Talmud Torah. In this episode, we interview Mrs. Sara Morozow, high school educator and beloved kallah teacher who lectures on topics related to chinuch for young women and teenage girls. We explore the role Torah study plays in the life of a modern frum woman both before and after she gets married and starts...

This is the fourth episode in our new podcast series exploring a woman's relationship with Talmud Torah. In this episode, we interview Dr. Tali Loewenthal, a professor of Jewish studies at University College London and an academic whose research focuses on the history of Chassidic women. We explore the origins of the tradition amongst the Kabbalists to educate their daughters and how that has impa...

This is the third episode in our new podcast series exploring a woman's relationship with Talmud Torah. In this episode, we interview Dr. Leslie Ginsparg Klein, the academic dean of Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary & College. She is a scholar, author and lecturer whose research focuses on the history of Bais Yaakov. We discuss the evolution of the Bais Yaakov movement in Eastern Europe and...

This is the second episode in our new podcast series exploring a woman's relationship with Talmud Torah. In this episode, we interview Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe, scholar, lecturer and board member at Batsheva Learning Center. He discusses the core halachic principles that impact the development of halacha in general and the development of women’s Torah study in particular. Rabbi Yaffe zooms in on the Lub...

This is the first episode in our new podcast series exploring a woman's relationship with Talmud Torah. In this episode, we interview Laurie Novick , a talented educator and director of Deracheha.org . She explores the original halachic sources that discuss the mitzvah of Talmud Torah for women and lays the groundwork for understanding the fundamental halachic issues surrounding this topic. We dis...

In this episode of our monthly series, Adina Weisner joins us to explore the famous maamar "V'atah Tetzaveh", in honor of Gimmel Tammuz.  What does it look like when our relationship with G-d is an expression of the core of who we are? How do we peel away the layers of the relationship that may be superimposed by external drama and discover a yearning for G-d from deep within ourselves? How c...

What's the difference between healthy self-esteem and inflated ego? Between honest self-awareness and unhealthy self-consciousness? Between respectful expectation and self-centered entitlement? Between superficial satisfaction and deep joy? In this episode of our monthly maamar series, Shoshana Wolf and Hadassah Shemtov explore a rich and relatable maamar of the Frierdiker Rebbe in preparatio...

Ponder Point #6 - From The Archives A one hour discussion with Rabbi Avraham Zajac. Explore the sources of topics you always wondered about.

We've all had moments of inspiration, when a deeper, truer part of ourselves emerges and our everyday struggles melt away. But inspiration doesn't last long, and when it fades, we come crashing back into our ordinary lives as though it never happened. What if we could approach inspiration differently? What if we could transform our regular, human selves into a window into our G-dly consciousness?...

This episode of our monthly Maamar series explores the concept of leaving Egypt as both a global, historic journey towards Moshiach and a personal, daily journey out of our own comfort zones. What is the interplay between our personal redemption and the global one and what kind of significance can that give to our daily struggles? Delve into the text of a beautiful maamar "Kimei Tzeischa" 574...

Why do we name the holiday of Purim after the lottery that Haman threw to destroy us? How can the randomness inherent in a lottery symbolize a miracle Hashem deliberately orchestrated to save us? In this episode of our monthly maamar series, Shaindle Sharfstein and Hadassah Shemtov explore a profound maamar on what the core of the Purim story is all about. They discuss the nihilistic perspective t...

In this episode, Goldie Markovits and Hadassah Shemtov study a short maamar about the spiritual Egypt inside of all of us and how we can experience a personal exodus. They explore how it is possible to bridge the gap between the cool, calm, collected mind and the fierce, fiery, flickering heart.  How do we allow the truth we experience in our mind to touch our heart, inspire it, and ulti...

In this episode of our Monthly Maamar series, Ettel Kaplan and Hadassah Shemtov explore the existential yearning that our soul experiences while in a body, based on the sixth maamar in Kuntres Umaayon. Their discussion flips our picture of Judaism on its head and challenges us to consider: Is life about finding the answers or uncovering our deepest questions? Is it about arriving at knowledge of t...

"No thought can grasp You at all, but You are grasped by the inner most will of the heart."  In this episode, Yitty Gniwisch and Hadassah Shemtov discuss a maamar from Hemshech Samech Vov based on this intruiging line from the Zohar. Through the words of the maamar and through the lens of their own experience, they explore the parent-child relationship, what makes it so unique and why is it t...

In this first episode of our new monthly ma'amar series, Chayale Tzukernik and Hadassah Shemtov explore the ma'amar "Pasach Eliyahu 5715".  They discuss two opposing perspectives on reality; the natural vs. the miraculous, a G-d centered universe vs. an ego centered universe. Ultimately, these two realms must fuse together both, both in the world and in ourselves. This fusion lies at the...

Ponder Point #5 - From The Archives A one hour discussion with Rabbi Breitowitz, a world renowned teacher from Jerusalem, in which we explore the Halachic definition of an Agunah and what we can do to combat the issue. Explore the sources of topics you always wondered about.