Spark Torah Podcast

This week we conclude the book of Bamidbar with the double portion of Matot-Masei , a parsha filled with powerful lessons about speech, responsibility, spiritual growth, and the purpose of our journey through life. In This Episode * The holiness of speech and guarding our words * Torah study versus lashon hara * Taking ownership and responsibility before entering Eretz Yisrael * Why Reuven and Gad...

Why does Parshat Pinchas begin by praising an act that actually took place in last week’s parsha? And why are the korbanot for the festivals placed here instead of in Sefer Vayikra? In this week’s episode, we explore how these seemingly unrelated sections of the parsha are deeply connected. Together we’ll discuss: * Why Hashem’s approval of Pinchas was delayed until this week’s parsha—and what tha...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Chukat. Parshat Balak This week we continue our exploration of the double portion Chukat-Balak by turning our attention to one of the Torah’s most fascinating stories: the attempts of Bilaam to curse the Jewish people and the blessings that emerged instead. We begin with a story about the...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Chukat. We discuss the meaning of a chok (a divine decree beyond human understanding), beginning with the laws of the Red Heifer (Parah Adumah) and what they teach us about mitzvot, purity, mortality, and our relationship with Hashem. We also examine several major events in the parsha: Mir...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Beha’alotecha. We will talk about how to fight… the rebellion… How to maintain peace… and why is it called parshat Korach? And other life lessons we can learn form the parsha. Please leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, which is an entirely free way to support the pod. For weekly T...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Beha’alotecha. We will talk about the story of the spies and where they went wrong… How fixing things our way isn’t always the best way… What does bread have to do with our enemies… What if we know the work we do won’t last? Should we do it anyway?… Did the people in the desert really do t...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Beha’alotecha. We will talk about The symbolism of the menorah, keruvim, silver trumpets, and other Mishkan vessels… The powerful lesson of Pesach Sheni and second chances in Judaism… The difference between looking for loopholes and looking for opportunities to fulfill mitzvot… The purpose...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Bamidbar. We will talk about Isha sotah, the nazir, the priestly blessing, and the offerings of the princes... What do they all have in common? And other life lessons we can learn form the parsha. Please leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, which is an entirely free way to support...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Bamidbar. We will talk about why this parsha is read before Shavuot… What it takes to be a torah teacher… What returning a lost object is really all about and how Dan was uniquely positioned to do just that… What Yaakov’s funeral procession has to do with this week’s parsha… What Moshe’s s...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Behar-Bechukotai. We will talk about what is the deal with shmita, and what we can learn form it… Why hater iska is ok… how the reward of rTorah study actually works… How we can tap into the merit of the land…and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Plus a bonus this week: Spir...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Emor. We will talk about what happens if we miss prayer… why you shouldn’t slaughter a mother animal and its offspring not he same day… Why we call it Passover and the Torah doesn’t… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, wh...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Acharei-Kedoshim. We will talk about what we can learn form the goats… How important mitzvot are… What it means to live by the Torah… What it means to be holy and how we know what to do… How important our thoughts and intentions are… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Ple...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Tazria-Metzora. We will talk about circumcision on the eighth day… How to be more careful with our speech and why… What impurity and purity is… Why food matters… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, which is an entirely fr...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Shemini. We will talk about Aaron’s sons and their death… Preparation as part of mitzvot… How to serve Hashem the way He wants and why that matters… Fins and scales on kosher fish and how that relates to us… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a review on Spot...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Tzav. We will talk about why the title word of our parsha is so strong… Why the kohanim needed to remove the ashes… How to teach Torah… Why passion matters… Why we need to check our stress levels around holidays… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a review on...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Vayikra. We will talk about how we should view these chapters on korbanot (sacrifices)… Why there is a little alef in the word Vayikra… Why Hashem’s voice stopped at the wall… Plus a deep dive into the salt and birds… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a revi...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Vayakhel. We will talk about mitzvot and why they matter… When intention counts and why alacrity is important… Why the women received Rosh Chodesh… plus: symbolism in the materials for the Mishkan… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a review on Spotify or App...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Ki Tisa. We will talk about the significance of the handwashing before the service in the Mishkan… What the kiyor was made from and why that was significant… Why tzedakkah is so important… How we rest on Shabbat and why… plus: the golden calf explained… and other life lessons we can carry...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Tetzaveh. We will talk about how we are like olive trees… What it means to be wise hearted… whether or not Torah observance limits us… Why all those details in this week’s parsha matter… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Terumah. We will talk about what makes a home… How Heaven judges value… What’s so important about the acacia wood… Why we have so many details… How we can make our homes a dwelling place for Hashem… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a review on Spotify or Ap...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Mishpatim. We will talk about why this parsha is different from what we have been reading… Why we have laws and where they come from… How Yitro and Mishpatim are connected… What it means to be a holy people… What naasheh v’nishma really means… and other life lessons we can carry from the p...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Yitro. We will talk about how to give advice and criticize… The exile… Why the parsha is named after Yitro… How we can unify while still maintaining our individuality… How to handle jealousy… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a review on Spotify or Apple Pod...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Beshalach. We will take a deep dive into explaining the manna… discuss bitterness and its effect on our lives… Talk about what misplaced mercy is and why we may be prone to do it and why we shouldn’t… learn about gathering mitzvot and why it seems hard even though its free for the taking…...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Bo. We will discuss why pharaoh panicked so much over the locusts… What freedom really means… Why the redemption came at midnight… Why the women packed instruments… and other life lessons we can carry from the parsha… Please leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, which is an entirely...

Hello and welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Va’era. We continue the conversation between Moshe and Hashem… discuss the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart… talk about ways to deal with anger and why that matters… learn about styles of leadership and what we need in our leaders… the real miracle of the plagues… why there was a warning for t...