The Daily Derech from Exploring Judaism

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Book of Numbers, Hilchot De’ot from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about directing human desire toward wisdom and spiritual growth. The Me’am Loez explains that the census in Parashat B’midbar was meant to elevate the Jewish people, not merely count them. The phrase “lift up the heads” teaches that God values each pe...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Bamidbar, Hilchot proper conduct for Torah scholars from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about directing desire toward spiritual rather than material pursuits. The Me’am Loez section examines the census of the Jewish people in Bamidbar and compares it to earlier countings after the Exodus and the sin of the G...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Bamidbar, Hilchot conduct of Torah scholars from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about directing desire toward wisdom and service of God. The Me’am Loez section introduces the Book of Bamidbar and explains how its wilderness narratives reflect the struggles and failures of the Jewish people. Rabbi Rubenstein...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Behar-Bechukotai, Hilchot divine names from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about destructive forms of desire and lust. The Me’am Loez section continues examining the Jubilee year and its deeper spiritual meaning. Rabbi Rubenstein explains that the Jubilee teaches that all property ultimately belongs to God a...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Behar-Bechukotai, Hilchot sacred texts from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the dangers of jealousy. The Me’am Loez section focuses on the Yovel, or Jubilee year, when land returned to its original owners, slaves were freed, and debts were forgiven. Rabbi Rubenstein highlights the communal shofar blowin...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Bahar, Hilchot the treatment of written divine names from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about different forms of jealousy. The Parashah section introduces the Jubilee year, which follows seven Shemitah cycles and includes debt forgiveness, freeing slaves, and returning land to its original tribal owners. Ra...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Bahar, Hilchot the erasure of divine names from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the destructive effects of jealousy. The Parashah section continues examining Shemitah and explains that the Torah commands six years of farming followed by a seventh year of rest to show that the mitzvah is for God, not agr...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Bahar, Hilchot the customs and origins of Lag BaOmer, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the spiritual dangers of jealousy and desire. The Parashah section examines the Shemitah year and the Torah’s vision of making produce ownerless so all people and animals could freely eat from the land. Rabbi Rubenstein explai...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Bahar, Hilchot the sanctity of divine names from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about overcoming jealousy, desire, and the pursuit of honor. The Parashah section focuses on the mitzvah of Shemitah, the sabbatical year when the land rests every seventh year. Rabbi Rubenstein explains that this rest is not pri...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Emor, Hilchot Kiddush Hashem and Chilul Hashem from the Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about building a life centered on holiness, ethical behavior, and peace. The Parashah section examines the Torah’s restrictions on Kohanim with physical blemishes serving in the Beit HaMikdash. Rabbi Rubenstein acknowledge...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Emor, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah on moral restraint and sexual conduct, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the symbolic richness of Torah study. The Parashah section examines the five qualities required of the Kohen Gadol: stature, strength, wealth, intelligence, and appearance. These traits are not only functional b...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Emor, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah about transgressions for illness, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about understanding aggadah as a path to knowing God. The Parashah section is not addressed in this episode, as the focus shifts directly to halachic and aggadic teachings. The episode instead centers on legal and philosop...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Emor, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah about life-threatening transgressions, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the need for ongoing spiritual inspiration. The Parashah section examines restrictions on Kohanim, especially limitations on whom they may marry, rooted in their sacred Temple service. These laws reflect the ide...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Emor, Hilchot martyrdom and communal responsibility from the Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the role and limits of aggadic interpretation. The Me’am Loez continues the laws of the Kohanim, explaining their restrictions around death and mourning practices. These limits ensure they maintain ritual purity...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Emor, Hilchot martyrdom and coercion from the Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the role of inspiration and action in Torah study. The Me’am Loez introduces the laws of the Kohanim, emphasizing their unique obligations due to their service in the Temple. Their restriction from contact with the dead reflec...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Achrei Mot–Kedoshim, Hilchot martyrdom and religious coercion from the Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the decline of spiritual focus and the need for accessible Torah learning. The Me’am Loez concludes the Yom Kippur service, describing how the Kohen Gadol celebrates surviving the sacred ritual with a...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Achrei Mot–Kedoshim, Hilchot martyrdom and sanctification of God’s name from the Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the balance between halacha and aggadah. The Me’am Loez describes the Yom Kippur service, focusing on the scapegoat sent to Azazel after the Kohen Gadol confesses the people’s sins. The goat’...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Achrei Mot–Kedoshim , Hilchot sanctifying God’s name from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the role of aggadah in connecting life and theology. The Me’am Loez section details the Yom Kippur service, focusing on the two identical goats—one sacrificed and one sent to Azazel carrying the people’s sins. The...

In this episode of The Daily Derech , Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Achrei Mot , Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah , and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the relationship and distinction between halacha and aggadah. The Me’am Loez section describes the beginning of the Yom Kippur Temple service. The High Priest first performs the regular daily offerings before the special Yom Kippur rituals,...

In this episode of The Daily Derech , Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Achrei Mot , Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah , and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the depth and importance of aggadic interpretation. The Me’am Loez section continues describing the Yom Kippur Temple service, focusing on the High Priest’s preparation during the seven days prior. He reviews the service with sages, maintai...

In this episode of The Daily Derech , Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Achrei Mot , Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah , and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the value of aggadic teachings alongside halacha. The Me’am Loez section describes the Yom Kippur Temple service, focusing on the High Priest’s preparation and procession. Seven days prior, he is separated, admonished, and urged to repent,...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Tazria–Metzora, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the importance of aggadic tradition alongside halacha. The Me’am Loez examines the practical laws of tzaraat, detailing how a kohen evaluates white skin marks based on color, spread, and other signs. Individuals may be quarantined and repe...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Tazria–Metzora, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the transmission and limits of mystical knowledge. The Me’am Loez discusses the divine affliction of metzora, linked to harmful speech, emphasizing that it is not a natural illness but a direct spiritual consequence. This highlights the co...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Tazria–Metzora, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah from Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the transmission and purpose of the Oral Torah. In the Parashah discussion, the Me’am Loez addresses why a woman brings an atonement offering after childbirth despite the act being holy and life-giving. One rabbinic explanation...

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Tazria–Metzora, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah from the Rambam, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the preservation and transmission of the Oral Torah. The Parashah discussion reflects on the miracle of childbirth and God’s role in sustaining life in the womb. Through allegories, the tradition compares the transformation...