The Rabbi Yonah Sklare Podcast

 The question of why the good suffer can only be dealt at the time of geulah when we have the benefit of a retroactive redemptive perspective. During the period of golus however we cannot tackle that theological conundrum, but we can still find Hashem and develop a heartfelt connection to Him amidst pain. This shiur explores the variation in how we relate to Hashem depending on the conditions...

 One of the most troubling issues in the human condition is the notion of suffering. In this shiur we will study a classic approach to this vexing problem, and we will trace how that approach is brilliantly embedded in the concluding narrative of our parsha.   

  The end of life, and even the dying process, need not be associated with sadness and morbidity. Lived to the fullest, this period holds unique opportunities for personal growth and self-actualization. This becomes apparent from a comprehensive thematic development of our parshah overall.     

  Do your circumstances define you or do you elevate your circumstances? Yosef exemplifies the sovereign position, never allowing his troubles to dominate him. He is therefore the foreshadower of national redemption— teaching all Jews how to access their inner prince.  

 We all yearn for peace in the family. But that dream seems so elusive; sibling rivalries and hurts run so deep. In this shiur we will discover a new approach to our parsha as a whole, as the model for reconciliation and how to avoid the bottomless pit of noxious resentment.   

In the buildup to our parsha Yosef has sent his brothers on a whirlwind, framing as spies and criminals, and exhorting them to bring down Binyamin. But what does he seek to accomplish by doing so? This rollercoaster drama somehow serves to reunite the Jewish family and rehabilitate the lost brotherly love. The solution will become apparent from an elegant pattern throughout the Yosef story which p...

  So unlike the neon fluorescent holiday lights of other cultures, the Chanukah candle illuminates a small humble glow. This points to the essential nature of our kulturkampf with the Greeks, a battle of character vs. image and meaning vs. appearance. Chanukah sensitizes us to that which lies beyond the eye, and that which transcends the pettiness of a gaudy display. This theme cast new light...

 Forsaken by his brothers, sold into slavery, and imprisoned on false charges, Yosef seems so far from his dreams of grandeur. By we know with hindsight that these circumstances actually ensure the fulfillment of his destiny. This is the theme of Vayashev— our realization that the seeds of salvation are sowed within the suffering itself. Via extensive textual patterns, we will discover this i...

 Death, mourning, scandal— so many shocking, unsavory ingredients to birth of the moshiach. This enigma points to the mitzvah yibum, and the secret of its role both in our parsha and throughout the saga of golus-geulah. We will discover how mitzvah of yibum also inspires hope for personal geulah as we face down our own struggles.  

  Sensitive, menchlach, and soulful- all these traits define neshamah of a Jew. But at times he must also be tough, shrewd, and strong- to survive the vicissitudes of life. These two poles become resolved in our parsha when Yaakov and his children master the art of how to be a genteel soul and yet face down Eisav with confidence.   

 The story of Rochel in life and in death is overwhelmingly heart-wrenching. The shiur studies the deeper meaning behind her pain, and what it symbolizes in the enduring condition of the Jewish people.   

 The story of Rochel and Leah is vexing and troubling. Why must Rochel suffer so, with her role as primary wife usurped by Leah? This shiur reveals the deeper cosmic meaning of the Rochel-Leah struggle, and how their differing personas fuse to conceive an ever-richer Jewish nation. We discover how multiple dualities in the Jewish experience can be traced back to these two mothers: golus-geula...

 Leah is the Torah's model for how to give thanks. But what is so unique about her way of showing appreciation? The key is to unlock the secret of Leah's persona. We will discover how this least likely of Imahos speaks to our own insecurities but ultimate triumphs.   

The theme of parent-child bond pervasively permeats the parsha. In this shiur we trace multiple facets of this bond, including the challlange of the ''sandwich generation'' as a bridge between grandparents and grandchildren. We will also identify the struggle of perpetating the age-old mesorah while at the same time recognizing the needs of the new generation- a tension which has existed since the...

   Life is brimming with dissonance between human projections and Divine guided consequences. That is what makes it so funny. We will see from this perspective how Yitzchok Avinu teaches us to laugh at the irrational nature of the human condition.   

This shiur discovers a new perpsective to Avraham's persona, and who he teaches us to remain viberant even in old age and death. 

 Parshas Noach sets the stage for a new world post-mabul. But has much really changed? In this shiur we discover a dazzling pattern-- how each struggle of Parshas Bereishis is rehashed in our parsha. The original tensions of Adom and Chava remain, but there are baby steps of improvement. Parshas Noach is the proverbial ‘’take two’’ story and teaches us how to approach all redoes in life with...