The Tanakh Podcast

This chapter is thematically ordered. But one of the overarching themes is that whatever man intends, ultimately God is in control; even evil has been placed in the world for God's designs. Alongside this is a running theme about justice and integrity.

Today we discuss the pleasures and perils of our social environment.

Can we ever understand another person? Can others ever understand us?

Are we affected by our society, by our associates and friends, or do we influence them? When are we subject to social pressure? When are we influnced and when are we influencers? Today we examine the question of social pressure through the lens of the Midrash, the Rambam, and Rabb Sacks z"l

Words are powerful. Words are creative. Mishlei contains many metaphors: Words can be like fruit, like daggers; and as we will discuss, language, conversation can also be a way of ridding oneself of worry.

Today we address the notion of privacy vs. discretion as Mishlei decries the gossip and revealer of information, and praises the discreet individual who knows how to keep a secret. What does this say to us in our social-media age?

We open the second segment of Mishlei which shifts the entire tempo and character of the book. Today we offer a short introduction.

Mishlei contains several sterotypes or archetypal characters. Our chapter offers three personality types and charts 3 varying ways to engage them.

In our chapter, "wisdom" speaks in the grammatical first person, telling us her autobiography - how she advises kings, and how she was present prior to the founding of the world.

Mishlei chapter 7 brings us back to the temptress. It issues a stern warning to avoid contact with this woman and to steer clear of her path. How are we to deal with distractions and addictive habits? How do we steer clear?

Today we speak about making our time count. Do we want to spend our days relaxing or working?

Mishlei returns time after time, to the imagery of an attractive, seductive woman who leads the "son" astray from his pursuit of wisdom.

Today we deal with 3 themes 1. 3 Generations. The speaker, possibly King Solomon, speaks of messages that he heard from his father that he is passing down to his son. This is a deeply touching image. 2. The Joy of Torah 3. The metaphor of the necklace and the wreath/crown - Mishlei repeatedly speaks of wisdom as jewellery. What does that intend to indicate?

Today we discuss several features of Mishlei: 1. The engagement with a Judaism that is far wider than ritual moments and encompasses all avenues of life 2. That Mishlei incentivizes the path of Torah 3. We speak of a fascinating intertextual polemic about the "Tree of Life"

We address two themes: 1. The notion of parent and child; wisdom which comes through the family, through sage adavice rather than direct divine revelation 2. The presentation of choices and consequences; good paths and bad paths; straight and crooked.

Today we discuss 1:7 - "The beginning of wisdom is fear of God"

We start Mishlei today - Proverbs. What is this book about? Who wrote it? What is a "mashal" or a "proverb"? Today we introduce the sefer.

We made it! Mizmor 150! Awe, Dance, Breath! Today we speak about how our essence, our breath, reaches out to the Divine in an attempt to transcend our human limits.

This chapter has 2 stanzas. 1. The victory of the righteous, their joy and dance 2. A battle of justice against the forces of evil and regimes of violence Both are enacted by the "hassidim" - the ethical, pious and righteous.

We wake up every morning and celebrate the wonderful world we inhabit.

Chapter 147 is a weave of intersecting harmonious themes that blend to praise God.

We live in a world where celebrity, status and fame are highly prized. This mizmor challenges that impression and presents other values as central in God's perspective.

Chapter 145 a.k.a "Ashrei" is THE "Tehilla Le-David. It is the ultimate praise of God. But paradoxically, it doesn't give us earth-shattering depictions of God, but rather the image of a caring, nurturing deity.

This Mizmor celebrates a country in which wars have ceased, in which children grow up in calm and peace, and in which the economy is booming... "Happy the people who have it so; happy the people whose God is the LORD."

In this almost classic Mizmor, we draw upoon 3 themes: 1. The character of the "Servant of God" 2. The meaning of the word "nefesh" in Tanakh 3. The posture of prayer - hands extended.