The Tanakh Podcast

In this chapter, God expresses his love for Israel - like a parent to a beloved child - from Egypt, through Israel's idolatry, punishment, and then the return to the Land of Israel.

In this chapter Hosea berates the people for: v.1-8 - Their idolatry and reliance on foreign powers v.9-15 - The lack of interpersonal integrity, kindness and social cohesion Both sins are united by the metaphor of an "egel", a heifer, and by the consequence of national devastation and ruin.

Today's podcast is about the spiritual power of food, particluarly the produce of the land. Hosea warns the people that once the nation are exiled: "Their food will be only for their hunger, It shall not come into the House of GOD." What does he mean.

Today we discuss the mysterious phrase 8:12 - 'אכתוב לו רובי תורתי כמו זר נחשבו' Either: "Though I write for him the great things of My Torah, they are reckoned a strange thing" Or the Midrash (Tanchuma Ki Tissa 34): "I write the majority of the Torah [but leave the Mishnah unwritten] so that the [Oral Torah] remains undecipherable [strange] to the Nations of the World.

Hosea uses a parable of a bakery to rebuke the kings and aristocracy for their dereliction of leadership.

Chapter 6 finds the people expressing a desire to retunr to God. But God rejects their overtures as being ephemeral, temporary. Instead he encourages them to repair their religious and political culture and return to the Covenant of Israel.

In this podcast we offer the historical background to the accusations of Hosea: Political rivalry, in-fighting, political opportunism and factionalism bring the northern kingdom to a point of weakness and vulnerability from which it will simply collapse. PLEASE CONTRIBUTE to the Tanakh Podcast here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=51407457 Please sign up for weekly Parsha emails at www.alexisrael....

In this chapter Hosea worships the nation, their priests and prophets for "zenut" - for promiscuity. Why is this phrase so central in Hosea? How was idolatry connected to degenerate sexual practices?

A short and enigmatic chapter. We will read it with the approach of the Abarbanel and Rav Kook.

Hoshea ch.2 contains several of the Bible's most sublime expressions of love. But how does Hoshea love a promiscuous wife? How does God love his wayward people, Israel?

Hosea is instructed to marry an unfaithful wife, and have children with them. What is the meaning of his marriage to a woman of this sort? What is the upshot of the names that he gives her children?

What is Trei Assar? What historical period does it cover? What are its major themes?

Chapter 48 gives us the division of the land into 12 tribal units and a 13th district for the Levites, priests, Nasi, city and Temple. The city is given a new name. With this chapter, we complete our study of Sefer Yechezkel.

In our chapter water emerges from the Temple, creating a gushing river that descends to the Dead Sea and makes it habitable. What might all this mean?

Our Chapter depicts Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh and Chagim (Jewish Holidays) as opportunities for both the "Nasi" and the common people to gain access to the (outer courtyard of the) Temple, and to bow before God. On these days the Eastern (inner) gate is deliberatly opened and left open all day. Clearly a statement is being made. These days are moments of spiritual opportunity.

Ch 45 describes a national leader. What is his role? How is he different to kings we have known up to this point?

The laws of the priests, the kohanim, as mentioned in Ezekiel ch.44 are quite different from those detailed in the Torah. What shall we make of these differences?

Ezekiel beholds the vision of the Chariot for a 3rd time. But this time the Chariot is making its way back to Jerusalem and restoring God's presence in the Temple.

How is Ezekiel's Temple different from all previous Temples? Why does Ezekiel's Temple have an outer courtyard, not present in previous Temples? Why is the floorplan so large? 500x500 cubits? Why may the priestly clothes not be removed from the Temple complex? Why does Ezekiel innovate a special hall in which the Priests eat the sacrifices? There is a single answer to these questions. Take...

Ezekiel continues his tour of the Temple. Today we discuss how our eating practices are seen by the Midrash and Halakha as a reflection of the Temple.

Ezekiel finds himself transported in a vision to a virtual tour of a Temple in Jerusalem. But this Temple is radically different from the one that we know. Daat Mikra chart Vilna Gaon chart Artscroll chart

Where might this apocalyptic story fit in human history? Why have people always associated it with the "End of Days"?

This is THE awesome, apocalyptical war, Armageddon, the End of Days! Gog uMagog! In today's podcast we speak of the contours of the war as depicted in Ezekiel 38-39. Next class, we will place this story historically and discuss its significance.

Today we study two beautiful prophecies: 1. The Valley of the Dry Bones 2. The Grafting of the Tree of Judah and the Tree of Efrayim. This represents toe restoration of the people of Israel and ther national unity.

This is a beautiful chapter of Redemption. We focus upon its unique features.