The Tanakh Podcast

In this chapter we hear the laws of forbidden foods - Kosher animals, fish, birds and insects. But why are some animals forbidden and others allowed? Is there a logic to the particular animals that are banned for consumption? And why do non-kosher animals engender ritual impurity?

On what should have been the happiest day, tragedy strikes in the Mishkan. Nadav and Avihu, young priests - Aharon's sons - bring foreign fire and are struck down - by fire - before God. Why did they break the protocol of the Temple? What motivated them flout the laws and recklessly disregard the Temple service?

"The Eighth Day" is the day "that God will appear" to the nation. It is purported to be the day in which the Tabernacle/Mishkan reaches its climax - God's fire will descend to the nation. But we reach into the silent gaps in this story through Midrash and Rashi and speak of the hidden drama in this narrative; one of apprehension, guilt and brotherhood.

Today we try to get to the essence of the Miluim, the 7-day consecration of the Priests. We will discover that they are almost becoming part of the architecture of the Temple itself!

As Prof Yechezkel Kaufman pointed out, the Temple is a world of silence. There are no prayers or curses or incantations. Just silence. What should we make of this?

Why does chapter 6-7 repeat all the sacrifices a second time? Why does the opening paragraph about the Olah actually discuss the ash and the fire rather than the Olah itself?

In chapter 5 we see two categories of sin-offering: * korban oleh ve-yored * Asham We will discuss the states of mind that underpin these two sin-offerings.

We all sin! Sin is endemic to human nature: "There is not even a righteous person in the world who fails to sin." said Kohelet. But our chapter directs attention not to the sin of the ordinary Israelite but to the sins of leaders: The High Priest, the judiciary and the political leadership. Are their sins more egregious, or are they merely more prone to sin? Or are they possibly to set a...

Today we discuss the Shelamim, a joyous sacrifice, eaten with friends, expressing the bond that humans make with God.

Vayikra ch.2 describes and outlines the FIVE types of Korban Mincha - an offering of flour and oil. Why does it come in five recipes? What does this vegetarian korban represent?

We haven't brought sacrifices-korbanot for 2000 years. What does the word "korban" mean? And how have major Jewish thinkers understood the rationale for Korbanot? Can we, as modern people, come to an appreciation of their significance?

Shemot ends with the assembly of all the constituent parts of the Mishkan and God's "glory-Kavod" resting within the Mishkan. We spend todays podcast discussing the structure of Shemot according to two systems - that of Ramban and that of Rashi. They each teach different messages about the spiritual thrust of the book.

What is the connection between the Mishkan, Creation, and Shabbat?

The washbasin, the kiyor, was a feature of the Mishkan. What purpose did it serve? How does Halakha reflect its use even today? Our chapter informs us that the kiyor was constructed from donations of women's mirrors. To what might this detail be alluding?

The Ark sits at the epicenter of the Mishkan What does it symbolize? In fact it is not just one of the Temple vessels but two parts that have a dynamic relationship between them.

The boards of the Mishkan are pretty large; too large to be constructed from the Acacia trees in the Sinai desert! So where did the timber come from?

The details of the Tabernacle are repeated over and over in chapter 35-40. Why? We have a tradition that the Torah is highly economical with its language, but these chapters seem to contradict that assumption. Why the detailed recapitualations?

Are the second tablets the same as the first? On the one hand - yes! They are a renewal of the covenant! And yet, the rabbis saw an innovation here that was critical to the work of human application and interpretation.

After the great sin of the Golden Calf. How are God and Israel to move on together? In this chapter we see: 1. Israel expressing remorse 2. Moses arguing with God to eek out a mechanism whereby God might coexist with a sinful nation.

Our chapter tells the story of the Golden Calf. Did the Israelites, who heard God speak from heaven, genuinely think that they could exchange God with an image of a calf that they had constructed? How did they fall so swiftly into idolatry?

Our chapter introduces the artisans of the Mishkan - Betzalel and Oholiav - and this gives us the opportunity to explore Judaism's attitude to art.

Ch.30-31 give us 7 appendices to the instructions of the Mishkan. We focus today on the contribution of the half-shekel - where does it originate and what was the money used for?

In this chapter we speak about the "Miluim" - a seven day inauguration of the Mishkan and the Kohanim. And we ask why Channuka is 8 days.

Chapter 28 describes the special robes of the HIgh priest. But what is written upon them??

Chapter 27 closes with the instruction to contribute oil for the Menorah and to light the candles from evening to morning. Why is this paragraph here? And what might it tell us about Channuka?