KMTT - the Torah Podcast

The Magic and Meaning of Shabbat, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb First part in a series on The Sanctity of Shabbat, combining questions of both philosophy and halakha. Shiur given to the weekly women's group in Kehilat Ha'Ela.

Shemot | "The Midwives of the Hebrews - And Their Houses?" by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Who built houses for the midwives? And why? In the opening chapter of Sefer Shemot, we are informed about Pharaoh's plan to have the newborn Hebrew male children killed - or are they newborns? This is to be carried out by two Hebrew midwives - or are they Egyptian midwives of the Hebrews? These two, due to their fe...

Ramban On The Torah | 27 | Shemot, by Rav Eli Weber An introduction to Sefer Shemot and the beginning of Moshe's journey to become a prophet

All It Takes to Change History Are Men and Women of Moral Courage, by Rav Moshe Taragin Sichat Mussar for Shemot

Vayechi | "My Father's Blessings Increased": Birkat Yosef and Birkat Yehuda, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What did Yaakov mean when he said "The blessings of your father surged higher than the blessings of my parents..." (49:15 - if that's what הורי means...) The penultimate scene in Sefer Bereishit, undoubtedly one of the most dramatic and impactful to the future nation is the gathering of Yaakov's s...

Ramban On The Torah | 26 | Vayechi, by Rav Eli Weber

Vayigash | "Seventy Souls" - Reconsidering the Count, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Q. Who is #70 in the count? Q: Where are all the girls? Q: How did the LXX get to LXXV?  Parashat Vayigash includes the detailed list of Bnei Yisrael who descended to Egypt, detailed by son, clan and then a total. This list raises three questions - one internal, one intrinsic and one external. The number "70" does not f...

Ramban On The Torah | 25 | Vayigash, by Rav Eli Weber

Miketz | Haftara: Mishpat Shlomo - Solomon's Famous Judgment, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How did Shlomo figure out which was the "real" mother? The rarest Haftara chanted is read when Parashat Miketz is not on Chanuka - as is the case this year for the first time in two decades. The Haftara read in this unusual year is the story of Shlomo's brilliant solution to the dispute between two "zonot" over...

Chanuka | On the Desecration of the Temple by the Greeks, by Rav Moshe Taragin Shiur given to Bnei Chul alumni during a special Chanuka Day of Learning, Wed Dec 13, 2023, the sixth day of Chanuka. Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 23 | Vayeshev, by Rav Eli Weber The Ramban thinks that "stealing" the Berakhot doesn't guarantee anything. One has to accept the bad (Avdut Mitzrayim) to get the good (Eretz Yisrael). And that's what Esav refused but Yaakov agreed to do. That and more in this week's Ramban al HaParsha.

Chanuka | Ner Chanuka and the Enumeration of the 613 Mitzvot, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How did the Geonim justify including the Mitzva of Ner Chanuka in their enumeration of the 613 Mitzvot?  Following the famous homily of R. Samlai (BT Makkot 23b) that Moshe received and conveyed 613 Mitzvot, interest was only sparked in the post-Talmudic era as to the makeup of that list. The earliest proposals,...

Chanuka | Lighting up the Night, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Shiur given at Kehillat Haela, Ramat Beit Shemesh on November 29, 2023

War and Religion #7: Is Revenge a Mitzva? by Rav Moshe Taragin What form of revenge is valid?

War and Religion #6: Thoughts about Freeing Hostages, by Rav Moshe Taragin

War and Religion #5: Protecting "Innocent" Civilians During War, by Rav Moshe Taragin On allowing escape routes and preserving human dignity

War and Religion #4: Unifying Three 'Sectors' for War, by Rav Moshe Taragin Gidon's success and Devorah's frustration

War and Religion #3: Believing that Hashem Directs War, by Rav Moshe Taragin While also celebrating the heroism of our soldiers.

War and Religion #2: When Evil Cultures Hold Back Humanity, by Rav Moshe Taragin Looking at Tanakh figures as warriors

War and Religion #1: War and the Cleansing of Cultural Evil, by Rav Moshe Taragin

Vayishlach | An Embrace, A Kiss and Those Mysterious Masoretic Dots, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Yaakov's long-awaited and long-feared reunion with his brother, Esav, proves to be joyous, welcoming and ultimately, Yaakov's trepidation was proved to be baseless. When the two formerly competitive siblings finally see each other after decades of separation, Esav "falls on his neck, kisses him and they w...

Ramban On The Torah | 22 | Vayishlach, by Rav Eli Weber

Swords of Iron | The Overlap between Halakha, Machshava and Emuna, by Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS Shiur given to the Overseas Talmidim, Nov 27, 2023

Swords of Iron | On Pidyon Shvuyim, by Rav Moshe Taragin Religious perspectives upon releasing hostages from Azza; feeling gratitude even under imperfect conditions.  

Swords of Iron | Happiness and Horror: Reflections on the Hostage Deal, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb On the belief in the value of every individual. We pray for the safe return of all the hostages.