Sefer Bamidbar | Bamidbar | A Lot of Names and A Lot of Numbers, Why?
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Sefer Bamidbar | Bamidbar | A Lot of Names and A Lot of Numbers, Why? by Rav Ezra Bick Does the population census eliminate individuality in service of creating the national unity, or does it enoble and distinguish the individual? Why are the Jews counted twice in the beginning of Sefer Bemidbar?
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Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 28 | Bamidbar
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 28 | Bamidbar, by Rav Eli Weber Why does Hashem count Israel? Why does Hashem talk to Moshe from Ohel Moed? Why is Levi the smallest tribe?
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Shavuot | The Claims of the Heretics
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Shavuot | The Claims of the Heretics, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The public reading of Aseret HaDibrot (the Decalogue) was practiced on a daily basis in the Mikdash. This practice was banned elsewhere, due to the "Claims of the Heretics" - (תרעומת המינים). Why would there have been an interest in reading the Dibrot publicly every day - and why was it banned? Who are these "heretics" - and what was their position that made the reading an unfavorable thing?
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Tehillim 132: קומה ה' למנוחתך (conclusion)
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Tehillim 132: קומה ה' למנוחתך (conclusion), by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom When was Psalm 132 composed - and why? In this conclusion of a two-part shiur, we examine the longest of the שירי המעלה - Psalm 132. This psalm, evidently devoted to the city of Yerushalayim and the Divine choice of both the place and the Davidic line, is especially appropriate as we prepare to celebrate the 58th anniversary of the reunification of Yerushalayim under Jewish sovereignty. Noting that the psalm speaks in different voices, we note numerous related texts in Tanakh that may have either been...
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Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 27 | Behar-Bechukotai
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 27 | Behar-Bechukotai, by Rav Eli Weber What's the Ramban's view on chronology in the Torah? What is the religious meaning of work? Will there be wild animals in the days of the mashiach?
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Behar-Bechukotai | 5785 | Abarbanel as Philosopher
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Behar-Bechukotai | 5785 | Abarbanel as Philosopher, by Rav Elyakim Krumbein Reward on earth or in the afterlife?
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Kaddish and the Idea of Jewish Nationalism
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Kaddish and the Idea of Jewish Nationalism, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is the meaning of Kaddish and why does it require a quorum? How does the impetus for a public declaration shed light on the idea of לאומיות ישראלית - Jewish Nationalism? This talk was given at the annual Karen and Ariel Avrech z"l Memorial Lecture at Young Israel of Century City. יהי זכרם ברוך.
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Tehillim 132: קומה ה' למנוחתך
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Tehillim 132: קומה ה' למנוחתך, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What was the occasion that motivated the composition of Psalm 132? A special shiur as we prepare for Yom Yerushalayim. In this first part of a two-part shiur, we examine the longest of the שירי המעלה - Psalm 132. This psalm, evidently devoted to the city of Yerushalayim and the Divine choice of both the place and the Davidic line, is especially appropriate as we prepare to celebrate the 58th anniversary of the reunification of Yerushalayim under Jewish sovereignty. Noting that the psalm speaks in different voices, we...
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Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 26 | Emor
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Ramban on the Torah | 5785 | 26 | Emor, by Rav Eli Weber Why do we bring Chametz to the Mikdash on Shavuot? When is Shavuot? What is Sefirat HaOmer?
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Emor | 5785 | Abarbanel on the Holidays
KMTT - the Torah Podcast
Emor | 5785 | Abarbanel on the Holidays by Rav Elyakim Krumbein How does the Torah use disrupted patterns to create meaning?
info_outlineUnraveling the Mystery of Lag BaOmer, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom
Why is there a celebratory air to the 33rd day of the Omer-count? By far the most mysterious of our festive days is ל"ג בעמר, where the cessation from weddings (etc.) turns the day into a joyous outburst of celebration, replete with bonfires, outings and more. What is the story behind this unexplained day? With the help of an ancient manuscript, a Geniza find, a typesetter's mistake, a letter written by a 4th century Christian Bishop, a rabbi mourning for his son and another rabbi speaking up 14 centuries after his death...we may have the mystery unraveled. This shiur is based on the research of R. Avraham Kosman of Yerushalayim.