Parashat Vaetchanan: The Spiritual Power of Oaths and Vows
The third of the Ten Commandments is the prohibition against taking HaShem’s name in vain. The Oral Law teaches us that this commandment goes far beyond the improper use of HaShem’s name, and includes the Torah prohibition against swearing falsely in general. In this lesson we will explore the practical importance and inner meaning of […]
Parashat Vaetchanan: The Spiritual Power of Oaths and Vows [48:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadParashat Devarim: Uniting Heaven and Earth
The final book of the Torah is the book of Devarim, also known as Mishneh Torah - the review of the Torah. It ultimately bridges the seemingly unbridgeable gap between the spiritual and the physical. While the previous four books are ascribed to G-d alone, the authorship of Devarim is attributed to Moshe. Yet a […]
Parashat Matot: Our Mysterious Strength as a People
The name of this parshah - Matot, meaning tribes - is also related to the Hebrew word mateh, or staff, which symbolizes lasting strength. Matot is always read during the ‘three weeks’ prior to Tisha B’Av, the date of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, and many of the themes in the parshah and its […]
Parashat Pinchas: This Law is Not the Law
Is it ever permissible to intentionally violate the laws of the Torah for what we believe is the greater good? If so, who has the right to do so, and when? In this class, we will focus on how Pinchas, in a moment of zealousness, took it upon himself to be judge, jury and executioner, […]
Parashat Balak: The Fate of the Nations
In this Torah portion we have one of the few references to the Messianic era in the Torah. Interestingly that reference says as much about the nations of the world as it does about us. In this class we will examine the role of the nations of the world immediately prior to and during the […]
Parashat Chukat: The Message of the Copper Serpent
When jews were complaining bitterly about, of all things, the miraculous manna that had sustained them for nearly 40 years, HaShem, in response, sent snakes that killed some and poisoned others. But He simultaneously provided a cure for the snakebites in the form of a copper serpent mounted on a pole. In this class we […]
Parashat Korach: The Individual and the Collective
In this parsha we learn how a group of Jews led by Korach challenged the authority of Moshe. Many important contemporary questions are addressed in this episode. Is there an ideology or institution that could transcend the conflict between the individual and the collective so that both can be satisfied?
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