Gematria Refigured +

The Gemara in Megilla 13b says that Esther would go right from sleeping with Achashverosh (and washing herself off) to sleeping with Mordechai. It's hard to believe that such a risky move would be literal, but if not, what is it teaching us?

The gemara in Megilla 13a cites a 5-way machlokes about which was her real name and which name teaches an idea about her. We analyze these five positions and see what they're all trying to explain.

The Gemara in Megilla 13b says that Haman was happy that his lottery landed on the month Moshe died. But he didn't realize it was also the month he was born. What's the significance of all this?

What's the import of Zachor and Shamor being said by Hashem simultaneously ? And how does it relate to the other three examples of dibur echad that Rashi (Shemos 20:8) cites (musaf on Shabbos, shatnez in tzitzis, and yibum).

The Rambam describes the origin of Avoda Zara as giving honor to created beings as a means of giving honor to God. Isn't this what we do when we honor our parents?

Why did Hashem tell Moshe to stop davening for the Jews when the Egyptians were chasing them? Rashi (Shemos 14:15) gives two explanations.

Why is the tefillin shel rosh called totafos? Rashi (Shemos 13:16) has two pshatim.

Why is a donkey the only nonkosher animal that has a mitzvah with its bechor? Rashi (Shemos 13:13) gives two difficult answers.

The first Rashi in Vayechi gives two explanations why Parshas Veyechi is stuma (closed)—that is, it doesn't start with a break as other parshios do. We analyze these two explanations and discover the sadness of Parshas Veyechi.

After being told Yosef was alive, Yaakov offered korbanos to “The God of his Father Yitzchak” (Breishis 46:1). Why not just say God or connect God with Avraham as well? Rashi explains that a person is obligated to honor his father more than his grandfather. This episode analyzes this cryptic Rashi.

Rashi in Sanhedrin 101b cited an Aggada about Moshe's discussion with Hashem about removing a Jewish baby (who ended up becoming Micha) from a wall in Egypt. This episode analyzes this midrash and reveals its significance in Jewish history and in the development of Avoda Zara in klal yisrael.

This episode discusses two Rashis on the pesukim describing when Yosef met Binyamin.

Shabbos 23b discusses the reward for certain mitzvos and says the mitzvos of lighting candles (Shabbos and Chanukah) leads to children who are talmidei chachamim. We analyze this connection.

This episode takes up the Rashis that discuss the idea that each of the Shevatim was born along with a twin sister — and Binyamin was born along with two twin sisters.

We analyze Yaakov's rebuke to the shepherds for not grazing their sheep.

Rashi (Bereishis 27:15) tells us that Yaakov wore the clothing that Eisav took from Nimrod. The Gemara in Psachim 54b says that these clothing originally belonged to Adam Ha‘Rishon and were created at Bein Hashmashos on Erev Shabbos.

This episode analyzes one expression of this enigmatic principle, perhaps shedding some light on the principle itself.

This episode discusses an apparent contradiction between two Rashis: In Bereishis 13:7 , he says that Lot had no right to take land in Eretz Yisrael because it wasn't yet given to Avraham. But in Bereishis 23:4, he says that Avraham threatened to rightfully take land in Eretz Yisrael if they didn't sell him a burial spot for Sarah.

The Gemara in Sanhedrin 65b describes Rava making a “man” and Rav Oshiya and Rav Chanina making a calf.

This episode surveys various writing of the Ramban to elucidate his theory on nisyonos—tests.

This episode discusses various ideas about Avraham's Milah: (1) How and why Hashem helped Avraham do Milah? (2) The purpose of Milah acc to the Ramban; (3) How Milah completed the perfection of the remaining five of Avraham's 248 limbs.

The Gemara in Sanhedrin 63a asks why the Jews spoke in plural when they said, “This is your god, O Israel.” Rav Yochanan says they hadn't fully rejected Hashem—they included Him with the Egel. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai argues that joining Hashem with anything else is itself a terrible sin. We analyze this machlokes.

Rashi (Breishis 7:11 and 11:7) says that the words the Torah used to describe Hashem's punishments of Dor Hamabul (rabba) and Dor Haflaga (hava) correspond to their sins. In explaining these strange examples of Midda knegged Midda, we uncovered fundamental ideas about the different sins of these two generations.

The Gemara in RH 16a cites a 5-way machlokes when/how often the world is judged. This episode analyzes this machlokes.

The Mishna in Yomah 85b tells us how fortunate we are: Before Whom do we purify ourselves and Who purifies us? Our Father in Heaven. This episode discusses the uniqueness of Teshuva during the days leading up to Yom HaKippurim.

The Gemara in Brachos 12b discusses whether saying Hamelech Hakadosh during eseres yemei teshuva is me'akeiv.

We start with trying to understand the Rambam in Teshuva 2:2 about a testimony of/before Hashem that a baal Teshuva won't return to his sin. To do so, we analyze the Rambam's proof text - Hoshea 14, the Haftora for Shabbos Shuva.

The Gemara in Eiruvin 13a describes Rabbi Akiva rejecting a student's proposal while simultaneously praising it. We analyze this and discover nuances involved in teaching.

In Devarim 26:12-15, the Torah tells us about the “confession” a person makes after finishing the cycle of maasros. We analyze the significance of this mitzvah.

Why do we blow shofar in Elul? The Tur brings down three reasons.

The gemara in RH 16b says we blow shofar twice on Rosh Hashana to confuse the Satan. This episode analyzes Tosafos's interpretation of this gemara.

The gemara in RH 16b says we blow shofar twice on Rosh Hashana to confuse the Satan. This episode analyzes Rashi's interpretation of this gemara.

This episode discusses the Rashi (Devarim 19:17) that says people standing before judges should view it as if they're standing before Hashem.

The Gemara in Eiruvin 13b describes how the three year argument between Beis Shamai and Beis Hillel culminated in a bas kol saying, “These and these are the words of the living God, and the Halacha is like Beis Hillel.” The Gemara goes on to explain that the psak is like Beis Hillel because of various good middos they had. We analyze these middos and discuss why they're relevant for halachik psak. We also discuss the meaning of the bas kol.

Yirmiyahu 9:22-23 says: “Thus says Hashem, "Don't let the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, don't let the rich man glory in his riches. But, let him who glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows Me, that I am Hashem who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth, for in these things I delight,⁠" says Hashem.”This episode discusses the following question: Why should a person praise himself (glory) in anything at all? To answer, we briefly address the Rambam (last chapter of Morah), give Rabbi Zimmer's explanation, and then discuss the importance of praising one's self—and doing so appropriately.

As we approach Tisha B'av, we gain some insight from the Gemara in BB 60b that discusses the basis of putting ashes on the head of the chassan—specifically on the place of the tefillin.

Rashi (Bamidbar 31:8) says that we killed Bilaam with the sword - the weapon of nonjews- because he tried to kill us with his mouth - the weapon of the Jews.

Rashi (Bamidbar 26:5) teaches that the Torah puts a yud and a hey around the names of the Jewish families to testify that the Jews lineage is pure, thereby undermining the ridicule of the nations who claim that the Egyptians had their way with the Jewish women.

In Parshas Pinchas, Rashi (Bamidbar 26:54) tells us that after dividing the land of Israel based upon size of the shevatim AND after the lottery confirmed this division, the lottery itself yelled out which shevet got which piece of land. Why was this massive miracle necessary?

This episode analyzes the basis of the mitzvah of kibud av va'aim and provides a helpful perspective on the mitzvah.

The episode analyzes the incident of the fiery serpents, with the assistance of Rashi.

Rebbe and Bar Kappara debate the value of joking around. Nedarim 50b-51a

The first Rashi in Behaalosecha explains the juxtaposition of the gifts of the nesiim to the parsha of the menora. Aaron was sad that neither he nor his shevet were involved in the Chanukas Hamishkan. Hashem assured Aharon that his portion—lighting and fixing the Menora—is greater than their portion. This episode deals with the many difficulties that can be raised on this Rashi.

While we can't marry a male convert from Ammon or Moav, we can from Amaleik. Why?

This episode explores Hashem's punishment to Naami. We analyze a few relevant Rashis.

After the Tochacha, when we confess our sins, Hashem says He'll rememeber the bris with Yaakov, with Yitzchak, and with Avraham. Rashi (Vayikra 26:42) explains why it switches the order of the avos.

Part 2 of a 2011 discussion around devoting ourselves towards learning Torah. This part discusses some motivations, strategies, and resistances to learning Torah.

The Gemara in Menachos 44a tells a fascinating story of a talmid who was about to succumb to a top Zonah until his Tzitzis miraculously slapped him in the face. After introducing her to Tzitzis, she ended up converting. This episode analyzes this story which is meant to show the great reward of mitzvos in this world.

Part 1 of a 2011 discussion about devoting ourselves towards learning Torah and balancing it with other parts of our life (like work).

Rashi (Vayikra 19:14) says that even though one isn't allowed to curse any Jew (from Shemos 22:27), the Torah singles out a deaf person to teach that the prohibition is limited to the living. This seems like a strange way to teach this Halacha?! Besides answering this question, we discuss the nature of the issur of cursing people.

The gemara in Brachos 28b recounts that when Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai's students came to visit him when he was deathly ill, he began to cry? His surprised students asked him why...