The long-running "Ancient Ideas for the Modern Mind" Dvar Torah blog is now a podcast! Listen as Yosef Segal gives his weekly Dvar Torah and also discusses a variety of Torah topics including Chumash, Hashkafa, and Halacha. Visit the blog at oldideasforthemodernmind.blogspot.com and check out hashkafahandbook.com for more from AIMeM Torah
There are two mitzvos in this week's parsha that the Torah describes as commandments to remember. What are the parameters of these mitzvos? How can you command someone to remember? (12 minutes)
Moshe's publicized failure is found in this week's parsha when in order to get water for Bnei Yisrael, he hits the rock instead of simply speaking to it. But if he wasn't supposed to hit it, why did Hashem tell him to bring his staff? (10 minutes)
Ever wonder why the Jewish months have names but not the days of the week? You will now! Tune in to this week's Dvar Torah to find out why. (11 minutes)
The connection between the Kohanim and the Bnei Yisrael runs deep. As deep as...salt? (8 minutes)
The meraglim make their journey through Eretz Yisrael and someone makes a stop in Chevron. But who was it and how many stopped there? (10 minutes)
Moshe is called the most humble man in the world, in a pasuk he wrote himself! That doesnt sound too humble...(16 minutes)
Perhaps the most famous and special bracha we have is Birkas Kohanim. Listen this week for a few special insights into this integral bracha. (7 minutes)
Ever wonder why the Torah is so specific about where and how the Bnei Yisrael camped? Wonder no more...(8 minutes)
Olam Haba is one of the most basic and important tenants of our faith. So how come it's not mentioned once in the entire Torah? (11 minutes)
Parshas Behar begins with the mitzvah of Shmittah. It seems very similar to our mitzvah of Shabbos, but there's a key difference... (5 minutes)
Moshe is commanded to tell Bnei Yisrael about the Moadim, and he did his job. He was instructed to tell the Kohanim the laws pertaining to them and the whole nation learned about it. How come the nation learned about the private laws of the Kohanim? (5 minutes)
There are three types of tzara'as, what do they represent? (6 minutes)
We are introduced to the concept of Kosher in this week's parsha. What is it? Where does it come from? (9 minutes)
As we end Sefer Shemos, we finally see the construction of the Mishkan. But as the building commences, somethings seem out of place...(8 minutes)
We finally arrive at the construction of the Mishkan, and as we mentioned last week, the commandment of Shabbos is told over right at the beginning. But was it actually supposed to be? (6 minutes)
The parsha opens with a series of small topics, including the laws of Shabbos. What does that have to do with the construction of the Mishkan? (7 minutes)
We continue our discussion on the significance behind the construction of the Mishkan with the Mizbe'ach Hazahav. What mysteries await us there...? (8 minutes)
The Torah gives us extensive detail into the construction of the Mishkan. But why? It has no long-term significance! Or does it... (8 minutes)
The well-known phrase "Naaseh V'Nishma", was not actually said at Matan Torah, but this week in Parshas Mishpatim! What took so long? (4 minutes)
Hashem tells Moshe multiple times to warn Bnei Yisrael to not approach Har Sinai during Matan Torah. Why did they need multiple warnings? And perhaps an even bigger question, why would Moshe question Hashem's judgement that they did? (7 minutes)
As they left generations of slavery behind in Mitzrayim, the Bnei Yisrael needed a strong leader to guide them through the desert. And as Amalek attacked them at their most vulnerable point, the need became even greater. (7 minutes)
We all know the story of Yaakov's dream with angels going up and down a ladder to the heavens. But did you know there's another similar story at the end of the parsha too? (6 minutes)
This parsha shows the origin of the eternal yaakov vs Esav struggle. The Torah hints to us who was right. (8 minutes)
The greatness of Avraham is well-documented throughout these parshiyos, but the hidden greatness within the pesukim is what we're after this week. (10 minutes)
Hashem commands Avram to leave his homeland, his birthplace, his family, and to travel to Eretz Yisrael. The placement of this simple command in the Torah teaches us a whole lot more about Avraham's family and the depth of his greatness. (27 minutes)
Moshe Rabbeinu was the greatest leader in the history of the Jewish People. As we get closer to the end of the Torah, we discover more and more ways in which he continues to impact Jewish life until today. (7 minutes)
How do the commentaries get those crazy explanations from unrelated pesukim? A pasuk in this week's parsha shows how that entire question is completely false. (7 minutes)
Among the blessings and curses found in this week's parsha, an emphasis is placed on 'upholding' the Torah. What does this mean? And how is it different from not doing mitzvos? (5 minutes)
Parshas Shoftim focuses on the authority and responsibility of the different leaders of Bnei Yisrael. If you look clsoe enough, you can see these concepts even in the seemingly unrelated mitzvos...(7 minutes)
The sin of the Spies directly led to the Bnei Yisrael wandering for forty years in the desert. But why were they sent in the first place? (7 minutes)
Shavuos is the chag we connect to Hashem through the Torah. The common way is through study, but there are other ways of using the Torah to connect to Hashem. (7 minutes)
Parshas Behar contains many technical halachos of business and everyday life. One such example is the issur of lending with interest, Ribbis. Interest is a major part of business, what is wrong with doing business this way that the Torah tells us this is not allowed? (7 minutes)
The Parsha ends with a story of a fight between two men, and develops into a show of holiness and commitment to Hashem from the entire nation (8 minutes)
While tzara'as is most well-known for appearing on the skin, it also appeared in other places, including on buildings. We discuss how this happened and why is it specifically connected to Eretz Yisrael.
During Magid, we find a three-way machlokes as to how many makkos there were in Mitzrayim and by Krias Yam Suf. What difference does it make how many there were? (7 minutes)
Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei just seems to repeat everything we already know from earlier in the Torah. What can we learn from these parshiyos? (5 minutes)
Purim is a day with the potential for great spiritual growth, but what exactly should we be focusing on? (7 minutes)
As we go through Mishpatim, we are hit by technical “babel”. When we reach the end, we are in for a pleasent surprise. (4 minutes)
When Yisro arrives at the camp of Bnei Yisrael, he begin to make major changes, including developing the first justice system in Jewish history. He gives several key attributes for perspective judges which we discuss. (7 minutes)
The Bnei Yisrael finally leave Mitzrayim...twice? (5 minutes)
The Bnei Yisrael were at their lowest point, but why did Hashem allow them to suffer that long? (8 minutes)
Sefer Shemos begins with Paroh enslaving the Jewish People. But how was he able to do this, it was only a few short years earlier that Yosef had saved the entire country and built them into a world power! (8 minutes)
Yaakov gives Menashe and Efraim the famous bracha of Hamalach Hagoel, but who really received the bracha? (8 minutes)
The Torah tells us that Paroh sent wagons to help bring Yaakov to Mitzrayim. The pasuk later credits Yosef with sending these wagons. The pasuk also seems to indicate that the only reason Yaakov believed Yosef was really alive was because of these wagons. What is going on with these wagons? (9 minutes)
AIMeM Torah would like to wish everyone a wonderful Chanukah! When Yosef meets his brothers, he puts them and his father, Yaakov, through a terrible emotional ordeal. The Ramban explains it was in order to make sure the dreams were fulfilled to the last detail. Were they really so important as to cause such pain to his family? (10 minutes)
Baruch Hashem, this week we are celebrating our 50th episode! Thank you for listening and for your continued support. When Yaakov arrives in Charan, he meets and chats with a group of shepherds. It seems like an innocent conversation, but is there something going on beneath the surface? (9 minutes)
While the story of Avraham takes three parshiyos, and Yaakov's takes even longer, Yitzchak's story fits into this one parsha. Why? Is the story of Yitzchak somehow less important? (13 minutes)
The first pasuk of the parsha begs a famous question, why are the 127 years of Sarah's life written out as 100 and 20 and 7; what do we learn from this? A new perspective on a well-known question. (11 minutes)
Sarah performed a tremendous chessed by allowing Hagar to marry Avraham. She did it in order to receive merit so that she would have a child as well. Did it work? (8 minutes)
The beginning of the parsha showers Noach with praise; in fact, these praises have a deeper meaning into the reasons behind the Flood. (7 minutes)
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Succos from AIMeMTorah! The gemarah brings an argument if the succos the Bnei Yisrael had in the desert were made of the Ananei HaKavod or just regular wooden structures. If they were made of wood, why would the Torah bother telling us? (7 minutes)