The Poem. The ParSHA. The Podcast.

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The Poem. The ParSHA. The Podcast. Hosted by Rivy Kletenik

Rivy Kletenik


    • Jun 21, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 21m AVG DURATION
    • 93 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from The Poem. The ParSHA. The Podcast. with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from The Poem. The ParSHA. The Podcast.

    Parshat Korach - A Power Play?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2023 23:00


    “Mine, said the stone, mine is the hour. I crush the scissors, such as my power, stronger than wish is my power, alone”

    Shelach - The Spies!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2023 22:04


    While Kalev displays great faith and strength, the other spies surely do not. How do we come people who are confident and ready to take on the world?

    “A Complaint” - Bahaalotecha.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2023 22:41


    A fitting poem to place beside our Parsha which tells the tale of the complaining People Israel. We're talking about the ebon flow of relationships, and the tension of being intensely connected to the natural traveling away that happens.

    complaints parsha people israel
    Shavuot Edition: The Book of Ruth. “Immigrant Blues” by Li-Young Lee

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2023 24:12


    Ruth leaves her home to join Naomi in a foreign land. There she gleans in the field to provide sustenance for herself and Naomi. She appreciates that Boaz notices her, even though she is a foreigner. Join us and listen to this Shavuot podcast.

    In the Desert. Bemidbar. “The Room” by Denise Levertov.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2023 24:45


    To say that this week's podcast is going to take us on a journey would be an understatement. Join us as we go bravely into the desert and into this remarkable poem - it will move you.

    “The Good Life” - Behar-Bechukotai

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2023 21:06


    This week's poet, Tracy K. Smith. How do we understand the idea of the good life? We are promised as a People that if we observe the commandments, we will have a good life. Take a listen…

    Margaret Atwood's poem, “All Bread”

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2023 21:16


    Bread, plays a starring role in the holy tabernacle and on each of our tables. In this weeks, Torah portion, we learn again about the table that holds the 12 loaves of bread.

    Taking a deep dive into aging. How we honor the aged. Sailing to Byzantium”

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2023 68:14


    We are commanded in this weeks Torah portion, to respect our elders, and to give honor to those who are aged. Join us for lively conversation with a poem from William Butler Yeats.

    Tazria - Metzora “If you don't know the person I am and I don't know the kind of person you are”

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2023 25:41


    This weeks Torah portions highlight the foibles of gossiping. We place next to it a poem by William E. Stafford, to try to understand the dynamics of the way we interact with each other. Join us.

    torah tazria metzora william e stafford
    Pesach Podcast. Phillis Wheatley, “ On Being Brought from Africa to America”

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2023 22:52


    We explore some of the disequilibrium that this poem evokes. What is it to be a pagan and two then be “redeemed”?

    Vayikra. The Flour Offering

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2023 22:58


    “Notes on Poverty” - poem by Hayden Carruth - placed along side, the verses that describe the humble Mincha, flour offering brought by the poor.

    Vayakhel - “Women are cooking outside over the fire”

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2023 24:03


    The Parsha begins with the commandment to not cook on Shabbat. Join us, as we take a look at a poem by Michelle Whitstone, “Women are cooking outside over the fire” - translated by the author from the Navajo.

    Parshat Tetzaveh - “Ode to My Socks”

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2023 24:03


    There is such creativity in this weeks, Torah portion. How do we lift up the mundane materials in our world to create a sanctuary?

    “A Portable Paradise” - Parshat Mishpatim

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2023 20:55


    The people, Israel, I promise that if they will serve the Lord, they will be blessed with bread with water and health. Sounds like paradise.

    Parshat Yitro. “Joy”

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2023 19:08


    At the top of this weeks, Torah portion we have the arrival of Yitro Moshe's father-in-law - one particularly enigmatic word is used in the narrative, and boy does it take us to a number of different directions!

    “Crossing” Parshat B'shalach

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2023 26:20


    Not a simple moment standing on the precipice of the Red Sea. Are we ready to cross over?

    The Poem? “Family” by Marilyn Nelson, daughter of one of the last Tuskegee Airmen.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2023 29:35


    “Family” we take our family with us as we celebrate! Moshe asked pharaoh to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt together with their entire family to celebrate in the desert a holiday for the Lord.

    Parshat Vayechi - Jacob blesses his sons.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2023 22:52


    Shimon and Levi receive harsh words about anger. Our poem? “Sapphics Against Anger” - Timothy Steele.

    Joseph's Tears - Parshat Vayigash

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2022 22:19


    Does Joseph cry more than any other biblical character? In this weeks, Torah portion, the tears come immediately before he reveals himself to his brothers. How can we understand these tears if not to poetry?

    Parshat Vayeshev - Jealousy!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2022 22:44


    Tune in for a deeply hitting poem by William Blake. We attempt to grapple with the human foible - jealousy. What is up with humans created in the divine image, yet so weak when it comes to someone else's beautiful, technicolor dream coat?!

    Parsha Vayishlach/The Altar

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2022 24:08


    Why do people in the Torah keep building altars?

    The Twins /Toldot, VaYeitzei

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2022 25:19


    The drama. Twins are born that was last week. This week one twin is to marry one sister ends up with the other sister!

    Burying Sarah - Emily Dickinson “I felt a funeral in my brain” Poem #340

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2022 25:44


    Join us as we discuss this week's Torah portion where Avraham needs to acquire a burial ground for Sarah. Emily Dickinson explores the idea of the unbearable, lightness of being that is Sarah - that is a funeral - that is each of us.

    Parshat Noach

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 75:32


    Parshat Noach? Meet Carl Sandburg. His poem, “Languages” speaks to the dispersal of humankind as they seek to unify as one building a tower to reach the sky. What were they thinking!?

    Bereshith - Fallen Angels!?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2022 23:58


    Join us as we discuss an episode at the very end of this week's Torah portion, the fallen angels! Theophile Gautier pens a perplexing poem, “Farewell to Poetry” - “Come, fallen Angel…”

    The Whale - The Book of Yonah

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2022 22:12


    Herman Melville the great American novelist captures the experience of the whale. He also writes a poem almost precisely the words of the profit Jonah. Join us! For this Yom Kippur podcast.

    Rosh Hashanah/Wild Geese

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2022 20:54


    What is this thing we do called repentance? Must really be hard on ourselves? Mary Oliver would like us to be kind. Join us for the poem and in this case the high holidays!

    Bechukotai - Rebuke “Night Heron Maybe”

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2022 18:46


    Thunder would follow me all my days, stern reminder and sharp rebuke.

    ParSHAt Behar. Emily Dickinson.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2022 20:53


    The Resting of the Land. Shabbat Ha'retz. Thinking about Sabbath. Emily Dickinson…

    ParSHAT Behar - Emily Dickinson!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2022 20:49


    The Torah portion that talks about the resting of the land in the seventh year and in year 50. Emily Dickinson. What does it mean to observe a Sabbath? Her poem? Some keep the sabbath going to church I keep it, staying at home.

    ParSHAt Acharei Mot

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2022 21:43


    ParSHAt Acharei Mot

    Pesach Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2022 20:59


    A poem about onions. Start cooking!

    ParSHAt Tazria - when someone falls ill…

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2022 19:10


    We are still situated in a pandemic. What is illness? What are the deep feelings we have around sickness? In this podcast we talk about the poetry of being ill.

    ParSHAt Shemini - The poem of Robert Frost, “Guilt” - Oh my!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2022 22:08


    Aaron is carrying the guilt of creating the golden calf. He feels unable to bring down the presence of the Divine. Moshe joins him. How spectacular - the Devine Presence descends upon the Mishkan.

    The Book of Esther - and the poem - “I Will Not Bow” - Why does Mordechai refuse to bow?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2022 19:36


    Let's discuss speaking truth to power. When do we choose not to bow and when do we choose to sit down and have the conversation?

    ParSHAt Zachor

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2022 20:15


    “We Lived Happily During the War” - How do we stand up in this world to help those who are under attack, for no good reason?

    The Cloud/Pekudei

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 62:48


    In this week's episode we complete the book of Exodus. We contemplate the cloud. God dwells in the cloud over the Mishkan, the tabernacle. A poem by K Ryan, “Cloud” - join us!

    ParSHAt Ki Tisa - “Waiting” - Emily Dickinson

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2022 19:00


    People Israel are waiting. It is to no avail. Thinking Moshe is not returning they give up. A golden calf is fashioned. It is no fun waiting.

    emily dickinson parshat ki tisa people israel
    ParSHAT Tetzaveh - Bells!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2022 21:23


    Bells and pomegranates. Bells in pomegranate. It is time for Edgar Allan Poe. And maybe a little Leonard Cohen. Anne Sexting anyone?

    ParSHAt Terumah - “Perhaps the World Ends Here” - Joy Harjo - !

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2022 20:12


    The people Israel all participate enthusiastically! One of the vessels in this new tabernacle is the table. Let's talk about table-court? What is a table?

    ParSHAt Mishpatim - “Do Not Tolerate A Witch”

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2022 21:19


    In this episode we take a close look at the issue witches. We look at a soliloquy of Shakespeare from the play Macbeth. Join us!

    The Revelation @ Sinai - ParSHAt Yitro

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2022 21:38


    In this edition we embrace a poem from a Spanish Kabbalist. An exploration of the miraculous mystical quality of revelation.

    ParSHAt Bo/The challenge: to start

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2022 40:12


    The Israelites are on the precipice of entering their next big stage. They triumphantly walk out of Egypt mid day. Are they ready? Is there a procedure? OK

    ParSHAt Shemot - “On Liberty and Slavery”

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2021 23:43


    George Moses Horton. Meets Moses! Let's reflect on slavery. It is simply horrific. Let us celebrate our liberty!

    ParSHAt Vayechi - Judah is blessed with kingship. Robert Burns mourns a Jacobite.

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2021 21:41


    What is it about royalty? Thousands of years we have this idea of a king, have a queen. What is it about royalty that we are so enamored with anything that has to do with the crown?

    ParSHAt Vayigash & “Sunset” by Rainer Maria Rilke

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2021 20:29


    Joseph brings Jacob to meet Pharaoh. The exchange is captivating. Zero asked him about his age. Jacob offers a surprising answer.

    Miketz - “O Me! O Life” - Walt Whitman!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021 22:02


    Joseph transitions from slave to prisoner to second to pharaoh! Who is Joseph? How do we struggle within ourselves to figure out who we are?

    ParSHAt Vayeshev - The Story of Yosef! the poem, “Forgetting”

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021 23:57


    What is the nature of forgetting? Why does the cupbearer forget Joseph? What is memory? Oh how painful it is to forget.

    ParSHAt Vayishlach - Jacob is Alone

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2021 20:15


    In this episode we explore the idea of being alone through the poetry of Maya Angelou and the episode of Jacob alone in the night. Is it good to be alone?

    ParSHAt Vayeitze

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2021 20:34


    Let's talk about stones!

    ParSHAt Toldot/Harjo

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2021 23:06


    Looking at Toldot through the lens of Harjo's Once the WorldWas Perfect

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