Pakad: When Remembering Isn't Enough

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! What does it mean when the Torah says God “visited” Sarah? And why does the same Hebrew root appear in language about roll calls, deposits, responsibility, and reckoning? In this Rosh Hashanah special, Ari and Ezra follow a deceptively small word into a larger conversation about being seen—and about what happens after we notice. Sarah waits years for a promise to be fulfilled. Hannah prays in anguish while the priest Eli mistakes her distress for drunkenness. Together, their stories ask whether looking at someone is the same as truly seeing them. Along the way, we explore the Day of Remembrance, the difference between accountability and self-condemnation, and why attention without action may not be enough. There is room for humor, discomfort, and a question worth carrying into the new year: Who needs us to show up? Explore the biblical texts: Genesis 21:1 — Sarah and the promise 1 Samuel 1:12–16 — Hannah and Eli 1 Samuel 2:21 — Hannah is remembered Isaiah 10:3 — The day of reckoning A Note on This Teaching: The Torah insights explored in this episode are drawn from an original D’var Torah by Rabbi Phillip Blue. The conversation and voices were generated using artificial intelligence, bringing these teachings into a new form of study and discussion.