PODCAST · religion
Jerusalem Lights
by Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long
Hosts Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long discuss the beauty and universality of the eternal Torah and its accessibility and vital connection to every individual: Torah For Everyone
Episodes
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From Noah to Avraham: God's Search For Man
So much of Torah knowledge beckons to be uncovered 'between the lines.' In Hashem's Divine wisdom and plan, the Written Torah was bequeathed by God to Israel together with a 'living' Oral Torah, given to Moshe at Sinai and handed down faithfully by the wise men across the generations. Around this...
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The Interconnectivity of All Life
The Torah portion of Noach (Gen. 6:9) describes the Great Flood which the Creator brought upon the world to re-start all life on earth. But why did He choose water as the instrument of retribution, when water is synonymous with blessing? And if man was sinful, why did all life on earth have to...
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Reflections On the Genesis Narrative
With the conclusion of the festivals of Tishrei, this week we begin the weekly cycle of Torah readings with the first portion of B’reishith, the start of the Book of Genesis. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the creation of man, and share thoughts on this expansive Torah portion. Our hosts...
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Why is Yom Kippur the Happiest Day of the Year
Yom Kippur, the awesome 'Day of Atonement,' is not only the holiest day of the year...it's also the happiest day of the year. On this day, the world is bathed in a great light of Divine love and forgiveness. But to avail ourselves of its power, we have to be present and focused on 'teshuva' -...
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The Renewal of All Creation
The holiday of Rosh Hashanah marks not only the beginning of a new year...it is the time when God recreates a completely new world. Every human being -- all Adam's descendants -- are judged and given new life at this holy time. We endeavor to recognize and declare the sovereignty of the Creator,...
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"You Are All Standing Today Before God.."
In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore some of the profound themes of the Torah portions of Nitzavim-Vayelech, as the final Shabbat of the year leads us toward Rosh Hashanah. Moshe renews the covenant with Israel one last time, emphasizing personal and...
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It's All A Gift
The theme of the Torah portion Ki Tavo (Deut. 26:1) is particularly powerful during this month of Elul. In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman find that the portion itself seems to contain two utterly different worlds: The farmer walking on a pilgrimage to...
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Finding Holiness Where You Least Expect It
There's a thread running through this week's Torah portion of Ki Teitzei: there are holy things in this world that have gone into 'spiritual captivity,' and the work of teshuva (sincere return) is not merely to defeat evil, but to recover that which has been captured. In this week's edition of…
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Welcoming the Amazing Month of Elul
The new month of Elul is upon us, and this week's Torah portion of parashat Shoftim (Deut. 16:18) always falls out at the beginning of this month. The powerful subjects in this Torah portion-- judgement, self-discipline, leadership, prophecy, refuge, warfare and more-- all have spiritual…
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Torah's Most Deliberate Mystery
As the concept of the Holy Temple slowly emerges in the pages of Deuteronomy, Torah is coy...rather than revealing its Divinely-chosen location, the verses describe it mysteriously as 'the place that He will choose to place His Name.' Why was it left to David and Samuel, much later in history, to...
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A Celebration of Divine Love
This week's edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on the ancient, Biblical holiday of 'Tu B'Av' - the Fifteenth of the month of Menachem Av, occurring this year on Wednesday, July 29th. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman delve deeply into the rich teachings of the sages that illuminate…
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Why Do We Mourn?
The observance of the fast day of Tisha B’Av this week (July 23) will mark 1956 years since the destruction of the Holy Temple. The rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem is a Torah commandment, and anticipated by every prophet of Israel. But what relevance does the distant memory of the Holy…
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The Torah of Moshe
The Book of Deuteronomy is called 'Devarim' in Hebrew, literally 'words.' This week's parashat Devarim begins the farewell address of Moses to his beloved people of Israel, 5 weeks before he passes from this world. This fifth book of Torah is uniquely different from the others...it is emanating...
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Speech is Divine
Parashat Matot, the first of this week's double Torah portions of Matot-Masei, (beginning in Numbers 30), opens with the subject of oaths and vows. Man’s ability to speak is a true reflection of the Divine image in which he is created, and his words have the power to create-- as well as to…
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Pinchas, Leader for a New Generation
In the Torah portion of Pinchas (Num. 25:10), Pinchas, grandson of the High Priest Aaron, 'zealously avenged God's vengeance' and received both a covenant of peace, and a covenant of eternal priesthood. Who was this man? What empowered his deed, and what is the nature of this special status he…
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Bilaam, Heathen Prophet of Anger
The Torah portion of Balak introduces us to the shadowy character of Bilaam, a heathen prophet who tried to manipulate G-d's will to suit his own agenda. He was an itinerant occultist who, way back then, sought to prove that Israel does not have the right to exist. In this week's Jerusalem Lights...
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The Wisdom of Not Knowing
In this era of AI, humans are inundated with information, and the answer to any question is just a click away. But yet the Torah portion of Chukat, with its inscrutable ordinance of the Red Heifer, conveys a different message: There are mysteries in this world; sacred secrets that we will never...
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Parashat Shelach: The Unforgivable Sin of Slandering the Land of Israel
Everything begins to unravel for the Generation of the Desert in the Torah portion of Shelach. The debacle of the sin of the spies leaves its mark on the nation for generations to come, leading to the tragedies of Tisha B'Av and changing history forever. In this week's edition of the Jerusalem...
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Parashat Behalotcha 5786 | The Illusion of Desire
The Torah portion of Behalotcha presents a 'slice of life' of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness. It opens with the inspiring scene of Aaron lighting the flames of the golden menorah at G-d's command, literally 'be'halotcha,' causing the lights to rise straight up. In this week's Jerusalem...
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The Timeless Lessons of the Nazirite and Sotah
Why is there now a divergence between the weekly Torah reading in the Land of Israel, and that of the rest of the world, over the next few weeks? In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the inner meaning of this temporary disparity. Our hosts share their...
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The Sinai Revolution Bedrock of Faith
This week we will be observing the Festival of Shavuot (literally, 'Weeks'), also called the Festival of First Fruits. It's the anniversary of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, known as 'the Sinai Revelation.' This seminal occurrence is the fount from which knowledge of Torah flows…
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Samuel the Prophet and Jerusalem: An Inseparable
The 28th day of the month of Iyar is 'Jerusalem Day,' a modern-day holiday of Biblical proportions. This is the anniversary of the day, 59 years ago, that Jerusalem was liberated and unified under Jewish sovereignty in the miraculous 1967 Six Day War. In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim...
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Lag B'Omer Insights: Moshe, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon
This week Israel observed the 'minor' holiday of Lag B'Omer - the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer. What is the story behind this day? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on the history of the great sage Rabbi Akiva and his student Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who rebelled against Roman...
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The Holiday of Second Chances
In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman find great inspiration in the many deep teachings contained in this week's Torah portion of Emor. Our hosts reflect on the unique Divine guidelines entrusted to the kohanim, the descendants of Aaron who serve in the Holy...
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Reflections On Israel Independence Day
In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share their perspectives on the miracle that is the State of Israel, and the connections between Israel's Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Independence Day, and this week's Torah portions. Our hosts reflect on Israel's...
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Frequency of Spiritual Sensitivity
This week's double Torah readings of the portions of Tazria and Metzora focus on the high level of spiritual sensitivity that Torah beckons us to cultivate: sensitivity to the miracle of birth, to relationships, to how we treat others… and to how we speak about others. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim...
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Why Passover Matters To You
Passover is fast approaching...the universal Festival of Redemption. 'Chag HaPesach' marks the Exodus from Egypt and the birth of Israel as a nation, yet Passover also beckons to all people, Jew and Gentile alike, to renew faith and grab hold of true freedom...to march forward in a personal…
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The Mystery of the Small Alep5
This week witnesses the confluence of the entrance of the new month of Nisan, and the beginning of the weekly cycle of Torah readings in the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus). What's the connection? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the mysterious personal call of Leviticus, and the magnificent...
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Building the Tanbernacle: A Mirror of Creation
In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on some of the spiritual implications of 'Operation Roaring Lion,' Israel's pre-emptive strike against Iran's rulers who had boasted of their plans of Israel's destruction. As the Hebrew calendar prepares to...
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What Is the Urim and Tummim?
This week's Torah portion of Tetzaveh (Ex.27:20-30:10) mysteriously omits the name of Moshe, and though his presence is hidden, he is very much on the scene. But what's that all about? In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore this theme of hiddenness -- a...
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From Mount Sinai to the Holy Temple
The indescribable event of the Giving of Torah at Mount Sinai, highlighted by the Voice of G-d and the highest prophetic revelation, is grounded onto the earth through the Divine commandments that relate to the sanctification of everyday life, and circumstances of human interaction and conflict...
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The Greatest of the True Spiritual Seekers
Moshe's father-in-law Jethro, Yitro in Hebrew, had been the world's foremost pagan priest and idolatrous practitioner...but then he turned his life around completely, declaring that the God of Israel is the One True God. How does such a turnabout happen? What was the price he paid for clinging to...
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The Two Halves of Torah: The Symbiosis of Sinai
What is the true connection between the Tanach – the Written Torah – and the vast body of teachings that has been handed down ever since the Sinai Revelation, known as the Oral Torah? In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine the sacred origin of this…
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What Really Happened During the Plague of Darkness? And Other Exodus Questions
If free choice is of preeminent importance, why did God 'take away' Pharaoh's free choice by 'strengthening his heart?' Why did God initially command Moses to ask Pharaoh for permission for a three-day leave, if the intention was never to return? What happened to 4/5 of the Israelites who did not...
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I Will Be What I Will Be
As this week's Torah portion of Va'era begins, God seeks to clarify His Name...identifying Himself as YHVH, 'Hashem,' a name that 'He did not make known' (Ex. 6:3) to the forefathers. What is it about the Redemption from Egypt that demonstrates the uniqueness of God's name? How do we understand…
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The Forging of a Nation
As the drama of Egyptian exile begins to unfold in this week's Torah portion of Shemot, the family of Jacob begins to transition into the nation of Israel. The deepest truth is that this exile was written into Israel destiny long before...it has its roots in Abraham's prophetic experience at the...
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The Kiss of the Soul
What is the secret that the patriarch Yaakov knew about the 'Shema Yisrael' ('Hear O Israel) prayer - the Torah's famous declaration of God's unique Oneness? And why do we close our eyes when we recite it? In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share ideas that...
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Channeling the Hidden Light of Creation
What is the true significance of the beloved holiday of Chanukah? What secret is conveyed by the 36 lights that are kindled over the holiday? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore the depth and meaning of Chanukah, its connection to Adam, the first man, and its eternal themes of spiritual...
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Thoreau, the Baal Shem Tov and Yaakov Avinu
In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long wraps up his trip to Israel before heading back to Arkansas with the story of his trip to Amman, Jordan - but wait for the surprise ending! Our hosts ponder the meaning of the sages' enigmatic expression, reflecting vast theological truths, that...
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Discussing the Holy Temple Incense and the Noach Project
Jim Long is in Israel this week working on an exciting project: the filming of a new documentary on the elusive subject of the Holy Temple Incense. Jim shares some details about this project, and his research, in this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast. Our hosts also discuss, with great…
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Keturah - the Mystery Woman
The beginning of Chapter 25 in the Torah portion of Chayei Sarah features several enigmatic and mysterious verses. Torah speaks of Abraham taking another wife after Sarah's death...Keturah. What is the true identity of this woman? What is the meaning of the 'gifts' that Abraham gave to his other...
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Avraham's Amazing Hospitality: Imitating God
In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts discuss the forefather Abraham's amazing dedication to caring for strangers, a reflection of his dedication to all Hashem's creations...even praying for the wicked people of Sodom to be spared in the merit of a few righteous. Jim Long and Rabbi...
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The Hidden Hand of HaShem in History
In this first new episode in several weeks of our Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman are excited to be back together, as they examine some of the unusual aspects of this week's Torah portion of Lech Lecha: Abraham and Sarah begin to set the stage of history in ways that…
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The Universal Yom Kippur Experience
What is the secret of repentance and how does one actually go about it? What does 'atonement' mean and what is so special about Yom Kippur, the 'Day of Atonement', when we pray for our names to be 'sealed' in the Book of Life? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman prepare for the arrival of the…
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The Sound of the Shofar
Rosh Hashanah is almost here…but it's not the 'Jewish' New Year! It's Adam's birthday, and the most significant day of the year, 'New Years Day' for the whole world...the time of judgment for all his descendants. In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman talk about...
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Return To Your True Self
This month of Elul is the month of return; a time for forgiveness and reconciliation; of acts of kindness, and sincere self-examination. Elul is not only about believing in G-d...it beckons us to start to truly believe in ourselves; in our own potential to re-connect with our true selves. In this...
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The Lifeblood of Creation
The Torah portion of Re'eh features the slow and subtle reveal of 'the Place that He will choose', where the Creator will rest His name in this world, ultimately, in the prophetic vision of the future, all creation will be rectified....ushering in the final era of universal harmony throughout all...
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Blood, Sweat and Tears
In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Rabbi Chaim Richman shares his experiences of prayer on the Temple Mount, and the odyssey of a prayer journey to the graves of the tzaddikim (the righteous) in Ukraine. What is the concept of prayer at these places? What is the 'pitchfork' of prayer, and…
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Spiritual Center For All Mankind
Why do we still mourn the loss of the Holy Temple 1,955 years after its destruction? What is missing from the world without it, and what would it mean to have it back again? What is the true message of Tisha B'Av for Israel and the whole world? In this week's Jerusalem Lights Podcast, Jim Long…
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Death Is Not the End
This week's reading of the two Torah portions of Mattot and Masei bring the Book of Numbers to a close, as Moshe prepares the people for battle with Midian, even as he knows his departure from this world will follow. But what does it really mean for an immortal soul to leave this world? Why does...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Hosts Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long discuss the beauty and universality of the eternal Torah and its accessibility and vital connection to every individual: Torah For Everyone
HOSTED BY
Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Jerusalem Lights have?
Jerusalem Lights currently has 296 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Jerusalem Lights about?
Hosts Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long discuss the beauty and universality of the eternal Torah and its accessibility and vital connection to every individual: Torah For Everyone
How often does Jerusalem Lights release new episodes?
Jerusalem Lights publishes regularly with 296 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Jerusalem Lights?
You can listen to Jerusalem Lights on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Jerusalem Lights?
Jerusalem Lights is created and hosted by Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long.
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