PODCAST · religion
Life Imitates Torah
by Maharat Ruth Friedman
Join Maharat Ruth for a weekly podcast: "Life Imitates Torah," as she explores relevant topics in the weekly Parsha to enhance our lives.
Episodes
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Matot-Masei 5782
Parashat Masei opens with a long and detailed recounting of all of the Israelites' journeys throughout the wilderness. This list takes up 49 verses, which prompts us to ask the basic question of why God felt that this should be included in the Torah. In this week's episode we contrast Rashi's...
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Pinchas 5782
Parashat Pinchas contains the beginning of the story of B'not Tzlofchad, and then the conclusion is at the end of Parashat Masei. In each of these places the 5 daughters' names are mentioned, but they appear in a different order. In this week's episode we discuss a gemara in Bava Batra that...
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Balak 5782
The story of Balak and Bilaam is oddly out of place in the Torah; it doesn't concern the Israelites, nor does it affect them. This forces us to ask the question of - why is this story in the Torah? What does it come to teach us? In this week's episode we consider one possible answer to this...
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Chukat 5782
Parashat Chukat contains the brief story of Israel's encounter with Edom as they marched through the wilderness. In this week's episode we discuss this interaction and its significance in the story of Yaakov and Esav.
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Korach 5782
Parashat Korach tells the incredible story of a man who led an uprising against Moshe and Aharon's authority. In this week's episode we take a careful look at what the complaints were, and what the story can teach us about toxic leadership. This week's sound effects are brought to you by Cocoa…
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Behaalotcha 5782
Parashat Behaalotcha is wonderfully rich with short incidents that happened to Moshe and the nation in the midbar. One of them is the story of Eldad and Medad, which strikes us as a tense exchange between Moshe and Yehoshua. In this week's episode we discuss the story of Eldad and Medad in…
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Nasso 5782
Parashat Nasso is named for the opening command to count the members of the family of Gershon, Levi's oldest son. The commentators ask why Gershon is counted second, when he is the first born. In this week's episode we study their responses, and explore how this process serves as a corrective for...
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BaMidbar 5782
Parashat BaMidbar is largely devoted to getting the nation organized on what is supposed to be the eve of their entering the land of Israel. Part of this process involves dividing up the camp by tribe, each with a corresponding banner (or flag). In this week's episode we examine three…
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Bechukotai 5782
Parashat Bechukotai is one of two parshiyot in the Torah that contains the tochecha, or God's warning to the people about the numerous ways that God will afflict them if they do not heed God's commandments when they enter the land of Israel. One of the key words in this section is קרי, a word…
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Kedoshim 5782
The 5th pasuk of our parsha tells us that a sacrifice can only be offered to God if there is a רצון, or a will. This opens a big question - is it according to God's will, or our own? In this week episode we consider three different opinions, and what this can teach us about the true meaning of...
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Acharei Mot 5782
In the first verse of our parsha, God speaks to Moshe after the death of Aharon's two sons. However, the Torah does not actually tell us what they discussed. In this week's parsha we look at these verses more closely through the lens of Rashi and the Kli Yakar, and consider what the connection is...
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Metzora 5782
Chapter 14 of Parashat Metzora details the purification process for the metzora, including the application of blood to the right ear, right thumb, and right big toe. In this week's episode we consider the meaning of this process and how it affected the psyche of the metzora.
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Tazria 5782
Parashat Tazria opens with the laws of purification for a woman after childbirth. These laws differ between boys and girls, and clearly favor boys over girls. In this week's parsha we contrast these attitudes with contemporary American society, and consider the fragility of women and childbirth.
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Shemini 5782
In the beginning of parashat Shemini, Aharon has the opportunity to offer an egel, or calf, as part of the inauguration of the mishkan as a means of closing the chapter on the sin of the golden calf. However, as soon as that situation is resolved, he is thrust into another tragedy - the loss of…
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Vayikra 5782
There is a classic debate between the Rambam and the Ramban regarding the significance of sacrifices; are they a way to worship God in concert with how other nations worshipped at the time, or is there a greater meaning behind slaughtering an animal to atone for your sins? This week we discuss…
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Pekudei 5782
After Moshe assembles the mishkan at the end of our parsha, Hashem's presence fills the space. As the Torah explicitly tells us, once Hashem's presence filled the mishkan, Moshe was not allowed in. In this week's episode we discuss the significance of this and what it teaches us about how the...
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Vayakhel 5782
One of the mysteries of the mishkan is where all of the rare and expensive materials used to build it actually came from. In this week's episode we study a machloket between Rashi and Ibn Ezra and discuss the tension between fantasy and reality in our interpretation of the Torah.
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Ki Tisa 5782
At the end of our parsha Moshe comes down from the mountain with the two tablets. The torah says קרן עור פניו, or literally that the skin of his face was horned. In this week's episode we discuss three different interpretations of this perplexing description, and the different religious attitudes...
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Tetzaveh 5782
Parashat Tetzaveh details the instructions to make the special clothing for the kohanim. God describes the garments as being for "kavod and tiferet," or "honor and glory." In this week's episode we study three rabbinic interpretations of these two words and what they can teach us about the...
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Mishpatim 5782
Parashat Mishpatim opens with the laws of the Hebrew slave. Coming right after the Exodus, these laws can be uncomfortable to study. In this week's episode we look at the experience of the Hebrew slave in greater detail and consider a way to view it not as a situation of submission, but of...
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Yitro 5782
The commandment not to covet our neighbors family and property is a fascinating commentary on human nature. In this week's episode we study three rabbinic understandings of this commandment, and what they can teach us about society and ourselves.
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Beshalach 5782
In chapter 14 verse 8 the Torah tells us that the Israelites left Egypt ביד רמה, or with a raised arm. In this week's episode we study different interpretations of this phrase and why it is significant for our understanding of power and victimhood.
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Bo 5782
In Parashat Bo God gives the Israelites the mitzvah of the korban Pesach in "real time" - as they are preparing to leave Egypt. In this week's episode we explore the mitzvah of placing the blood on the doorpost of the house and discuss the practical and emotional effects this had on the…
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Shemot 5782
The 8th pasuk of the Book of Shemot represents the turning point in the Israelites' story in Egypt - A new king arose in Egypt who did not know Yosef. In this episode we discuss this pasuk in detail and what the gemara in Sanhedrin can teach us about the significance of memory in Egypt.
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Vayechi 5782
"Vayechi" means "and he lived." This seemingly innocuous statement is actually profound, given that until now Yaakov has focused his life's legacy around his death. In this episode we discuss the role of death and life in the parsha and what this can teach us about how we craft our life narratives.
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Vayigash 5782
Parashat Vayigash is named for the manner in which Yehuda approaches Yosef to reverse the terrible course that the previous parsha left us with. In this week's episode we study the word "vayigash" in great detail to understand the significance of Yehuda's intervention, and what this can teach us...
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Miketz 5782
Last year we studied Yosef's ascent into the highest echelon of Egyptian power and how this ascent reflected on him. This year we examine this ascent in greater detail and discuss what it meant for both the Egyptians and the Israelites, and the eventual dismantling of the fantasy of life in Egypt.
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Vayeishev 5782
Parashat Vayeishev tells the the first chapters of the disastrous story of Yosef and his brothers. In a curious scene in the second aliyah, Yaakov instructs Yosef to go down to Shechem and see how his brothers are doing. In this episode we consider the Seforno's interpretation of Yaakov's...
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Vayishlach 5782
The first half of Parashat Vayishlach provides a detailed account of the preparation for, and then the actual scene, of the final encounter between Yaakov and Esav. The last time they have seen each other is 20 years ago, when Yaakov stole the blessing and Esav vowed to kill him. Though the scene...
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Vayeitze 5782
When Yaakov arrives in Haran he finds a group of shepherds at the well. They give him the impression that removing the stone from the well to access the water is a serious process that requires multiple people. Much to our surprise, Yaakov then seems to easily remove the stone himself to water...
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Toldot 5782
Parashat Toldot contains the iconic scene of Yaakov stealing the blessing from his brother Esav. This scene is emblematic of their family's dysfunction, and can be analyzed through many lenses. This week we center our study around the word ציד, or hunt, to help us understand the sources of...
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Chayei Sarah 5782
Right before Avraham appoints Eliezer to go find a wife for Yitzchak the Torah tells us that God had blessed Avraham "bakol" - in everything. In this week's episode we study different interpretations of what it means to be blessed in life, and what we are supposed to do with these blessings.
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Vayera 5782
Parashat Vayera opens with the iconic scene of Avraham waiting for guests at the entrance of his tent, in the heat of the day. This scene becomes the model for welcoming guests, which is a key value in Jewish life. In this episode we consider this story with a more critical lens, and discuss how…
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Lech Lecha 5782
Parashat Lech Lecha introduces us to Avraham, yet the Torah does not actually provide any clues as to who he was. In this week's episode we consider Avraham's mysterious identity, and why God chose to leave out any background information.
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Noach 5782
In parashat Noach God makes the radical decision to destroy the world because "the earth had been corrupted and was filled with lawlessness." In this week's episode we discuss the different interpretations of what was so egregious about humanity's actions, and study a fascinating midrash about...
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Breishit 5782
On the surface, the story of Kayin and Hevel seems like a simple story of ruthless murder, and punishment. However, upon close examination of the language and rabbinic sources, the moral ambiguity of the story becomes clear. In this episode we touch on the points of moral complexity, and study a...
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Vayeilech 5782
Moshe opens Parashat Vayeilech by reminding the nation that he will not be able to join them on the next step of their journey to the land of Israel. The mefarshim ask why the verse first says "vayeilech," or "Moshe walked," before he shares this message. In this week's episode we study three...
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Nitzavim 5781
When Moshe speaks about the covenant between God and the Jewish people he refers to it both as a brit and as an alah. In this week's episode we examine the word alah and its connection to Sotah, and discuss why Moshe chose to portray the covenant using this word.
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Ki Tavo 5781
One of the blessings in Parashat Ki Tavo is that, if the Jewish people listen to God's commandments, we will be like the head (rosh) and not the zanav (tail). In this week's episode we study different rabbinic interpretations of this verse, and what it means for our second High Holiday season...
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Ki Teitze 5781
Parashat Ki Teitze teaches laws about maintaining the dignity and sanctity of the camp when Israelite troops go to war. In this week's episode we study these verses in detail. We then discuss the Ramban's interpretation of these laws, and what they can teach us about the importance of maintaining...
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Re'eh 5781
In Chapter 12 of Devarim Moshe provides a series of rules and regulations regarding sacrifices and meat consumption. In this week's episode we review these in detail, and discuss how they prepared the Israelites for a life of meat consumption in the Land of Israel.
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Eikev 5781
In Parashat Eikev Moshe continues to implore the Israelites to continue in God's path when they enter the land of Israel. He portrays the Israelites' future security and success as a system of meritocracy; if they listen to God's commandments, God will reward them and they will flourish. In this...
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Vaetchanan 5781
Parashat Vaetchanan opens with Moshe's plea to God to reverse the decree and allow him into the Land of Israel. We can feel Moshe's despair and sadness as he details God's angry refusal, and the compromise of Moshe being able to go up and see the land from afar. In this episode we study this…
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Devarim 5781
Sefer Devarim is a series of Moshe's speeches to the Israelites before he dies and they enter the land of Israel without him. In this week's episode we introduce the book, and discuss two of the stories in the parsha - the spies, and the Edomites - to help understand the psychological tools Moshe...
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Matot-Masei 5781
The end of the book of BaMidbar is an epilogue to the story of Bnot Tzlofchad that is found in Parashat Pinchas. This epilogue serves as an important modifier of the original story. In this week's episode we study both components of the story in detail, and challenge ourselves to think about our...
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Pinchas 5781
Pinchas is the first קנאי, or zealot, featured in Tanach. Though Pinchas is rewarded for his behavior, the text is ambiguous about whether zealotry was a positive or negative. In this episode we explore that question further through a study of the word קנא in the Torah, and consider the common...
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Balak 5781
One of the mysteries of the story of Balak is why it is in the Torah at all; it does not involve any of the Israelites, nor does it have an impact on their lives, so its impact is unclear. In this week's episode we discuss the major themes of Balak and Bilaam's story, and its connections to…
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Chukat 5781
The ritual of the parah adumah, or the red heifer, is one of the best examples of a chok, or a ritual law that we do not understand. In this week's episode we examine two opposing rabbinic approaches to the concept of chok, and discuss the human experience of grappling with the unknowable.
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Korach 5781
The story of Korach is unequivocally a story of disaster. In this week's episode we examine this story in greater detail to ascertain exactly why the factions of rebels were complaining, why their punishment was so severe, and what this teaches us about how we treat each others in moments of crisis.
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Shlach 5781
In this week's episode we consider the Israelites' true fear of the Land of Israel and why the scouts' report struck such a strong chord with them. Recorded from Jerusalem!
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Join Maharat Ruth for a weekly podcast: "Life Imitates Torah," as she explores relevant topics in the weekly Parsha to enhance our lives.
HOSTED BY
Maharat Ruth Friedman
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How many episodes does Life Imitates Torah have?
Life Imitates Torah currently has 98 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Life Imitates Torah about?
Join Maharat Ruth for a weekly podcast: "Life Imitates Torah," as she explores relevant topics in the weekly Parsha to enhance our lives.
How often does Life Imitates Torah release new episodes?
Life Imitates Torah has 98 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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Who hosts Life Imitates Torah?
Life Imitates Torah is created and hosted by Maharat Ruth Friedman.
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