Pardes from Jerusalem
by Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
Pardes from Jerusalem features a weekly discussion using Torah, Talmud and other Jewish texts to explain themes from the weekly Torah portion. The Pardes faculty is featured each week. For more information about all Pardes programs and events visit www.pardes.org.il.
Episodes
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Vayera 5787: Through Different Eyes
Can we choose to see hope when all we see is uncertainty? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Deborah Anstandig explore the power of perspective in Parshat Vayera. Through the stories of Hagar, Sarah, and Avraham, they examine how fear, despair, and uncertainty can shape what we are able to see....
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Lech Lecha 5787: The Courage to Go
How do we know when it's time to leave the familiar behind? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Yiscah Smith explore Avraham’s response to the call of Lech Lecha and what it means to leave the familiar behind. Was Avraham motivated by personal benefit, love, or a deeper sense of purpose? Through...
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Noach 5787: Beyond Leadership
Do you have to be a leader to make a difference? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Tani Cohen-Fraade revisit the complicated character of Noach. Was he truly righteous, or did his silence in the face of destruction reveal his limitations? Exploring different interpretations of Parshat Noach,...
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Bereshit 5787: In the Divine Image
What does it really mean to be created in God’s image? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Michael Hattin explore one of the Torah’s most intriguing descriptions of humanity: “Let us make the human in our image.” Through different readings of this puzzling verse in Parshat Bereshit, they...
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Sukkot 5787: Joy in the Unknown.
What if letting go of control is actually the key to joy? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Reuven Margrett explore why Sukkot, coming on the heels of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is called zman simchateinu—the time of our joy. They consider how the holidays form a single journey: from...
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Haazinu 5787: Words That Endure
What does it mean to teach without knowing what will take root? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Dr. Ales Weiss explore Moshe’s transformation from a reluctant speaker into the poet of Parshat Ha’azinu. They consider the poetry of Ha’azinu as an act of acceptance: after a lifetime of leading,...
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Rosh Hashana 5787: When the Shofar Is Silent
What can the absence of the shofar teach us about how we approach God? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explore what happens when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat and the shofar—the holiday’s defining sound—is absent. Looking beyond the practical rabbinic concern...
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Nitzavim-Vayelech 5786: What We Leave Behind
What do we hope will remain of our teachings when we are no longer there to teach them? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Deborah Anstandig explore Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech through Moses’ final days as teacher and leader. As Moses prepares the people for a future without him, he offers...
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Ki Tavo 5786: Choosing Together
How much of our responsibility belongs to us alone? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Daniel Reifman explore Parshat Iand the covenantal ceremony at Har Gerizim and Har Eval. Comparing it with Sinai, they ask how Torah balances individual choice with collective responsibility. What...
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Ki Tetze 5786: Choosing to See
What changes when we choose to truly notice the people around us? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Aviva Lauer explore Parshat Ki Tetze and what everyday mitzvot can teach us about how we treat others. Through the mother bird and the obligation to return lost property, they consider what it...
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Shoftim 5768: The Work of Justice
What does it take to build a society where justice is truly shared? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Tani Cohen-Fraade explore Parshat Shoftim and the Torah’s vision for building a just society. Through judges, kings, priests, and prophets, they consider why leadership requires different…
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Re'eh 5786: Seeing Blessing
What does it really mean to "see" God's presence in everyday life? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Yiscah Smith explore Parshat Re'eh through Moshe's opening command, "See." Drawing on the Malbim, Hasidic thought, Rabbi Alan Lew, and the prophet Amos, they examine how mitzvot become...
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Ekev 5786: Learning to Begin Again
What if our failures aren't the end of the story—but the place where real growth begins? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explore Parshat Ekev and Moses' surprisingly stern message to the Jewish people before they enter the Land of Israel. Looking beyond the...
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Va’etchanan 5786: The Purpose of Prayer
What if the deepest purpose of prayer isn't to change God—but to change us? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg explore Parshat Va’etchanan through Moses’ heartfelt plea to enter the Land of Israel. Reflecting on unanswered prayer, they ask whether the deepest purpose of...
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Devarim 5786: The Burden of Leadership
How do we know when humility is helping us—and when it’s holding us back? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Aviva Lauer explore Parshat Devarim through the inner world of Moses as he prepares to say goodbye to the Jewish people. Focusing on the repeated phrase rav lachem ("enough" or "you have...
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Mattot Masei 5786: Torah in Conversation
What if the deepest expression of Torah isn't having the right answers—but being willing to listen? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Rafael Polisuk conclude the Book of Bamidbar by exploring why it ends not with a dramatic event, but with a legal conversation. Through the laws of vows…
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Pinchas 5786: Voices That Change Us
How can a tradition stay true to its values while continuing to grow? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Leon Morris explore the story of the Daughters of Tzelofchad in Parshat Pinchas and what it teaches about change within tradition. By courageously bringing their case before Moses…
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Balak 5786: One God, Many People
Can we hold on to what makes us different while still recognizing what unites us? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Moshe Silver explore the strange and fascinating story of Balaam in Parshat Balak. Why does an outsider become the source of some of the Torah’s most enduring blessings?...
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Chukat 5786: The End of the Journey
What does it mean to devote your life to a goal you may never live to see fulfilled? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Michael Hattin explore Parshat Chukat and the mysterious episode of Moses striking the rock. Set against the backdrop of Miriam’s death and the transition to a new...
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Korach 5786: The Price of Leadership
How do we balance the desire for equality with the need for leadership? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbanit Dr. Yosefa Vogel-Rubel explore Parshat Korach and the challenge of leadership in a community under strain. Looking beyond the rebellion itself, they focus on its aftermath—how the...
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Shlach 5786: Faith and Failure
How do we know when caution is wisdom—and when it’s holding us back? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explore the story of the spies in Parshat Shlach and its connection to Tisha B’Av. Reflecting on the people’s fear of entering the Land of Israel, they examine…
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Beha'alotcha 5786: The Edge of Belonging
What does it take to move from the edge of belonging into shared commitment? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Deborah Anstandig explore Parshat Beha’alotcha as the Jewish people prepare to begin their journey through the wilderness. Focusing on Moses’ invitation to Chovav to join the...
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Shavuot 5786: Beyond Obligation
What happens when we stop asking what’s required of us—and start asking what more we can do? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Daniel Reifman explore Megillat Ruth and the relationship between law and kindness. Through the choices of Ruth, Boaz, and the often-overlooked Orpah, they...
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Bamidbar 5786: Jerusalem Together
What kind of Jerusalem are we hoping to build together? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Tovah Leah Nachmani reflect on Parshat Bamidbar and the meaning of Yom Yerushalayim. Framing the Jewish journey through the wilderness as an ongoing process of growth and becoming, they explore Jerusalem...
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Behar–Bechukotai 5786: Limits and Responsibility
What kind of responsibility do we carry for the world we’re living in? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Aviva Lauer explore Parshat Behar–Bechukotai and the connection between social responsibility and spiritual consequence. Through the laws of Shemitah and Yovel, they examine how the Torah...
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Emor 5786: Meeting in Time
What if the holidays are less about remembering—and more about connecting? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Rafael Polisuk explore Parshat Emor and the meaning of sacred time. Focusing on the idea of moed, they suggest that holidays are not only about remembering the past, but about...
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Kedoshim 5786: Learning to Love
What does it take to truly love your neighbor as yourself? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explore Parshat Kedoshim and its central call: “You shall be holy.” Moving from foundational commandments to the demand to love one’s neighbor, they examine how holiness…
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Tazria–Metzora 5786: Embodied Holiness
Can distance be a necessary part of spiritual life? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash explore Parshat Tazria–Metzora and the Torah’s complex treatment of the human body. Through discussions of ritual impurity, illness, and healing, they challenge the assumption...
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Shemini 5786: Discipline and Holiness
What if holiness begins not in peak moments—but in everyday acts of restraint? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Michael Hattin explore Parshat Shemini, moving from the dramatic highs and tragic lows of the Mishkan’s inauguration to the everyday discipline of kashrut. They examine why…
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Pesach 5786: Rethinking the Seder
What would change if we designed the Seder to be experienced—not just completed? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Aviva Lauer explore how the structure of the Seder shapes our experience of the Exodus story. Through creative reinterpretation and educational insight, they ask whether the...
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Vayikra 5786: The Call Within
What might it mean if the Torah’s opening “call” is meant for each of us? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Yiscah Smith open the Book of Vayikra by exploring the meaning of God’s “calling” to Moses. Rather than seeing korbanot merely as ancient sacrifices, they reflect on them as a path…
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Vayakhel-Pehudei 5786: Sacred Reflection
Can self-reflection become a path to holiness? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash explore Parshat Vayakhel–Pekudei through a striking detail of the Mishkan: the women’s mirrors used to create the basin for the priests. Drawing on Midrash and interpretation, they...
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Purim 5786: Wealth and Power
What does Jewish tradition teach about the right way to use wealth and power? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbanit Shalhevet Cahana explore Parshat Ki Tisa and the story of Purim through the lens of wealth and power. From the mitzvah of the machatzit hashekel to the lavish excess of...
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Purim 5786: When Celebration Challenges Us
How do we remain faithful to tradition when a sacred text makes us uncomfortable? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Daniel Reifman take a thoughtful look at one of the hardest parts of Megillat Esther—the battle scenes at the end of the story. As Purim approaches, they explore...
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Trumah 5786: Building for God
If God wants to dwell among us, what are we building to make that possible? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Raphael Polisuk explore Parshat Trumah and the surprising claim that the Mishkan is not a detour from Sinai, but its fulfillment. They trace how the language of holiness, fire…
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Mishpatim 5786: Power and Responsibility
How does Torah teach us to use power without abusing it? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explore Parshat Mishpatim as the Torah’s first sustained encounter with law—and what it reveals about human power and moral responsibility. They examine why revelation leads...
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Yitro 5786: A People with a Mission
What responsibility comes with being chosen? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Mike Feuer explore Parshat Yitro and the surprising choice to frame the revelation at Sinai through the presence of Yitro, an outsider. They examine how the Torah presents Jewish chosenness not as exclusivity,...
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Beshalach 5786: Jumping into Freedom
What does it take to truly cross from survival into freedom? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Yiscah Smith explore Parshat Beshalach through the lens of trauma, freedom, and spiritual courage. They examine why the Israelites are not ready for battle, why song only emerges after the splitting…
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Bo 5786: Redemption and Repair
Does true redemption include repair for those who caused harm? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Aviva Lauer explore Parshat Bo through a troubling command: the Israelites’ request for silver and gold from the Egyptians. They unpack why this moment feels ethically uncomfortable and trace how...
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Vaera 5786: Unworthy No More
Can redemption begin if we don’t yet believe we deserve it? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Judy Klitzner explore Parshat Va’era at its lowest point, when redemption seems to move backward and hope feels out of reach. Through close literary reading, they trace how slavery erodes self-worth,...
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Shemot 5786: The Power of Seeing
If redemption begins with seeing, what are we choosing not to see? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Daniel Reifman explore Parshat Shemot as a story shaped by anonymity, forgetting, and the struggle to know—God, others, and ourselves. They trace how the absence of names and divine...
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VaYechi 5768: Shared Responsibility (correction)
What does Jewish leadership demand in uncertain times? In this episode, a conversation on Jewish leadership and communal responsibility explores how Torah values shape philanthropy and public life today. Zvi Hirschfield speaks with Pardes alumnus Marc Baker about moral vision, collective...
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Vayigash 5768: The Power of Remembering
Who carries our collective memory when others forget? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash explore Parshat Vayigash through the remarkable midrashic figure of Serach bat Asher. They trace how Serach becomes a guardian of memory—gently revealing Yosef’s survival to...
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Miketz 5786: Yosef’s Return
Is Yosef testing his brothers—or struggling to reclaim his own identity? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explore Parshat Miketz through Yosef’s puzzling treatment of his brothers and the deeper questions it raises about anger, revenge, and responsibility. They...
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Vayeishev 5786: Grief and Bad Decisions
How does unresolved grief shape the choices we make—and the people we become? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Aviva Lauer explore Parshat Vayeishev through the lens of grief and the ways unresolved pain shapes Yaakov’s choices. They examine how the Torah’s seemingly hopeful…
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Vayishlach 5786: Living the Struggle
Can confronting ourselves be the key to transformation? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Tal Sessler explore Parshat Vayishlach as a story of identity, fear, and the lifelong struggle to integrate competing parts of the self. They examine Yaakov as the Torah’s first refugee, his...
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Vayetze 5786: Struggle and Becoming
Can we truly change—or do we grow by struggling with who we already are? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Deborah Anstandig explore Parshat Vayetze through Yaakov’s twenty years in the house of Lavan—not as a tale of transformation, but of confronting the self we already are. They trace...
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Toldot 5786: Words that shape worlds
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Raphael Polisuk explore Parshat Toldot through the lens of prayer, blessing, and the extraordinary power of human speech. They discuss Yitzchak’s deeply active model of prayer—la’ator, a language of turning reality—and how the rabbis imagine his tefillah...
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Chayei Sarah 5786: Life after loss
How do we transform loss into legacy? In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash explore Parshat Chayei Sarah as a meditation on grief, memory, and legacy. They discuss Avraham’s careful purchase of the burial cave as the first act of rootedness in the Land of Israel…
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Vayera 5786: In Service of Faith
In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Mike Feuer explore Parshat Vayera through the story of the Akeidah, reframing it not as Avraham’s test, but as Yitzchak’s act of awareness and choice. They discuss agency, sacrifice, and what it means to go beyond one’s limits in service of something...
About this show
Pardes from Jerusalem features a weekly discussion using Torah, Talmud and other Jewish texts to explain themes from the weekly Torah portion. The Pardes faculty is featured each week. For more information about all Pardes programs and events visit www.pardes.org.il.
Hosted by
Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
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