Into the Verse - Exclusive Podcast

Parshat Noach describes the extreme violence that led to God's decision to destroy the world with a flood. This violence is referred to as "chamas" in Hebrew, a term that bears an eerie resemblance to "Hamas." In light of recent devastating attacks by Hamas on Israel, Rabbi Fohrman and Imu Shalev engaged in a discussion, exploring how to react to a world that is suddenly filled with violence.

When life throws us challenges and doesn’t go the way we hoped, how do we avoid falling into despair? In Parshat Lech Lecha, Abraham and Sarah struggle with infertility, and Abraham cries out to God, “I am childless!” What is the Torah’s message to Abraham on how to persevere through life’s trials and tribulations?Join Rabbi David Fohrman and Ari Levisohn as they explore Abraham and Sarah’s journey through difficult times and the Torah’s encouraging guidance. Listen to Rabbi Fohrman’s foundational course, Abraham’s Journey, to dive deeper into the ideas discussed in this episode.To find a collection of videos to help deal with our challenging times, visit our website.

The Torah commands us to “take” these plants but doesn’t tell us why. The only clue we get is what the Torah says next: “And you shall rejoice before God” on this holiday. But what exactly are we rejoicing about? And why is holding these plants supposed to bring us so much happiness? Ami Silver and Imu Shalev explore some unexpected connections between this mitzvah and another story in the Torah… and uncover a deep insight into the true source of joy.Check out the beautifully animated video version of this course: What Do the Arba Minim Represent?

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, should be a time of introspection, but it often feels like we're so overwhelmed by our own guilt, by the idea of coming to terms with ourselves, that we don't know where to start.In this episode, join Rabbi Fohrman as he takes a deeper look at the 13 Attributes of Mercy and uncovers a path to finding true forgiveness during the High Holidays.Check out Rabbi Fohrman’s course on the Book of Jonah that can completely change the way you read the story. Also, enjoy the course on the Laws of Teshuva Rabbi Fohrman mentions in this episode.

How can we ask God for forgiveness for the things we’ve done wrong? If we admit our mistakes, aren’t we acknowledging that we’re unworthy of His blessings? But could we be so bold as to demand God’s goodness when we know that we’ve made mistakes?Join Daniel Loewenstein as he explores the text of the Selichot prayers and discovers how the authors model their supplications after two seemingly opposing approaches to bargaining with God.Check out this eye opening Aleph Beta course on the Book of Jonah all about the relationship between mercy and justice.

Parshat Nitzavim warns that in the future, there might be someone who goes astray after other gods. God will “separate” that person for punishment, and future generations will see that the land was destroyed for this sin, “like Sodom and Gomorrah.” But wait, that doesn’t make sense! If God punishes guilty individuals, how do we get to the entire land being destroyed?Join Ari Levisohn and Tikva Hecht as they explore this cryptic warning and uncover a message about the power of individual responsibility.Check out Daniel Loewenstein's video on the links between Parshat Nitzavim and the Sodom story: The Surprising Relationship Between Blessing and Curses in the Bible

Parshat Ki Tavo lists the blessings that will come if we keep God’s commandments and the curses that will follow if we don’t. But it also says that to be blessed, we need to serve God “with joy.” Isn’t it enough to keep the commandments? And what is this “joy” supposed to look like, anyway? The key to answering these questions may be in two seemingly unrelated commandments from Parshat Ki Tavo itself.Join Beth Lesch and Ari Levisohn as they uncover a startling pattern that links first fruits and a stone altar to this mysterious verse about rejoicing while we serve God.

This week’s parsha includes the commandment to wipe out the memory of Amalek, the nation who attacked the Israelites shortly after the Exodus from Egypt. It’s the kind of mitzvah that makes our skin crawl in the 21st century. Why would God command wiping out an entire people? What did they do that was so evil that they deserve to be completely erased from history?Join Ami Silver and Daniel Loewenstein as they discover how another mitzvah in this week’s parsha holds the surprising key to understanding the fight with Amalek.Click here to learn more about Rabbi Fohrman's methodology course and register for Patron's Circle.

How do the trials and tribulations of King David’s life shed light on the laws in Parshat Shoftim? What if he actually wrote a commentary on the parsha based on his experiences? Join Adina Blaustein and Beth Lesch as they uncover fascinating insights into Parshat Shoftim embedded in Psalm 27, King David’s timeless prayer for God’s protection and closeness that we begin reciting this week.

In Parshat Re’eh God commands the Israelites to bring their offerings only to the Temple “in the place I will choose.” But wait… we've heard before about a sacrifice location shrouded in mystery? The binding of Isaac shares this and many other parallels with Parshat Re’eh. But what are we supposed to make of these connections? How does Parshat Re’eh shed light on the binding of Isaac, and how does that story illuminate the mitzvot of Parshat Re’eh?Join Rabbi Fohrman and Beth Lesch as they unlock the powerful lessons in these parallels.Want to see more of the connections Rabbi Fohrman and Beth noticed? Check out this source sheet.

In Parshat Eikev, Moses tells the Israelites he’s got breaking news to share about what God wants from us: to fear, love, and serve Him, and to do all the mitzvot. But what’s so new about that? We’ve been hearing that since humanity was first created. What could Moses really be telling the people?Join Ari Levisohn and Evan Weiner as they explore Moses’ speech and discover a message which has never been as relevant as it is in the 21st century.

In Parshat Devarim, Moses rehashes the sin of the Spies. The Spies did exactly what Moses told them to do. They reported back on every question Moses asked them, so why does God decide to wipe out that whole generation and only their children would enter the land?Join Beth Lesch and Ami Silver as they explore Moses' retelling of the Spies' story and discover the Spies’ real failure and their children's opportunity to redeem that sin.Join Rabbi Fohrman and the Aleph Beta team Tisha B’Av morning for Kinot Unlocked.To register or for more information, please visit https://www.alephbeta.org/tisha-bav/kinot-eventsExplore Aleph Beta's rich collection of Tisha B'Av videos at https://www.alephbeta.org/tisha-bav

When the tribes of Reuben and Gad say they prefer not settle in the Land of Israel, Moses is concerned, but accepts their request and decides that half of the tribe of Menasseh should join them. Why would Moses do that? How would the tribe of Menasseh make things any better?Join Ami Silver and Daniel Loewenstein as they explore the emotionally charged dynamics in this week’s parsha.Check out Rabbi Fohrman’s video on Parshat Matot to learn more about how to effectively negotiate.Join Rabbi Fohrman and the Aleph Beta team Tisha B’Av morning for Kinot Unlocked. To register or for more information, please visit https://www.alephbeta.org/tisha-bav/kinot-events

In Parshat Pinchas, the daughters of Tzelafchad mysteriously gloss over the reason for their father’s death, but the Sages of the Talmud clue us into Tzelafchad’s true identity and surprising backstory.Join Rabbi Fohrman and Ari Levisohn as they uncover the hidden story of Tzelafchad and reveal the powerful lessons he and his family teach us.

From a prophet-for-hire, to a talking donkey, to an invisible angel, Parshat Balak sports quite the interesting cast, but all these characters seem to be one hit wonders. It seems like Parshat Balak is almost entirely unrelated to the rest of the Torah and the Torah would be perfectly complete without it. But what if Parshat Balak is really the sequel to a much earlier story in the Torah?Join Rabbi David Fohrman and Tikva Hecht as they follow a road from Balak all the way back to the Garden of Eden.

Why did Korach rebel? What if there was something in Korach’s family history that was motivating his revolt? This week Rabbi Fohrman joins Ami Silver to uncover the hidden backstory of Korach and his family, searching for exactly where he went wrong.Follow us on your favorite social media.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBeta

Parshat Shelach teaches us the mitzvah of Tzitzit. How are we to understand these little fringes? Sounds like a perfect job for the crew at "Meaningful Judaism," our new podcast dedicated to uncovering the meaning in mitzvot, so we invited them to take over "Into the Verse" this week.If you want to hear Part 2 about Tzitzit and more of the Meaningful Judaism Podcast follow it on Apple, Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts, and check out the new Meaningful Judaism YouTube channel.Follow us on your favorite social media.

Parshat Beha’alotecha marks the tragic turning point in the Israelites’ journey, but is there any silver lining in the beginning of this generation’s downfall? Join Ami Silver and Rivky Stern as they explore the shifting dynamics of the Israelites’ desert story. Check out our new YouTube channel: Meaningful Judaism.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBeta

The Priestly Blessing, which parents use to bless their children Friday nights and Kohanim recite in synagogues, is familiar to so many people, but few are aware of the story of two brothers hidden in the blessing. What story could that be and how does that help us see the Priestly Blessing in a new light? Join Ari Levisohn, and his brother Tani, for a deeper look at the blessing you thought you knew. For another fascinating, deep dive into the Priestly Blessing, check out Rabbi Fohrman’s video course on Parshat Naso.   Check out our new YouTube channel: Meaningful Judaism. What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBeta

Why does the Torah refer to the three harvest holidays as the “shalosh regalim,” the three legs? Join Ari Levisohn and Adina Blaustein as they explore fascinating intertextual parallels and discover a meaningful message about the holidays hidden in this strange name.For another look at the interesting textual connections from this week’s episode, check out this parsha video on Parshat Balak.Download your FREE SHAVUOT GUIDE today! Just give us your email, and we’ll send it right to your inbox.

How does "Numbers" make sense as a title for the Bible's fourth book? How is that name connected to what the book is about? Join Rabbi Fohrman and his daughter, Ariella, as they explore the titles of the Bible's books and stitch together the powerful story they tell.Download your FREE SHAVUOT GUIDE today! Just give us your email and we’ll send it right to your inbox.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBeta Check out our new podcast, Meaningful Judaism, here or wherever you get your podcasts!

Why does the Book of Leviticus end with scary curses, and why does the Torah link these curses to the mitzvah of Shemittah? Join Adina Blaustein and Ari Levisohn as the journey through this week’s double parsha and its haftorah to find an inspiring understanding of Behar-Bechukotai and the entire Book of Leviticus. What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBetaCheck out our new podcast, Meaningful Judaism, here or wherever you get your podcasts!

During the time between Passover and Shavuot, we “count the Omer,” marking the number of days since the Omer offering would have been brought. Why is this Omer offering so important that we have to mention it 49 consecutive nights, and how is it still relevant if we haven’t even had the Temple for 2000 years? Join Rabbi Fohrman and Rivky Stern as they explore a tantalizing intertextual triangle which reveals just how significant the Omer is to our contemporary lives.Check out Rabbi Fohrman’s course “Why do we celebrate Shavuot” to trace the thread of these ideas even further back, to even before the original Passover. What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBeta

The developments surrounding the return to the Land of Israel and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 seem to be prophetically predicted in the verses of Psalm 107. That’s why Israel’s Chief Rabbinate selected this salvation-themed chapter to be recited on Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s independence day. But there is one verse that seems completely out of place.In this week’s episode, Ari Levisohn and Daniel Loewenstein explore this strange verse and uncover its deep message of hope, strength, and perseverance in the face of adversity. What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBeta

What does Tzara'at have to do with the revalation at Sinai? Why did Miriam get tzara'at? In this week's episode Tikva Hecht untangles a web of intertextual parallels, that all revolve around the transformative power of speech.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBeta

In last week’s episode, Imu and Rivky pointed out that the only two places where chametz (leavened bread) is forbidden are our homes on Passover and all year round in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). In this week’s episode, Ari Levisohn, notices that this isn’t the only connection between the Mishkan and the Israelites’ homes on that original Passover. These connections lead to a fascinating exploration of the monumental impact of that original Passover and what we and our families can gain from this Passover.Watch Ari’s favorite Passover video: How to Read the Haggadah, and for more amazing Passover content, check out https://www.alephbeta.org/passover. What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBeta

Passover is a week away, and as we stock up on matzah and kiss goodbye to bagels, you’ve got to wonder: What’s the big deal about leavened bread, anyway? Why don't we eat it on Passover? Easy question, right? Because of the matzah we ate when God took us out of Egypt. But if you think about it, this prohibition is pretty strange.The commandment could just have been to eat matzah in commemoration of the Exodus. Why are we also commanded to remove any trace of leavening, of chametz? This week, Imu Shalev and Rivky Stern look at what Parshat Tzav says about chametz in its description of the daily offerings in the Tabernacle. All year round, the flour in the meal-offering has to be baked as matzah; it can never be chametz. The question is, why? Imu and Rivky dive into the Torah’s other clues to the deeper symbolic meaning of chametz, and those clues bring them to a new understanding of why Parshat Tzav forbids chametz with the offerings… and why we abstain from it on Passover. Check out our amazing library of Passover videos!

We’re starting Sefer Vayikra this week! But if we’re honest, Leviticus isn’t the easiest book to be excited about. Genesis and Exodus have so much drama: the family stories of our patriarchs and matriarchs, the liberation from Egypt, the great encounter with God at Mount Sinai. Whereas Vayikra... so much of it is about animal offerings, or how the priests need to do their jobs in the mishkan, the tabernacle. It’s got a lot of laws that don't even apply to us any more. So how do we find meaning in this central book of the Five Books of Moses?In this episode, Imu Shalev brings that exact question to Rabbi Fohrman, along with a suggestion about how Vayikra is actually a connected, embedded part of the Torah’s overall story. And their conversation shows that this isn’t actually an isolated book of laws. Instead, it’s a key part of our national mission statement. Vayikra is about learning to live a life of closeness with God.

Observing the Sabbath involves rules about a long list of actions, from cleaning to writing to making things with our hands, and more! Right before the start of construction on the mishkan, the Tabernacle, Parshat Vayakhel reminds us to observe Shabbat. Building the mishkan was a huge project, one that required all kinds of creative activities. So keeping Shabbat must require us to refrain from those activities. That’s a logical explanation, but it also sounds pretty technical. Are the blueprints for the mishkan really a spiritually satisfying reason for having so many laws? We’re talking about Shabbat, one of the most central, most precious parts of Judaism! Shouldn’t these rules lead us straight to some deep knowledge of God?This week’s episode is something special, a two-part format that we haven’t tried before. First, Rabbi Fohrman shows why Shabbat laws are linked to the mishkan, what that connection teaches us about God’s creating the world, and how we fulfill our human destiny as “little creators.” In the second half, Ari Levisohn and Beth Lesch dig deeper into Rabbi Fohrman’s ideas. They consider what Shabbat teaches us about God’s plan for humanity, and what we can learn from that about being parents… one way in which we emulate God’s role as Creator.

Parshat Ki Tisa has one of the all-time low points in the Torah. The Israelites just received the Torah back in Parshat Yitro. All they need to do now is wait for Moses to finish up a bit of paperwork with God. But when he doesn't come back right away, they go to Aaron and ask him to...  make them a golden calf.It's a disaster. God sends Moses back down the mountain and punishes the people for worshipping this idol. But there are some big questions we can ask about this story. Such as: What do the Israelites want an idol for? They just heard God giving them the Ten Commandments, speaking directly to them! But also... why would anyone take a golden idol seriously? It seems so obvious that if you made it, then it's not a god. So how are we supposed to understand what's really happening in this story? How can we know what message to take away for our own lives?This week, Rabbi Fohrman and Imu Shalev tackle the tough questions about the sin of the golden calf. As it turns out, this story has a lot to say about our human struggles with responsibility. And about why it can be so hard to feel close to God. 

There's a saying that Purim has a lot in common with a certain other Jewish holiday. But unlike Purim, that other holiday isn’t exactly known for parties, costumes, and sweet treats. No, it’s Yom Kippur, a day of fasting and atonement. So where’s the similarity?In this week’s episode, Rabbi Fohrman and Rivky Stern go back to the Torah’s description of the Yom Kippur service and uncover a whole list of parallels with the Book of Esther. One of those parallels is sorrowful: When Vashti is banished for refusing to come before King Ahasuerus, the Megillah’s language seems to send us back to the deaths of Aaron’s sons in Leviticus. But as it turns out, both stories include a more hopeful “replay.” God teaches Aaron how to come safely into the Holy of Holies once a year, on Yom Kippur. Meanwhile, Queen Esther takes a significant risk to approach her King’s inner courtyard… and becomes the savior of her people.

Parshat Terumah kicks off the "not so exciting" section of the Torah all about the detailed construction of the mishkan (tabernacle). But what if those details contain the secret key to understanding one of the greatest questions facing any 21st-century believer: How do we reconcile the creation story in Genesis with everything we know about modern physics and the Big Bang?Glossary of Hebrew termsFor Rabbi Fohrman's long-form version of this material, click here.Subscribe to our new podcast, A Book Like No Other, wherever you get your podcasts. To listen on Spotify click here, to listen on Apple podcast click here, and to listen on Aleph Beta click here. What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Just press record and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show! https://www.speakpipe.com/AlephBeta

Parshat Mishpatim tells us what should happen if people get hurt because of someone else's actions – fighting, stealing, keeping dangerous animals around the house. In each case, the Torah explains what should happen to the offender, but what's interesting is that the same injury doesn’t always carry the same penalty. Sometimes it depends on the person's intentions: Were they actually planning to cause the harm or not?In this week's episode, Rabbi Fohrman points out that one of those laws in Mishpatim looks like a clue to something he’s wondered about for a long time: a mysterious unsolved death back in Genesis. So he and Ari Levisohn dig into that case and share the evidence they discover, along with a theory about how it all fits together. Come along as Rabbi Fohrman uses his detective skills to explore a curious case of divine justice.For a limited time, you can get a free copy of Rabbi David Fohrman’s renowned book The Queen You Thought You Knew when you sign up for an annual Aleph Beta premium subscription.Interested in hearing the fuller version of Rabbi Fohrman's theory about Rebecca, Jacob, and the blessings? Check out this course.Subscribe to our new podcast, A Book Like No Other, wherever you get your podcasts. To listen on Spotify click here, to listen on Apple podcast click here, and to listen on Aleph Beta click here.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Parshat Yitro includes the Revelation at Mount Sinai, one of the most dramatic moments in the Torah. But this week on Into the Verse, we zoom in on a moment shortly before that, one that’s easy to miss. God gives Moses instructions for the Israelites, so they can get ready for the giving of the Torah. And what’s the first thing God wants them to keep in mind, on the brink of this historic moment? God says, “Tell the children of Israel: You saw what I did to the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me.”Rabbi David Fohrman and Imu Shalev wonder: Why eagles’ wings? Why does God pick that image to frame the Revelation? As a matter of fact, birds come up pretty often in the Torah: why is that, and do they have a message for us? By the end of their conversation, we’ve discovered a new way to understand our connection with God at Mount Sinai… and in every moment of our lives.Subscribe to our new podcast, A Book Like No Other, wherever you get your podcasts. To listen on Spotify click here, to listen on Apple podcast click here, and to listen on Aleph Beta click here. What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Parshat Beshalach tells the story of the end of the Exodus and the crossing of the Red Sea. And after all of that, we get three short stories of stops that the Israelites took while journeying from the Red Sea to the Sinai desert, each one involving some kind of food or water crisis that leads the Israelites to complain. It seems pretty clear that these stories are connected, but what are we supposed to take from them?Rabbi David Fohrman, along with Imu Shalev, took a look at these three stories and noticed a word that keeps coming up: Test. So what does this all mean? Imu and Rabbi Fohrman put their heads together to figure it out.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message. Just click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Parshat Bo is where the Exodus really happens. God sends the last plagues and tells the Israelites to prepare for liberation, and on the night of the tenth plague, Pharaoh finally gives the order: Leave now. But just when the Israelites are gearing up to get out of Egypt, there are a few details that seem to slow the action down. For one thing, there are God’s instructions: “Get your shoes on, be ready to leave… but don’t walk out of your houses!” And for another, God specifically picks a longer road out of Egypt, because the other one is “nearby.” What should we make of these strange facts?In this episode, Ari Levisohn takes a closer look and discovers surprising parallels with an earlier Biblical story. There was another nighttime escape from an evil place, another moment when people had to get ready to leave. And it turns out that when we read these two stories together, we learn something new – not only about the Exodus, but about the meaning of liberation itself.Want even more textual parallels? You can find Ari's full chart here.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

In this week's parsha, God introduces Himself to Moses as YHVH, but then He says something surprising: "I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as Kel-Shakai, but My name of YHVH, I didn't make known to them." If we have been reading the Torah up to this point, we will have heard the name YHVH countless times! So what does God mean by saying that the forefathers only knew Him as Kel-Shakai?Join us this week as Beth Lesch explores the nature of these different names and the different kinds of relationships we experience with God.Check out Rabbi Fohrman's further ideas about the meaning of the name Kel-Shakai in his video “Finding God In Science.”What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Why does it matter that Aaron is rejoicing? Yes, he’s going to see his long-lost little brother. Yes, he’s going to be the spokesman who helps Moses carry out his mission. But why is it so important for God to note that Aaron is happy about this? And… how will this tiny detail shed light on a mysterious midrash about Moses and the bones of Joseph?Join Ari Levisohn and Beth Lesch as they explore the surprising connections between Joseph and Moses and uncover a remarkable and moving story about the power of brotherly love.WEB-EXCLUSIVE EPILOGUE: Ari and Beth continue the conversation and investigate a new midrash, this one highlighting Moses's relationship with his sister Miriam. Check it out here.For more on how the Passover sacrifice redeems the sale of Joseph on a national level, see Rabbi Fohrman’s series Why Did God Allow Slavery?What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Why do we fast on this day? What makes the events of Asara B’Tevet so important that we still fast thousands of years later?What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Parshat Vayigash opens at a very tense moment. Joseph’s brothers are standing in front of him, not knowing who he is. All they know is that this powerful Egyptian official has threatened to keep Benjamin in Egypt as his slave. So Judah steps forward to plead for returning Benjamin to their father… and Joseph bursts into tears and reveals his identity to them. The long separation from his family is finally over. But have you ever wondered how things got so bad in the first place? Why Jacob favored Joseph and Benjamin so much that his other sons were consumed by jealousy, even selling Joseph into slavery?Join Rabbi David Fohrman and Ari Levisohn as they explore the roots of Jacob’s actions. Even if you think the Joseph story couldn’t possibly be more dramatic and moving than it already is… this episode will reveal a whole new layer of meaning.Rabbi Fohrman and Ari continued to gather fascinating evidence and are still putting the puzzle together. Get a sneak peek into their research notes here, and if you have any thoughts, we would love to hear them!Looking for even more parallels between Parshat Mishpatim and the Book of Genesis? Check out Ami Silver's video How Can The Laws Of Mishpatim Help Correct Past Mistakes?What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Jacob and Esau haven’t seen each other for 20 years, ever since Jacob took their father’s blessings and Esau threatened to kill him. Now they’re headed toward one another – Jacob with his family and his riches, and Esau with 400 of his henchmen. Jacob’s got so many things on his mind at this moment: Keeping his family safe. Placating his brother. Using his wits to get out of the situation without making things worse. That’s the best he can hope to achieve, right? Or… is it? Could Jacob have actually had a shred of hope for reconciliation?And there’s more we could wonder about: How does Jacob choose what preparations to make for seeing Esau? Why does Esau meet his brother with open arms? If you’re curious to dig into these questions, join Ami Silver as he takes a fresh look at this tense encounter. It turns out that there's a whole lot more to this story than meets the eye.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Parshat Vayeitzei opens with Jacob on the run, experiencing a dream with angels on a ladder. Jacob’s ladder, with its angels ascending and descending, is probably one of the most iconic images in all of Genesis. It’s so iconic, we can miss a basic question about it - and that is - why is it actually here? Does the ladder add something to this vision? Why is it here at all?In this week’s episode, Rabbi Fohrman discovers a whole new level of meaning in Jacob’s ladder. He shows how, when you read the story carefully, the dream of the ladder actually seems to be referencing other stories in the Torah, and, when you look at these stories together, they reveal something powerful about God’s promise to Jacob and about how we can make this world a more Godly place.Rabbi Fohrman has an amazing webinar on Jacob’s ladder. It expands and dives deeper into this iconic scene from the Book of Genesis. Check out that webinar here.

This week’s parsha contains the only story in the Torah in which the patriarch Isaac takes center stage. No, it’s not the Akeidah (that was mostly about Abraham), and it’s not the story about the blessing of the firstborn (that story is really about Jacob and Esav).It’s the time Isaac goes around digging wells! Is this the illustrious legacy of our great forefather Isaac? Why does the Torah waste its time telling us about this story? You’d think that Isaac has more to teach us than how to find underground water sources. But what if the story of the wells is actually teaching us something fundamental about Isaac’s legacy? In this week’s episode Imu Shalev and David Block show us the deeper meaning behind the story of Isaac's wells.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Parshat Chayei Sarah begins with the death of our matriarch, Sarah. In this week’s episode, Rabbi Fohrman reflects on her impact and finds a clue to the lasting legacy of Sarah’s life by looking, in all places, at the Torah’s description of her death. That clue hinges on a seemingly technical fact found in the parsha’s opening verse: the number of years Sarah happened to live, 127. It seems like mere trivia, the kind of thing that you forget as quickly as you read it. But, this number pops up again in one other place in the Bible: It’s the number of provinces in the Persian empire in the days of Queen Esther. Is there a connection between the two? What could Sarah’s age possibly have to do with Persian provinces? Rabbi Fohrman thinks there is a lesson hidden here, a profound insight into the legacy of Sarah.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Parshat Vayera includes one of the Torah’s most memorable conversations: God and Abraham negotiating about whether God will destroy the city of Sodom. But there’s another fascinating conversation right before that one. Abraham and Sarah receive the message that Sarah will bear a son… but Sarah laughs because she and Abraham are already so old. And God actually comments on her laughter! What’s that about? And could it possibly be connected to the Sodom negotiation that comes next?In this episode, we get to follow Beth Lesch on the twists and turns of her research journey, as she and Rabbi Fohrman explore the mysterious link between these two stories.What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

This parsha is full of little vignettes about Abraham’s life, and it feels like a bunch of random episodes of “A Day in the Life of Abraham.” Is there some central theme here that can teach us why God chose Abraham to be the father of a great nation?In this episode, Rabbi Fohrman shows us the common thread that weaves its way through all of these stories and ties them together into an epic saga. In each of these life events, Abraham faces a single struggle and this struggle holds the key to understanding why God chooses Abraham in the first place and what his mission is all about.To enjoy more amazing content that dives deeper into the Abraham Saga, check out these two phenomenal courses:The Book of Ruth: https://www.alephbeta.org/playlist/book-of-ruthAbraham’s Journey: https://www.alephbeta.org/playlist/abrahams-journey What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Why doesn’t the Torah ever mention dinosaurs or other prehistoric creatures? Does this mean that according to the Torah there were no dinosaurs? Is this a sign that the Bible doesn't match up with history and science?In this episode, Rabbi Fohrman provides a profound, yet amazingly simple answer to the question of how to reconcile Torah and science. He argues that if we’re asking about the absence of dinosaurs, then we’re actually misunderstanding something fundamental about the nature of what the Torah is – and what it isn’t. Join Rabbi Fohrman as he works to make sense out of several puzzling things about the Torah.

The holiday of Sukkot brings us one of the stranger Jewish customs: Carrying the “four species” of plants around, waving them in all directions as we pray. The Torah commands us to take these plants but doesn’t tell us why. The only clue we get is what the Torah says next: “And you shall rejoice before God” on this holiday. But what exactly are we rejoicing about? And why is holding these plants supposed to bring us so much happiness? Ami Silver and Imu Shalev explore some unexpected connections between this mitzvah and another story in the Torah… and uncover a deep insight into the true source of joy.New for Sukkot 2022! Check out the beautifully animated video version of this course. What did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

In this special bonus episode Imu and Rabbi Fohrman discuss a challenge, raised by a listener just like you, to a previous episode.This challenge sparked such an interesting and inspiring conversation, that we just had to share it with you. The topic: What is the role of fear on the High Holidays?Make a High Holiday donation here: https://www.alephbeta.org/donateWhat did you think of this episode? We’d genuinely like to hear your thoughts, questions, and feedback. Leave us a voice message – just click here, click record, and let your thoughts flow. You may even be featured on the show!

Yom Kippur: It’s one of the most significant days of the whole year. We go into this day hoping for some weighty things… forgiveness, a chance to be a better version of ourselves. So it’s confusing that the Torah doesn’t give Yom Kippur any big buildup at all. Instead, we get a long description of the High Priest’s service in the holiest parts of the Tabernacle… and only at the end do we find out when this service is supposed to happen: Every year on Yom Kippur. Oh, and by the way, “on this day atonement shall be made for you, to cleanse you of all your sins.” Wait a minute, that sure sounds like the main point! So why didn’t that come first? Why does the Torah seem to introduce Yom Kippur in such a topsy-turvy way? In this episode, Rabbi Fohrman digs into the Torah’s presentation of this day. It’s about forgiveness, all right… but before that, it’s about something else. Something that brings us to the true source, the ultimate way to achieve atonement and a new beginning.