Torah Classes

This morning we discussed what, exactly, was the sin of the spies.

In today’s Torah class we discussed complaining and gossip.

This morning we discussed the priestly blessing.

This morning we studied the origin of the oral Torah.

The class provides a general introduction to the book of numbers and the idea of the wilderness.

The class explored the meaning of the Jubilee in ancient times and today.

In this morning’s class we discussed the mystical and historical significance of the Omer.

In this morning’s class we covered the meaning of the scapegoat traditionally and today and told a little known story about Hebrew’s greatest poet.

We talked about the metaphor of illness and the meaning of Jewish speech laws today.

Today we spoke about Passover.

We covered the building of the tabernacle, art, and clouds.

We covered the building of the tabernacle, art, and clouds.

We spoke about the Megillah, Purim, clothing, AIPAC and coronavirus

Today we examined the philosophy of the Torah’s attitude toward money and physical structures.

Today we recapped last week’s discussion about conversion and discussed how Judaism works as a legal system, especially with regard to the prohibition on lending with interest.

We discussed why God first asked Moses to hit the rock, and later punished him for it.

We spoke about the way darkness is explained and why the heart of Pharaoh was hardened.

Israel: the complicated blessing.

We discussed whether Joseph really forgave his brother.

We discussed Jacob, Joseph, Hanukkah and recommended reading for vacation.

With whom did Jacob wrestle and what is his true relationship with Esau?

We discussed jacob’s vow, his character and the ‘bride swap.’

Why does Rebecca wear a veil?

Throughout Torah, humans and God have an evolving relationship. Starting with Adam and eve and looked at the heroes of the Torah and measured the growth of each main character’s moral compass, and each main character’s willingness to rebuke God when god decides to act immorally.

Why did God choose Abraham? We discussed different theories.

We discussed Noach – “Be Your Own Ark.”

We discussed Bereishit – Genesis

We introduced the study of Torah and talked about the book of Ecclesiastes.

We discussed the Jubilee, the Sabbatical, Karaites, and the Rabbinic tradition.

Holiness: Only With Others

What does it mean to be holy?

The Scapegoat: Its Ancient Meaning and Its Modern Relevance

Today we discussed Passover.

Spiritual Purity: How To Clean Our Souls For Passover.

Today we discussed Aaron’s sons, Nadav & Avihu

Today we discussed Aaron’s sons, Nadav & Avihu

Today we talked about sacrifices.

Today we discussed the ending of the book of exodus, and who really built the tabernacle.

A Discussion on Wisdom and Tzedakkah

This morning we compared the leadership of Moses and Elijah.

A Discussion of Two Different Kinds of Darknesses and Two Different Kinds of Light.

Why do we have two alters?

The subject of immigration.

Should We Rejoice at the Suffering of the Wicked?

Plagues

We concluded the book of Genesis by exploring Joseph’s attitude toward his brothers.

The character of Judah

This morning we spoke about Joseph’s connection to Hanukkah.

Joseph and sex— how and why would a young man resist Potiphar’s wife? Genesis, Chapter 39

Was Jacob responsible for Rachel’s death?
Analysis of Jacob and Rachel written by Gordon Tucker

Genesis: Toldot
Discussion on Rebekah

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Parashat Beha’alotcha – Pesach Sheni

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Parashat Naso introduces the mitzvah of birkat kohanim

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Parashat Behar-Bechukotai
Leviticus 25, verse 9 & 10

Parashat Emor
Mitzvah 306: Leviticus 23, verse 15 & 16

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim – Leviticus 19, verse 14
Two Mitzvot: “You should not insult the deaf or place a stumbling block before the blind”

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Parashat Tazria-Metzora. Mitzvah 169 – Impurity.

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Leviticus chapter 10, verse 6.

Pesach: The Seder.

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Looking at the Torah through Mitzvot.
Parashat Tzav. Mitzvah 132 & 133. The meaning of obsolete traditions.

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Parashat Vayikra.

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei.

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Parashat Mishpatim.

Book: Sefer ha-Chinuch.
Parashat Yitro.
Looking at the Torah through Mitzvot.

Parashat Miketz

Parashat Vayishlach

Parashat Toldot

Parashat Chayei Sara

Today we completed our study of the book of Esther.

We began the first of two sessions on the book of Esther, telling the story.

Today we explained the real meaning of the book of Job and Jewish responses to the question of evil.

Kedoshim is known as the holiness code. Our Rabbis teach that the entire Torah can be found within this parsha. We looked at the way holiness can be both within people and within physics buildings such as synagogues.

We completed the dialogue of Job and his friends in preparation for God’s response to Job.

We continued the dialogue of Job and his friends and discussed Homeric parallels.

The dialogue continues; Job utters a famous and ambiguous line.

Job begins sparring with his friends over the question of God’s justice.

This morning we look at Job’s hurt response to the false comfort of his friends.

Job’s friends begin to comfort him, badly.

We completed the prologue describing jobs suffering and began exploring his response.

Job’s suffering.

Starting the book of Job.

Finishing off the book of Jonah.

Starting the book of Jonah.

Class introduction.

The third verse of the Song of Songs

The first two verses of the Song of Songs

Introduction to the Song of Songs

We studied the assassination of Ish-bosheth, making David undisputed king, and the founding of Jerusalem as the nation’s capital.

We discussed the murder of Abner and the complicated, tangled relationship of King David and his commander, Joab.

We discussed the defection of Abner from the North to support David’s battle. And we talked about the role of women, concubines and wives, in determining history.

Although Saul died in battle, David is still not the undisputed king. This week we looked at the beginning of the struggle for David to be king in the North, and the fate of Asahel, brother of Joab.

We reviewed David’s famous lament over Saul and Jonathan and discussed the nature if Jonathan and David’s relationship.

We reviewed the David story up to Samuel II in preparation for the new semester.

Just how far does Moses’ faith stretch? Does faith have to be blind? When it comes to practice matters can we rely on human expertise?

What’s with all the counting? Why do we have to have so many different ways of counting our people?

From being pharaoh’s slaves to being God’s slaves? How can God ask us to continue a life of servitude?

What is holiness—a look back to the rabbis and forward to the modern era.

The halachic will: Priests used their discretion, law makers used there’s, but what is the role of the modern spiritual leader’s personal discretion?

Nadav and Avihu: What, how, and why

The Eternal Light

What does it mean to be “before God?”

Bezalel is the lead artisan on the Mishkan project. Who was he that God chose him to build our portable satuary?

We examined the mystical Urim and Thumim which the Bible tells us gave the high priest the ability to communicate with God? What were they and what could we learn from them today? (Rabbi Jason Fruithandler)

We discussed the book of Psalms, David’s authorship, Psalm 3 and Psalm 89.

In today’s class we completed the first book of Samuel as Saul and his dons for in battle clearing the way for David’s kingship.

In today’s class we discussed David’s raid on Ziklag.

Today we read and discussed one of the most enigmatic and strange stories in the entire Tanach: Saul and the Witch of EnDor who calls Samuel up from the underworld.

Torah Class from December 13, 2012

David has a chance to kill Saul but lets him live. Nabal dies. David marries Abigail.

This morning we talked about David’s adventures, including feigning madness, as he tried to escape Saul.

This morning we examined the relationships between David, Jonathan, and Saul.

Today we discussed the gradual ending of Saul’s kingship and his repeated attempts to kill David.

Today we studied Samuel I, Chapter 18 — how does David begin to replace Saul as King?

We reviewed the story of David and Goliath.

We began the story of David’s ascent to the Kingship with Samuel’s visit to the house of Jesse to anoint the new King.

We began the background for the study of the Book of Samuel, the story of David. Next week, we start with Samuel Book 1, chapter 15.

In today’s class we talked about the recent AIPAC conference and the situation in Iran.

In today’s class we decided to proceed studying the books of Samuel and David’s story. We learned some of the background of the story to enable us to begin.

Today we recapped the themes of the book of Genesis from Creation to Jacob’s blessing in preparation for beginning the book of Exodus next session.

This morning we concluded our study of the book of Genesis.

This class was about burying Jacob, but also included several personal stories about my father, and other life events.

Special Torah Class with Leon Wieseltier: “God of the Hand and God of the Heart”

We concluded the blessings of Jacob, and talked about his death and request for burial in Israel.

We discussed whether there are twelve or thirteen tribes.

Why do we bless our sons by the names Ephraim and Menasseh? In this morning’s Torah class we examined many ideas on the subject.

In this class we talked about the ending of Jacob’s life and the concept of blessing. Why did he Jacob make Joseph swear to bring him back to Israel – why wasn’t Joseph’s word good enough?

Differences in culture and worship between ancient Egypt and Israelites.

We continue with the story of Joseph and his brothers.

We continue with the story of Joseph and his brothers.

We continue with the story of Joseph and his brothers.

We discussed the resumption of the Torah study, as well as reviewing the recent Los Angeles trip to Israel and the current situation in Israel.

In this class we examine Joseph’s entrance to Egypt. How did he succeed in Potiphar’s house, and how did he resist succumbing to Potiphar’s wife?

Here is a take of mirrors, seduction and piety, all through the lens of Torah.

Literary analysis of the Bible: in this class we understand how Robert Alter’s book explains why chapter 38 is dropped in the middle of the Joseph story. In the process we get a real insight into how the Torah teaches, not only through stories but choice of words that teach us new meanings.

Leon Wieseltier speaks on some general thoughts about how to think about dor HaMidbar – the Jews who were taken out of Egypt and given the Torah and experienced all the adventures and misadventures in the desert.

Today we discussed the strange story of Judah and Tamar. Why this story of dying husbands and dangerous wives? What did Onan do and how does the tradition understand it?

In this class we wrap up the confusing sale of Joseph and begin the story of Judah and Tamar – the deaths of Judah’s sons and the strange happenings that bring the Messiah.

In today’s class we examined the motivation and action of the brothers of Joseph: did they really sell him into slavery? Perhaps they did not.

In this morning’s Torah class we took a break from the Joseph story and I talked about my trip to Haiti. I told stories and showed slides which are posted at Sinaitemple.org.

In this class we talked about Jacob’s intentions in sending Joseph to his brothers, whom Jacob knew resented him. Was it deliberate? Negligence? How do we understand this pivot of history?

We explored the meaning of Joseph’s dreams.

We explored the beginning of the brothers’ resentment toward Joseph. Was Joseph gifted, egotistical, both?

This morning’s class took up the beginning of Joseph’s story and discussed why Jacob had such a troubled life.

Having just returned from Puebla, in today’s class I took a break to talk about the Mexican festival of ideas and answer questions about it. I recapped the debate about whether our universe has a purpose, and discussed personalities and conversations from the event.

In this class we began the story of Joseph and talked about how Joseph resembles and differs from Jacob, his father. What is the role that parents, father and mother, played for each of them?

A review of the tales and themes of Genesis from creation up to the beginning of chapter 37, the story of Joseph.

Introduction, part I: Torah study, in general.