Into the Verse - A Parsha Podcast

Episódios

• 
  Reexamining Revelation: The Challenge of Chosenness [Introducing our new season of A Book Like No Other] 21.01.2025 25min

  At the heart of Judaism's chosenness lies an unexpected twist that few have noticed. Rabbi Fohrman stumbles upon a shocking connection between two of the Bible's most pivotal moments - one that completely transforms our understanding of what it means to be chosen. This discovery not only challenges centuries of religious interpretation but might just change how you see your own relationship with God. For more on Rabbi Fohrman's reading of the deception story, see this essay from his book Gen...
• 
  Parshat Shelach: Insights Into Tzitizt (Re-release of "What’s Meaningful About Tzitzit? Part 2) 27.06.2024 28min

  (Part 2 of 2) 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 podcast dedicated to uncovering the meaning in mitzvot, so we decided to pop back into this feed and share this episode from our archives. Subscribe to Aleph Beta to unlock the full season of A Book Like No Other and get access to a private RSS feed for seamless listening on your favorite podcast app! For past...
• 
  Parshat Shelach: Insights into Tzitzit: (Re-release of "What’s Meaningful About Tzitzit? Part 1) 26.06.2024 36min

  (Part 1/2) 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 podcast dedicated to uncovering the meaning in mitzvot, so we decided to pop back into this feed and share this episode from our archives. Enjoy! Subscribe to Aleph Beta to unlock the full season of A Book Like No Other and get access to a private RSS feed for seamless listening on your favorite podcast app! For past e...
• 
  A Book Like No Other: Season 3 - Trailer 09.03.2024 2min

  A Book Like No Other is a chance to learn alongside Aleph Beta Founder and Lead Scholar, Rabbi David Fohrman, a master close reader of Torah, as he embarks on his most far-reaching and in-depth explorations. Each season is a stand-alone journey into a different Torah text. Our only goal: reading the Torah carefully, on its own terms, and following wherever that leads. Together, we'll unwrap remarkable patterns and surprising connections that lie just beneath the Torah's surface, revealing the...
• 
  Mishpatim: The Legal Debate That Changed Jewish History 06.02.2024 38min

  Parshat Mishpatim outlines the laws of indentured servants and maidservants, including servants going free in the seventh year, servants getting married while working, and a father making a deal for his daughter’s hand in marriage. This set of laws seems strikingly similar to an earlier story involving a worker and a father trying marrying off his daughters. Could these laws in Mishpatim actually be the Torah’s own commentary on the negotiations between Jacob and Laban back in Genesis? Join ...
• 
  Yitro: What Was Really Written on the Tablets? 30.01.2024 25min

  In Parshat Yitro, we read about the revelation at Sinai and the giving of the 10 Commandments. The image of the 10 Commandments is one of the most familiar images from the Torah, but when you read the Sages’ description of the tablets, not only will you be shocked to hear that we may have been depicting the image wrong all along, but we may also be missing an important part of what the 10 Commandments are all about. Join Ari Levisohn and Daniel Loewenstein as they explore the Sages’ words and...
• 
  The Blasphemer: Why Would Someone Curse God? [Introducing our new season of A Book Like No Other] 23.01.2024 46min

  Rabbi David Fohrman and Imu Shalev study the tale of the blasphemer, a dark and puzzling episode buried deep in Leviticus. The details of this story are scarce: an anonymous man provokes a fight in the Israelite camp, curses God, and ultimately is stoned to death as punishment. But a close read of these few short verses sends Rabbi Fohrman and Imu on a surprising journey, raising provocative moral questions about God’s judgment and uncovering an unlikely connection between the condemned blasp...
• 
  Bo: What Did the Egyptians Get Out of the Exodus? 16.01.2024 41min

  Parshat Bo tells the story of the last three plagues. The 10th plague, the death of the firstborn, ultimately compels Pharaoh and the Egyptians to free the Israelites from slavery, but was that really the purpose of the plagues? Were they just meant to punish the Egyptians? Or were the Egyptians meant to get something else out of these destructive plagues? Join Tikva Hecht and Beth Lesch as they challenge a classic answer to these questions on the 10 plagues and develop a new understand...
• 
  Shemot: What Was Moses’ Real Mission? 02.01.2024 22min

  In Parshat Shemot, we read the story of the burning bush, where Moses was charged with a mission. We are often taught that Moses’ job was to take the Israelites out of Egypt, but a close read of the text suggests that there is actually something else Moses also had to do. Join Ari Levisohn and Evan Weiner as they dive into Moses' encounter with the burning bush and discover allusions to an earlier mission in the Bible, one which sheds light on Moses’ true mission and what it means for a natio...
• 
  Vayechi: God's Hidden Hand 26.12.2023 29min

  In Parshat Vayechi, Jacob remembers when the God of his ancestors, “El Shaddai,” appeared to him and promised a bright future for his descendants. But what about the times when his life didn’t seem to be going according to God’s plan? Is God still present in times of suffering? Join Rabbi David Fohrman and Beth Lesch as they explore the question of God’s presence in our lives. Subscribe to Aleph Beta to unlock the full season of A Book Like No Other and get access to a private RSS feed for ...
• 
  Vayigash: Was Joseph the Golden Calf? 19.12.2023 29min

  In Parshat Vayigash, Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers, and they realize that the Egyptian official they had bowed down to was none other than their long lost brother. What did Jacob's sons think about their powerful brother now? Why does Joseph have to emphasize God's role in orchestrating the events of their lives? Join Ari Levisohn and Adina Blaustein as they explore the striking similarities between Joseph and the Golden Calf. Subscribe to Aleph Beta to unlock the full seas...
• 
  Parshat Miketz: A Phantom Blessing 12.12.2023 34min

  In Parshat Miketz, Jacob sends his sons on a mission to get food from Egypt so they can survive a famine plaguing the entire Middle East. On the surface, it seems like a straightforward request, but a closer read reveals a deeper purpose in their mission. Join Ari Levisohn and Rabbi David Fohrman as they uncover a hidden layer of meaning in this week’s parsha and discuss what we are meant to do with our material success in this world. Subscribe to Aleph Beta to unlock the full season of A B...
• 
  Parshat Vayeshev: What Was Jacob Thinking? 05.12.2023 32min

  In Parshat Vayeshev, the Torah tells us that Joseph’s brothers were so angry at him that they couldn’t even speak a word to his face. Yet, the very next thing we’re told is that Jacob sends Joseph, unsupervised, to go check on his brothers. What was Jacob thinking? Why wasn’t he worried that the brothers might hurt Joseph? Join Ari Levisohn and Adina Blaustein as they dive into this week’s parsha to uncover Jacob’s hidden motives and find insights on how to mend broken relationships. Subscr...
• 
  Vayishlach: Were We Wrong About Esav? 28.11.2023 29min

  When Esau came to meet Jacob with 400 men, it could only mean one thing: 20 years after Jacob stole Esau's blessings, Esau is finally seeking his revenge. But... what if we are misjudging Esau? Join Beth Lesch and Rabbi David Fohrman as they explore some fascinating parallels between this week's parsha and a later story, all leading to a shocking conclusion: We may have been wrong about Esau's intentions. Subscribe to Aleph Beta to unlock the full season of A Book Like No Other and get acce...
• 
  Parshat Vayetze: Was Jacob Punished? 22.11.2023 30min

  Parshat Vayeitzei begins with Jacob on the run from Esau and follows Jacob's trials and tribulations throughout his time in Laban's house. At the end of the parsha, Jacob is back on the run and gets into a heated argument with Laban. What is Jacob's role in this cycle of conflicts? Join Ari Levisohn and Tikva Hecht as they uncover a transformative way to read this week's parsha by picking up on some unexpected parallels to a random legal section later in the Torah. To hear more about th...
• 
  Israel at War: A War of Revenge? 20.11.2023 40min

  The feelings of rage and desire for revenge against Hamas still boil strong in the hearts of many. How should those feelings motivate Israel and her supporters in the war against Hamas? What did Hamas want us to feel and how can we protect ourselves from the dangers of uncontrolled rage? Join Rabbi David Fohrman and Imu Shalev as they explore several reasons Israel is engaged in this war and offer hope for a nation in pain. Subscribe to Aleph Beta to unlock the full season of A Book Like No O...
• 
  Parshat Toldot: What is True Strength? 14.11.2023 40min

  Parshat Toldot contains the only story in the Torah that is really only about Isaac: the often overlooked story of the wells. What does this brief story really teach us about Isaac’s character? The Sages associate Isaac with the attribute of strength, but how does the story of the wells show us Isaac's might? Join Adina Blaustein and Beth Lesch as they discover the true greatness of Isaac by exploring the striking parallels between Isaac and another Biblical character known for his strength, ...
• 
  Israel at War #5: The Lesson of "I Don't Know" 12.11.2023 35min

  Rabbi Fohrman and Imu are back sharing more stories from Rabbi Fohrman's last week in Israel, plus a fascinating discussion about last week's haftorah, its shocking conclusion, and the spiritual value of embracing "I don't know." Subscribe to Aleph Beta to unlock the full season of A Book Like No Other and get access to a private RSS feed for seamless listening on your favorite podcast app! For past episodes of Into the Verse, go to our website, alephbeta.org, where a premium subscription get...
• 
  Chayei Sarah: A Marriage of Truth and Kindness 07.11.2023 36min

  The Midrash says that chesed and emet, Kindness and Truth, disagreed about whether God should create humankind. And the puzzling outcome of that argument was: “God took Truth and threw it to the earth.” But what does that actually mean? The answer may be in Parshat Chayei Sarah, where chesed and emet “meet up” for the very first time in a rather surprising place: the story of how Rebecca was chosen to be Isaac’s wife. Join Ari Levisohn and Tikva Hecht as they dig into the details of this sto...
• 
  Israel at War: Do Our Small Gestures Matter in the Big Scheme of Things? 01.11.2023 45min

  In our fourth takeover episode dedicated to the war in Israel, Rabbi Fohrman and Imu Shalev share stories of volunteerism and heroism in Israel and abroad, while grappling with a shared sense of helplessness. Together, they explore the limits of utilitarianism, emphasizing the significance of being present for people, lending a listening ear, or simply giving someone a hug. Visit our website, alephbeta.org, to find inspiring and meaningful content that will give you strength and inspiration d...