Into the Verse - A Parsha Podcast

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...

(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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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, ...

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...

Parshat Vayera tells the story of visiting angels being graciously hosted, not once but twice! Abraham's hospitality is legendary, and Lot's welcoming the angels feels like a de ja vu...until things turn ugly. What went wrong? How could Lot's act of kindness to the angels end so disastrously? Join Rabbi David Fohrman and Ari Levisohn as they explore two very similar stories of hospitality and uncover the most important ingredient in true kindness. Subscribe to Aleph Beta to unlo...

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...

In place of our usual parsha podcast, Rabbi David Fohrman sat down with Aleph Beta CEO, Imu Shalev, to reflect on the ongoing situation in Israel and discussed creative ways to help in these times of need, as well as how to cope with our intense emotions. To find meaningful content on Parshat Bereishit, check out our website. Please consider supporting organizations in Israel assisting soldiers and families in need. To learn more about Aleph Beta's efforts and to donate please cli...