Rav Joe's 929 Tanakh Podcast

Ilana Stein considers the heroism of Esther through the prism of her clothing and the significance of learning Esther before Yom Kippur. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.5?lang=bi

Eikha #4 - perhaps the most graphic and disturbing of the Eikha chapters with the most disturbing image of all as mothers cook their children.Despite the content, Rabbi Gamliel Shmalo, marshalls the scholarly work on trauma, to make the arresting claim that our chapter in fact sets forth a process of recovery from trauma essential to the survival of the Jewish people. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Lamentations.4?lang=bii

Ruth chapters 3 and 4: the nighttime meeting between Boaz and Ruth and... it works! Desolation and despair is replaced with birth and gladness.For ch.3 my fantastic colleague, Margot Botwinick, co-director of JLIC @ IDC Herzliya shares thoughts on Naomi's reversal of Bereishit in her daring suggestion that Ruth seduce Boaz.https://www.sefaria.org/Ruth.3?lang=bi

One megilla down, four to go! Today begins the story of Ruth, the widowed young gentile woman from Mo'av whose kindness and loyalty leads to King David and, according to Jewish tradition, to mashiach. Most of you will have already heard many ideas on Megillat Rut. In my recording today I focus on the deceptively simple question of when the story took place to understand its overall place in Tanakh and how this quiet pastoral story of kindness moves Jewish history forward. My audio is based on a longer written piece which all are welcome to read here https://joewolfson.com/2014/06/01/why-rut/Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Ruth.1?lang=bihttps://929.org.il/lang/en/today

Iyov 36 and 37: Elihu's final speech - the fourth and final argument of the fourth and final friend - according to many of the medieval commentators, it is the speech that finally presents the appropriate response to Iyov's sufferings.Rabbi Gamliel Shmalo, in a masterful third installment on Elihu, channels Rav Soloveitchik's Kol Dodi Dofek develops the idea that suffering should direct our attention to the future rather than to the past - an idea that Iyov and Eliphaz for all their differences have failed to understand. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Job.36?lang=bi, https://www.sefaria.org/Job.37?lang=bi

Iyov #32 - a dramatic twist as Elihu, a new younger character invisible until now erupts onto the scene. Rabbi Gamliel Shmalo introduces Elihu as a model of the connection between attentive listening and wisdom - in contrast to those who listen only to refute. Text here:https://www.sefaria.org/Job.32?lang=bi

Rarely do two juxtaposed chapters contrast so strongly with one another. Misheli 31-Eishet Chayil, the construction of a home. Iyov 1-the destruction of a home. Today we end one book and begin another. Congratulations on finish Mishlei! On to Iyov!I share thoughts on Solomon's woman of valour. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.31?lang=bi

Rafi considers ch.24's wisdom for not being cowed by setbacks and failures on the way to success, gliding seemlessly from Oprah to Chumbawumba and from Rav Hutner to Sam Lebens. The remarkable story referenced by Rafi can be found at https://www.sefaria.org/Kiddushin.29a?lang=bi Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.24?lang=bi

Ilana Stein explores the development of the word _lev_ throughout the Tanakh through the prism of chapters 16 and 17. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.16?lang=bi, https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.17?lang=bi

For chapters 9-12, we are privileged to hear Rafi discuss the seven pillars of wisdom and Lawrence of Arabia, and Ilana to provide both textual advice for how to read Mishlei and Solomon's wisdom on humanity's relationship to the animal kingdom Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.9?lang=bi

In Rabbi Joe's audio we bridge the end of one great book and the beginning of another. Text here: ⁠http://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.150⁠ https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.1?lang=bi

Ilana considers the centrality of tzedek u'mishpat, righteousness and justice to the leadership of David and his descendants Text here: www.sefaria.org/Psalms.72 Note from the publisher on November 10th: For Tehillim Chs. 72-149 I will be backfilling it and uploading it as if it was published on the correct date, to keep things in their correct order.