KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Ramban On The Torah | 20 | Toldot, by Rav Eli Weber Was Yitzchak rich or poor? Did the ancestors keep all the Torah? And did Yitzchak really want to give the blessing to Esav?

Ramban On The Torah | 19 | Chayei Sara, by Rav Eli Weber

Chayei Sara | The Abrahamic Dialogues, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What are we to make of the last words we hear from Avraham - his oath administered to his slave? After sharing several methodologic observations about the way that we ought to read Tanakh narratives, we explore every dialogue in which Avraham took part - whether with Hashem, with family members, with kings, with the landed gentry of his adopted hometown - or even his slave. We note a curious pattern emerge and a development in Avraham's character in stature which realizes its climax in his final dialogue - with his loyal slave. This shiur was given in memory of Mrs. Lois Bergman z"l, Rav Etshalom's mother-in-law, who passed away this week. יהא זכרה ברוך Source sheet >>

On Kiddush Hashem | Are people killed defending, or in attacks against Jews, considered Kedoshim, by Rabbi Michael Taubes '77, Rosh Yeshiva at The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy/Yeshiva University High School for Boys in New York, and also the spiritual leader of Congregation Zichron Mordechai in Teaneck, New Jersey, delivering regular Shiurim and lectures both there and at the Beis Medrash of Bergen County, housed in Teaneck's Congregation Bnai Yeshurun. This shiur was given on Motzaei Shabbat Vayera, Nov 4, 2023, at Congregation Zichron Mordechai. Source sheet >>

Pidyon Shevuyim: the Great Mitzva to Free Hostages, by Rabbi Michael Taubes '77, Rosh Yeshiva at The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy/Yeshiva University High School for Boys in New York, and also the spiritual leader of Congregation Zichron Mordechai in Teaneck, New Jersey, delivering regular Shiurim and lectures both there and at the Beis Medrash of Bergen County, housed in Teaneck's Congregation Bnai Yeshurun. This shiur was given on Motzaei Shabbat Lekh Lekha, October 28th, 2023, at Congregation Zichron Mordechai. Source sheet >>

Vayera | Who Were Those Three "Men"? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Who were the three visitors to Avraham? Parashat Vayera opens with a familiar scene - Avraham's hospitality lavishly presented to three strangers, whom the text refers to as אנשים - "men". Yet, these three seem to know things that mortals shouldn't know and, at several points during the conversations which ensue, God's own voice is heard and He is entreated. Rashi has long provided the conventional understanding of this narrative, wherein the "men" are angels, acting like humans but endowed with special knowledge. Although Rashi is near the beginning of the exegetical chain here, there are numerous alternative ways to read the Parasha among the Rishonim. We study Rashbam's approach which apparently takes Rashi a step or two further - and then Rambam's understanding which almost completely reverses both Rashi and Rashbam. We conclude with a survey of the commentary of R. Yosef Bekhor Shor of Orleans, student of Rabbenu Tam. who stakes out a unique approach and alludes to the polemical motivation behind his ground-breaking commentary. Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 18 | Vayera, by Rav Eli Weber

Lekh Lekha | The Land that I Will Show You, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom How was Avraham supposed to understand the directive to go to the "land that I will show you"? When God commanded Avraham to leave his family and all that he knew, He directed him to go to "The Land that I will show you"; but how was Avraham to know where to go? How was he going to be "shown" the Land? Deciphering this enigmatic command may hold the key to understanding much of Avraham's movements throughout his narrative cycle, culminating with the journey to Moriah. Source sheet >>

"Korim Li Am Yisrael": The Unprecedented Achdus Sweeping the Jewish World, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Delivered as part of a "Night of Chizuk" in Beit Shemesh Many thanks to R Rosner for hosting (Nofei HaShemesh) and to R Goldberg and R Gibber for joining us from Boca Raton. Thanks as well to Kehilat Eretz Chemdah in Yerushalayim for their incredible help in organizing the event. שנשמע בשורות טובות

Chizzuk for our Current Situation, "We are in a new world." Sicha with our Overseas Talmidim, October 15th, 2023 by Rabbi Leo Dee, whose wife and two daughters HY"D were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in April.