KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Parshat Devarim with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Meforshim - What's Devarim About? The Ramban's Theory #2 - Contemporary Meforshim - Who Was Responsible for the Cheit Ha-Egel - Hashem or the Jewish People? #3 - Midrash - Learning How to Give - and Grow From - Cristicism #4 - Sparks of Chasidus - Emunah "Conquers" Machshava and Maaseh - A Beautiful Thought from the Sefas Emes #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - Kavod Ha-Beriyos: Human Dignity as a Halachic Value

The Goals of Conquering Land In and Beyond Eretz Yisrael (Including an Insight from Moreinu HaRav Yehuda Amital zt'l on his 10th Yahrtzeit), by our alumnus Rabbi Michael Taubes. The shiur was given by zoom on July 16, 2020. Sourcesheet available here. Rabbi Taubes is Rosh Yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) of Yeshiva University and the spiritual leader of Congregation Zichron Mordechai in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Parshat Matot-Masei with Rav Dovid Gottlieb #1 - Classical Meforshim - Why Do We Need to Know About Alllll of the Stops in the Midbar? #2 - Contemporary Meforshim - The Basis of Jewish Morality: An Amazing Insight from R. Moshe Feinstein #3 - Midrash - Obsessing Over Money: The Tragic Mistake of Benei Gad and Reuven #4 - Sparks of Musar - The Importance of Being Inspired: Rav Schwab's Beautiful Insight into Am Yisroel's Journeys #5 - Halacha from the Parsha - The ABCs of Tevilas Keilim

Kamtza and Bar Kamtza - Special Shiur given in honor of the 10th Yahrzeit of Moreinu Harav Amital zt"l. Yehi zikhro barukh. The well-known Agadah about Kamtza and Bar-Kamtza (in which, by the way, Kamtza never makes an appearance) is filled with riddles and oddities; by studying the Midrash's version (Eikhah Rabbah Ch. 4) of this story, closer to the events in both time and place, events, personalities and adages become much clearer.

Bein haMetzarim: The Symmetry of Tragedies, shiur by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom, July 8, 2020, 17 Tamuz, in advance of the 3 Weeks. The period between the fasts of 17 Tamuz and 9bAv became known as "Bein haMetzarim" in the late medieval period. The origins of pairing these fast days together, however, is anchored in the Mishna in Taanit which identifies five tragedies that befell Am Yisrael on each of these days. We explore the relationship within the lists and between the lists to discover the underlying themes of each fast day and how they represent and symbolize the (temporary) failure of both of Israel's covenants with Hashem: Brit Sinai and Brit Tziyyon. Sourcesheet available here.

Rabbinic alumni assembled in this special zoom session to share memories and lessons from HaRav Amital zt"l , held July 14th, 2020, in advance of Harav Amital's 10th Yahrzeit.

The Process of Pesak Halacha 33: The Limits of Shaat HaDechak: The Case of Kevod HaBeriyot, by Rav Jonathan Ziring What is the nature of the dispensation of "human dignity"? What can its limits teach us about the nature of halachic reasoning?

Parshat Pinchas with Rav Dovid Gottlieb Pinchas 1 - Hashem Rewards Pinchas (part 1) - What is the "Bris Shalom"? Pinchas 2 - Hashem Rewards Pinchas (part 2) - What is the "Bris Kehunah"? Pinchas 3 - Midrash - Yehoshua's Selection and the Sensitive Question of Succession Pinchas 4 - Sparks of Chassidus - Multiple Paths Up the Mountain: Religious Individuality in the Thought of the Sefas Emes Pinchas 5 - Halacha form the Parsha - Tadir VeShe'eino Tadir" - Which Mitzvah Comes First?

The Process of Pesak Halacha 32: Monetary Loss as a Model of Shaat HaDechak, by Rav Jonathan Ziring How do poskim weigh objective and subjective "pressure"? How broad of a perspective can poskim take when determining what counts as an extenuating circumstance?

Parshat Balak with Rav Dovid Gottlieb Balak 1 - Classical Meforshim - Did Hashem Give Balaam Permission to Go? Yes, No, Maybe Balak 2 - Achronim / Contemporary - Bilaam vs Moshe: The Surprising Source of Moshe's Superiority Balak 3 - Midrash - Why Didn't Moshe Act When Confronted By Zimri? A Relevant Message from the Midrash Balak 4 - Sparks of Chassidus - "Am K'Lavi Yakum" - The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Amazing Insight into Jewish Resilience Balak 5 - Halacha - Why Do We Wait for the Rabbi? What About Tircha DTzibura