Talking Parsha

Parshat Mishpatim

Mistreating a widow is idol worship?

We find 3 mitzvahs with no clear connection between them: don't make offerings to idols, don't mistreat a Ger, and don't mistreat widows.

Parashat Yitro

Was Moshe on Har Sinai?

We have an image of what happened at Sinai: Moshe at the top of the mountain receiving the Luchos. But that's not what the Psukim describe!

Parashat Beshalach - Stop complaining?

What exactly is going on at the beginning of the story of the Man (Manna)??

Parshat Bo - Why is this in our Tefillin?

What's so special about these Parshyot, that they deserve to be put in our Tefillin?

Parshat Va'era: Why start with blood?

The first of the 10 Plagues is the "Plague of Blood." The obvious question is: why is this the first plague?

Parshat Shemot:

What's in Moshe's hand?

One very strange verse in Shemot has much more than meets the eye.

Talking Parsha - Vayechi:

Is Yaakov blind?

Just before Yaakov dies, Yosef brings over his sons to receive a blessing from Yaakov. When Yosef

Parshat Vayigash:

How are wagons proof Yosef was still alive?

In this week's Parsha, Yosef finally reveals his true identity to his brothers and lets them know that he is the brother they sold years ago

Parashat Vayeshev:

Why is Yehuda's story relevant now?

Just as Yosef's story picks up with the drama of selling him to Egypt, the Torah turns to Yehuda. Why is Yehuda's story even relevant?

Parshat Vayishlach:

We can't eat "Yaakov's leg"?

What's so significant about Yaakov's injury? And why is it so significant that we refrain from eating a certain animal part because of it?

Talking Parsha - Vayetze: Yaakov is running away again?!

Yaakov has to escape again - from Lavan’s home back to the Land of Israel. Why is it so important for him to escape & not leave peacefully?

Talking Parsha - Toldot:

What's Yitzchak doing there?!

What's this whole story about - what is Yitzchak doing in Grar??

Talking Parsha - Chayei Sarah:

You can't find one righteous girl in Canaan?!

Why does Avraham care so much about finding Yitzchak a wife from where he was born? It's not like the people there were better!

Parshat Vayera: He argues with G-d?

Why does Hashem say He 'has to tell' Avraham about impending destruction of Sdom - and why does Avraham argue with Him?

Talking Parsha - Lech Lecha: Who told Avraham to go to Israel??

At the end of last week's parsha, we see that Avraham was already on his way to Israel. So why is Hashem telling him to go there?

Why didn't Noach leave the ark?

Hashem commands Noach to leave the ark - but why does Noach need to be commanded? What do we learn from Noach sending the raven and dove?

Talking Parsha - Bereshit: The creation of Chava (Eve) - why??

Why does the Torah tell us the story of Chava's creation, and why does the story end with a verse that's totally out of place?

How many Brachos are there?

In the parsha Moshe blesses every single tribe individually, giving 12 Brachos. But the parsha starts with a reference to just one bracha.

Talking Parsha

Ha'azinu & Sukkot: Why's Moshe talking to the sky & earth??

Why does Moshe begin the song of Ha'azinu by speaking to the sky & the earth, & how is this connected to Yom Kippur & the holiday of Sukkot?

Hakhel - why now?

Talking Parsha - Vayelech and Yom Kippur

Talking Parsha - Nitzavim & Rosh Hashanah: Do we have a choice??

Why is Moshe offering the Jewish people a choice, but telling them what to choose? And who would choose death? What kind of choice is this?

Parshat Ki Tavo:

Only today we became a nation?

This week, apparently something very important happens, because Moshe declares to Am Yisrael that "today you have become a nation".

Talking Parsha - Ki Teitzei:

This is what you need in your new home?!

Why is the mitzvah to fence in a roof the one that the Torah emphasizes when it talks about building a new home?

Talking Parsha - Re'eh: False prophecy is a test of love?!

How are the Jewish People supposed to know that a false prophet is a test, if we don't have the tools to cope with the situation?

Talking Parsha - Ekev: We don’t deserve the Land!

How can the nations of Canaan not behaving be the reason for the People of Israel conquering the land, if they are not behaving, either?

Talking Parsha - Va'etchanan: Adding mitzvos is idol worship?!

This week's Torah portion discusses not adding or subtracting from the commandments. What's wrong with adding?

Talking Parsha - Devarim: Moshe is doing us a favor??

Who is talking in the book of Devarim - is it Moshe giving his own speech? Or did Hashem command Moshe to give this speech?

Talking Parsha - Massei: Is the murderer running 'to' or 'from'?

Why does the Torah send an 'accidental' murderer to a city of refuge instead of banning the victim's blood relatives from taking revenge?

Talking Parsha - Matot: It's ok to not enter THE land?!

When 2.5 tribes ask to remain on the eastern side of the Jordan River, Moshe doesn't get upset that they don't want to enter the Land. Why?

Talking Parsha - Pinchas: What are the korbanos doing here?!

In this Torah portion, we discuss the korbanot passages, which we read every day. Why are these discussed here, instead of in Leviticus?

What do we want from Bilaam?

Bilaam sounds like a real Tzadik - that only cares about Hashem's will - so why is Hashem so angry at him?

Talking Parsha - Chukat: Why wasn't Miriam mourned?!

This week we read about the deaths of Aharon and Miriam - but only Aharon is mourned. Why is that? Why does the Torah just move on?

Talking Parsha

Parshat Korach: The earth wasn't supposed to swallow him!

This is not what Moshe originally planned!! What happened there? Why did the land need to open up?!

Talking Parsha - Shlach: Tzitzit - do you see that?

What exactly is tzitzit? How does the tzitzit help us with remembering all the mitzvahs of Hashem? What is tzitzit all about?!

Talking Parsha:

Beha'alotcha: How does this solve their problem?

What is 'Second Passover'? Why don't other holidays have second date also?

Talking Parsha:

Naso & Shavuos: Birkat Kohanim - what's it about??

What does blessing the People of Israel have to do with the work of the Holy Temple? Why are the kohanim the ones to bless the people?

The Book of Numbers?

Bamidbar is also called the 'Book of Numbers'. But the verb 'Pakad' - to count - also has other connotations. What is the deeper meaning?

Talking Parsha - Bechukotai: Where's the happy ending?!

Why does G-d's reprimand to the Jewish people end with a double 'remembering'? Where is the redemption after all of the punishment?

How can a piece of land rest?

Parshat Behar: Is Shmita really about the land resting?

Talking Parsha

Emor & Yom Ha'atzmaut: Why are we blaming his mother?!

This week, we learn about the person who cursed using G-d's Name - but the Torah doesn't tell us his name, only his mother's. Why?

Parshat Kedoshim: All of Torah on one foot?

Why does Rabbi Akiva call it a "Big Rule", and not an "Important Mitzvah"...? What is 'Love your fellow as you love yourself' all about?

Talking Parsha - Acharei Mot: Do we always have to be different?

This week's Torah portion instructs us not to imitate the nations around us. Why is that? What is behind this concept?

Talking Parsha - Pesach: Should we question everything?

Seder Night is all about asking questions. But is it really that important to ask questions? Why do we ask so many questions?

Talking Parsha - Metzorah: How's your house feeling?

In this week's Torah portion we read about leprosy of a home and of clothing. Why would an inanimate object have a spiritual disease?

Parshat Tazria:

You can't see the connection?

This week the Torah teaches us the laws of Tzara'at, a physical skin disease which is actually a manifestation of a deeper spiritual problem

Talking Parsha - Shmini: Does G-d care about the details?

Why are there so many explanations as to why Nadav and Avihu died? What actually happened here and why was it so important?

Can you think different?

How is this week's Parsha - Tzav - connected to Purim? What do the laws of Ola'a offering have to do with the holiday?

Talking Parsha - Vayikra & Zachor: A leader has to sin?!

The Torah begins speaking about an individual's sins by using the word, 'if,' but about a king the Torah uses the word, 'when.' Why?

Parshat Pekudei: Why command Moshe so many times?

The Torah repeats again and again (and again...) the phrase "As Hashem commanded Moshe". Why does the Torah repeat this so many times?

Talking Parsha - Vayakhel: Why don't we work on the Sabbath?

What's the connection between building the Mishkan and the work we are not allowed to perform on Shabbat?

Why the Golden Calf?

Why were the Jews so disturbed that Moshe hadn't come down the mountain yet, and why did it cause them to sin with the Golden Calf?

Talking Parsha

Tetzaveh: We build the Mishkan with a candle?

Why does the Torah discuss the 'ner tamid' in the middle of speaking about preparing the priests? What is this 'constant light' about?

Parshat Truma: Is it a donation - or a commandment?

Why does Hashem tell Moshe to "take" the donation from the people, and not that the people should "give" a donation?

Talking Parsha:

Mishpatim - Was it really na'aseh & then nishma?

We are told the Jews said, 'We will do & we will listen' - but they said that after hearing it 3x! How is that 'doing' before 'listening?'

Parshat Yitro: Yitro heard what?

What exactly did Moshe tell Yitro? What new information did Yitro learn from Moshe that got him to declare "There's no G-d like Hashem"?

Talking Parsha:

Beshalach: Miriam and the bittersweet lesson

What does the fact that the Jews ran out of water have to do with the promise that they will not suffer the punishments brought upon Egypt?

Parshat Bo: Why 10 Plagues?!

Why did God go through the full 10 Plagues, if anyways the Egyptians didn't learn their lesson? Why not just take the Jews out right away?

Talking Parsha - Va'era: Moses can't speak?!

Why so is there so much emphasis on speaking to Pharaoh and on who will speak to Pharaoh, if no one is going to listen anyways?

The Burning Bush - what's the story?

So why does Hashem make this special supernatural occurrence with the burning bush? Obviously there's more to this story..

Talking Parsha - Vayechi: Is Yosef our 4th Forefather?

From the verses in this week's Torah portion, it would seem that Yosef is considered one of the forefathers. So why is he not on the list?