KMTT - the Torah Podcast

What's the Right Way to Disagree? (Avot 5:17), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Sharing the Torah of Rav Asher Weiss What is a "machloket l'shem shamayim" and why does it endure?

Balak | The Book of Bil'am, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why do Chazal credit Moshe with writing "his book (Torah) and Parashat Bil'am". What is "Parashat Bil'am"? The story of Bil'am has always inspired consternation. Amongst the mysteries unique to this narrative is one of setting - it is the only story in the Torah since the end of Sefer Bereishit where Am Yisrael is not front and center - in fact, during this entire narrative, Am Yisrael isn't even in the background; they are the target and focus of discussion and attempted spiritual ambush - but we never see or hear them. This oddity likely led Chazal to ascribe "Parashat Bil'am" to Moshe Rabbenu - even though they already credited him with writing most/all of the Torah. There is, however, another way to understand that unusual statement. A Ritb"a suggests, there was a separate book, known as "the book of Bil'am", that Chazal were able to reference - and this is somewhat substantiated by an odd conversation between R. Hanina and a sectarian (BT Sanhedrin 100). where the latter refers to something he read "in Bil'am's log book". These mysterious statements gained more traction with a remarkable find in Tel Dir-'Alah (Biblical Sukkot, on the East Bank of the Jordan) in February 1967 - the mysterious "Book of Bil'am bar B'eor". Enjoy! Source sheet >>

Why Does Hashem Test Us (Avot 5:3), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Sharing the Torah of Rav Asher Weiss What was accomplished by Avraham "passing" 10 tests? What's the point of it all?

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 19), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Tefilla as a Barometer of Authenticity and Spirituality; The Ba'al Shem Tov's Assurance to his Talmidim; Focusing on the "Little Things" 

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 18), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Honesty, Humility and Integrity; The Search for "Emmet"; Avoiding Exhibitionist Frumkeit; Deluxe "Marror"; Don't Become an Onion; Children Can Discern Authenticity 

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 17), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Was Da'as Torah Popular in Europe in the Non-Chasidic World?; Empowering Talmidim with Independence; What Happened in Volozin if a Talmid Spoke "Like Rav Chaim"

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 16), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Symptoms of Religion Becoming Abnormal: Dismissiveness Toward "Ba'alei Batim", Not Singing Zemirot, Detachment From Family, Obsession With Chumrot; In Hungary The Word "Frum" Was an Insult

The Power of Habits - for Good or for Bad (Avot 4:2), by Rav Dovid Gottlieb Sharing the Torah of Rav Asher Weiss Why are habits (good or bad) so powerful?

Explaining the Wisdom of Harav Yehuda Amital zt"l (Part 15), by Rav Moshe Taragin In light of the recent publication of the sefer לעולם יהא אדם, מתורותיו של הרב יהודה עמיטל, Rav Taragin discusses with his talmidim many of the issues brought up in his rebbe's sichot: Calibrating Aspiration With Emotional Health; Interrupting His Son's Bar Mitzvah; Objecting to The Term "Iluy"; Demanding That His Daughter Fail The Test; The Polarity Between Rav Amital and Rav Lichtenstein 

Thoughts about the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Chabad, by Rav Moshe Taragin Upon the rebbe's 30th yahrzeit, 3 Tammuz, 5784