KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Haggada Highlights and Pesach Insights, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb 10 great ideas for the Seder and throughout Pesach, Women's Halacha Shiur at Kehillat Haela (RBS)

Can You Invite Non-Religious Guests for Shabbat or Yom Tov Meals?? by Rav Dovid Gottlieb In the last shiur we saw 16! different possible mitzvot when relating to non-frum Jews. Today we will discuss invitations, especially relevant as we are coming upon the Pesach Seder.  Most people have non-Orthodox relatives and/or co-workers - can you invite them for a Shabbat meal or to the Seder if you know that they will drive? What responsibility do we have for other people's sins?

Shemini | Who Are "Those Who Are Close To Me"? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What did Moshe mean when he said הוא אשר דבר השם בקרובי אקדש? The dramatic and climactic narrative of the "Eighth Day" is shattered by the tragic death of Nadav and Avihu, which is followed by Moshe's words (of consolation? encouragement?) to Aharon and then by the Divine command, given (for the only time) exclusively to Aharon, regarding the ban on entering the Mishkan while inebriated. The narrative then continues with the details of Aharon and his surviving sons and their continuing the special worship of the day. Moshe's words to Aharon are, however, a bit unclear - is he consoling him over the death of his sons or is there an even grander statement being made? We explore the statement through the eyes of the Sifra and Rashi, but then see a distinctly different approach suggested by Rashbam and R. Yosef Bekhor Shor. Source sheet >>

Ramban on the Torah | 40 | Shemini, by Rav Eli Weber When does Moshe give Aharon a pep talk? When was Birkat Kohanim actually said? What was the sin of Nadav and Avihu?

Loving our Fellow Jews: The Obligations and Limits of Kiruv, by Rav Dovid Gottlieb First in a series on our relationship with fellow Jews distant from yiddishkeit. What we are fortunate enough to experience, we forget is only relevant to a painful minority, even here in Israel. A shiur in practical halakha given at Kehillat Haela, Ramat Beit Shemesh, on March 27th, 2024

Tzav |  What is Torat Ha-Olah? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why doesn't the opening section of Parashat Tzav actually talk about the korban ha-olah - even though it's titled zot torat ha-olah? The first seven chapters of Vayikra are devoted to detailed instructions regarding the various קרבנות; the first five, which make up פרשת ויקרא, present nearly all of the offerings from the perspective of the donor, whereas the next two, which make up over half of פרשת צו, address the same range of קרבנות from the vantage point of the כהנים - the officiants. The opening פרשה in צו is titled "תורת העולה" yet it doesn't provide any further details about the קרבן העולה - but the subsequent פרשות all do present numerous details about the מנחה, about the חטאת etc. We explore the unique role of the קרבן עולה and its vital role in the ongoing sanctification of the altar as well as the continuous presence of השם in the משכן. Source sheet >>

Ramban on the Torah | 39 | Tzav, by Rav Eli Weber How is Tzav different from Vayikra? Is Derekh Eretz a requirement or a suggestion? In what order did these parashot happen? And more...

Ramban on the Torah | 37 | Pekudei, by Rav Eli Weber Why does the Torah repeat the fact that the Mishkan was built as Moshe was commanded? Why does the Torah tell us how the golden thread was made? What is the meaning of the means of a mitzva? 

Ramban on the Torah | 38 | Vayikra, by Rav Eli Weber What is the purpose of Chumash Vayikra?  What is the meaning of the Korbanot? Why does the mitzvah of Zachor exist?

Zakhor | Who Is Responsible For Eradicating Amalek? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom אמחה or תמחה? Upon the successful completion of the war against Amalek, led by Yehoshua and directed by Moshe, Hashem commands Moshe to "write this for a memorial in the (a?) scroll and place it in the ears of Yehoshua, for I will utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek..." These two odd phrases - "כתב זאת זכרון בספר" and the unmatched "שים באזני יהושע" themselves beg for clarification; yet the clear contradiction between the declaration "I will utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek" _ מחה אמחה את זכר עמלק - and the command in Devarim 25: "You shall utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek" - תמחה את זכר עמלק - requires resolution. We examine both the contradiction, as well as the two odd phrases - and our exploration leads us to observing a development in the relationship between Bnei Yisrael and Hashem during the years in the desert. Source sheet >>