KMTT - the Torah Podcast

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.

Ramban On The Torah | 17 | Lekh Lekha, by Rav Eli Weber

During these challenging and uncertain times, a short inspirational lesson followed by the recitation of tehillim.  We thank the OU for including our Rosh Yeshiva, Harav Mosheh Lichtenstein, in their Daily Tehillim and Chizuk Call; to join the daily call, click here >>

Noach's Altar, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why was Hashem's reaction to Noach's offerings so...tepid?  In the immediate aftermath of the flood, three consecutive events are recorded. Noah builds an altar and offers mammals and birds to God at which God seems to be pleased and internally commits to never again destroying the earth. God then presents an essential legal/moral code to Noah and then God confirms his commitment to never again destroy the world, by indicating the sign of that pact -the rainbow. This sequence is unsettling, as we would expect the "sign of the covenant" to be presented immediately after God's "internal" conversation. Yet the legal code interrupts these two. Furthermore, God's response to the offerings is less than enthusiastic - His observation is that "Man's nature is wicked from his youth" - hardly a ringing endorsement of mankind. What are we to make of this Divine reaction and how are we to understand the sequence of God's presentations to Noah and his sons? We suggest an uncommon understanding of the phrase ריח ניחוח as they key to unlocking this three-stage interaction. This shiur was given in honor of our brave חיילים וחיילות who guard our borders and our cities - ה' ישמרם מכל נגע וינחיל לעמו נצחון ויכלו אנשי זדון מן הארץ Source sheet >>

Ramban On The Torah | 16 | Noach, by Rav Eli Weber