Sivan Says: Taking the Torah Personally

This week’s ⁠parashot⁠, Acharei Mot and Kedoshim, take us from the grief of tragedy to the challenge of holiness. In the wake of Nadav and Avihu’s deaths, Aaron is commanded to carry on—ushering in the sacred rituals of Yom Kippur. And in Kedoshim, we’re told, “You shall be holy,” with dozens of mitzvot spelling out exactly how. What does it really mean to keep going—and to become holy—in a world that keeps breaking our hearts? Tune in to find out.

This week’s parashot explore the mysterious affliction of tzara’at, a physical ailment tied to spiritual misdeeds like gossip. What does it mean to be impure? And can the words we choose really shape the people we become? Tune in to find out.

This week’s parsha includes the instructions about the laws of Kashrut, which remain some of the most complicated and baffling commandments in Judaism. How can the things we choose to eat—or not eat—define us? And can keeping a mitzvah truly transform us even if we’re not feeling transformed? Tune in to find out.  Sivan Rahav-Meir is a leading Israeli journalist, media personality, and Torah scholar. You can sign up for her The Daily Thought WhatsApp group, where Sivan sends small insights about Judaism and current affairs.Check out Liel Leibovitz’s new book, How the Talmud Can Change Your Life: Surprisingly Modern Advice from a Very Old Book, available directly from the publisher or wherever you purchase books.You can find all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

As we celebrate Pesach, we’re reminded that the story of our freedom doesn’t end with leaving Egypt. It’s a continual process—one that asks us to look beyond the present moment, to imagine the future, and to carry the lessons of hope, unity, and perseverance forward. How do you become the best version of yourself? Tune in to find out. 

As we clean our homes and prepare for Pesach, this week’s parsha commands us to focus on what matters. The offerings, the rituals, the laws: it can all feel overwhelming. But sometimes, the holiest thing is the simplest one. Chametz is chametz. A mitzvah is a mitzvah. What does it mean to return to the basics—at the Seder and in life? Tune in to find out.Sivan Rahav-Meir is a leading Israeli journalist, media personality, and Torah scholar. You can sign up for her The Daily Thought WhatsApp group, where Sivan sends small insights about Judaism and current affairs.Check out Liel Leibovitz’s new book, How the Talmud Can Change Your Life: Surprisingly Modern Advice from a Very Old Book, available directly from the publisher or wherever you purchase books.You can find all of Tablet’s podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

On this week’s parsha, we begin the book of Vayikra, often dismissed as a list of sacrificial rituals. But beneath the detailed laws lies a deeper truth: giving—whether through korbanot, acts of kindness, or personal sacrifice—creates love and strengthens our connections to others and to God. How does this idea tie into Pesach and the concept of redemption? Tune in to find out.

In this week’s parsha, the Israelites finally complete building the Mishkan, God’s temporary dwelling place on earth. But finishing a task, or pausing en route to the Promised Land, doesn’t mean that the journey is over or even on hold. What does a wise commentary by Rashi teach us about carrying on when we feel stuck? Tune in to find out.

In this week’s parsha, the Israelites are faced with a pretty steep challenge: How do you bounce back from the sin of the Golden Calf? But instead of some cathartic, head-turning moment, we receive what sounds like a repetition of the instructions on how to build the Mishkan, God’s temporary dwelling place on earth. Why tell us things we’ve already heard? And what can this repetition teach us about bringing God’s divine wisdom down here to earth? Tune in to find out.

In this week’s parsha, the Israelites commit what may be their gravest sin: dancing in front of the Golden Calf. How do we make up for such a misstep? Maybe by observing the four commandments of Purim, which bring us back in touch with ourselves, our loved ones, and our community. How is a festive meal an act of spiritual affirmation? Tune in to find out.  

In this week’s parsha, the Torah delivers detailed instructions about the priestly garments, but because it’s the Shabbat before the holiday of Purim, we also revisit the ancient commandment not to forget the evils of Amalek. Why must we remember Amalek’s wickedness, and what does the war against Amalek, still raging on, look like these days? Tune in to find out