Friends, Thanks to those who have asked – the podcast is on hiatus for the time being. You can still find the previous 2 years worth of podcasts here (click “older entries” if you need to, or simply search for them in the sidebar). Subscribe by email, if you haven’t already, to follow the writing […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of October 16th, 2022 Deut. 34:6  He buried him [וַיִּקְבֹּ֨ר אֹת֤וֹ] in the valley in the land of Moab, near Beth-peor; and no one knows his burial place to this day. The “him” who was buried is Moses – but who buried him … and how?   This week’s […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of October 2nd, 2022 Deut. 32:2   May my discourse come down as the rain [כַּמָּטָר֙],                       My speech distill as the dew [כַּטַּ֖ל],                       Like showers [כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם] on […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of September 25th, 2022 Deut. 31:1  Moses went and spoke these things to all Israel.   Did he really?  He was already speaking to them!  So where did he “go”?  The Dead Sea Scrolls may have the answer.   This week’s handout: 52 Vayelech 5782-83 Learn Biblical Hebrew! Donate via […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of September 18th, 2022 Deut. 30:3   The Lord your God will restore your fortunes [וְשָׁ֨ב אֶת־שְׁבוּתְךָ֖] and take you back in love [וְרִחֲמֶ֑ךָ].   What does this grammatically strange expression really mean?  “Take you back in love” may provide the answer!   This week’s handout: 51 Nitzavim 5782 My second “Bible […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of September 11th, 2022 Deut. 27:4   upon crossing the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I charge you this day, on Mount Ebal, and coat them with plaster. 5 There, too, you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of September 4th, 2022 Deut. 22:23    In the case of a virgin who is engaged to a man—if a man comes upon her in town and lies with her, 24 you shall take the two of them out to the gate of that town and stone them to death: […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of August 28th, 2022 Deut. 19:8    And when [וְאִם] the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land that He promised to give your fathers 9 … then you shall add three more towns to those three.   Didn’t […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of August 21st, 2022 Deut. 12:4    Do not worship the Lord your God in like manner, 5 but look only to the site that the Lord your God will choose [הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר] amidst all your tribes as His habitation, to establish His name there … But when did the […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of August 14th, 2022 Deut. 11:6 What He did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab son of Reuben, when the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them, along with their households, their tents, and every living thing [וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הַיְקוּם֙] in their train, from amidst all Israel. This word yekum is only […]

This is Torah Talk for the week of August 7th, 2022 Deut. 4:41   Then Moses set aside three cities across [בעבר] the Jordan 42 to which a manslayer could escape.   Modern and medievals agree: these words are an appendix – but why is it here?   This week’s handout: 45 Va-etchanan 5782 Learn Biblical Hebrew! Donate via Paypal! Click here for […]