KMTT - the Torah Podcast

Yirmiyah, the Joyous Sounds of Weddings, and the Return to the Land, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why are the themes of marriage and the return to Yerushalayim intertwined in Yirmiyah's prophecies and in the Birkat Chatanim? We are all famliar with the phrase עוד ישמע בערי יהודה ובחוצות ירושלים...from songs, from the final ברכה under the חופה and from countless homilies. Yet, if we look at the original context of these phrases, unique to Yirmiyah, we see that three times the phrase is used to denote what will be lost if the people do not improve their ways. It is only the final mention, in ch. 33, where the voices of gladness of the Chatan and Kalla are restored, as part of the restoration of the People to our Land. We explore the connection between restoration and marriage - and a third component, which appears prominently in a prophecy of Yirmiyah. This shiur was given in honor of the upcoming marriage of our son Yosef Tzvi to his beloved Chaya Esther. Source sheet >>

Matot | Moabite Daughters, a Midianite Princess and Pinchas, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Balak-Pinchas-Matot. Why is the "war of vengeance" carried out against Midian, if the instigators and participants in the BaalPeor episode were Moabites?  The story of Pinchas's zealotry is famous, yet his action along with the subsequent Divine command to launch a war of נקמה against Midian is surprising, considering that Ba'al Pe'or was (evidently) one of the local Moabite gods and that the seduction began with the daughters of Moab - and that only one Midianite girl was explicitly involved. A discussion of the "sitz im leben", with an eye towards geographic and cultural distinctions between these two nations helps to decipher some of the more cryptic components of this story. This shiur was given in memory of my father, הרב אשר אהרן בן אברהם בנימין and in memory of הרב משה רפאל ב"ר אברהם יצחק הכהן whose yahrzeits coincide on 21 Tamuz. יהי זכרם ברוך Source sheet >>

Pinchas | Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, by Rav Eli Weber Yirmiyahu 1:1 - 2:3 The burden of prophecy.

Balak | The remnant of Yaakov shall be among the nations, by Rav Eli Weber Mikha 5:6 - 6:8 Is being alone a curse or a blessing?

Bein HaMetzarim | Brit Sinai and Brit Zion, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is the message emerging from the parallel lists of 5 calamities on each of 17 Tamuz and 9 Av in Mishnah Taanit? Source sheet >>

Chukat | Now Yiftach the Gil'adite was a mighty man of valour, by Rav Eli Weber Shoftim 11:1-33 The leader Am Yisrael needed

Korach | 5786 | For the Lord will not forsake His people, by Rav Eli Weber I Shmuel 11: 14-15 - 12:1-22 Shmuel HaNavi's farewell speech, the Haftara for Parashat Korach, poses a timeless question: does appointing a human king strengthen or weaken a nation's relationship with God? Rav Weber argues that the deeper connection to Korach lies not just in parallel defenses of leadership, but in the shared danger of replacing divine authority with human institutions — a tension deeply relevant today.

Birkat Chatanim | More (or perhaps less) Than You Thought... by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom We are all familiar with ברכת חתנים, although generally in its more common referent - "Sheva Berakhot". We examine the sources and the divided practice of Bavel vs. Eretz Yisrael regarding how many Berakhot are said - and propose an explanation for the need for "Panim Chadashot" (a "new face" at the celebration) which is required to justify re-reciting these Berakhot at a feast given to honor the new couple. This shiur was lovingly given in honor of the forthcoming marriage of our son, Kovy to his בחירת לב, Zoe. May their lives always be filled with שפע ברכות...seven times over. Source sheet >>

Shelach | The Children of Lot, The "Sin of the Spies" and Tish'a b'Av by Yitzchak Etshalom Why did Chazal anchor the tragic history of Tish'a b'Av in the events of this week's Parasha (Parashat Shelach)? Chazal famously anchor the tragedies of ט' באב in the "חטא המרגלים" - which was really the sin of those who were persuaded by the "תרים את הארץ" and wept "that night" and wanted to appoint a new leader to take them back to Egypt. How was this frightened and impulsive reaction a catalyst for the series of deliberate and horrific catastrophes that make up the history of Tish'a b'Av?

Beha'alotekha | Sing and rejoice, o daughter of Zion, by Rav Eli Weber How do we recover from destruction? Zekharia 2:14 - 4:7

Naso | Shimson the Nazirite... Indeed? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The annunciation of Shimshon's birth (Shoftim 13) carries several anomalies; indeed, his own life reflects an unusual form of Nezirut, one which is not bound by the most severe violation of Nezirut (contact with the dead) - while his parents are the ones bound to avoid drinking wine. An investigation into the various types of נזירים in Tanakh - both before and after Matan Torah - opens up an intriguing possibility which allows us to decipher this last of the Shoftim and his unusual religious strictures. Source sheet >>

Why is there a Mitzva to Learn Torah? by Rav Mordechai Friedman This shiur tackles a fundamental philosophical question: if the Torah already obligates us to perform its 613 commandments, why is there a separate mitzva to learn Torah? You already need to know the laws to fulfill them — so why add a dedicated mitzva of Talmud Torah? Given before the Etzion Foundation dinner in New York, May 18th, 2026.

Ruth in Stereo: Mikra and Midrash, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom After a brief introduction to the literature of Midrash and specifically Midrash Aggada, we analyze four passages in Megilat Ruth, first reading them in their literary context, then perusing several Midrashic comments on them. We analyze the comments with an eye towards the agenda of the Darshan - i.e. what lesson he is building from the text; that he is not trying to "rewrite the text", rather to build from the text with a vital message for his primary audience. Source sheet >>

Geulat haShem: Redemption of a Name in Megilat Ruth, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Who is being "redeemed" in Megilat Rut? The notion of "Geula" is prominent throughout Megilat Ruth, reaching a crescendo in the final chapter. The redemption is not just about land, but about a person's memory - as exemplified by the curious structural relationship between the 7 uses of "שם" before chapter 4 and the corresponding 7 mentions in chapter 4. Source sheet >>

Bamidbar | "Say to your brothers Ammi?", by Rav Eli Weber  Hoshea 2: 1-22 The Haftara for Bamidbar, from Hosea chapter 2, is simultaneously a prophecy of devastation and of hope. Through the striking metaphor of a faithless wife who ultimately returns, and culminating in the well-known verse of eirusin (betrothal), Hosea delivers an urgent message: God's covenant with Israel — and our hold on the Land — is conditional. An engagement is not yet a marriage.

Yom Yerushalayim | Psalm 122 - "I rejoiced when they said to me" by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is the message of Psalm 122, strongly associated with the upcoming celebration of יום ירושלים? 59 years ago, on the momentous and miraculous occasion of the raising of the Israeli flag over Har haBayit, the first thing that the announcer on Kol Yisrael did was to read this beautiful paean to our city, our heart. We analyze the chapter, identify its likely provenance and its powerful message about the dialectic nature of the city, between the eternal and the ever-changing, between the static and the dynamic. Source sheet >>

Behar-Bechukotai | "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord", by Rav Eli Weber Yirmiyahu 16:19 - 17:14.  What does it mean to believe?

Lag ba'Omer | What's Behind the Celebration? by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The celebration of Lag ba'Omer is as much of a mystery as the prevailing practices in the period that leads up to it. We examine the two popular explanations - the cessation of the death of R. Akiva's students and the "Yahrzeit" of R. Shim'on bar Yochai - and demonstrate that neither explanation is reasonable, period-documented or satisfactory. Looking into the earliest source where the date of 18 Iyar appears, we discover a surprising (possible) explanation which puts Lag ba'Omer into a new light. Source sheet >>

Emor | "They shall enter into my sanctuary", by Rav Eli Weber Yechezkel 44: 15-31 The kedusha is in the details.

Emor | "ממחרת השבת" and the Calendar Controversy, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Who were the "Beitusin" who challenged rabbinic authority about the date of Shavuot?  This shiur, given at the annual Yemei Iyyun beTanakh hosted by SAR High School, analyzes the controversy over the date (and day of the week) of the "Omer" offering which, in kind, affects the date and day of the week of Shavuot. Source sheet >>

Tazria-Metzora | The Unique Opportunity Afforded to the Metzora, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why is the law regarding the Yoledet presented immediately before the laws of tzara'at?  The complex, confusing and unique instructions regarding the diagnosis and healing from tzara'at make these parashot possibly the most inscrutable and deliberately overlooked sections in the Torah. We analyze the status, implications and message of Tzara'at following his or her repatriation ceremony - which looks, in many ways, like the purification from an encounter with death. In a season when painful memories of the victims of the Shoah and our fallen soldiers are saluted, this long reading gives us, perhaps, a renewed appreciation of life and of the miraculous opportunity of "second chances". Source sheet >>

Pesach | Miriam's Vital Role in the Redemption, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Miriam is a somewhat difficult character to follow in the text; she is first presented anonymously, watching over her baby brother until he is safely brought back home to be nursed by their mother, then appears as the "prophetess, sister of Aharon" who intensifies the Song at the Sea - and then a seeming downfall at the incident of her slander of her brother and the attendant צרעת. But looking back at the nature of fraternal relations in Bereishit, we can discern a key role in her leadership as a sister to the political and spiritual leaders of the people and her role as both catalyst as well as beneficiary of fraternal loyalty - a role that helps this "first family of the nation" lead us from debased enslavement to noble sovereignty. This shiur was lovingly given in honor of the birth of our granddaughter, מרים תהילה, named for my mother, מרים בת יצחק ורבקה ז"ל, a true unifier and inspiration for all of her grandchildren. Source sheet >>

Vayikra | 5786 | "I am first and I am last", by Rav Eli Weber Yeshayahu 43:21 - 44:23 Why do we offer korbanot?

Pekudei | 5786 | Then Shlomo assembled the elders of Yisrael, by Rav Eli Weber The Inauguration of Beit Hamikdash. 1 Melakhim 7:51 - 8:1-21

Vayakhel | Shemot 35:3 and the Karaites, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is development of the Karaite-Rabbanite dispute about fire on Shabbat? The opening passage of Parashat Vayakhel includes Moshe's reminder to observe Shabbat and a singular mention of the prohibition of kindling a fire on Shabbat - לא תבערו אש בכל מושבותיכם ביום השבת. This passage became the focal point of a near-millenium long dispute between the Karaites and the rabbinic community as is evidenced from the many comments found in rabbinic literature from the Middle Ages defending and staunchly arguing in favor of the lighting of Shabbat candles. This polemic may lie at the source of a part of Friday night Tefillot. Source sheet >>

Ki Tisa | After the Fall: Recovenanting, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why are the Luchot consistently referenced as "Luchot Even"?  In the aftermath of the חטא העגל - the sin of the golden calf - God commits to a (new?) covenant, one which inheres compassion and forgiveness, predicated on contrition and repentance. This recovenanting requires several steps - Moshe has to carve two tablets of stone like the set that God had given him, and God will then engrave the same words that He had written on the first set. There is a repetition of the last section of the original law code (from Ex. 23) but no repetition of the civil and criminal code which precedes it. We explore the role of the לוחות האבן - the stone tablets - and the three monikers by which they are known - לוחות אבן, לוחות הברית, לוחות העדות; we also propose an explanation as to why only the end of the law code is re-covenanted - as well as an interesting suggestion as to why Moshe is praised, at the end of his life, for "the strong hand" which, per the Sifrei, refers to his breaking the tablets. Source sheet >>

Teruma | And I will dwell among the children of Israel, by Rav Eli Weber Melakhim I 5: 26-32 - 6: 1-13 Between the Mishkan and the Mikdash.

Shabbat Zakhor | And Shaul smote Amalek, by Rav Eli Weber Zakhor | Shmuel I 15:2-34 What caused Shaul's downfall?

Megillat Esther | Esther's Brilliant Plan, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why do we need to hear so many details of the Persian court in Esther 1 and 2 - when the plot only begins in chapter 3?  The first two chapters of Esther seem superfluous to the critical part of the plot - the decree to kill Mordekhai's nation and the successful stratagem that defeated it. Why does the reader need to hear about the Persian Emperor's "glory" and extended coronation party, and about the excessive preening and primping involved in getting the young maidens ready for their "night with the king"? We explore the psychological profiles that each chapter gives us about Achashverosh and Esther, respectively, and then the profile that chapter 3 and 5 give us about Haman; without which we wouldn't be able to understand Esther's brilliant strategy that outfoxed our two enemies and opened the door to national salvation.

Mishpatim | "That everyone should set free their slaves", by Rav Eli Weber Yirmiyahu 34:8 - 34:22 To be an eved only of Hashem.

Mishpatim | The Beloved Wife of the "Nirtza", by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Parashat Mishpatim opens up with legislation regarding the "Hebrew slave", who is really more of an indentured servant. In this passage, the master may "assign" a woman to the servant, but when his six-year term of servitude is complete, he leaves her when he goes free. If he chooses to stay due to his love for his master - and his wife and their children - he may refuse to leave, have his ear publicly pierced and remain a slave "forever". The Halakha understands that "forever" means until the Yovel - but where does that leave the wife and children that the slave loves so dearly? Inspired by Rashbam's broad approach to exegesis, we examine all three passages about the עבד עברי - here, in ויקרא and in דברים - and identify the distinct circumstances that inform them and propose a distinction between the passage in our Parasha and that in דברים to help resolve some of the difficulties in these פרשיות. Source sheet >>

Yitro | Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh, by Rav Eli Weber Yeshayahu 6:1 - 7:6 Is God immanent or transcendental?

Yitro | Reliving Sinai, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom In his farewell speech, Moshe continually refers to the day of Matan Torah as יום הקהל, and even recalls Hashem's command הקהל לי את העם - to gather all of the people. This historic experience and the obligation to always remember it and to transmit it to the next generation seems to be the impetus for the Mitzva of Hakhel - to gather everyone for a public reading of the Torah "that they will learn to fear Hashem..." (Devarim 31). But this practice, although modestly revived about 140 years ago, was not activated for hundreds of years - yet, it seems that there was a more local and regular practice which was, at least partially, formulated in order to maintain the memory of the Stand at Sinai. We explore the Eretz Yisrael tradition of completing the Torah over 3 and a half years - or twice in a seven-year span, and explore its relationship to Hakhel and, ultimately, to a weekly (at least) reexperiencing of Sinai.

Beshalach | And Devorah sang, by Rav Eli Weber Shoftim 4:4 - 5:31. Why did Yael kill Sisera?

Beshalach | Miriam's Role in the Song at the Sea, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom The introductory line to the Song at the Sea (Shemot 15:1) is enigmatic on several counts. First of all, why is Moshe listed separately - and the verb ישיר is in the singular - if all of the people sang? Furthermore, how would they all know what to say/sing? We review the various Tannaitic opinions addressing these questions and Moshe's role in the paean. Furthermore, we explore the purpose and added praise which Miriam's actions brought about - if the women had already "sung" with all of Bnei Yisrael, what did they accomplish by singing again by themselves?

Bo | But fear not thou O my servant Yaakov, by Rav Eli Weber Yirmiyahu 46:13 - 46:28. Gratitude in the face of tragedy.

Va'era | And all the inhabitants of Miżrayim shall know that I am God, by Rav Eli Weber Yechezkel 28:25 - 29:21 Why do we need 10 makkot?

Vaera | The Makkot Curriculum, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom A paideia for Pharaoh. How many Makkot were there? We inevitably approach our study of Parashat Va'era with an assumption of 10 Makkot (plagues) with which Hashem smote and 'judged" the Egyptians. However, that number does not appear in the Torah's record of the events and other presentations of the Exodus story in Tanakh highlight only some of these plagues, ending up with a smaller number - and the Midrash famously expands this number by a factor of up to 50, seeing 5 sub-plagues within each one. We look back at the structure of the plagues, following Hashem's directives to Moshe regarding warning - or not warning - Pharaoh before each one and discern a clear pattern which opens up an additional perspective on the purpose of these plagues and their role as didactic, beyond the punitive. Source sheet >>

Shemot | And In that Day a Great Shofar Shall be Sounded, by Rav Eli Weber Yeshayahu 27:6-28:13. On geula and materialism.

Shemot | What were the ערי המסכנות? And Why Does It Matter?  by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is the meaning and significance of the ערי המסכנות which בני ישראל were forced to build?  The first labor forced upon the Hebrews in Egypt was a labor tax, forcing them to build ערי מסכנות. We explore the possible meanings of this unusual phrase, set it in apposition to the later back-breaking work to which they were subjected and the significance of this type of work, considering the storied history of Yaakov's progeny in Egypt. Source sheet >>

Thoughts for Asara B'Tevet 5786, by Rav Moshe Taragin Was the Translation of Torah Tragic? Was the Holocaust a Historical Shift? When the Narrative Changes. Preserving Halakha and Masorah. The Dangers of Hyper-Preservationism in Charedi Culture

Vayechi | David's Last Words: Moral Complexity and Leadership, by Rav Eli Weber Understanding moral complexity reveals the Haftara's deepest wisdom about leadership and ethics. I Melakhim 2:1 - 2:12 This shiur examines the Haftara for Parshat Vayechi, which parallels King David's final charge to his son Shlomo with Yaakov's blessings to his children. The Haftara divides into two contrasting sections that seem almost contradictory, religious wisdom followed by orders to kill!

Vayechi | Yaakov's Deathbed Charge, Rav Yitzchak Etshalom What is the rationale behind the sequence of Yaakov's deathbed blessings?  In the final scene of Yaakov's storied life, he lies in his bed surrounded by all twelve of his sons - for the first time, named שבטי ישראל - the "tribes of Israel". He then imparts (blessings?) (prophecies?) (assignments?) to each of them in an unusual sequence and with an imbalanced emphasis towards two of his sons. We explore possibilities of Yaakov's intent in his final moments and suggest a far-reaching vision that our patriarch has - and which speaks to a seemingly irreparable tear in the fabric of the family...which helps us understand an inscrutable line in our Haggada. All that and more... Source sheet >>

Vayigash | 5786 | And I Will Make Them One Nation, by Rav Eli Weber Yechezkel 37: 15-28 How do we create unity?

Vayigash | "And Yosef Could No Longer Restrain Himself", by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why does the text add the phrase לכל הנצבים עליו when defining Yosef's inability to restrain his outburst?  When Yosef is finally ready to reveal his identity to his brothers, the text uses a rare word - להתאפק - and tells us that ולא יכל יוסף להתאפק לכל הנצבים עליו. This latter phrase is enigmatic and the Rishonim take a number of varied approaches to explain the role of the bystanders in his decision to empty the room before "the big reveal". We survey these approaches and suggest two more - one based on the well-known article by R. Yoel Bin-Nun about Yosef's thinking during this entire episode - and another, new approach to this specific phrase, which curiously leads us to the latter-day story which is heavily reliant on the Yosef-in-Egypt narrative - Megilat Esther, pitting Yosef's ויתאפק against that of Haman. Source sheet >>

Mitzvat Chanuka | A Fresh Look at the "Beraitot" of Chanuka, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Why is "Sugyat Chanuka" the only place in the Bavli where a Mitzva is presented with a tiered system of fulfillment?  (BT Shabbat 21b) Most students are familiar with the Beraitot defining the Mitzvah of Ner Chanuka, found near the beginning of the 2nd chapter of Masekhet Shabbat - including the tri-level performance schedule (basic, 'Mehadrin' and 'Mehadrin min haMehadrin'). We analyze this Beraita and the attendant discussion, identifying difficulties in the text along the way and then share the approach taken by several contemporary scholars as to the background of the discussion and thereby arriving at a solution to the conundrum of this multi-layered Sugya. Source sheet >>

Vayeshev | 5786 | For Three Transgressions of Yisrael, by Rav Eli Weber Amos 2:6 - 3:8 How does God communicate with us?

Vayeshev | The Apocrypha and the Midrash, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom Is there anything legitimately "Jewish" about apocryphal Midrashim?  We are accustomed to thinking of the Apocrypha (the "hidden" or "buried" writings of the 3rd century BCE through the first century CE) as external to our Rabbinic tradition and to reflecting purely sectarian approaches and interpretations. Yet - we sometimes find a common thread between the interpretive approaches taken in these somewhat esoteric books and those found in our "mainstream" Midrashic literature. We examine an unusual passage in the apocryphal "Testament of Judah" and find a curious commonality appearing nearly a millennium later in Midrash Bereishit Rabbati. Source sheet >>

Two Giants, One Vision: The Legacy of Rav Aharon Lichtenstein and Rav Yehuda Amital, by Rabbi Michael Rosensweig Our overseas talmidim were zocheh to Rabbi Rosensweig, '73,  telling them about his time at Gush with stories of Rav Lichtenstein zt"l and Rav Amital zt"l. The shiur examines how Yeshivat Har Etzion benefited from two contrasting gedolim: Rav Amital's passionate decisiveness and transformative honesty, and Rav Lichtenstein's analytical depth and measured deliberation. Like Yaakov Avinu who synthesized Avraham and Yitzchak's qualities, these leaders offered diverse role models united by integrity and mutual respect. Their complementary approaches demonstrated that Torah leadership can embrace different styles while maintaining shared values and unwavering commitment to truth. Rabbi Rosensweig is a Rosh Yeshiva at RIETS of YU and the Rosh Kollel of the Beren Kollel Elyon.

Vayishlach | 5786 | Thus says the Lord God Concerning Edom, by Rav Eli Weber What was Esav's plan? Who is Edom?