Parsha Podcast with Ari Goldwag

Why does the snake cause man to sin? What does it mean that the spiritual being, the Satan, that 'rode' on the snake was jealous? How does an exalted spiritual being experience jealousy? What was the 'meat' and 'wine' that Adam ate in the Garden? What was the significance of naming the animals? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What is the deeper concept of Lulav and succah? How are they connected? Why don't we perform these mitzvos on Shmini Atzeres? Why is the concept of Succah related to shade? Why is our Succah connected to the future Succah of the righteous in the times of Moshiach? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What is the secret of the goat that was sent to the wilderness? How can we conceive of the concept of a bribe for the Satan? What is the parallel to the story of Yakov and Esav? How does this apply to our unique times? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

How can the heavens and earth bear witness? Why is the Torah referred to as a song? How can a song bear witness? Why is Rosh Hashana on the only holiday on the first day of the month? Why was Adam created on this day? Why do we blow the Shofar on this day? What does the Shofar represent? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why does the Torah stress that the commandments are not far away? What does it mean that they are in 'your mouth and your heart to do them?' What is the deeper concept of Teshuva - repentance - and why does it begin on Rosh Hashana, the day we crown Hashem our King? What is the deeper understanding of this coronation of Hashem? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why does the Torah speak extensively about the curses that befall those who violate the Torah? What is the contrast between the initial accepting of the Torah at Sinai, as opposed to the second acceptance in the time of Purim? How do these two stages play out in our own relationship with Hashem? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why does the Torah place the onus of bringing about marital harmony on the man? What is the connection between marriage and prohibition of taking collateral from the debtor's means of livelihood? What is the difference between the Torah's view of marriage and the Western view of marriage? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why are we enjoined to follow the words of the sages? What is the secret of why Hashem trusts them? Why are we to follow them even if they tell us something that seems to be against Hashem's will? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why is it so essential to uproot idolatry as a prerequisite to fulfilling the Torah? Why do our sage say that one who denies the validity of idolatry is considered as if he has fulfilled the entire Torah? What is the significance of the mountain in spiritual practice? Why were the blessings and curses placed on mountains? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What are the two different types of relationship with Hashem that the Jews had in the wilderness? What is Moshe's advice for each? How does this play itself out to this day? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What is the foundation of Hashem's love for the Jewish people? What does the Torah mean when it says that the Jews are few/small? Why does the Torah specifically speak of this love in contrast to his relationship with the nations of the world? What is the secret of the Jewish people's continued success? What is the cause of downfall of the nations of the world? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What was the story of the spies from the perspective of the Jewish people? How could the Jewish people say that Hashem 'hated' them if He had shown them so many miracles and was constantly providing for them? Why does Hashem seem to confirm their fears and remove His presence from them? Why does the crying of Tisha B'av necessitate a crying for generations? Why do we go through a litany of seeming complaints on Tisha B'av? What are we supposed to be thinking and feeling on Tisha B'av? Why is Tisha B'av called a 'moed' - a meeting time with Hashem? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why is the war with Midyan prefaced with the laws of vows? Why is Moshe told that he will die immediately after this war? Why does Pinchas lead them in battle, and not Yehoshua? Why did Pinchos bring back so many Midianites and why did Moshe adamantly demand their death? Why does the Torah give us such a detailed description of the spoils in this war? What is the significance of the fact that all of the spoils were passed through either fire or water? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why does Eliyahu/Pinchas appear and disappear throughout history? Why is Eliyahu involved in giving over the secrets of the Torah through all generations? What is the deeper message of the genealogy of the daughters of Tzelafchad that is recorded all the way back to Yosef? What is the deeper connection of this idea to the story of Eliyahu/Pinchas? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

How could Bilam, an evil lowlife, be able to merit such a lofty level of prophecy? Why does his donkey speak? Why is he able to speak about the end of days, which only Yakov and Moshe speak of in the Torah itself? What is the deeper connection between the story of Bilaam and the story of Pinchas? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.