Parsha Podcast with Ari Goldwag

Why did Miriam die just as the Jews were about to enter Israel at the end of the forty years? Why is the matter of her death not discussed by any commentaries? What is the connection between her death and the Red Heifer? Why was her special death, which was similar to the death of Moshe and Aharon, not mentioned explicitly? Why did the Jews merit to have a special well of water as long as she was alive? What was Moshe's sin in striking the rock instead of speaking to it? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What is at the root of Korach's rebellion? Why does Korach come with the argument that a garment which is completely Techeles (blue wool) need not have the tzitzis hung on its corners? What is the significance of the fact that Korach's name means baldness? What is the significance of the Gemara's assertion of the importance of the wife of Korach and Oan ben Peles? What is the deeper concept of hair? Why are married women obligated to cover their hair? Why is the hair of the metzora as well, as the Levi'im at their appointment, removed? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why does the Torah seem to imply that Hashem initiated the sending of the spies, if in fact, as Rashi says, it was initiated by the Jewish people themselves? What were the spies expected to accomplish, and what was their fundamental failure? How did the spies know they would lose their positions of significance when the Jewish people entered Israel? What is the significance of the fact that their mission spanned months of Sivan, Tamuz and Av? Why does Moshe finish off his instruction by telling the spies to 'be strong and take from the fruit of land?' Why does the Torah stress that this occurred during the time of the harvest of grapes? Why does the Torah stress that their forty days of spying culminated with their taking of the אשכול, the cluster of grapes? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why was the mitzvah of Pesach Sheni revealed through the question of the impure individuals? How can one 'make up' the korban Pesach (Passover offering) in a different month? What is the spiritual power of Iyar? Why is Pesach Sheni only one day? Why can the Pesach sheni be eaten when one has Chametz in his home? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What was the mistake of the Nesi'im (princes)? How did they rectify this mistake with the wagons and offerings they brought? Why does the Torah start and end the parsha talking about the mishkan but interrupt with the concept of the Sotah, Nazir and blessings of the Kohanim? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What is the deeper significance of the custom to stay up all night learning Torah? Why did the Jewish people wake up late on the morning of receiving the Torah? What is the parallel to Yakov who also had a contrasting night of sleep and being awake? What is the connection to the future redemption? Find out in this special edition of the Parsha Podcast.

What is the significance of the fact that the Torah introduces the counting of the people of Israel by informing us that Hashem spoke to Moshe in the desert of Sinai and the mishkan? Why were the Levites needed to act as a buffer between the rest of the Jewish people and the sanctuary? Why was the tribe of Levi counted separately from the rest of the nation? Why did the family of Kehas, which carried the holiest vessels of the Mishkan have to wait until the High Priest and his sons put them away? What is the status of a non-Jew who learns Torah? What is the correct approach to our more intense and intimate relationships? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why is Shmitah only in Israel, whereas Shabbos is all over the world? Not keeping Shmitah causes the Jewish people to be sent into exile. What is the connection? Why is the concept of Shmitah followed by the parsha of Bechukosai - to toil in Torah? What is עמלות? What is the significance of the fact that it is set apart from the words that follow, which speak about the positive and negative commandments? What is the significance of the fact that we find that שמיטה is a special time for עמלות בתורה? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What is the concept of the Lechem Hapanim? Why are there specifically two rows of six loaves of bread? What is the function of the frankincense that is part of the offering? Why was it saved from week to week, only eaten a week after the Shabbos it had originally been placed there? What is the connection between the lechem hapanim and the story of the mekalel? What is the connection between his claim to live with the tribe of Dan and his attack on the concept of the lechem hapanim? What is the significance of the fact that his father was the Egyptian taskmaster that Moshe had killed many years before? What is the significance of the fact that we base a person's tribe on the father's side, and a person's Judaism on the mother's side? How are we to understand the concept of someone who curses Hashem's name, heaven forbid? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What is the connection between the Avodah of the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur and the forbidden sexual relationships? What is the significance of the fact that the Torah prefaces the topics in our parsha with the concept of the metzora? What is the significance of the punishments for sexual perversion - being thrown out of Israel, and kares - spiritual excision? What is the deeper meaning of holiness, and why is it only obtained by refraining from forbidden sexual relationships? What does it mean that we are to be holy because Hashem is Holy? What is the understanding of the anomaly that the word kadosh means holiness, and the word kedesha means prostitute? What is the connection between the concept of kedusha here and the concept of kiddush which we find by Shabbos and Yom Tov, as well as the concept of kiddush levanah (sanctifying the new moon)? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why do we mainly find this unusual sickness in regards to the concept of lashon hara - forbidden speech? Why does this sickness cover the skin? Why do we find that this sickness can also be found on one's house and clothing? Why is the Kohen the one who is in charge of this evaluation? Why is the metzora sequestered for seven days? What does it mean in the medrash when it says that tzara'as is a result of a mother who was not careful in the laws of family purity? Why does the niddah count seven clean days? What is the connection to the counting of the seven weeks of the Omer? Why was the punishment of Chava that she would have a period where blood flows out of her - how does this rectify the sin? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What was the sin of Nadav and Avihu? What was their motivation to bring this fire into the holy of holies? Didn't they know this place was only for the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur? Why is their death the introduction for the order of the Yom Kippur service? Why was it such a grave sin that they didn't consult with one another before bringing this fire? What is the connection to R' Akiva's students and their deaths? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why does Pesach consist of seven days, as opposed to Succos which is eight? What is the significance of the fact that we consistently bring the same korbanos every day of Pesach? Why are the mitzvos of Succos all external, whereas the mitzvos of Pesach are all internal? Why is refraining from eating leavened items, which is the main mitzvah of Pesach, specifically a passive mitzvah? Why is there an active mitzvah to eat matzah on the first day? Why are there such great stringencies the Jewish people have taken upon themselves for Pesach? What is the significance of the Avos being born around Pesach time? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What is the concept of the oil of anointing? Why was it poured on the head? Why did it consist of specifically twelve measures? Why was it poured on the head? What is the significance of the parallel to Yakov pouring the oil on the rock after his dream with the angels? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

What is the deeper meaning of the concept of the korbanos? How does the sacrifice of animals enhance our relationship with Hashem? Why was Noach able to bring all the Kosher animals as sacrifices, whereas the Jewish people were limited to domesticated animals like cows and sheep? What is the deeper meaning of Hashem's call to Moshe, and why does it preface the concept of Korbanos? What is the significance of the fact that Moshe could originally communicate with Hashem in all places, but once the Mishkan was built, he was limited to communicating with Hashem there? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.