Shows / Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Torah recordings with Rabbi Don Cantor and the Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Episodes
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Vayigash: Numbers in Tanach - Was Mitt Romney a Gilgul of Yaakov?
There is some fuzzy math in the Torah's counting of Yaakov's family. How are we supposed to understand the Torah's usage of numbers?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Did Avraham Keep the Torah?
The rabbis in the midrash and Talmud assume that the patriarchs kept the Torah. What are we supposed to make of that?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
What Can't We Pray For?
Are there things we can't pray for? What does that tell us about the nature of prayer?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Vayishlach: Yaakov's House for God
In last week's parsha, Yaakov vowed to make a house for God. Why didn't he?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Summary of Yaakov: Dreamer or Doubter?
Summary of Yaakov: Dreamer or Doubter?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Vayetze - Yaakov: Doubter or Dreamer?
What was Yaakov dreaming about and why? Is his response appropriate?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Toldot: Was Esav Such a Bad Guy
Does the Torah describe Esav as a villain? Why do chazal?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Future Tents: Circumcision, Motherhood, and the Destruction of Sodom
The Torah tells of Abraham and the angels, his negotiation with God, and the destruction of Sodom without a single paragraph break. Is it all really just one…
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
SUMMARY Lech Lecha shiur
Summary of "Abraham's Biblical Doppelgangers". Source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/602169.23?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Abraham's Biblical Doppelgangers
We discuss the midrash about Abraham destroying his father's idols and getting thrown into a fire. Where did the rabbis get it from? (recorded 11/06/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Bereshit and Noach: Man's Place in the World
The Torah vs. Ancient Near Eastern creation and flood stories. Does God care about humans? (recorded on 10/30/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Shemini Atzeret and Bereshit: God's Tough Goodbye
What does the midrash mean when it says that Shemini Atzeret is about Hashem having a hard time saying goodbye to us? The significance of the number 8…
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Yom Kippur: The atonement of Isaiah 58
What is atonement? Why does the haftarah talk about eating on Yom Kippur? (recorded on 10/10/24)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Nitzavim-Vayelech: What's with Hakhel?
What is the meaning behind the mitzvah of Hakhel? (Recorded on 9/24/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Ki Tavo SUMMARY
A quick summary of the parsha class for Ki Tavo. (recorded 9/19/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Ki Tavo: Why Moshe's Speech Ends in a Tithe
What is the significance of the mitzvot of the first fruits and giving ten percent to the poor? Why does Moshe end his speech with these two mitzvot in…
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Ki Tetze: Is All Fair in Love and War?
Why does the Torah "permit" אשת יפת תואר (marrying a captive woman)? Dedicated to the memory of Hersh Goldberg-Polin. (recorded on 9/11/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Shoftim: The Relevance of Egla Arufa
Understanding the Egla Arufa in light of current events. Dedicated to the memory of Hersh Goldberg-Polin. (recorded on 9/4/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Re'eh: Avraham's Vindication?
What does Re'eh tell us about Avraham's behavior at the Akeida? Where is there room for human emotion in Judaism? (recorded on 8/28/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Ekev: Manna, Moaning, and Mitzvot
This parsha gives a sympathetic retelling of the episodes with the Manna. It also connects the Manna with mitzvah observance. Why? (recorded 8/21/24)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Defining Deuteronomy: To Review or Repeat?
Why is the book of Devarim such a bad review of the Torah? What's the point? (recorded on 8/14/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
The Life and Death of Rabban Gamliel
By tracing the ups and downs of Rabban Gamliel, we find a valuable lesson for the three weeks. (Recorded on 7/24/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Balak: Bilam and the Biblical-Rabbinic Ping-Pong
What is the deal with Bilam's donkey? What's the point of the story? Why did the rabbis compare Bilam and Avraham? (recorded on 7/17/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Chukat: Did Moshe and Aharon Do Anything Wrong?
Why did God not allow Moshe and Aharon entrance into the land of Israel? How do we understand the myriad interpretations of the story at Meriva? (recorded on…
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
July 4th Shiur: Appreciating Good Leaders and Praying for Bad Ones
Discovering the subversive Biblical References in the prayer for the welfare of the government. What goes into making a good leader?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Korah and the Banality of Evil
What was Korah thinking? How should we relate to biblical villains? (Recorded 7/3/24)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Behaalotcha: Where It All Went Wrong
Why are there random upside-down letters in the Torah? Why do the rabbis think that the words 'ויסעו מהר ה place guilt on the Jewish people?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Bechukotai: Value-Laden Absentmindedness
What does it mean to "walk with God's statutes"? (recorded on 5/29/24)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Behar: Jubil-ant Jews - The Mindset of Yovel
How does Yovel affect our perception of living in the land of Israel? (recorded in 5/22)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Emor: Building the Beit Hamikdash Without Building the Beit Hamikdash
Rashi's cryptic comment is a powerful statement on what constitutes serving God. (recorded on 5/16/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Kedoshim: What is Holiness?
Why do the opening lines of Kedoshim repeat themselves (but not really)? (recorded 5/8/2024)
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Shemini: Nadav, Avihu, and Uzza
The parsha and haftarah have an obvious connection, but upon further examination, the mistake of Nadav and Avihu seems utterly different from that of Uzza…
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Tzav: Tackling the Tabernacle - The Holiness of the Levites
What does it mean for the Levites to be sanctified? What role did the Temple play in their lives, and the lives of the nation?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Mishpatim: Awls for Shackles, and Unshackling All
What are we to make of the Torah's rules about slavery?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Purim: Mikra, Midrash, and Meaning Part 2 - Identifying the Antagonist
Some more difficult-to-understand rabbinic statements. Why did the rabbis understand Purim as the "fix" to Mt. Sinai?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Purim: Mikra, Midrash, and Meaning - Let the Megillah Speak for Itself
What is special about the story of Purim? Why did the rabbis canonize it? What can we make of the seemingly strange comments they make about it?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Vayakhel: Tackling the Tabernacle: Shabbos, Creation, and the Mishkan
What meaning lies beneath the textual and halachic connections between the Tabernacle and Shabbos?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Tetzaveh: Tackling the Tabernacle - The Glitz, Glam, and Fashion of the Priestly Clothes
Why do we care so much about the priestly clothes as to devote almost an entire parsha to it?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Terumah: Tackling the Tabernacle - The Chronology of Command
When did Moshe first get the command to build the Tabernacle, and how does it change our understanding of its function?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Yisro: When did he come? Why does it matter?
The Talmud and medieval commentators present arguments about when and why Yisro joined the Jewish people. Why do we care? And why would the Torah write things…
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Beshalach: Amalek Attacks
Beshalach is a series of educational experiences and growth through which the people learn about God. What are we supposed to learn from Amalek's attack?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Bo: Is Pesach on the Wrong Date?
Why do we celebrate Pesach before the splitting of the sea?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Va'era: Who Hardened Pharaoh's Heart?
What does it mean that God hardened Pharaoh's heart? We search for clues in two other stories of heart-hardening in Tanach.
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Shemos: Well, Well, Well - Another Betrothal scene
Why do important Jewish figures meet their matches at wells?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Vayechi: Am I in Place of God?
Yosef's response to his brothers at the end of the parsha is the same as Yaakov's response to Rachel's request for children. What should we make of it?
- Richmond Jewish Learning Experience
Intro to the Book of Exodus: Eponym or Epilogue?
The Netziv's introduction to the Book of Exodus suggests that it's really just Genesis part 2. Why?
Richmond Jewish Learning ExperienceHanukkah - Why Do We Light?
Gain new insight into the mitzvah of lighting candles on Hannukah by exploring its historical and rabbinic background.