Parsha Bamidbar & Shavuot - Jewish Identity & Jewish Wisdom: Why Every Jew Had To Be At Sinai

Parsha Devarim – Jewish Teaching & Torah: The Sin That Still Shapes Jewish History

The generation in the desert cried for one night. Consequently, the Jewish people have cried for generations. Why? How could one generation's mistake lead to thousands of years of Jewish suffering? Was the sin of the spies really so great?  The story of the spies is not ancient history. It is the story of Judaism, Jewish history, and perhaps our own.  As Tisha B'Av approaches, we'll explore the true nature of the Meraglim's failure and why it continues to shape Jewish history, modern Judaism and Jewish values. We will ask whether we are still making the very same mistake today. Through this Torah study we will reveal what it teaches us about Jewish destiny and Torah wisdom; and why its message has never been more relevant than today. Send Rabbi Grant Leboff a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2594129/fan_mail/new]

Torah study on the parsha & Jewish Teachings -Matot – Masei: Every Jew’s Forty-Two Journeys

The journey from Egypt to Eretz Yisrael should have taken just a few days. Instead, it took forty years, forty-two journeys, and an entire generation.  The Torah could simply have said that Bnei Yisrael wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Instead, it records every one of their forty-two journeys.  Why does the Torah end Sefer Bamidbar with what appears to be nothing more than a travel itinerary? Why are these forty-two journeys linked by our Sages to the Forty-Two Letter Name of HaShem and even to Creation itself? This shiur reveals a powerful insight into Judaism, Jewish philosophy, Jewish values and Jewish life. It changes the way we understand growth, struggle, setbacks and success. This Torah wisdom means that you may never think about your own life's journey in quite the same way again. Send Rabbi Grant Leboff a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2594129/fan_mail/new]

Parsha Pinchas – Jewish Teachings: When Tolerance Becomes Dangerous - The Jewish View Of Courage And Responsibility

Was Pinchas a hero or a fanatic? Why does the Torah reward an act that appears so shocking to the modern mind?  Pinchas is one of the most controversial figures in the Torah. How can Judaism, with its Jewish values of justice and due process, praise someone who appears to take the law into his own hands?  In this Torah study, discover why the Sages were deeply uncomfortable with Pinchas, what Hashem was actually praising, and why the real message of the parsha is not about zealotry.  In an age that celebrates tolerance above almost every other virtue, where is the line between compassion and moral confusion? And what does Parsha Pinchas demand of us today? This shiur shares the Torah wisdom and Jewish philosophy on this topic. A powerful and highly relevant look at morality, leadership and standing up for Torah in today's world. Send Rabbi Grant Leboff a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2594129/fan_mail/new]

Parsha Balak: Jewish Teachings & Torah - Who Decides Who You Are: Freedom, Identity & Modern Culture

Who decides who you are?  Can you choose your own identity?  What does Judaism say?   Modern culture says identity is something we create; but are there some things that freedom can never change? In a world obsessed with self-definition, what are the Jewish values around free will and identity?  Parsha Balak offers one of the Torah's most profound and counter-cultural answers, that really enables the understanding of Jewish Philosophy through this Torah study. Send Rabbi Grant Leboff a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2594129/fan_mail/new]

Torah Parsha Chukat: Jewish Teachings - Escaping The Prison We Create

Jewish Teachings, the Torah, tells us something different from today's society. The modern world tells us that freedom means doing what makes sense to us. But what if the deepest prison we ever inhabit is the one created by our own understanding? Why would the Torah deliberately give us mitzvot that we cannot understand?Why does the Torah insist on mitzvot that defy logic? What is Parah Adumah really teaching us?  This shiur in Torah study will explore Jewish Philosophy and Jewish values and explain why reason alone can never provide meaning. It will show why the mitzvah you struggle with most, may be the very doorway to becoming the person HaShem wants you to be. In this Judaism Podcast, we will see that Parah Adumah is not just the Torah's greatest mystery, but the key to freedom, meaning and spiritual growth. Send Rabbi Grant Leboff a message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2594129/fan_mail/new]