Chukas-Balak 5786 – You Are Never Without a Purifier

Chukas-Balak 5786 – You Are Never Without a Purifier

Why are thirty-eight years of Jewish history almost entirely absent from the Torah? Why is the Parah Adumah in Bamidbar instead of Vayikra? And why does the parsha call this "the chok of the Torah" rather than simply "the law of the Red Heifer"? In this episode, Rav Soloveitchik's answers to these three questions reveal something surprising — that the Parah Adumah was never just about purification. It was about how to survive when death feels like it is in charge. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Korach 5786 - Climb Higher, Not Flatten

There is a version of Korach's argument that sounds almost noble — and that's exactly the problem. This week, Rav Yechezkel Weinfeld, shlita, draws a surprising parallel between Korach and Yaakov Avinu, two men who both refused to accept the station they were born into. However, the difference between them is everything. One climbed higher. The other tried to flatten. Understanding that distinction might be one of the most important things we can do for our own growth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Shelach 5786 - The Comfortable Explanation

Rashi asks a simple question about Parshas Shelach: why does the Torah place the story of the spies immediately after Miriam's punishment? The answer unlocks something far deeper than the story of the meraglim — it opens a window into the way we all handle correction, consequence, and the uncomfortable work of honest self-examination. This week, Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz helps us understand why midda knegged midda is really a message, who that message is truly meant for, and what it takes to actually receive it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Beha'aloscha 5786 - Lit From One Candle

What do a nation's craving for meat, a miraculous gift of prophecy, and the flame of a single candle have in common? In this episode on Parshas Beha'aloscha, we look past the surface complaint of Beni Yisroel and discover a profound design hidden within Hashem's response — one that reveals something fundamental about how Torah is meant to travel through the world. Rashi's candle metaphor is beautiful on its own, but Rav Shlomo Wolbe, zt"l, asks a question about it that most people never think to ask — and his answer changes the way we understand Torah learning, spiritual growth, and what it really means to have a rebbe. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Nasso 5786 - The Hidden Price of Almost Right

When the Nazir completes his vow, he has done everything right — every restriction honored, every day of commitment upheld. So why does the Torah require him to bring a sin offering? Rav Henoch Leibowitz, citing Rabbeinu Bachya, reveals a principle that cuts far deeper than the Nazir's particular situation: acting in a way that merely appears improper carries its own form of accountability. In this episode, we explore what that means for all of us in our daily lives — and why "technically permitted" may not be the full story for someone in the service of Hashem. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]