Shavous 5786 - Don't Lose Yourself

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]

Shavous 5786 - Don't Lose Yourself

There is a single phrase in Megillas Rus that most readers pass right over — but the Midrash stops everything to examine it. When Rus describes her day in Boaz's field, she doesn't say what we'd expect. And that unexpected choice of words contains a profound teaching about tzedakah, self-worth, and what it takes to stay great when life makes you feel small. 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]

Bamidbar 5786 - After Sinai

We all have moments of genuine inspiration — a powerful shiur, a meaningful Shabbos, a prayer that finally felt real. And then, a week later, nothing has changed. This isn't a modern problem. It's the central drama of Sefer Bamidbar. In this episode, we explore why the generation that stood at Sinai — the greatest spiritual moment in history — unraveled so quickly, what Hashem's response reveals about how lasting growth actually works, and what the contrast between Kalev and Yehoshua teaches us about the kind of influence that truly endures. 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]

Behar-Bechukosai 5786 - Built Into the System

Why did Hashem require every Jewish family to bring an animal to Jerusalem and consume it there? Unlike other tithes that care for the needy, the animal tithe seems to serve no obvious social purpose. In this episode, we explore a stunning insight from the Sefer HaChinuch, brought by Rav Yechezkel Weinfeld, shlit"a, that reveals the hidden educational genius behind this mitzvah. The journey to Jerusalem wasn't just about an offering — it was Hashem's way of ensuring that every Jewish family would have its own Torah teacher. Discover the two powerful obligations this mitzvah places on each of us, and how they remain as relevant today as they were in the time of the Beis HaMikdash. 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]

Emor 5786 - His Name, Our Hands

Parshas Emor contains two of the most far-reaching commandments in all of Torah — Kiddush Hashem and Chillul Hashem — the obligation to sanctify Hashem's name and the prohibition against desecrating it. In this episode, we explore what these mitzvos actually demand of us in daily life. Drawing on the insights of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l, the Rambam, and a memorable story about a Jewish waiter on a cruise ship, we discover that every one of us is, whether we realize it or not, an ambassador of the Jewish people — and that the way we conduct ourselves in the most ordinary moments carries extraordinary cosmic weight. 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]