Bonus episode, President Yitzchak Herzog on Megillat Esther!
Esther #10 - one of the shortest chapters in Tanakh I'm excited to share two different audios on the chapter which connect its 3 verses to two very large themes in the megilla. The second audio explores the meaning of the many connections between the story of the megilla and that of Yosef - with a surprising twist connected to chapter 10. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.10?lang=bi
Esther #10 - one of the shortest chapters in Tanakh I'm excited to share two different audios on the chapter which connect its 3 verses to two very large themes in the megilla.The first audio uses our chapter to track the moral development of Achashverosh throughout the story - could he be seen as the hero of the megilla:
Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.10?lang=bi
Esther Chs. 8+9 - the Jews fight against their enemies and after the victory begin the celebration which will become known as Purim. Calev Ben Dor explores the connections between the Jews of Purim and those at Sinai in explaining the nature of Jewish identity and obligation.
Text here:
Esther Chs. 8+9: The Jews fight against their enemies and after the victory begin the celebration which will become known as Purim. Sam Lebens explores the apparently genocidal actions of the Jews against their enemies.
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Esther 6 and 7 - where Mordechai is paraded through the streets and we reach the dramatic high point of the story with Esther’s banquet and petition to the King.
Rafi brings us his overview of the text inspired by Disney fairytales and Malcolm Gladwell.
Text here:
https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.6?lang=bi, https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.7?lang=bi
Ilana Stein considers the heroism of Esther through the prism of her clothing and the significance of learning Esther before Yom Kippur. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.5?lang=bi
Aliza Libman Baronofsky considers what sort of feminist hero Esther is and what we can learn from her about women's voices. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.4?lang=bi
Sam Lebens unpacks the nature of Mordechai's antipathy to Haman.
Chapters 1 and 2 introduce us to Achashverosh, the feast, Vashti's demise, and the rise of Esther.
Calev Ben Dor, on chapter 2, provides historical context to the book of Esther and an intriguing explanation of the backstory of tensions between Mordechai and Haman.
Text here:
Chapters 1 and 2 introduce us to Achashverosh, the feast, Vashti's demise, and the rise of Esther. In my recording on chapter one, I consider the character of Vashti - a heroine according the the peshat straightforward reading of the text but a villain according to the midrash. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.1?lang=bi
Kohelet #12 - the dramatic conclusion of the book and of Kohelet’s wisdom on human mortality. Kohelet appears to end where he began - all is hevel? But what does this word actually mean? What if this word has consistently been mistranslated for centuries? Our audio today explores an alternative translation which presents a remarkably different understanding of the work as a whole and is a fitting conclusion to our studies of this misunderstood book. Speaking personally, this idea completely changed my appreciation of Kohelet and I think others will like it too.
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Kohelet #11 - 'Rejoice in your youth... but know that God will bring you to judgement for all this'
Rafi Addlestone shares thoughts on the interwoven nature of joy and loss in both Kohelet and Jack Antonoff.
Rabbi Dr Sam Lebens offers reflections on the many possible reasons why the wise man turns to the right but the fool turns to the left.
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Kohelet 8 & 9: wisdom, kings, enjoying this life even if you can't take it with you.
Tzivia Appleman considers what Kohelet has in common with Ted Danson in The Good Place in their reflections on mortality.
Kohelet 8 & 9: Wisdom, kings, enjoying this life even if you can't take it with you. Aliza considers the links between ch.8 and the festivals of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur that we are about to enter into.
Kohelet 7 - see the works of God, for who can fix that which has been perverted
What does our tradition have to say about human-induced damage to our environment? What can it add to the discussion on climate change? I think a midrash on our chapter contains one of the most powerful answers. The full text of the midrash can be found in this article I wrote a number of years ago: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-tu-bshvat-midrash/
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Kohelet #6 - the paradox of plenty as Kohelet grapples with too much abundance and success
Rabbi Gamliel Shmalo marshalls insights from Rashi to the Dalai Lama to the head of the Bank of Israel to shed light on the challenges facing a hedonist.
Text here:
https://www.sefaria.org/Ecclesiastes.6?lang=bi
Kohelet #5: The dangers of dreams, vows and of speaking too freely - and the risks that wealth brings 'for one who loves money will never be satisfied with money.`
In our audio we focus upon a powerful midrashic commentary to verse 14 about the nature of wealth in this world and what we take with us when we leave it:
כַּאֲשֶׁר יָצָא מִבֶּטֶן אִמּוֹ עָרוֹם יָשׁוּב לָלֶכֶת כְּשֶׁבָּא וּמְאוּמָה לֹא־יִשָּׂא בַעֲמָלוֹ שֶׁיֹּלֵךְ בְּיָדוֹ׃
"He must depart just as he came. As he came out of his mother’s womb, so must he depart at last, naked as he came. He can take nothing of his wealth to carry with him." Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Ecclesiastes.5?lang=bi
Happiest are those never born and there is no end to the tears of the oppressed. Calev Ben Dor shares a midrashic teaching on the tears of the oppressed, mamzerut and a moving story about Rav Ovadia Yosef.
https://www.sefaria.org/Ecclesiastes.4?lang=bi
