Bringing you recent lectures, classes, and programs from the Hadar Institute, Ta Shma is where you get to listen in on the beit midrash. Come and listen on the go, at home, or wherever you are. Hosted by Rabbi Avi Killip of the Hadar Institute.
…
continue reading
Hadar Institute Podcasts
The news from Israel can feel overwhelming – but Torah gives us language for understanding current events with complexity and compassion. From Hadar’s Beit Midrash in Jerusalem, Rabbi Avital Hochstein joins Rabbi Avi Killip to unpack some of the most pressing spiritual and moral questions in Israel today.
…
continue reading
A podcast where we confront big questions with bold thinking and honest searching. Each week, Rabbi Shai Held sits down with a leading thinker or teacher to explore one powerful Jewish idea. This podcast doesn’t have all the answers, but it can uncover new insights and model what it means to take Torah and Jewish thought seriously.
…
continue reading
Every week, Ravi and Mara set aside quality time for learning the weekly parashah together. They call it “Torah Time” -- and you’re invited to learn along with them!
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Shemot: The Choice of Knowledge
12:30
12:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
12:30
The deterioration of relations between Egypt and the Children of Israel proceeds rapidly. What values, emotions, and perspectives make such a breakdown possible—and what could prevent it? The contrasting figures of Pharaoh and his daughter offer two opposing models, each of whom go through three steps. On the one hand, Pharaoh exemplifies the desce…
…
continue reading
For generations our relationship with God has been mediated through texts written almost entirely by men. In these sessions, Rabbi Avi Killip explores a collection of midrashim, written by contemporary Israeli women writers, exploring images of God that are uniquely female oriented while being deeply rooted in the images and language of the Torah a…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Vayehi: Truth and Peace
12:58
12:58
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
12:58
We find ourselves at the closing moments of the Book of Genesis—moments of transition as a family becomes a nation. We stand on the threshold between Yosef’s personal trauma and the national trauma soon to come, the slavery in Egypt. What mindset does Parashat VaYehi seek to give us as a tool for facing the suffering of Egypt?…
…
continue reading
1
R. Elazar Symon on the 10th of Tevet: “A Day of Hearing”: The Other Tevet Fast
9:44
9:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
9:44
We know about the fasts that mark the destruction of the Temple from a prophecy of Zekhariah. While the Jewish exiles were in Babylon, the prophet was asked whether traditional fasts would continue to be observed. In his response, Zekhariah refers to four fast days.By Hadar Institute
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Vayigash: Three Paths to Closeness
11:24
11:24
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
11:24
The word “vayigash” (“he approached”) opens one of the most dramatic scenes in the Torah: a climactic moment in the tense encounter between Yehudah, the brothers and Yosef, a moment in which the fate of the entire family rests on the words and actions of a single person. “And Yehudah approached him and said…” (Genesis 44:18).…
…
continue reading
For generations our relationship with God has been mediated through texts written almost entirely by men. In these sessions, Rabbi Avi Killip explores a collection of midrashim, written by contemporary Israeli women writers, exploring images of God that are uniquely female oriented while being deeply rooted in the images and language of the Torah a…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Mikeitz: How Do You Climb Out of a Pit?
9:04
9:04
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
9:04
Parashat Mikeitz teaches that dreams hold immense power: the power to bring downfall or renewal, life or death, destruction or creation, war or peace. This means that the way we, as human beings, pursue a dream—whether out of spiritual emptiness or fullness, with an expectation that it will disconnect or connect—places before us both choice and res…
…
continue reading
1
R. Elazar Symon on Hanukkah: The Miracle of Home Carried into the Street
6:00
6:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
6:00
One of the differences between the Hanukkah candles and the other significant candles in our religious practice, the Shabbat candles, is their location. While Shabbat candles are lit inside the house, in the private domain (or, the technical term: reshut ha-yahid), the Hanukkah lamps are ideally lit in the doorway that connects to the public domain…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat VaYeishev: Yosef's Father, a Symbol of the Future
10:18
10:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
10:18
One of the most dramatic turning points in Yosef’s life is his fall from a respected and powerful position in Potiphar’s house in Egypt to the status of a prisoner in jail. In the Rabbinic tradition, this moment is seen not merely as a downfall but as a moment of personal choice, a point at which Yosef chooses to invest in a future. He chooses acti…
…
continue reading
For generations our relationship with God has been mediated through texts written almost entirely by men. In these sessions, Rabbi Avi Killip explores a collection of midrashim, written by contemporary Israeli women writers, exploring images of God that are uniquely female oriented while being deeply rooted in the images and language of the Torah a…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat VaYishlah: From Ya'akov to Yisrael—and Back
10:55
10:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
10:55
“Ya’akov was very afraid and distressed.” He takes many different precautions in order to avoid a violent reunion with his brother, with potentially severe consequences. At the same time, in our parashah Ya’akov receives a new name: Yisrael—a name he receives twice! The name, at its core, describes a person caught in conflict, and it is given to Ya…
…
continue reading
1
R. David Kasher: Klal Yisrael and Beyond: Balancing Communal Obligations with Civic Responsibilities
38:34
38:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
38:34
Are our primary responsibilities always to our own community? Or do Jews in the diaspora also have a religious obligation to contribute to the general social welfare - perhaps even to get involved in local politics? When Jews have political, social, or financial capital - how should we spend it? Rabbinic tradition offers no easy answers to these qu…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat VaYeitzei: A Covenant of Separation
9:22
9:22
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
9:22
Throughout Parashat VaYeitzei, almost from their very first encounter, Lavan and Ya’akov are locked in conflict. But there is a rare moment of encounter—though a fraught one—where the verses describe a desire to bridge: “Come, then, let us make a covenant, you and I” (Genesis 31:44). What emerges is a covenant of separation—a covenant in which much…
…
continue reading
1
Independence and Interdependence: When do we need to stay together, and when must we strike out on our own?
40:52
40:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:52
Participating in and belonging to a Jewish community is rightly considered to be central to living a full and meaningful Jewish life. However, sometimes being enmeshed in community can present a challenge to exploring and pursuing our own personal goals and interests, both religious and non-religious. In this class, we'll explore a passage of the M…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Toldot: Rivalry or Relationship?
7:50
7:50
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
7:50
Our parashah offers an opportunity to encounter a typical human phenomenon—plurality —and contemplate its implications. Specifically it brings us to ask: how do Ya’akov, Esav, and their offspring live with each other, as “two” from the womb?By Hadar Institute
…
continue reading
1
R. Ayal Robkin: The Apprentice Mind Part 3
20:22
20:22
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
20:22
Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, also known as the Alei Shur, offers a powerful and inspiring — but often demanding — vision for what it takes to become a better human being. Before we can do any act of repentance, of teshuvah — we must first learn how to change and how to grow. Recorded in Summer 2025. Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.c…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Hayyei Sarah: Rivkah’s Blessing
8:36
8:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
8:36
Rivkah receives a blessing from her family members before she sets out on her journey to marry Yitzhak: “O sister! May you grow into thousands of myriads; may your descendants inherit the gates of their foes” (Genesis 24:60).By Hadar Institute
…
continue reading
1
R. Ayal Robkin: The Apprentice Mind Part 2
18:10
18:10
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:10
Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, also known as the Alei Shur, offers a powerful and inspiring — but often demanding — vision for what it takes to become a better human being. Before we can do any act of repentance, of teshuvah — we must first learn how to change and how to grow. Recorded in Summer 2025. Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.c…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Vayera: The Righteous With the Wicked
8:56
8:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
8:56
In this week’s parashah, Avraham argues with God over the divine decision to destroy Sodom completely. Avraham and God agree that Sodom is wicked and that terrible things happen there. So what, then, is the basis for Avraham’s plea? Why does he resist God’s plan to punish and overturn Sodom? What are Avraham’s arguments as he tries to stop the city…
…
continue reading
1
R. Aviva Richman: Why Talmud is the Bedrock of My Faith
45:54
45:54
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:54
The Talmud has often been subject to misrepresentation—viewed as esoteric or overly complex—yet it holds profound power as a centerpiece of Jewish tradition. How can Talmud and Talmud study anchor an approach to Judaism that speaks to the challenges and dangers of our moment? How can its embrace of complexity, argument, and multivocality offer a mo…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Lekh Lekha: Walking, Tradition, and Renewal
11:14
11:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
11:14
Abraham is “our father” in many senses. He is seen as the father of the Jewish people, the spiritual father of Judaism and of monotheistic faiths more broadly, and the father of the covenant with the one God. Yet in our parashah, Abraham is introduced first and foremost as a son, a descendant who must decide whether to be traditional or innovative—…
…
continue reading
1
R. Ayal Robkin: The Apprentice Mind Part 1
21:48
21:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
21:48
Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, also known as the Alei Shur, offers a powerful and inspiring — but often demanding — vision for what it takes to become a better human being. Before we can do any act of repentance, of teshuvah — we must first learn how to change and how to grow. Recorded in Summer 2025. Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.c…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Noah: "In His Generation"
13:16
13:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
13:16
Parashat Noah invites us to reflect on the relationship between society and the individual. The introduction of its main character raises a central question: What is our role when we live within a corrupt society? How should we conduct ourselves when leaders are not guided by the values we hold dear, and when many individuals disagree with us about…
…
continue reading
1
R. Avital Hochstein on Parashat Bereishit: What If Adam Had Reacted Differently?
10:44
10:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
10:44
Two children are fighting in the playground. Called into the principal’s office, each insists: “It all started when he hit me back.” This familiar joke captures something deeply human: our tendency to avoid responsibility by blaming others.
…
continue reading
1
R. Tali Adler on VeZot HaBerakhah: On Endings and Beginnings
7:57
7:57
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
7:57
The draw of theatre in the age of movies is that each experience is unique. While the script's words and stage directions remain the same night after night, the unique alchemy of the actors and audience gathered in that particular configuration at that particular moment in time, does not. When we linger in our seats after the final encore, delaying…
…
continue reading
