Seven Minute Torah Podcast
1) In the Image of God (Ki Tetze)
One of Judaism’s most famous teachings is that every person is created B’tzelem Elohim—in the image of God. But what does that really mean for how we see and treat each other, especially those who hav...Show More
2) God is Oneness (Re'eh)
This week’s Torah portion is full of laws—about food, tithes, debts, sacrifice. Hard to relate to? Maybe. But beneath the rules lies a profound truth: the Shema’s declaration that God is Oneness. What...Show More
3) Across the River; Not Off the Hook (Matot-Masei)
As two and a half tribes choose to settle outside the Promised Land, Moses asks: Will your siblings go to war while you stay here? This week's Torah portion raises timeless questions about what we owe...Show More
4) When the Extremists are in Charge (Pinchas)
How do we respond when the Torah condones violent extremism? How might our response shape our own Jewish lives, not to mention our relationship with Israel? In this episode, Rabbi Micah Streiffer argu...Show More
5) Donkey Midrash (Balak)
What does a donkey have to do with your soul? In this episode, Rabbi Micah Streiffer explores stories from Midrash and Torah about donkeys - and how they teach people about our ethical and spiritual r...Show More
6) The Arrogance That Thinks It Knows All Truth (Korach)
Korach is not just a rebel. He's the embodiment of what the prayerbook calls "the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth." The Torah comes to remind us that we have a lot left to learn - even from p...Show More
7) How to be Caleb (Sh'lach Lecha)
Many of us know very little about the biblical figure of Caleb. But he is a model of positivity, faith, and believing in what's possible - even when the world around you doesn't. Rabbi Micah Streiffer...Show More
8) Ruling by Fear Will Never Work (B'ha-alotcha)
Far from being threatened by others, Moses acts in a way that upholds the rights of others to speak their minds. In that sense, this Torah portion portrays him as the opposite of an authoritarian rule...Show More
9) You're Not So Special (Achrei Mot-Kedoshim)
In this week's haftarah, the prophet Amos contradicts the Torah portion! How can he tell us we're not so special when the Torah called us kedoshim - holy? It's in that juxtaposition of ideas that the ...Show More
10) Creation and Suffering (Sh'mini)
In this week's Torah portion, a moment of celebration and creation turns tragic. What is the relationship between creation and suffering? We look at some midrash and try to understand how these two ve...Show More