Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchR. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat Vayikra: Repetition in Prayer: Constancy, Urgency, and Love
There are many instances in our prayers where we repeat phrases, paragraphs, or whole sections. What is the significance of repetition in prayer? God…
3 years, 5 months ago
Be Careful What You Wish For: The Tisch with Dena Weiss #2
On Shabbat, the liturgy is missing a central element: petitioning for our needs. What is the purpose of prayer on Shabbat and what can it teach us ab…
3 years, 5 months ago
Broken Tablets, Broken Hearts: The Tisch with Dena Weiss #1
The revelation at Mt Sinai transformed the relationship between God and Jewish people. After the sin of the Golden Calf, both had to find a way to mo…
3 years, 5 months ago
R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei: "Moshe Rejoiced": Shabbat, Prayer, and Intimacy with God
The rhythm of our week includes a day dedicated to feeling God’s presence differently from the rest of the week: Shabbat. A prayer recited only on Sh…
3 years, 5 months ago
The Tisch with Dena Weiss: A Taste of Hasidut
Welcome to a new mini-series for Ta Shma, the Tisch with Dena Weiss: A Taste of Hasidut. Each episode will feature bite-sized insights from Hasidic t…
3 years, 5 months ago
R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat Ki Tissa: Praying for Knowledge of God’s Essence
Moshe asks to know God’s ways. But this is not a philosophical exploration about the nature of God. It is a question with a purpose. What is the know…
3 years, 5 months ago
R. Avi Killip: Love and Hiddenness
The revelation at Sinai is a high point in the Jewish story. It is the moment when God gives us the mitzvot—and we accept them. But, the Talmud tells…
3 years, 5 months ago
R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat Tetzaveh: The Intimacy of Wearing God’s Name
In the moment of prayer, how are we meant to feel close to God, beyond reciting the words of the Siddur? How might we feel a connection to God throug…
3 years, 5 months ago
R. Shai Held: (Where) is God in the Book of Esther?
One of the classic questions about the book of Esther is: why isn’t God mentioned? What does this mean for the book and for us? R. Shai Held explored…
3 years, 6 months ago
R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat Terumah: The Particular Holiness of a Place
If God’s presence fills the whole world, why does it seem easier to connect to God in some places rather than others? This paradox is central to unde…
3 years, 6 months ago