The Parshah On Fire

151

Ekev - Godly Goodness

Aug 3, 2023

15:58

There is an Amoraic Statement that seems bizzarre. It is "man doesn't sin unless a wave of stupidity overcomes him" (Sotah 3a). Whats strange is that this doesn't seem to be the case. Don't most people sin because they are tempted by it? Gossiping about a competitor isn't stupid. It might be mean and selfish but it's not stupid? So what does the Gemara mean? The answer might surprise you.

152

Pinchos - The Most Mysterious Man in the History of the World

Jul 5, 2023

18:15

Pinchos stuck up for the Jewish people by killing Zimri amidst his adulteries actions. Whats strange is how he was rewarded. Pinchos became Eliyahu Hanavi, a man who has never died and is still alive today helping Jews worldwide in distress. Why did Pinchos merit this reward? Why was he chosen of all the holy people in our history to be our immortal savior? The answer might surprise you.

153

Balak - Prayer and the Quantification of Quality

Jun 28, 2023

12:26

Balak was one of the worst men the Jews every encountered. He wanted nothing more than the deaths of every one of us, man women and child, and wouldnt rest until he succeeded. So why was he rewarded with having a grandchild named Dovid Hamelech? Why did God reward this evil man with having the greatest king in our history be his decendant? The asnwer might surprise you.

154

Korach - The Don't Mess Policy

Jun 22, 2023

13:29

There have been many sinners in the Jewish people's time in the desert. All were punished. Some were killed. But none recieved a punishment anyware close to the bizarre phenomenon that swalloed Korach whole. Why is that? What was so different about Korach that propelled God to decree that a normal punishmant would not suffice? The answer might surprise you.

155

Shelach - Holiness and Hollywood

Jun 14, 2023

11:26

The sin of the Twelve Spies had more negative ramifications than any other sin in the entire Torah. It wiped out the entire generation. It prolonged the building of the Beis Hamikdash for hundreds of years. It gave birth to what is now called Tisha B'av; the saddest day of the Jewish year. The question is what was so bad about what the Twelve Tribes did? How do their actions explain the amount of pain and bloodshed that they brought about? The answer might surprise you.

156

Behaalosecha Visas, Cucumbers and the Goodness of Faith

Jun 7, 2023

17:01

The Torah demands us to thank Hashem for the bad in our lives with the same amount of appreciation and love as we would thank Hashem for the good. How are we possibly able to pull that off? How is a man who just broke his collar bone supposed to thank God with the same degree of love as he would thank Him the night he married off his youngest daughter? This Parshah contains the answer and it might surprise you.

157

Nasso - The Great Gender Mystery

Jun 1, 2023

9:50

Why is it that certain times in Judaism we go after one's mother while other times we go after one's father. One's tribe, one's name, one's inheritance goes after one's father. One's Jewishness and one's firstborn status goes after the mother. Is there a rhyme and reason or is it merely arbitrary? The answer might surpirse you.

158

Bamidbar Stars, Flags and a Pat of Butter

May 18, 2023

11:13

Unity is a tremendously foundational concept in Judaism. So isn't it odd that the Torah seems to divide us into twelve very distinct tribes each with different flags with different colors with different emblems and different logos? Doesn't that fly in the face of unity? The answer might inspire you.

159

Bechukosai - Spiritual Rocket Fuel

May 11, 2023

13:07

Our nation has been through a lot. Wars, crusades, pogroms, exile, holocausts, expulsions. You name it, we've gone through it. With what energy did we use to forge ahead? Where did we get the strength to keep on keeping on? The answer might surprise you. To listen ad free and help spread THE PARSHAH ON FIRE subscribe at this link https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hillel-eisenberg/subscribe

160

Kedoshim The Freest Man on the Face of the Earth

May 4, 2023

8:17

Every Friday night we sing the song Aishes Chayil, an ode to the women in our homes. Why Precisely then do we sing it? Why not after Havdalah or on Rosh Chodesh or on their birthday? What is it about Shabbos that propells us to sing Aishes Chayil? The answer might inspire you.