Kol Ramah

Parashat Korach [Numbers 16-18], featured on this week’s Parashah Talk, is primarily concerned with Korach’s rebellion. As Jacob Milgrom observes in his JPS Torah Commentary on Numbers, the Torah story combines elements of 4 discrete rebellions. I would like to say that we discussed these rebellions in full, but technical difficulties prevented me from participating as much as I would have liked. For stretches of the recording, my colleagues were frozen on my screen, and I was unable to hear them. Such is life in the 21st century! I hope my comments in this portion of the recording were to the point, but I am certain that Eliot and Jeremy had much to say even without me! Shabbat Shalom!! Image: The Punishment of Korah (detail from the fresco Punishment of the Rebels by Sandro Botticelli (1480–1482) in the Sistine Chapel) - Wikipedia

Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Barry Chesler and Jeremy Kalmanofsky invite you into the rabbi's study once again! The main focus of Parashah Sh’lach L’chah [Numbers 13-15] is the tragic episode of the spies, the tribal chieftains sent to scout out the land. Their negative report sets back Israelite history a generation, for those over 20 are condemned to die in the wilderness, leader and follower alike. For the rabbis, the day of their evil report, the 9th of Av, prefigures the destruction of both the First and Second Temples, among other bad things that befell the Jewish people, and some have associated any number of catastrophes since then with this date. Our conversation focuses likewise on the spies, exploring the psychological dimensions of the portrayal and comparing this sin with the sin of the Golden Calf [Exodus 32:1-33:23]. We conclude with a consideration of the mitzvah of tzitzit, the fringes traditionally worn on four-cornered garments. Shabbat Shalom!

We recorded Parashah Talk a day early and managed to run late. There was so much to talk about in B’ha’alot’khah [Numbers 8-12]: the second Passover, the silver trumpets, the complaining people and the summons to prophecy of the 70, and the concluding story about Miriam’s and Aaron’s complaint about Moses and his gift of prophecy. And even here, we left things out and did not go into the depth we might have wanted. There should be something for everyone, so take what you need and leave the rest . . . . Shabbat Shalom! Image thestudioinvenice.com

Parsha Talk Naso 5781with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler - Parashah Talk for Naso [Numbers 4:21-7:89] features conversation about the Nazir [Num. 6:1-21] and the haftarah from Judges 13:2-25, about the birth of Samson], the Sotah [the woman suspected of adultery [Num. 5:11-31], the Priestly Blessing [Num. 6:22-27], and the gifts to the mishkan [Tabernacle] from the chiefs of the tribes [Num 7:1-89]. It is the longest single weekly parashah, if our information is corrext, so we were pleased to cover most of it in our half hour or so. Shabbat Shalom!

Parashat B’midbar [Num. 1:1-4:20] opens Sefer B’midbar [Book of Numbers] with a census of the Israelite men aged 20 and over, suitable for military service. And if that were not dry enough, the census information is repeated, given as the 4 camps [one for each direction (east-south-west-north)]. Eliot could not quite bring himself to say it was an amazing parashah, but I think we did it, and ourselves, credit. We found meaning in the details of the census, discussed the exchange of Levites and first-born as religious functionaries, and discussed Shavuot, the two-day holiday celebrating the Giving of Torah which begins Sunday night. At the beginning and end we expressed our concern for the situation in Israel, and to her people and those who are there, which includes our children, extended family, and friends. May God grant our request for peace for Israel, her people, and all who dwell on earth. Shabbat Shalom! Chag Sameach! (Image by Cole Keister)

Parsha Talk with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler. As with so many years, our reading of Leviticus this year comes to an end with a double portion, B’har-B’huqotai [Lev. 25-27]. We discuss the laws of the sabbatical year and the jubilee year, and Rashi’s famous comment on the first verse [you have to listen to the podcast for the pop-cultural reference with which it is connected]. There are rules for the poor, and the תוכחה [tokhehah, the lengthy passage of rebuke with the description of what will befall the people and their land for the failure to observe God’s commandments]. As is our wont, the conversation meanders, which is perhaps appropriate for a reading with a 7-year and a 50-year cycle. Shabbat Shalom!

Parashah Talk for Emor [Lev. 21-24) was recorded a day early this week, but as befits a parashah entitled Emor [“Say”], we had a lot about which to talk. We covered the material in the parashah: the curious wording of the 1st verse in the Hebrew (21:1), the requirements, restrictions, and limitations on the kohen [priest] (21-22), the notion of qiddush ha-shem [sanctification of God’s name] (22:31-33), the holidays (23), and the blasphemer (24). We took note of current events, the death of Bernie Madoff, and connected it with the Torah reading. Before you know it, we will be concluding the Book of Leviticus, with next week’s double portion, B’har-B’hukotai. Shabbat Shalom!

Join Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler for Parsha Talk! Parashat Acharai Mot-Kedoshim [Leviticus 16-20] is the subject of Parashah Talk this week. According to the rabbis, this is not only the center of Leviticus, but of the Torah as well. Leviticus 19:18, ואהבת לרעך כמוך, “love your neighbor as yourself”, is the basis for the Golden Rule. According to Rabbi Aqiva, it is the great principle of the Torah. We touch on this as well as the general theme of holiness [suggested by “Kedoshim”, the name of the 2nd parashah, meaning in context “be holy”] and the Yom Kippur ritual [Lev. 16], which is rather different in the Torah than it is in modern-day observance. There should be something here for everyone. Shabbat Shalom!

Come join us with Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler. It is a double portion on Parashah Talk, Tazria-M'tzora [Lev. 12-15] and Yom Ha'atzma'ut, the observance of Israel's Independence Day [actual date-is April 17th, this year, which conflicts with Shabbat, necessitating the observance moving to Thursday]. It is, as my good buddy Ellot always notes, an amazing parashah. See if we connect all the dots, and let us know! Yom Ha-atzma'ut Same'ach! Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler once again invite us all in to the rabbis study tor a lively discussion of this week's parsha, Shemini. (Image - https://atravesdelasescrituras.com/) Parashah Talk for Sh'mini [Leviticus 9-11]: When I (BC) used to teach the story of Nadav and Avihu in 10th Grade Bible, I would refer to it as a "Tragedy in Three Verses" [Leviticus 10:1-3]. Each of these verses is subject to more than one interpretation, and how you put these interpretations together results in very different readings. Did Nadav and Avihu do anything wrong, and if so, what? What does it mean to die in the presence of God: is this spiritual or geographical? And are Moses' words in verse 3 meant to console Aaron or to rebuke him? There is a lot more in the Torah reading [each week, I've been told, we encounter another amazing reading], but we spent most of our time on this story. We hope you like it! Shabbat Shalom!!

Parashah Talk, the Pesach Edition: Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chester. This Shabbat is the 7th day of Passover, when we read the beginning of Parashat B'shallach [Exodus 13:17-15:27, last read on January 30], featuring the Song of the Sea [Exodus 15:1-21]. On Sunday, the Torah reading is the same as the 2nd day of Shavuot and Sh'mini Atzeret [Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17]. There is a longstanding tradition to read the Song of Songs on the Shabbat of Pesach [unless Shabbat is both 1st and 8th day, when it is read on the 8th day]. Our discussion focuses first on the Song of the Sea, and then on Song of Songs. Shabbat Shalom & Chag Sameach!

This week, the Shabbat before Pesach, is known as Shabbat Hagadol, for reasons that are not entirely clear. In European Jewish communities, it was one of two shabbatot [the other being Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur] when the community rabbi would address his flock. Traditionally, the rabbi would speak about the laws of Pesach; one might think it a little late to do that when Pesach began on a Saturday night! In Parashat Talk this week, we divided our conversation between the weekly reading, Parashat Tsav [Leviticus 6:1-8:36], with the presentation of the sacrifices from the priests’ perspective [unlike last week, when they were presented from the offerer’s perspective], the fire kept going by the priests, and the ordination/investiture ceremony for the priests [which will conclude in parashat Sh’mini, in two weeks], and favorite passages from the Haggadah. A Shabbat Shalom and Zissen Pesach [Happy Passover] to one and all!

We begin a new book of the Torah this week, ספר ויקרא [Leviticus], which gives its name to the parashah [Leviticus 1:1-5:26] as well, va-yiqra. We spend some time discussing the nature of the book, quite unlike Genesis and Exodus, the layered meanings of the first verse, and the laying on of the hands [1:4] as it appears here, and elsewhere. And before you know it, with so much left to say, our time is up! Shabbat Shalom!!

This week, parashat va-yaqhel-p’qudei [Exodus 35:1-40:38], is where it all began. Parashah Talk in its current format has been produced each week for the last year. This is our response to the Covid 19 pandemic. It has given Eliot, Jeremy, and I a chance to deepen our friendship which was rooted in many summers together at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. While we hardly saw each other throughout the camp off-seasons, this year we have been together every week on Zoom. For you who have listened and viewed, we hope our conversation about Torah has deepened your own understanding and appreciation of Torah. For me it remains one of the highlights of each and every week for the past year. Shabbat Shalom! (Image chabad.org)

Meet the newest member of the Radio Kol Ramah staff: This is a rebroadcast of a 2019 interview with Mitch Mernick at Yiddish New York. You surely want to hear about Amy's experience with WFDU-FM, The radio station of Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Join Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler for Parsha Talk! Parashat Ki Tissa [Exodus 30:11-34:35] coincides with Shabbat Parah [Numbers 19:1-22], the third of the 4 special shabbatot [sabbaths] before the upcoming Pesach [Passover] holiday. One way of considering this conjuction is as the story of a bad cow [the Golden Calf (Exodus 32)] and a good cow [the so-called red heifer in Numbers whose ashes are required for the ritual of purification after corpse contamination]. We spend most of our time talking about the bad cow, but the good cow does get a shout-out, as does Shabbat, whose 2-verse feature in the parashah [Exodus 31:16-17] has become part of the Saturday morning amidah [central prayer of the morning worship service] and kiddush. We hope this puts you in the right “moo”d for Shabbat! (Image from Chabad.org)

Join Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler for Parsha Talk! Because Purim is observed Thursday night, and many of us will be davening ma’ariv [praying the evening service] and reading the megillah [the Scroll of Esther] at the time we normally record Parashah Talk, this week we recorded Wednesday evening. We have parashat T’tzaveh [Exodus 27:20-30:10], taken up mostly with a description of the special vestments of the High Priest, and a few minutes to explore the greatness of Purim. Give a listen! Let us know what you think at parshatalk@gmail.com. As we begin to gear up for Passover, just a month after Purim [March 27th, to be precise], we hope to devote some time to questions previously sent to us. New questions, comments, and criticisms are always welcome. Purim Same’ach [Happy Purim]! Shabbat Shalom!!

Join Rabbis Eliot Malomet, Jeremy Kalmanofsky and Barry Chesler for Parsha Talk! This week is the 2nd of the 4 special Shabbatot before Pesach. In addition to the regular Torah reading of T'ruman [Exodus 25:1-27:19], which begins the lengthy section on the description of and building of the mishkan ["tabernacle"], there is a special maftir (additional reading) [Deuteronomy 25:17-19] and haftarah (prophetic reading) [1 Samuel 15:2-34] concerning the war against Amalek. Our conversation is pretty much equally divided between T'rumah and Zakhor [the commandment to remember to destroy Amalek], from the point of view of time. Dare I say we have interesting observations and commentary in both halves! As always, questions, comments, and criticisms are welcome at parshatalk@gmail.com. We still plan on answering all questions by Passover, the liturgical time to ask and answer questions. Shabbat Shalom!

Parashat Mishpatim [Exodus 21:1-24:18] contains the Covenant Code, the first extended legal section of the Torah. The laws themselves defy easy categorization; the rabbis of the Mishnah used their own organizational system in Seder N'ziqin [Damages], the Mishnah's 4th Order, whose foundation is in the Covenant Code. Our conversation meanders through the parashah, with due time devoted to chapter 24, a return to narrative and the famous response of the Israelites: na'aseh v-nishma [you will have to listen to find out how we understand this engimatic phrase!]. As always, comments, criticisms, and suggestions are welcome at parshatalk@gmail.com. Do not despair, we do intend to get to questions previously asked [even as we look forward to new ones]. Sometimes we get carried away by our own conversation! Shabbat Shalom!!

Max Silverstone, music staff at Camp Ramah and 2nd year cantorial student at JTS, returns to Radio Kol Ramah with Mitch Mernick for an in-depth look at original research he is compiling on the history and music of the the site that we call Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. Of note, there has been an organized Jewish presence on the shores of Lake Ellis for over 100 years! Tracks: 1940 Bob Chester - Maybe (Dolores O'Neill, vocal) Riobamba – Leonard Bernstein 1935 Sid Peltyn - Lullaby Of Broadway (Dick Robertson, vocal) Frank Sinatra, Stubby Kaye, and Johnny Silver - Guys And Dolls from Guys And Dolls (1955) It Hurts to Say Goodbye Al Naharot Bavel Kanar Al Hagag. Let's Give a Cheer for Kee-Wah Wah Farewell Himnon Ramah Produced by Max Silverstone Co-produced and edited by Mitch Mernick