Deeper Look At The Parsha
474 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsIn the late 1990s Rabbi Dunner presented his own daily 2-hour radio show on London’s multiethnic station, Spectrum Radio. Tens of thousands of listeners – Jews and non-Jews alike – tuned in every day to hear Rabbi Dunner’s take on current events. In 2011 Rabbi Dunner relocated to the US and became the senior Rabbi at Beverly Hills Synagogue.
Weekly the Rabbi holds a parsha shiur that delves deeper into the Parsha of the week.
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Episodes
NASSO - THREE STEPS BACK
May 20, 2021 23:27 - 7 minutes - 7.12 MBAs the Gaza-Israel conflict comes to a difficult conclusion, Rabbi Dunner reflects on a challenging period in which Jews have been targeted, and Israel accused of war crimes. In particular, Rabbi Dunner examines the concept of "peace", as seen through the eyes of two illustrious British chief rabbis, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and Rabbi Lord Immanuel Jacobovits.
NASSO - FOR GOD'S SAKE
May 20, 2021 03:28 - 52 minutes - 48 MBThe idea of becoming a Nazirite is praised by some, and criticized by others. Both sides in the debate seize upon the language used in Parshat Nasso to describe the Nazirite vow, and the Nazirites themselves, to justify their positions - a jarring contradiction that simply begs for an explanation. Rabbi Dunner shares a profound piece of Nesivos Sholom which uses earlier Hasidic texts to reconcile these opposing views.
BAMIDBAR - UNITED WE MUST STAND
May 13, 2021 23:02 - 8 minutes - 15.1 MBThe horrific news dispatches from Israel, with Hamas rockets raining down on the civilian population as they cower in bomb shelters prompts Rabbi Dunner to examine the curious phenomenon of flags among the tribes of ancient Israel. Each tribe had its own flag, and yet they were all part of one nation. A fascinating Midrash sheds light on this anomaly, and Rabbi Dunner relates it to the current reality in Israel.
BAMIDBAR SHAVUOT - JEWISH BY NUMBERS
May 12, 2021 20:48 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBParshat Bamidbar focuses on counting the Jewish nation - hence the alternative name for Sefer Bamidbar: "Numbers". The final count is just over 600,000, and the Zohar tells us that this corresponds with the number of letters in the Torah. The problem is -- there are only 304,805 letters in the Torah, so what does the Zohar mean? Rabbi Dunner explores various explanations for this strange anomaly, and also shares a piece from the Nesivos Sholom that sheds light on the significance of the numbe...
BEHAR - FACING THE MUSIC IN MERON
May 07, 2021 00:35 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBThe shocking tragedy in Meron did not happen in a vacuum. Rabbi Dunner charts the history of the Rashbi shrine, the custom of pilgrimage on Lag Ba'omer, and the vexed issue of Meron's ownership. Citing a powerful Chatam Sofer commentary at the end of Behar, Rabbi Dunner explains why airbrushing the sin of those whose actions - or inaction - led to the tragedy makes us culpable too.
BECHUKOTAI - ONE AND THE SAME
May 05, 2021 20:13 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MBThere is a strange debate between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel about which came first: Heaven or Earth. Rather than trying to resolve it, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and his son Rabbi Eliezer dismiss the entire premise of the disagreement. Rabbi Dunner delves into this fascinating if rather obscure topic, sharing a Nesivos Sholom that reveals how the debate is fresh and relevant, offering us practical guidance in the service of God.
EMOR - HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT (PODCAST)
April 29, 2021 22:29 - 9 minutes - 8.88 MBRabbi Dunner addresses the story of Michael "Elkohen" Elk - the Charedi Sephardi in Jerusalem who this week was discovered to be a never-been-Jewish Christian missionary. Shockingly, as Rabbi Dunner reveals, he's far from the first person to fake Orthodox Judaism! Rabbi Dunner also connects Elk's shocking deception to a random piece of information included in the story of the blasphemer that is found at the end of Parshat Emor.
EMOR - PURE AND HOLY
April 28, 2021 19:14 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBParshat Emor contains detailed instructions for significant Jewish calendar dates, particularly the various festivals. Included in this run-through are details of “sefirat ha’omer” — the seven-week countdown that takes place eah year between the beginning of Pesach and Shavuot. Referred to by the Torah as “sheva shabatot temimot” (seven complete shabbats), this element of the Jewish festival cycle has become a central theme in the leadup to the celebration of Kabbalat Hatorah on Shavuot. ...
TAZRIA - THE TRUTH ABOUT FAKE NEWS
April 15, 2021 22:28 - 7 minutes - 6.48 MBThe fake news phenomenon originated in an obscure city in North Macedonia in 2016, but in truth -- it is a phenomenon as old as information itself. Rabbi Dunner delves into the vexed topic of fake news, offering insights into this mushrooming aspect of modern life, and suggesting a lesson about fake news we can learn from tsara'at - the discoloration of skin, clothes or walls described in Tazria and Metzora.
TAZRIA - THE POWER OF SEVEN
April 14, 2021 21:43 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBThe number seven plays a crucial role in both Judaism and Jewish folklore -- from the seven days of creation to the seven blessings pronounced at Jewish weddings. Rabbi Dunner shares a Nesivos Sholom that examines the centrality of the number "seven" in Jewish tradition, via the requirement for a seven-day quarantine for women who have just given birth, and a similar confinement for those who are diagnosed with tzara'at. A selection of fascinating revelations by the Nesivos Sholom sheds light...
SHMINI - THOSE ANIMALS AND BIRDS
April 08, 2021 21:39 - 6 minutes - 5.51 MBRabbi Dunner recalls his visit to the Biblical Museum of Natural History in Beit Shemesh last July, a facility that showcases animals and birds from the perspective of Torah and Talmud, as well as Jewish history. As Rabbi Dunner explains, his visit to the museum helped him to finally understand the need for the eclectic details of various kosher and non-kosher animals and birds recorded in Parshat Shmini.
SHMINI - ABOVE THE FRAY
April 07, 2021 20:28 - 57 minutes - 52.6 MBParshat Shmini contains an entire section devoted to forbidden foods and dietary laws. Many of the commentaries point to the fact that these laws are identified with "kedusha" -- a Hebrew word usually translated to mean "holiness". Using two pieces of Nesivos Sholom as the backdrop to this shiur, Rabbi Dunner weaves together a deeper definition of "kadosh" and "kedusha" and explains why it is forever associated with some of the basest aspects of the human condition.
PESACH - WHY OPTIMISM WORKS
March 24, 2021 22:23 - 6 minutes - 3.18 MBModern studies have shown that there is much to be gained by being optimistic, and much to be lost by wallowing in pessimism. Rabbi Dunner cites a Rashi towards the end of the Exodus narrative that finds this idea embedded at the heart of our most important nation-founding narrative.
DAYENU - WHEN IS IT EVER ENOUGH?
March 23, 2021 17:30 - 26 minutes - 21.7 MBOne of the highlights of Seder night is when we reach the upbeat Dayeinu song. In this shiur, Rabbi Dunner examines and unpacks Dayeinu, trying to make sense of its actual meaning. What is the significance of the song? Why do we sing it at the seder? More to the point, how would it have been enough to watch the Red Sea split, but not to walk through it and be saved? And how does it make sense to be thankful to have been at Mount Sinai and not to have received the Torah? Using a mixture of ins...
VAYIKRA - THE MEANING OF LIFE
March 18, 2021 22:14 - 7 minutes - 6.83 MBWhat do the late comedian Don Rickles and Moshe Rabbeinu have in common? A Midrash at the beginning of Vayikra, a Seforno commentary, and a fascinating piece by Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke Horowitz of Nikolsburg may offer an unexpected answer. Rabbi Dunner explores the "meaning of life".
VAYAKHEL - BECOMING AN AMERICAN CITIZEN
March 11, 2021 23:43 - 8 minutes - 7.84 MBRabbi Dunner reflects on becoming an American citizen this week, and particularly the group ceremony he participated in to take the oath of allegiance. Drawing inspiration from the opening verses of Vayakhel, he explains why this collective experience is so fundamentally important to the underlying message.
PIRKEI AVOT 34 - WHERE DO YOU COME FROM?
March 11, 2021 02:41 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBAkavya ben Mehallalel was a very early Talmudic sage, but it is not until the beginning of Chapter Three that we get to hear from him. "Remember where you come from, where you'll end up, and to whom you will one day have to give a reckoning -- and then you won't sin!" Rabbi Dunner dissects this curious statement with the help of a classic piece from the Maharal of Prague.
VAYAKHEL - A PROBLEM SHARED IS A PROBLEM SOLVED
March 10, 2021 20:19 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBParshat Vayakhel begins with Moses gathering together the entire nation in order to instruct them about the construction of the Mishkan, the desert sanctuary that traveled with them and was the center of Jewish life for forty years in the wilderness, and during their first few years after the conquest of Canaan. The Midrash points out that the word "vayakhel" -- "and he gathered" -- is unique, appearing nowhere else in the Torah. Rabbi Dunner shares a Nesivos Sholom that reveals why gathering...
KI TISSA - GETTING UP AND BEYOND
March 04, 2021 22:28 - 7 minutes - 6.87 MBAfter exactly a year, Rabbi Dunner's community has finally returned to their synagogue building, having closed the facility immediately after Purim last year in response to the dangers of COVID. Rabbi Dunner reflects on a difficult year for his community, although it was immeasurably enhanced by an open-air minyan at a synagogue member's tennis court. A couple of weeks ago the tennis court tent almost blew away during Shabbat services, which Rabbi Dunner interprets as a message of God that s ...
KI TISSA - THE GOLDEN CALF: HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE?
March 03, 2021 21:07 - 59 minutes - 54.5 MBOne of the most troubling narratives in the entire Bible is the story of the Golden Calf in Parshat Ki Tissa. How was it possible that just forty days after receiving the Torah and experiencing the revelation at Sinai the Jewish nation committed such a grave sin? Rabbi Dunner explores the shocking Golden Calf episode using classical sources as well as a revealing Nesivos Sholom.
PURIM - MY BROTHER BENZI, AND HOW TO BE KIND
February 25, 2021 21:05 - 10 minutes - 19.1 MB"My late brother Benzi died in a car accident in 2008, and although he is principally remembered for his superlative philanthropy – and to be fair, his philanthropy was exceptional – my own recollections of him revolve around his incredible sensitivity and compassion." Rabbi Dunner recalls his brother Benzi z"l, and his legacy that chimes with the story of Purim.
TETZAVEH - THE TIME TO GET TOUGH
February 24, 2021 21:24 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBParshat Tetzaveh begins with a directive relating to the Temple Menorah (Ex. 27:20): “You shall instruct the Israelites to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for lighting, for kindling the perpetual flame.” The word used by the Torah for the directive — “tetzaveh” — is the harshest verb one can use in biblical Hebrew to convey an order or instruction. Ordinarily the Torah uses softer language, but here the language is uncompromising and tough. Rabbi Dunner shares a seminal Nesivos Sholom, r...
TERUMAH - THE TRUTH ABOUT SELF-INTEREST
February 19, 2021 00:48 - 7 minutes - 6.7 MBOne of the great challenges of the human condition is the ever-present tension between self-interest and selflessness. Curiously, countless studies have shown that focusing on self-interest to the exclusion of the needs of others does not guarantee happiness. Rabbi Dunner reveals how the words used by the Torah to describe the gems of the High Priest's breastplate have a powerful lesson to impart regarding this ubiquitous internal conflict.
PIRKEI AVOT 33 - BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE
February 18, 2021 19:26 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBRabbi Tarfon was one of the great Talmudic sages, who lived during the era of Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Dunner explains the origins of his Greek name, and shares the two mishnas of Pirkei Avot that were recorded in his name. Sage advice from one of the greatest Talmudic sages, encouraging us to reach for the highest spiritual goals, even if we know (or believe) we might not ever make it.
PURIM - A DAY LIKE NO OTHER
February 17, 2021 21:04 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBOne of the Jewish calendar’s most unusual days is Purim, a day of celebration and feasting marked by the type of revelry that is studiously avoided on any other day of the year. This rather curious phenomenon has its roots in the original story of liberation and redemption featured in the Megilla, as Rabbi Dunner explains. And yet, it is so out of character for a religious celebration to be highlighted in this way. Rabbi Dunner shares insights into the very essence of this extraordinary festi...
MISHPATIM - JUSTICE DENIED IS GOD DENIED
February 12, 2021 01:30 - 7 minutes - 7.04 MBMiscarriages of justice, such as the notorious Hudspeth case of 1892, the Johnson lynching of 1906, and the celebrated Sam Sheppard case in the 1950s, are very much part-and-parcel of our flawed justice system, demonstrating just how unjust it can be. Rabbi Dunner reveals a literary connection between the Torah directive for judicial integrity and one of the Ten Commandments, illustrating how wrongful conviction is not just about contempt for law and order, but is actually an affront to our b...
PIRKEI AVOT 32 - RESPONDING TO A HERETIC
February 11, 2021 01:00 - 13 minutes - 6.53 MBRabbi Eleazar ben Arach was the most prominent disciple and student of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai. In this mishna (Avot 2:14) he offers a three-pronged approach to Torah study that encapsulates the attitude of a true Torah scholar like him. Once again, essential advice from the source of Jewish ethics.
MISHPATIM - IN FRONT AND AHEAD
February 10, 2021 21:01 - 57 minutes - 54.9 MBWhat is the significance of the word "lifneihem" (in front of them)in the opening verse of Parshat Mishpatim? Rabbi Dunner relates the incredible story of Onkelos the proselyte, as conveyed to us in the Midrash, and shares insights from the K'sav Sofer of Pressburg, and the holy Rabbi Israel of Ruzhyn.
YITRO - NOT A PARADOX AT ALL
February 05, 2021 00:17 - 7 minutes - 6.74 MBHow do we reconcile the existence of pointless suffering with a loving, omnipotent God? How can an omnipotent God exist, if He cannot create something that challenges His own power? This is known as the 'omnipotence paradox'. Rabbi Dunner tackles these and other questions using the Ten Commandments as the backdrop to a solution that explains and reinforces faith in a seemingly imperfect world.
YITRO - THE ETERNAL TORAH
February 03, 2021 20:15 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MBParshat Yitro contains the foundational text of Jewish faith, known as the Decalogue or Ten Commandments. In describing the awesome event at Mount Sinai, the Torah introduces the text of the Decalogue by telling us that God spoke all of these words to be said over, implying that those who heard them would need to repeat them to others. This presents us with quite a puzzle, as there were no others! Everyone who could have been there was there, and all of them heard all of the words of God very...
BESHALACH - SEIZE THE MOMENT
January 28, 2021 23:44 - 6 minutes - 5.6 MBRabbi Dunner is inspired by a quote from the syndicated columnist Erma Louise Bombeck along with a story about 'college-dropout' Steve Jobs to share a fascinating Midrash that describes the very first time manna dropped from Heaven to feed the nascent Jewish nation. The Midrash differentiates between the "great ones" and the ordinary folk who picked up their manna and the contrast is not what it first seems.
PIRKEI AVOT 31 - SHOWING YOUR DEVOTION
January 28, 2021 00:53 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MBRabbi Shimon ben Netanel was one of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai's most cherished disciples. He was a great believer in sweating the details, particularly when it came to devotional prayers and a person's self-image. Rabbi Dunner gives the background and offers insights into the advice of this great Talmudic rabbi.
BESHALACH - A SECOND REDEMPTION
January 27, 2021 20:25 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBOne of the great mysteries of the Exodos from Egypt is the “part two” that happened on the shores of the Red Sea. After all, once the Israelites were freed from Egyptian servitude, why was there a need to be saved again via the splitting of the Red Sea? More puzzlingly, what did God mean when He told Moses that the Israelites shouldn’t cry out to Him when they were facing certain death? What else were they meant to do? Rabbi Dunner shares an inspiring Nesivos Sholom which explains why the "se...
BO - A SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS
January 21, 2021 22:58 - 6 minutes - 6.17 MBA YouTube prank by 'social experiment videographer' Riceman revealed an incredible capacity for kindness in someone who had nothing of his own. Rabbi Dunner uses this story as a platform to share an incredible interpretation by the Vilna Gaon of a verse in Parshat Bo about the importance of smalls acts of kindness for each other that resulted in the redemption from slavery in Egypt.
BO - A PLAGUE OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT
January 20, 2021 23:57 - 46 minutes - 42.2 MBThe ninth plague of the ten to afflict Egypt was "choshech" — the plague of darkness. For six days the Egyptians were plunged into total darkness, unable to see each other, or even to physically move from where they were. The commentaries all struggle to define this darkness, particularly because the Torah tells us that the Jews had light even as the Egyptians experienced darkness. Rabbi Dunner focuses on a fascinating Kedushas Levi, which presents us with a left-field explanation of the dark...
VA'ERA - AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
January 14, 2021 23:18 - 6 minutes - 6.04 MBSome of our greatest leaders have exhibited their greatness by being paradigms of gratitude. But saying "thank you" is not just a demonstration of good manners -- it is a display of self-esteem like no other. Using a curious anomaly regarding the execution of the first plague in Egypt, Rabbi Dunner explores the backdrop to gratitude, and explains why saying "thank you" is the "root of happiness."
PIRKEI AVOT 30 - ADVICE FROM RABBI YOSE
January 14, 2021 00:23 - 15 minutes - 14.4 MBRabbi Yose the Priest was known for his righteousness and virtue, a true example to all those who knew him. In this mishna (Avot 2:12), Rabbi Yose offers his advice to help you achieve Rabbi Yose's great heights of rectitude -- three directives that encapsulate the aspirations of a true person of faith and spirituality. Rabbi Dunner delves into the backdrop to Rabbi Yose's character, and explains how his advice epitomizes who he was, and who we should be.
VA'ERA - AND EGYPT WILL KNOW
January 13, 2021 20:49 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MBIn Parshat Va’era, God promises Moses that once He is done with His miracles and wonders, Egypt will “know that I am God.” Rabbi Dunner shares a Degel Machaneh Ephraim quoting the Baal Shem Tov, questioning the need for miracles and wonders just to prove to Egypt that He is God. Degel Machaneh Ephraim proposes an answer, but the Nesivos Sholom is dissatisfied and proposes his own solution, in which he suggests that the whole idea of Egypt “knowing” is actually the fundamental purpose of creat...
SHEMOT - THE DANGER FROM CONSPIRACIES
January 07, 2021 23:04 - 8 minutes - 7.35 MBShocking scenes from Washington DC and the mob invasion of the U.S. Capitol prompt Rabbi Dunner to examine the prevalence of conspiracy theories, and the danger they pose to normative society. Drawing on the story of Pharaoh's propagation of a conspiracy theory about the Jews in Egypt, Rabbi Dunner suggests a lesson from Parshat Shemot that is as relevant today as when the Jews were slaves in Egypt over 3,000 years ago.
Pirkei Avot 29
January 07, 2021 00:24 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBRabbi Dunner continues with the ethical guidance offered by the students of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai. In this mishna, Rabbi Yehoshua warns of three character traits that will "remove a person from the world -- an evil eye, an evil inclination, and hating other people." Rabbi Dunner explains exactly what he means, and reveals why this advice is specifically aimed at people whose mitzva observance is superlative in every respect.
SHEMOT - A FIRE THAT DOESN'T BURN
January 06, 2021 22:06 - 58 minutes - 52.9 MBIn Parshat Shemot, Moses has his first encounter with God after chancing upon a bush engulfed by fire, although the bush is neither consumed nor destroyed. Puzzled by this intriguing phenomenon, Moses goes toward it, only to hear God speak from inside the bush. This jarring image forms the foundation of Moses' relationship with God -- but as it turns out, it is also the foundation of his relationship with and understanding of the Jewish nation. Rabbi Dunner shares a sensational Nesivos Sholom...
VAYECHI - GOODBYE 2020!
December 31, 2020 22:30 - 6 minutes - 6.2 MBThere is no doubt that 2020 will live on in our memories as one of the most challenging years any of us has ever faced; it will be recalled as one of the most testing years of modern history. Rabbi Dunner reflects on an intrinsic message of Seder night, when we use differences as a platform for growth and change. What can we learn from a very different New Year changeover that can help us grow as people of faith?
PIRKEI AVOT 28 - HOW TO TREAT YOUR FRIENDS
December 31, 2020 00:10 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBAccording to the students of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, how one should behave is easily divided into three easy-to-remember pieces of advice. The tenth mishna of the second chapter of Avot records the advice of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus.
VAYECHI - SPENDING TIME IN EGYPT
December 30, 2020 21:57 - 58 minutes - 52.7 MBParshat Vayechi begins by telling us that Jacob spent 17 years in Egypt. This rather puzzling nugget of information seems quite superfluous, bearing in mind that we are also informed that he died at the age of 147-years-old, having arrived in Egypt at the age of 130. After all, rudimentary arithmetic enables us to calculate that his time in Egypt amounted to 17 years. Addressing this curious anomaly, Rabbi Dunner shares a beautiful Nesivos Sholom, which delves into the necessity of Jacob havi...
VAYIGASH - THE TRUTH ABOUT LIES
December 25, 2020 00:12 - 6 minutes - 5.28 MBWhat is the difference between lying and pathological lying? Surely all lies are equally bad? Using a reference from Parshat Vayigash as his starting point, Rabbi Dunner delves into the background to different kinds of lying, and explains why patholoical lies pose a far greater danger to truth than ordinary lies.
PIRKEI AVOT 27 - THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
December 24, 2020 00:17 - 20 minutes - 9.9 MBRabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai challenged his five main students to come up with "the most important" to think about in terms of how to conduct one's life. The answers are stunning, and Rabbi Dunner explains them all.
VAYIGASH - A VERY STRANGE ENCOUNTER
December 23, 2020 20:32 - 59 minutes - 28.4 MBTowards the end of Parshat Vayigash, Joseph introduces his beloved father Jacob to his boss, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. This historic encounter between the most powerful man on earth and the spiritual giant of the era is recorded in just four verses, and mainly consists of a strange exchange between the two men regarding Jacob’s age. Rabbi Dunner unpacks the details of this odd episode, and delves into the meaning of Jacob’s cryptic answer to Pharaoh, as well as a Midrash that suggests that ...
MIKKEITZ - THE DANGER OF IGNORANCE
December 18, 2020 00:12 - 5 minutes - 5.45 MBOne of the greatest misnomers of the human condition is the idea that "ignorance is bliss." So much of what affects our lives is hidden from us, and the biggest mistake we can make is to believe that we are cognizant of all the factors that can affect us, and make plans on the basis of what we believe we know. Rabbi Dunner deftly connects the extraordinary story of Joseph and his brothers to the different perspectives of those who know and those who don't, and suggests that there may be a tim...
CHANUKAH - WHEN IS A MIRACLE A MIRACLE?
December 17, 2020 00:39 - 59 minutes - 47.7 MBThere is a well-known question regarding the miracle of Chanuka, most often associated with the “Beit Yosef,” Rabbi Joseph Caro (1488-1575), author of the definitive code of Jewish law (“Shulchan Aruch”). The miracle of Chanuka is described in the Talmud as follows: uncontaminated oil which should only have lasted for one day lasted for eight days, giving the kohanim enough time to get new oil from Tekoa — a 4-day journey from Jerusalem — without the Menorah, which needed to be relit each da...
VAYEISHEV - CELEBRATING A REAL VICTORY
December 11, 2020 00:23 - 6 minutes - 6.01 MBWhy do we celebrate the miracle of the oil on Chanukah, when the military victories seem to be a much greater victory? Why is Joseph called "Hatzaddik," and his brothers are not? Rabbi Dunner ties it all together with some fascinating examples from history.