The TanachTalks Podcast artwork

The TanachTalks Podcast

33 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratings

The place for intellectual, interesting, and inspirational talks about Tanach (the Hebrew Bible), wiith some of the leading and most innovative thinkers in Israel today.

Books Arts Religion & Spirituality Judaism tanach tanakh hebrew bible prophets bible study bible scholarship
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Episodes

Tanach Talks 2 3 - DON'T DO TESHUVA - it's Tisha B'Av (looking at the haftorot)

July 29, 2020 08:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MB

This episode looks at the two haftorot of Tisha B'Av (Jeremiah/Yermiyahu 8-9 and Isaiah/Yshayahu 55-56) and the differences between them.  Support the show

Tanach Talks 2 2 - Yeshayahu Opening Vision (Chazon)

July 24, 2020 14:00 - 20 minutes - 14.4 MB

Discusses Yeshayahu (Isaiah) the time and content of his opening vision, and the question of whether God wanted sacrifices. Support the show

Tanach Talks 2.1 DA BEARS

July 24, 2020 14:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MB

Discusses the episode where Elisha sicks two bears on children who were mocking him (2 Kings 2 - Melachim Bet) ... One of the Tanach's great stories! Support the show

Tanach Talks29 - Davids Song - Haftorah Seventh Day of Pesach - Shmuel Bet 22

April 14, 2020 07:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MB

Discusses the haftorah of the seventh day of Pesach, David'd Song (Shmuel Bet 22) - its structure, its purpose in the book of Shmuel, and why it is read on Pesach. Support the show

Tanach Talk Podcasts 28 - Melachim Bet 2.1 - Chariots of Fire - Understanding Eliyahu's Death and Immortality

April 08, 2020 10:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MB

Discusses Eliyahu's Death, the meaning of his last interaction with Elisha, and the secret to his immortality. Support the show

Tanach Talks 27 - Melachim Bet 1 - FIREBALLS

March 31, 2020 14:00 - 22 minutes - 15.8 MB

Describes the final showdown between Eliyahu and Ahaziah, containing a background of the history betwen the prophet and the house of Ahav, and of course ... FIREBALLS! Support the show

Tanach Talks Podcasts 26 - The Meaning of Sefer Shemot's Two Endings

March 20, 2020 10:00 - 11 minutes - 7.96 MB

Shares the meaning behind a brilliant insight by R Menachem Leibtag regarding the double ending of Sefer Shemot and how the book continues in two directions Support the show

Tanach Talks 25 - The VaYomer VaYomer phenomenon in Exodus 32 & 34

March 13, 2020 14:00 - 13 minutes - 9.44 MB

Throughout Tanach we find what we call the "VaYomer VaYomer phenomenon" - interrupted speech. In this podcast we look at two examples of this in Exodus 32 and 34. Support the show

Tanach Talks 24 - Bagatelles and Freudian Slips from Esther 6

March 10, 2020 10:00 - 10 minutes - 6.92 MB

Tanach extensively uses word play, allusion, and omissions to convey its message - as these three short examples from Esther 6 clearly demonstrate - Happy Purim! Support the show

TanachTalks 23 - Pharaoh's Hardened Heart

January 24, 2020 13:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MB

Discusses various approaches to the moral question of God hardening Pharaoh's heart among medieval and modern commentators. Support the show

Moses, Milah, and a Big Snake

January 17, 2020 14:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MB

Gives an explanation for the enigmatic episode where Moshe nearly dies on his way back to Egypt based on an overview of his life. Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 21 - Joseph's Dreams, Pharaoh's Dreams, and Why Stories Repeat Themselves

December 27, 2019 10:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MB

Analyzes the solutions to Joseph's dreams, Pharaoh's Dreams, and the role that repeating stories play through the Genesis narrative Support the show

Tanach Talks 20 - Untold Chanukah Tales

December 26, 2019 12:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MB

Discusses the stories of Yehudit, Hannah, and Miriam and their contribution to the debate regarding the real meaning of Chanukah. Recording at Lev haTorah 5780. Support the show

Tanach Tasks Episode 19 - Judah and Tamar - The Lost Wallet

December 20, 2019 13:00 - 25 minutes - 17.2 MB

Discusses the parallels between the story of Judah and Tamar with the story of Joseph, and the purpose of interrupting the latter story with this episode and all the parallels. Support the show

Tanach Talks 18 - Jacob and Esau Reunite or Why Bribery Works

December 16, 2019 10:00 - 12 minutes - 8.51 MB

 Explains the nature of the gifts that Jacob sends to Esau and the legnthy lists at the end of chapter 36 in Genesis Support the show

Tanach Talks 17 - The Morality of Stolen Blessings

November 29, 2019 10:00 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MB

Discusses different approaches to the episode where Jacob tricks Isaac to get the blessing destined for Esau. Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 16 - Thoughts on Akeidat Yitzchak

November 15, 2019 13:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MB

Discusses the meaning of the test, and competing interpretations regarding Avraham's state of mind. Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 15 - The Separation between Abraham and Lot

November 08, 2019 13:00 - 10 minutes - 7.07 MB

Discusses Genesis 12-13 - the structure of the story of the separation between Abraham and Lot Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 13 - The Tower of Babel

November 01, 2019 12:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MB

Discusses the MANY interpretations of the enigmatic story of the Tower of Babel, from the traditionalists to Jordan Peterson, Richard Fenyman and Anakin Skywalker. Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 12 - Genesis 2-3 The Meaning of the Garden of Eden Narrative

October 25, 2019 13:00 - 14 minutes - 9.87 MB

Discusses the structure of the arden of Eden story and its message - includes identifying its boundaries, what the tree of Knowledge symbolizes, and whether the exile is a punishment or was pre-destined Support the show

TT Podcast 11 - Between Proverbs and Ecclesiastes (Mishlei and Kohelet)

October 18, 2019 06:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MB

Compares the differing approaches of Mishlei and Kohelet / Proverbs and Ecclesiastes regarding wisdom and the purpose of life, and discusses why Kohelet is read by Jews on Sukkot, of all holidays, Support the show

TT podcast 12 - The History of the Prophets - part 1 - the 8th century BCE - Hosea Amos Isaiah Micah

October 17, 2019 09:00 - 27 minutes - 18.9 MB

Explores the tumultous eighth century BCE which saw the emergence of four of Israel's greatest prophets - Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah. Discusses the historical social and political changes that swept across the Ancient Ner East and how they influenced Israel's religious works forever. Support the show

Tanach Talks 010 - Daniel 4 - A Most Unlikely Pentinent - Nebuchanezzar and Repentance

September 29, 2019 10:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MB

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TanachTalks Podcast Episode 009 - Rabbi Menachem Leibtag on the purpose of Sefer Shmuel

August 18, 2019 16:00 - 44 minutes - 30.7 MB

Rabbi Leibtag discusses his innovative approach to understanding the historical books of the Bible, and applies this approach to Sefer Shmuel. He outlines the various sections of the book, and argues for a series of authors that attempt to justify Davidic rule over the kingdoms. Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 8 - Ve'Etchanan - The Shema, Baruch Shem Kavod, and the Hidden Connection to the Ten Commandments

August 16, 2019 08:00 - 10 minutes - 7.01 MB

On this podcast we discuss the Shema, when the phrase Baruch Shem Kavod Malchulto Le'Olam Va'Ed was added, and the hidden connection to the Ten Commandments based on the structure of the book of Deuteronomy (Sefer Devarim) Support the show

Tanach Talks - 5770 Tisha BeAv edition - Devarim 4 - the Torah reading - Chiasms Today

August 11, 2019 04:00 - 7 minutes - 5.46 MB

This short podcast deals with the Torah reading for Tisha BeAv - Deut (Devarim 4), looks at its literary structure (hint - its a chiasm!), keywords, and explains why the rabbis chose which books of the Tanach could be studied on TIsha BeAv and which other ones could not ... Support the show

TT podcast 007 - The Spies of Numbers, the Spies of Deuteronomy

August 09, 2019 13:00 - 8 minutes - 5.98 MB

Discusses the contradictions in the accounts between the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy about the episode of the spies, and presents three possible solutions. Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 6 - Numbers 36 - Between Tribes and Tribalism

August 02, 2019 04:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MB

Numbers 36 - Why did the tribe of Menashe wait before complaning about the daughters of Zelophad, and how does this story foreshadow the events of the book of Judges?  Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 5 - Discussing the Book of Kings with Rabbi Alex Israel

July 31, 2019 06:00 - 43 minutes - 29.9 MB

A longer episode than most, we discuss the Book of Kings with Rabbi Alex Israel, author of the recently published "Kings 2: Into the Whirlwind" by Maggid Press (2019) - the sequel to his commentary on Kings 1. During the discussion Rabbi Israel and I discuss the fascinating and sometimes overlooked characters and stories of the book of Kings, and its purpose in the framework of Tanach. Support the show

TT Podcast 004 - Numbers 32 - Were Gad and Reuven Misunderstood

July 26, 2019 13:00 - 16 minutes - 11 MB

This podcast discusses chapter 32 in Bemidbar (the book of Numbers). With a close reading of the text, we try to answer the classic argument of the commentators whether Moshe's outburst against them was justified, or the sign of a leader who has lost touch with the people ... Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 3 - Jeremiah Begins: What are the vision tests for?

July 25, 2019 14:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MB

In this Tanach Talks podcast , we deal with the first Haftorah of the Three Weeks - Jeremiah chapter 1 and his introduction to prophecy. We discuss: * the meaning of the word Haftorah and its source * how a prophet is consecrated * the meaning of Jeremiah's first two prophecies * why is God giving Jeremiah a vision test? Support the show

Tanach Talks Episode 2 - Joshua's Spies: Between Rahab, Lot, and how to read the Bible

July 23, 2019 18:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MB

Why would Joshua send spies - didn't he learn from Moses' failed experience from over forty years before? This episode discusses the story of the spies, Rahab and Jericho, using comparative techniques with other similar episodes. We look at both the Malbim's explanation for sending the spies, and at a surprising comparison between Joshua 2 and Genesis 19. We attempt to explain the meaning of the many thematic and literary parallels between the Rahab and Lot stories. www.tanachtalks.com Supp...

Tanach Talks Episode 1 - Introduction and what is Tanach?

July 19, 2019 04:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MB

Our first podcast asks the question - what is Tanach? From there, we discuss the number of books in the Hebrew Bible, the order in which they appear, and the differences between the Tanach's three main sections (Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim). Support the show

Books

The Garden of Eden
1 Episode