Ta Shma

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Judaism
**Ta Shma**

Bringing you recent lectures, classes, and programs from the Hadar Institute, Ta Shma is where you get to listen in on the beit midrash. Come and listen on the go, at home, or wherever you are. Hosted by Rabbi Avi Killip of the Hadar Institute.

Latest Episodes:

R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat Mikeitz: Facing the Truth Dec 21, 2022

Show notes

How are we meant to admit sin in our prayers? What is the model for confession after having done something wrong?

R. Avi Killip: I Know of Nothing But Miracles, Part 1 Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

What do miracles tell us about God’s presence? How do we define the miraculous? Where does one miracle begin and human agency end? In this series, originally recorded in December 2021, we'll explore a text from Hadar's Hanukkah 5782 Companion, illuminating the evolving relationship between humanity and miracles.

R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat VaYeishev: The Meaning of Judaism Dec 13, 2022

Show notes

As we begin to close the Amidah, in the penultimate blessing that we call Modim, we say to God: “modim anahnu lakh,” we modim you. Drawing from the root י-ד-ה, the word modim has multiple meanings, each offering very different understandings of this blessing. This root word is also core to what it means to be a Jew, as it is the root word of Judaism (יהדות) and describes two aspects of the name of our ancestor Judah/Yehudah (יהודה). What does modim mean?

R. Avi Strausberg: The Before and After - The Sudden Deaths of Nadav and Avihu Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

The sudden death of Aaron's sons Nadav and Avihu leaves readers stunned and grappling for answers. By turning to a modern midrash in the form of an original short theatre piece written by R. Avi Strausberg, we attempt to pause time and make space to not only understand the motivations for their offerings, but also how their sudden deaths impacted their mother, their father, and their remaining brothers.
This session was originally delivered at Hadar's Summer Learning Retreat in June 2021.

R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat VaYishlach: Dressing for Prayer Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

Ya’akov is preparing to encounter God directly through sacrifice, an analog to our experience of prayer. It has been decades since Ya’akov actually encountered God in this way, and now he is preparing for this transition back into direct relationship. Critically, Ya’akov prepares by asking everyone to purify themselves and to change their clothes. What is the significance of changing clothes?

R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat VaYeitzei: The Meaning of God's Holiest Name Nov 30, 2022

Show notes

In our prayers, we do not shy away from calling God directly by name, using the most holy four-letter name of God (although we don’t pronounce it explicitly). What might this name mean, and what might it mean in the context of prayer?

R. Aviva Richman: Living in God's Shadow Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

Our tradition sometimes uses the image of a shadow to describe human experience with God. This rich metaphor, which captures both a sense of safety and shelter as well as darkness and fear, helps R. Aviva to reflect on where we find ourselves in the complex and ongoing story of God and the Jewish people.
This lecture was originally delivered at Hadar's Summer Learning Retreat in June 2022.

R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat Toldot: Blessing God Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

A major theme of Parashat Toldot is “ברכה - blessing.” This root appears 32 times in this parashah, more than in any other in the Torah. In prayer, we use the Hebrew root ב.ר.כ as the main verb of our blessing formula. What does it mean to say, “ברוך אתה ה׳ - barukh attah Adonai,” usually translated as, “Blessed are You, God”?

R. Shai Held: A God Who Weeps Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

In several passages in the book of Jeremiah, the prophet seems to cry over the bitter suffering of his people; accordingly, Jeremiah has sometimes been referred to as "the weeping prophet." But there is another, very different way to read these passages, according to which it is God, and not Jeremiah, who is crying. In this lecture, Rabbi Shai Held explores the arguments for seeing the God of Jeremiah as "the weeping God," probing the theological implications of this startlingly anthropomorphic image.
This lecture was originally delivered at Hadar's Summer Learning Retreat in June 2022.

R. Elie Kaunfer on Parashat Hayyei Sarah: Personal Prayer and the Amidah Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

How are we meant to pray words that we didn’t write? And how are we meant to pray those same words, multiple times a day?