Or Hachaim, Rav Soloveitchik: Anticipating Shabbos

Simcha (joy) around the year Rav Soloveitchik: 2 models of leadership: Purim - bottom up; Chanukkah - top down

This week we discuss: The uniforms of the kohanim - why?  The external influences the internal Why the Golden Mizbeach (Alter) instructions were delayed until all of the other instructions were given - seeing the forest from the trees.  

This week we discuss: Quantifying how much space in the Torah is devoted to the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and why - goldharschool.com The Mishkan needs to be built for G-d's name - the literal approach and the idea that we can only flourish in the right environment Rav Soloveitchik: Where did Moshe hear G-d's voice from, and why it matters Rav Pam: The reasoning behind the ordering of the items donated by the people - easy come, easy go

Topics discussed: Why is the slave punished for his desire to stay longer? R. Shaul Yisraeli Why isn't the slave's ear pierced when he first gets into trouble? The Maharil Diskin The need to temporarlily return a collateral reflects an expansive view of the Torah's mandate.  R. Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg Love the convert since you were strangers in Egypt is said immediately after they left Egypt; Sensitivity when there's an open wound - you were strangers, not you were slaves.  R. Kenneth Hain from R. Sholom Carmy We are reciepients of Divine gifts - sometimes He takes them back.  Rav Soloveitchik Orphans and Widows.  R. Moshe Feinstein

This week we discuss: Why so many judges were needed - how to relate to other peoples money including stories about R. Yisrael Salanter The lesson we learn from Yisro's alias "Yeser" - the value of proactive problem solving Rav Solovetichik: The duality of the Torah transmission - the role of father and the role of the mother

Don't miss the last piece, starting at 7:28 :)

This week we discuss: Gerrer Rebbe's daughter Fayge; Rav Soloveitchik: G-d is with Moshe when he approaches Pharaoh Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky: The life-long deepening of emunah (conviction) The Dubno Maggid: Moshe's abrupt exit - why now? How long did the plague of Locusts actually last? Nachmanidies (Ramban) and Rabbeinu Chananel: The enduring power of prayer of a righteous person Rav Soloveitchik: Moshe and the Bnei Yisroel didn't know when they would be leaving or how many plagues there would be  Rav Hirsch: they asked for gifts to keep Rav Hirsch: the moment the Egyptians recognized the unusual morality of the Bnei Yisroel Why there are suddenly so many mitzvos (Sefer Hachinuch counts 20) in this parsha Details of the Pesach lamb Summary of end of parasha

This week we discuss: Message of the connection between the Four Cups and the four terms of redemptionMoshe Aharon, Aharon Moshe - defining success & individuality vs. confomrity in Jewish life Rav Solovetichik: Binary star system - the pattern of dual Jewish leadership Torah 101: Did Pharoh's magicians really know magic - is magic real? Torah 101: How did Pharoh get punished for his stubborness if the Almighty hardened his heart?  Two approaches  One frog or many?  Indirect approaches are often more effective agents of change in ourselves and others Rav Solovetichik: G-d never gives up on us, even when we appear to be unredeemable  The structure of and patterns in the 10 Plagues

In this episode we cover these topics: Introduction to the Book of Shemos: Titles of the book Overview of Shemos This week's parsha: A large, growing, Jewish population The paradoxically direct relationship between population affliction and population growth The incremental development of the Egyptian enslavement and persecution of the Jews Rav Soloveitchik: Women lead the Jewish people at a crucial point in their history The qualities that made Moshe the ultimate Jewish leader Curious parallels in the lives of the Patriarchs, Matriarchs, and Moshe and Tzipora Rav Soloveitchik: The two messages of the Burning Bush and that no Jew ever be excluded (Hat tip to Aaron Rosen for pointing this out to me many years ago) Asking permission from your father-in-law Summary of the end of the parsha