Mussar HaTorah

Aaron Benedict
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Judaism
  • Updated Weekly

Learn to be the best version of yourself from the Mussar in the weekly Parsha. notarabbi.substack.com

  1. 2d ago

    Ekev 5786 - The Man Who Saw No Sea at All

    When the sea refused to split, every tribe stood frozen at the water's edge, waiting for someone else to go first — including the very generation that would, throughout history, become famous for giving up their lives rather than bend on a single mitzvah. So why did people capable of that kind of courage hesitate here? The answer reveals two completely different kinds of faith, and shows that the harder test isn't always the dramatic one — sometimes it's quietly trusting that what looks fixed and immovable in our own lives is never actually out of Hashem's hands. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com

    Ekev 5786 - The Man Who Saw No Sea at All

  2. Jul 21

    V'Eschanan 5786 - Logic Even Bias Couldn't Beat

    This week we reread the Aseres HaDibros, and tucked inside a well-known Gemara is a strange historical detail: an entire world almost rejected the Ten Commandments outright, only to reverse course because of one surprisingly ordinary line. What was it about this particular obligation that succeeded where the others failed — and what does that reversal expose about how bias can quietly convince us of things that simply aren't true? This week, we trace the logic that changed an ancient world's mind, and what it teaches us about building our own emunah today. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com

    V'Eschanan 5786 - Logic Even Bias Couldn't Beat

  3. Jul 14

    Devarim 5786 - The Forgotten Art of Contemplation

    Why did the prophet Yeshayah open his entire book with a complaint that has nothing to do with idolatry, theft, or any specific sin? This week, we trace a single missing word in his opening line back to a secret the Ramchal reveals about why the Torah doesn't hand us clarity for free — and why an unfanned coal might be the best metaphor for your own spiritual life. What you already "know" and what you actually believe turn out to be very different things, and the gap between them has a name. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com

    Devarim 5786 - The Forgotten Art of Contemplation

  4. Jul 7

    Mattos-Masei 5786 - The Obvious Choice

    When Shevet Reuven spotted the land east of the Jordan River, the decision seemed obvious — the terrain was perfect, the opportunity was right there, and the logic was airtight. A good deal, clearly. But a Midrash in Bereishit Rabbah traces that moment of obvious decision-making all the way back to something a child did in a field centuries earlier — and suggests the two moments are more connected than they appear. This week, we explore what that connection reveals about one of the most common traps in human decision-making: the assumption that because something is available and accessible, it must be right for us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com

    Mattos-Masei 5786 - The Obvious Choice

  5. Jun 30

    Pinchas 5786 - When Conviction Isn't Enough

    The Torah says Pinchas took vengeance for his God. Not for God — his God. It's a single possessive that raises an enormous question: what does it mean for Hashem's name to belong to a person? The answer, hidden in a Midrash about a donkey and a precious gem, reveals something unexpected about what Kiddush Hashem really requires — and why good intentions alone may not be enough. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com

    Pinchas 5786 - When Conviction Isn't Enough

  6. Jun 23

    Chukas-Balak 5786 – You Are Never Without a Purifier

    Why are thirty-eight years of Jewish history almost entirely absent from the Torah? Why is the Parah Adumah in Bamidbar instead of Vayikra? And why does the parsha call this "the chok of the Torah" rather than simply "the law of the Red Heifer"? In this episode, Rav Soloveitchik's answers to these three questions reveal something surprising — that the Parah Adumah was never just about purification. It was about how to survive when death feels like it is in charge. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com

    Chukas-Balak 5786 – You Are Never Without a Purifier

  7. Jun 16

    Korach 5786 - Climb Higher, Not Flatten

    There is a version of Korach's argument that sounds almost noble — and that's exactly the problem. This week, Rav Yechezkel Weinfeld, shlita, draws a surprising parallel between Korach and Yaakov Avinu, two men who both refused to accept the station they were born into. However, the difference between them is everything. One climbed higher. The other tried to flatten. Understanding that distinction might be one of the most important things we can do for our own growth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com

    Korach 5786 - Climb Higher, Not Flatten

  8. Jun 9

    Shelach 5786 - The Comfortable Explanation

    Rashi asks a simple question about Parshas Shelach: why does the Torah place the story of the spies immediately after Miriam's punishment? The answer unlocks something far deeper than the story of the meraglim — it opens a window into the way we all handle correction, consequence, and the uncomfortable work of honest self-examination. This week, Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz helps us understand why midda knegged midda is really a message, who that message is truly meant for, and what it takes to actually receive it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com

    Shelach 5786 - The Comfortable Explanation
See All (102)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Learn to be the best version of yourself from the Mussar in the weekly Parsha. notarabbi.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Aaron Benedict
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    102
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Aaron Benedict
  • Show Website
    Mussar HaTorah