Parsha Podcast with Ari Goldwag Ari Goldwag

Why is Shir Hashirim called the greatest of all songs? How do the other books of Shlomo Hamelech (Kong Solomon) - Koheles and Mishlei - have a message for the nations of the world, and yet Shir Hashirim is exclusive to the Jewish people? How does this correspond to Shabbos and the month of Nissan, which are also exclusive to the people of Israel? What is meant by the midrash's statement that the Jewish people was 'made into a song' by Hashem? What are the three aspects of the song, for which the Song of Songs is the greatest song? How do they reflect the purpose of the Jewish people? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why does the Torah refer to the time that a woman is impure after a flow as 'many days' if it is only a few days? What does Hashem reassure the Jewish people after telling them that they will be in exile for 'many days?' Why is He referred to as the 'G-d of Truth' in the context of their distance from Him during exile? Where does that Truth manifest in the end as He brings about His ultimate Justice? How is this accompanied by a Redemption for the people of Israel? How does this exile and distance from Hashem parallel the distance of the woman who experienced a flow? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why does the Torah use the word Adam-Man in reference to the person who has Tzara'as-Leprosy? What is the imbalance in the person who suffers from this spiritual malady? Why was there a threatening 'stormy wind' in the times of Iyov, Yonah and Eliyahu? What is the concept of the souls that need to manifest before the coming of Moshiach? Why did some prophets author one book and others multiple books, while some prophets had only a line or two in Tanach? Why do some people find themselves drawn toward different parts of the Torah, be it Chumash, Mishna, Gemara, Halacha or Midrash? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why are there special foods that are permitted and forbidden to the Jewish people to be eaten? What is the 'measuring' that Hashem did to determine who would receive the Torah? How does this parallel the 'measuring' He did of Mount Sinai and the land of Israel, which would be given to the Jewish people? What happened when Hashem 'took away responsibility' for keeping the 7 Noahide laws from the nations and gave that responsibility to the Jewish people? What does the prophet Chavakuk refer to when he says that Hashem will 'appear' in the lands of Teiman-Edom and the lands of Paran-Yishmael in the end of time? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why is the Korban Toda (thanks offering) the only one that will remain in the future time? What is the concept of the korban Shelamim, whose root is related to Shalom-Peace? Why is it the last of the korbanos spoken of in the parsha? How does it bring about peace between all those involved in it? Why is peace the 'end all' of the prayers and blessings? Why does Hashem allow His name to be erased for peace? Why did R' Meir ask a woman who listened to his sermon to spit in his eye? What is the concept of peace in the future if there is no longer an inclination toward evil in the Messianic age? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.

Why does Moshe 'stand by the side' at each point - at the burning bush, at the splitting of the sea, at Sinai, and at the building of the Mishkan? Why, in each case, does Hashem tell him that only he can do it? How does this parallel Mordechai's instruction to Esther to be the one to approach the king and serve as their redeemer? What is meant by our sages when they compare Esther to Sarah with the number 127, and when they compare her to Avraham who left for Israel at the age of 75? What is meant by the sages when they say that Tamar was the daughter of Shem if she lived so long after Shem? What is the significance of all of this in relationship to current events, which are occurring after 75 years since the Jewish state was founded? Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.