A nonprofit media company helping people closely read the Torah
to discover its beauty, meaning and relevance
What is Aleph Beta?
What makes us unique?
2. We show how the Torah’s wisdom is relevant to our lives in surprising and profound ways.
Torah, in Hebrew, means guidebook. It comes from the same word as Morah, teacher, or Horeh (parent or guide). So the Torah is supposed to guide us, presumably. Often, though, when we turn to Torah for ancient and spiritual wisdom, we don’t immediately pick up a Tanakh. Most of us are far more likely to gravitate towards Hassidut, or Mussaric works, Mysticism, Jewish philosophy or even talmudic legal analysis. All these works are wonderful and should continue to be studied vigorously, but Torah is our central book. It is God’s book. And yet, many of us don’t feel like opening up the pages of Leviticus, or the stories of the Sale of Joseph, or the complaints in the desert to give us that inspirational boost in the morning. We’ve grown distant from Torah text as a source of guidance. But the Torah is our guidebook. Our mission is to help you revisit the text you may already be quite familiar with, read it honestly, without preconceived notions or barriers, and authentically discover the richness that was always there. Our guarantee is that you will be deeply surprised about the latent meaning in laws and stories you may have long overlooked.
3. Our content is textually rigorous AND emotionally compelling.
Sometimes, “rigorous” and “emotionally” compelling can seem like opposites, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We create content that asks the tough intellectual questions but also appeals to the most emotionally and spiritually-inclined. In general, at Aleph Beta our ethos is to touch on multiple ways of seeing the world simultaneously. Studying Torah from multiple perspectives enhances its richness and applicability to our everyday lives, which are, in turn, complex and multifaceted.
What is Aleph Beta Labs?
Aleph Beta is dedicated to Rabbi David Fohrman's transformative approach to studying the Torah, and has been a space for sharing his insights and fostering a love for Torah study. Over time, others have adopted his methodology, leading to the creation of a sub-brand: Aleph Beta Labs. This new space supports scholars trained under Rabbi Fohrman, allowing them to grow and flourish while exploring the limitless possibilities of Torah interpretation. Rabbi Fohrman remains the lead scholar at Aleph Beta, and Aleph Beta will continue to publish Rabbi Fohrman’s content. The sub-brand, Aleph Beta Labs, provides a space for his students to bring their scholarship to the table.
Enough of our rambling,
come experience it for yourself!
If our mission is too airy-fairy and conceptual, pay it no mind. Just dive in! Don’t let our library of more than 1,000+ videos overwhelm you. You can start anywhere, but here is how most of our users get started—and get hooked!
Looking for something more seasonal?
Start with this week’s parsha or upcoming holiday.
Aleph Beta in the Media
Check out Rabbi Fohrman’s interviews in the media
Meet the Team
Research. Writing. Sound editing. Storyboarding. It takes a village to create each Aleph Beta video. Come meet the
whole team.
Rabbi David Fohrman
Imu Shalev
Malka Alweis
FAQ
What’s with the cartoons… are your videos for children?
Not at all! Aleph Beta’s courses are intended for anyone interested in learning Torah, at any age! Sure, the animation may help get your kids hooked, but the content in our courses is multi-layered and meaningful for viewers at any level of understanding or prior knowledge. If you are after some great family viewing, we highly recommend our shorter parsha videos. And if you’re looking for more in-depth adult education, then the Premium library is the place to look. So why the animation? Well, sometimes it helps to have a visual aid. Seeing an incredible, intricate pattern unfold in the text for yourself is far more meaningful and impactful than just hearing about it. This video on the hidden structure of the Ten Commandments is a perfect example of that. Animation also brings the ideas and stories in our videos to life. Torah learning should be a fully engaging and immersive experience - at least, that’s what we strive for here. Just watch this video on the meaning of morning prayers, and tell us if the stunning sunsets don’t make Rabbi Fohrman’s message that much more real for you.
Will I see ads on Aleph Beta?
No.
Why not?
Aleph Beta is a subscription service with exclusive and unique Torah content. Our subscribers pay for access to our growing Torah content library so they can learn without interruption or distraction. The Aleph Beta website will always be an online oasis of meaningful and inspiring Torah content created for our members - never for advertisers.
How do I cancel my subscription?
We’re sorry to see you go. To cancel your subscription, visit your profile. If you’d like more information on cancelling your account, please visit our Terms of Service, or email us at info@alephbeta.org.
How can I get the most out of Aleph Beta?
First things first: watch or listen to something that matters to you. Take a look at our library and find something relevant to you. Browse our topic section. We have videos on big ideas, relationships, and life events, like mourning or Bar and Bat Mitzvah. But the most important thing is to start - and to start with something that matters to you. If you're still not sure what to click, scroll up for our top recommendations for “snacks,” “meals,” and “feasts.” Snacks are 10-20 minute videos that will give you a taste of what we do. Meals are longer, more in-depth courses that will leave you with a solid footing in our methodology, and hopefully be really meaningful to you as well. Finally, feasts are our most advanced Premium courses for a truly in-depth journey into the nuances of the Torah text. Whatever you pick, remember that the real secret to getting the most out of Aleph Beta is by being an active learner. Don't just trust the claims we make. Pause the video, use the musical interludes, grapple with the questions. Look for the answers yourself in the text. The whole journey will mean a lot more if you're willing to do some of the legwork on your own, and it will be a lot more fun.
Study with Us!
Aleph Beta is able to accomplish all that we do thanks to our members. Not ready to sign up just yet? We understand, and still want you to be a part of our community. Join our FREE mailing list to receive parsha videos straight to your inbox, and find out about our latest releases.
