Frantically flipping pages and mumbling words — for many this experience is familiar in our daily prayers. Our days are busy, difficult, and tiring. As a result, our prayers lose priority and, slowly, meaning. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There’s another way to think about prayer in our modern lives that is rich with meaning and inspiration. Join us as we explore the themes and rituals of prayer in our holy texts and rabbinic teachings and discover how they relate to our lives today — and never think about your daily prayer the same way again. For more on prayer, see: https://www.alephbeta.org/jewish-prayer https://www.alephbeta.org/course/lecture/korach-can-we-influence-god https://www.alephbeta.org/course/lecture/ki-tisa-moshes-benevolent-chutzpah

How can I attain closeness with a God who is so beyond my comprehension? And why would the Creator of the Universe care about my prayers? Is God even listening?

Do you know the best way to ask for something from God? The daughters of Zelophehad do. Click here to learn the secret of their success.

How did Moses feel when approaching the land of Israel, knowing he wouldn’t be entering the land with his people? This video is the first in a series of three, concluding the yearly Torah cycle, where we will attempt to get inside the head of Moses at the end of his journey as the leader of the Israelites.

In the following four videos, Rabbi Fohrman will tackle a very difficult and important question: does God speak with us today? We will use the lens of Joseph's story to understand what non-prophetic communication with God could look like today.

This video explores two Midrashim that discuss humans attempting to counter the angel of death. Yes, you heard right – the Rabbis discussed whether or not we can outsmart death. Beneath the surface of these two stories are deep lessons about how we can change God’s mind through prayer. Can we listen to the sometimes implicit messages that God is sending us? Can we respond appropriately? These are just some of the elements that go into effective prayer.

In Emor, we read about the Mekalel (the "Blasphemer"), the man who is punished for cursing God. Cursing God doesn't sound like a very religious thing to do, but it raises the question: Is it ever OK to speak against God? What about arguing with God? Find out in this audio series.

The Talmud explains that prayer today is a replacement of the sacrifices that we were commanded to make in the Torah. Join Rabbi Fohrman as he explores the different types of sacrifice in the Bible, and discover how this ancient tradition creates a modern framework for how to connect with God today.

Can morning prayers be meaningful and routine? Even better, what if you could find inspiration in the routine itself? In this video, Rabbi Fohrman suggests how davening shacharit specifically in the morning can be a powerful catalyst for genuine, sincere prayer.

Refa’einu is a plea for health found in the Shmoneh Esrei prayer. As the world continues to battle COVID-19, what better text to turn to for spiritual guidance. But when you take a close look at this prayer, something remarkable emerges. Refa’einu has an unexpected connection to Sefirat HaOmer, the period on our calendar that marks the time between the Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Torah.  Could understanding the deeper meaning of the Omer somehow help us understand Refa’einu? Could this connection help us learn to relate to God as our healer?  In this course, Rabbi Fohrmand and Immanuel Shalev take a deep dive into Refa’einu and its Torah references, to shed light on what it means to truly heal, emotionally and spiritually--with empowering implications for us today.

Does it make you uncomfortable that every day, Jewish men thank God for not making them women? Watch this video to learn how the blessing may not mean what you think it does.

The language the rabbis use to introduce the Sabbath Amidah prayers serves as a commentary on these biblical verses. These introductions show us how to read the verses and give us some insight into the meaning of the sabbath... join Rabbi Fohrman as he selves into the sage's words and uncovers The Meaning of the Sabbath Prayers.

Join Rabbi Fohrman for an in-depth discussion of Kabbalat Shabbat.

Parshat Ki Tisa is the text we all recognize from Shabbat Kiddush. But when we read it aloud, it almost sounds as if we are repeating ourselves. Over and over, from verses 13 to 17, Exodus 31 explains why we keep Shabbat, its holiness and a covenant – but why? What is the meaning of the repetitive nature? In this video, Rabbi Fohrman comments on the chiastic structure of Exodus 31, from where he starts to connects the common themes. It will help you unlock a new meaning to the words you though you knew..

The very last words God tells to Moses as he's ready to leave Sinai are about the Shabbat. Why? The rabbis give their explanation to this question in the introduction to the Sabbath morning prayers. But looking at the rabbis' explanation, we are left with more questions! Join Rabbi Fohrman as he dives deep into this prayer, and understands the rabbis' answer to God's surprising last words to Moses on Sinai.

In this two part playlist Rabbi Fohrman discusses the mitzvah of sanctifying Shabbat over the Friday night Kiddush and reveals to us a Kiddush Chiasm in all its glory.

The Eshet Chayil prayer is filled with all kinds of fascinating implications, including an exciting idea Rabbi Fohrman brings to light in this podcast. He looks closely at two verses from the middle of Eshet Chayil, and shows how they actually paint for us a beautiful and complex picture of the meaning of marriage.

Recited every Saturday morning as part of the Shabbat morning liturgy, Psalm 19 is full of vivid poetry: descriptions of the sun, the sky, a groom and the Torah. Imagery and words that come together as the heavens declare the glory of God. Join Rabbi Fohrman & Imu Shalev as they discuss possible meanings to this Psalm, and why the Psalmist chose to structure Psalm 19 in this unique way. For more courses that focus on Psalms, be sure to check out King David's Haunted Past (Psalm 30), Shir Hamaalot (Psalm 126), and Al Naharot Bavel (Psalm 137).

We add the prayer service of Hallel on holidays, but what exactly are we saying? Is it just a collection of Psalms? In this course, Rabbi Fohrman argues that not only are we learning what it is to be a servant of God, but we are also discovering the origins of the nation of Israel.

Have you ever felt the Selichot prayer service difficult to connect to? Join Rabbi Fohrman as he dives into the Biblical texts and examines more closely the themes that permeate the Selichot prayers. Connect more deeply to these complex prayers, and enter the High Holiday period with new understanding. This video is a recording of a live event, held August 28th, 2021. For more on Selichot, join Rabbi Fohrman and the Aleph Beta scholars in Selichot Demystified.

At the center of the High Holidays' prayer service is the passage "Unetaneh Tokef." The powerful and dramatic prayer borrows imagery from the story of Elijah. A closer look at this biblical story sheds light on God's relationship of justice and mercy with His people, and helps us understand this prayer in a deeper way.

Guilt can can inspire us to grow — but it can also be overwhelming, crippling. How can we account for our actions over the past year in a way that is productive and spiritually healthy?

Singing Dayeinu: Would It Really Have Been Enough? What do the lyrics of Dayeinu song really mean?