This webinar deals with some of the most fundamental questions we have as people – who are we? Why are we here? And how should that affect the choices we make in our lives?

One of the most sacred traditions in Judaism is our weekly celebration of Shabbat, our “day of rest,”  when we commemorate that God “rested” after His six days of creation. But wait–why would an omnipotent God need to rest? Yes, He created the universe – but He’s infinitely powerful! And why would we celebrate Shabbat by emulating the day God rested, not the mind-blowing six days of creation before it? What did God do on His day of rest that was so incredible?

In this deep-dive course, Rabbi Fohrman explores the story of the Garden of Eden, asking tough questions, uncovering subtle insights in the text, and ultimately bringing new light to this age-old story.

We all know the story of the Garden of Eden. Adam, Eve, forbidden fruit, snake. But what if there’s another layer to this story lying beneath all the obvious drama? In the first episode of this six part series, Rabbi Fohrman takes a close look at the Garden of Eden story, pointing out some glaring – but easily glossed over – anomalies in the text, and inspiring us to reconsider what we thought we knew about Eden’s most basic features.

Why does the Torah present this sad story of Cain and Abel right after the tragedy of the Tree of Knowledge? In this video, David Block and Immanuel Shalev uncover a common thread that weaves its way through the different stories in the beginning of Genesis. In doing so, they offer a compelling explanation of what Adam and Eve’s original sin in the Garden of Eden was really about, how it connects to Cain’s murder of Abel, and how these stories serve as an prologue for the rest of the Torah. To dig deeper check out the course “A Brief History Of The World.”

We know the story: people sinned so God wiped them out with a flood. But whatever happened to repentance? Isn’t God is supposed to give us a second chance to fix our mistakes? Find the answers in this video.

Okay, God decided to destroy the world. But there are lots of ways to destroy a world: why a flood?

In episodes 23-54 of Genesis Unveiled, Rabbi Fohrman dives deep into the ways the flood story mirrors the creation story, helping us understand the flood and its aftermath in a new light.

We all know the story of Noah, with the animals living together harmoniously in the ark, the dove, the rainbow sign. But this is only half of the story. Underneath this fairytale version of the Noah story lies a dark, more disturbing wrinkle that finds its crescendo in Noah’s vineyard. And this part of the story is more relevant than anything else we might think about Noah and the flood.

In episodes 55-70 of Genesis Unveiled, Rabbi Fohrman uncovers a chiasm in the story of Noach and offers how we are meant to use the structure to gain a better understanding of the story.

The puzzling story of Babel leads us to a serious question –what is actually wrong with building the tower? In episodes 71-76 of Genesis Unveiled, Rabbi Fohrman takes us on a close reading of the Tower of Babel and helps us understand the issue with the tower and its relevance today.

Why did God choose Abraham? What was so special about him? Through the stories in this parsha we can discover the central mission – and struggle – that his life revolved around.

Over the course of this 11-part audio lecture, Rabbi Fohrman looks at the stories in the Torah from Adam to Abraham to see how they intertwine and what overarching message emerges when we put these stories side by side.

What is the central theme that underlies all of the stories about Abraham's life? The Torah tells us how Abraham hears God’s call, ventures to Canaan, flees from famine, takes a second wife, gets involved in a war of kings, and more. This series explains the stories of Abraham like never before.

Parshat Vayera tells the story of visiting angels being graciously hosted, not once but twice! Abraham's hospitality is legendary, and Lot's welcoming the angels feels like a de ja vu...until things turn ugly.

Abraham, our upstanding forefather, prayed on behalf of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot, Abraham’s nephew, dwelled in Sodom. But God still destroyed the city. Why? Could it be that Abraham and Lot weren’t righteous enough to save Sodom?

What is the theme that ties together the seemingly disconnected stories of Lot and his daughters, Judah and Tamar, and Ruth? The obscure Biblical law of yibum, or Levirite marriage, has a lot to do with it. Rabbi Fohrman argues there is an important connection that hints at a generational saga of redemption.

One of the defining characteristics of Abraham and Sarah is their custom of doing extreme acts of kindness. Yet, upon closer inspection of the Biblical stories about them, they seem to do some very unkind things! Take the story of Hagar and her son Ishmael, for example. How can Abraham and Sarah kick them out of their home and send them into the desert? How should we understand this action, which seems so inconsistent with Abraham's and Sarah’s character? Join Rabbi Fohrman as he explores more deeply the actions of Abraham and Sarah. Surprisingly, his answers take us to another Biblical story, one that allows us to understand these actions and their repercussions generations later.

Before God told Abraham to give up Isaac, God told him to give up Ishmael. This 8-part series probes the stories’ eerie similarities.

You think that the binding of Isaac was a test of Abraham’s obedience to God. But what if God was also testing something else? What was that something else — and did Abraham pass the test?

This lecture series tackles the Akeidah, a shocking narrative in which Abraham is ordered to sacrifice Isaac. But how are we supposed to make sense of this story that seems to pit obedience to God against our most basic sense of morality?

The Torah seems to connect Isaac’s search for a wife and the selection of one of Israel’s first national leaders. Why? What do marriage and kingship have in common? This video offers a novel idea about what makes nations rise and fall, and what makes marriages succeed or fail.

So you think you know the story: Rebecca and Jacob hatch a plan, he pretends to be Esav, lies to his father, and makes off with his brother’s blessing. But what if we told you that neither Rebecca nor Jacob ever intended this deception? That it was all an unfortunate misunderstanding? No, this is not an exercise in apologetics. It’s an exercise in reading the Torah with fresh eyes. Don’t you want to see what it’s all about?

Jacob, our esteemed forefather, is looked to as a role model… our Sages even call him an ish emet, “a man of truth.” But what about that whole impersonating-his-brother-and-lying-to-his-father episode? Would a man of truth do that? It’s not easy to reconcile these things… but that is precisely what Rabbi Forhman manages to do in this provocative audio series.

What was the meaning of Jacob's dream, a ladder with angels going up and down? It may just shed light on Israel’s mission in the world.

In this six-part webinar, Rabbi Fohrman explores the true meaning of Jacob's Dream. What did it really mean?

Was Jacob wrong to deceive his father Isaac and steal his brother Esau's blessing? The text doesn’t seem to tell us… or does it? Watch this video to find out.

Yisrael – Israel; the name of God’s chosen people. The name of the holy land. It might just be the most important name in the whole Torah. And it was given to Jacob... for winning a wrestling match? If you find yourself craving to understand the deeper significance of this name, this video is for you!

In this video, Rabbi Fohrman notices a series of curious parallels between Jacob’s first encounter with Rachel at the well, and when he meets with his brother Esau. By comparing these two stories, Rabbi Fohrman uncovers an inspiring narrative about Jacob’s own growth and transformation that offers us a deep understanding into how Jacob regained his personal integrity to be called a “man of truth.”

The rape of Dinah: it’s one of the most disturbing stories in the entire Torah, the kind that usually gets “skipped over” in school. But in this chilling video, we face Dinah’s rape head-on, asking the tough questions, and uncovering a shocking truth about Dinah, her brothers, and her father.

The story of Joseph and his brothers is one of the most well-known in the entire Bible. And yet, the story – for all its familiarity and simplicity – is darker than the one we might remember learning as a child. Indeed, a sober reading of the text reveals that this is no child's story at all. What are we to make of this story of near-fratricide? What enduring meaning does it hold out to us?

Joseph has some bizarre dreams through the story of Genesis. Rabbi Fohrman points out that up to this point in the Torah, only two people have ever had dreams – Jacob and Joseph, father and son. Is that a coincidence? If not, is there a relationship between father's dreams and son's dreams? Could understanding the relationship between the dreams reveal what the dreams truly mean?

Although we grow up learning that the brothers sold Joseph, a closer look at the text, and at the accompanying Rashbam, complicates that understanding. In this week's parsha course, we unravel the sale of Joseph and discuss the implications of such a theory: what is blame? Where does responsibility begin? And most importantly, how do I make moral decisions?

Is this a chapter in Genesis or an episode of Game of Thrones?! In Parshat Vayeishev the story of Joseph's drama with his brothers is put on hold for us to learn about Judah and Tamar's seemingly scandalous rendezvous. Why are we hearing about this story now? What does it mean and what can it possibly add to our understanding of the Joseph story?

Someone’s got a grudge against Joseph. Joseph ends up in a pit, stripped of his clothes. The perpetrator presents Joseph’s coat as false evidence. Sounds like the story of the sale of Joseph, right? Wrong. It’s the replay of the sale of Joseph story. Oh, you didn’t know that there was a replay? Actually, there are three. All in Parshat Vayeishev. What does it all mean?

In a final effort, Judah begs Joseph to let Benjamin go, using an interesting phrase: "The lad is unable to leave his father." Interestingly, that particular phrase comes up somewhere else in Genesis: in the Garden of Eden, following the union of Adam and Eve. But what could marriage possibly have to do with the drama of Joseph and his brothers in Egypt?

When Joseph agrees to bury Jacob in Canaan, Jacob is relieved – why? What was Jacob worried about? In this video, the last parsha of Genesis, Rabbi Fohrman explores Joseph's tension between his commitments to Jacob and Pharaoh, and the meaning of his decision to bury Jacob in Canaan.

The Exodus story is gripping, emotional, and exciting. But...isn't it also deeply theologically troubling? God freed us from slavery, yes - but why did God allow the Israelites to become enslaved in the first place? Why not skip the whole slavery part, and go straight to the happy ending? Join Rabbi Fohrman on the search for answers, and a deeper understanding about how much we have to be thankful for.

In this video, we explore the strange midrash in which the arm of Pharaoh's daughter stretched through the river to fetch Moses. Why do the Sages tell us such an odd story? Rabbi Fohrman argues that we need to put ourselves into the eyes of Pharaoh's daughter, and help us see that when we want to achieve something, God will help us find a way to do it.

In this video, Rabbi Fohrman is joined by Adam Mintz, Director of 929 English, for a discussion about the role of Pharaoh's Daughter in the story of Yetziat Mizraim. This discussion was recorded live on Zoom, June 25, 2020.

At the burning bush, God gave Moses three signs to show the People of Israel that He is in fact with them. Was there any significance to these 3 signs, or did God randomly select three signs? Also, were the signs even effective? Join Rabbi Fohrman as he takes a closer look at these three signs from God.

Every hero has an origin story. We are all familiar with Moshe’s origin story. But there is one episode in the story that actually seems quite unfamiliar.  On the road back to Egypt with his wife Tzipporah and their two sons, Moshe and his family stop at an inn when the strangest thing happens. God tries to kill Moses! Fortunately, level-headed Tzipporah saves the day by circumcising their second son and then the story suddenly ends. (Yes, this is a real story from the Chumash! Look it up! It’s Exodus 4:24-26.) What a strange story!  God was the One who sent Moses to Egypt. Moshe was doing what God told him to do! So why would God try to kill him?! Talk about shooting the messenger! In this newly remastered and reanimated video series, Rabbi Fohrman weaves an interpretation of this story into a larger, magnificent tapestry shedding new light on our origin story - The Exodus.

At first glance, it seems like God took away Pharaoh's free will when he hardened his heart – how could He do such a thing? In this video, we explore the different words used by the Torah – kaved and chazek. Rabbi Fohrman argues that this language shows that God did allow Pharaoh to pursue his free will, even if the vision was in defiance of God.

If you were God, would it really have taken you ten plagues to get the Jews out of Israel? This multi-part course delves into the challenging concept of chosenness, exploring how Passover and the ten plagues reveals our deeper purpose as a people and the unique role Israel plays in God's plan.

We all know the famous story of the unleavened bread- the Israelites had no time to let their dough rise as they ran out of Egypt, so they took their dough and let it bake on their backs as they fled. But why do we need to hear about this minute detail? As a matter of fact, there are a number of seemingly odd phrases in the verses describing Israel's exodus, and they all seem to lead us to one particular place in the Torah: Judah's plea to Jacob to let Benjamin go down to Egypt so that they could get grain. Join Rabbi Fohrman as he helps uncover the mystery between two seemingly separate stories, and see how we got there, and back again.

In this video, Rabbi Fohrman introduces us to a very strange midrash, which tells us that as the nation of Israel walked through to freedom, there were fruit trees surrounding them, and explains that a parallel story, early in Genesis, is a clue to understanding this midrash.

All over the Torah, we see a running theme – where water goes, Miriam soon follows. But what is the odd relationship between the life force of water, and Miriam the prophetess?

After crossing the Sea of Reeds, the nation of Israel sings a song of thanksgiving – but then Miriam leads the women in a second song. Why? In this video, Rabbi Fohrman uncovers a story about what it means to truly have faith.

After the Exodus from Egypt, we hear that the nation believed in God, and in Moses, his servant. But suddenly, over and over, they panic and struggle with their faith in God. So what kind of belief in God was that? They lost their faith in an instant? Join Rivky as she explores these stories, and the difficult concept of what it means to truly believe in God.

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.

The mitzvah to erase Amalek's memory is both troubling and confusing. But what if there's more to it than meets the eye? This video will give you a whole new understanding of what this mitzvah means.

Antisemitism. Where did it all originate and can we trace it through the Tanahk? Rabbi Fohrman argues that it may have begun with the story of Amelek, which is widely known as one of the most mystifying and difficult episodes in the Torah.

It wasn't good for Moshe to judge alone. And it wasn't good for Adam to be alone in the Garden. Coincidence? Watch and find out the real lesson behind Jethro's (or Yitro) leadership advice to Moses.

In this course, Rabbi David Fohrman examines the meaning of Ten Commandments, why they are important & explores the most fundamental principles of Judaism.

The keruvim, or cherubs, appear in the Tabernacle in three different places. This week, Rabbi Fohrman asks, what is the meaning of the keruvim? To answer, he brings us back to the original keruvim, who guarded the Garden of Eden after we were expelled.

Moshe’s negotiation with God in the aftermath of the Golden Calf is an extreme example of prayer changing God’s will. Moshe passionately argued with God over His decision to wipe out the Israelites, and shockingly, God listened. Where did Moshe get the chutzpah to tell God what to do – and why did God agree?

We're all familiar with the Golden Calf story, but there are some glaring questions we rarely address. For example, how could Israel possibly believe that the calf brought them out of Egypt, after seeing the spectacular ten plagues and splitting of the sea? In this 12-part series, Rabbi Fohrman studies the Golden Calf story in depth to search for answers.

In this week's parsha, we see the sudden and disturbing death of two of Aaron's sons, Nadav and Avihu. In exploring the text more closely, what earlier Biblical story shows parallel themes and language to this story, and what is the meaning behind this connection?

In this week's video, Rabbi Fohrman tackles a very strange scene: after the sudden death of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's two sons, Moses gets in a disagreement with Aaron's other two sons about a sacrifice they bring. What is this argument fundamentally about, and what are we meant to learn from it about overcoming loss?

Rabbi David Fohrman and Imu Shalev study the tale of the blasphemer, a dark and puzzling episode buried deep in Leviticus. The details of this story are scarce: an anonymous man provokes a fight in the Israelite camp, curses God, and ultimately is stoned to death as punishment. But a close read of these few short verses sends Rabbi Fohrman and Imu on a surprising journey, raising provocative moral questions about God’s judgment and uncovering an unlikely connection between the condemned blasphemer and one of the Bible’s greatest heroes.

In this video, Rabbi Fohrman points out a textual oddity - why does the Torah use two different words for "to count," and what do they each indicate? Through a deep analysis of the terms, we will come out with a stronger understanding of what it means to be an individual, but still part of a larger community.

In this week's parsha, we reach the tipping point, where the nation of Israel begins their downfall, leading to 40 years wandering in the desert before being allowed into the land of Israel. What happened? How did everything fall apart? Rabbi Fohrman explores this question with the backdrop of the garden of Eden, explaining that this week isn't the first time God has given us food from Heaven, and we have rejected it.

Ten spies brought back an evil report about the land. Two – Caleb and Joshua – courageously spoke up. Their little speech was no doubt stirring, but… would you say that Caleb and Joshua were heroes? Because – reality check – they didn’t accomplish anything. Nobody listened to them! So it seems. But it turns out that Caleb and Joshua accomplished something monumental on that day. Find out what it was…

The Talmudic Sages tell us that the first great tragedy to occur on Tisha B'Av was the sin of the spies in the desert. How can this seemingly unrelated event help us understand the deeper reasons for the Temples’ destruction?

Korach’s rebellion is part of a series of mistakes by the Israelite people in this section of Numbers, Bamidbar. This week, Rabbi Fohrman asks us, in addition to our struggle over the actions of Korach, why does this story happen here? What does the context, and language clues, teach us about the larger meaning of the story of Korach’s rebellion.

Crime: Complaining about food. Punishment: Attacked by snakes. Sound extreme? Sound random? It's not. Find out how here.

In this week’s Torah portion is the famous story of Moses hitting the rock to get water and God subsequently barring him from leading the nation to the land of Israel. Why would Moses do that? What was his thinking? This week, we will explore this question in the context of water, Miriam, and the question of what it means to have faith.

In this week's parsha, we are introduced to the strange episode of Moses hitting the rock. Because of this small infraction, we are told, Moses will not be entering the land with the people of Israel. Why? What was the small act of Moses talking to the rock meant to teach the people of Israel?

All over the Torah, we see a running theme – where water goes, Miriam soon follows. But what is the odd relationship between the life force of water, and Miriam the prophetess?

Rabbi Fohrman explores a mysterious Mishnah, in which Abraham and his students are compared to Balaam, the prophet in Parashat Balak, and his students. Why do the Sages make this odd comparison, and what is the message they want us to uncover?

This week, we ask an incredibly broad question: what is the purpose of the nation of Israel in this world? To answer this, Rabbi Fohrman points out a fascinating connection between the three blessings Balaam (accidentally) gives the nation of Israel and the three blessings God gives to Abraham in Genesis. These links, Rabbi Fohrman argues, provide incredible insight into our purpose and our destiny, as a nation, and how we can bring God's blessings into the world.

We’ve seen the people sin over and over, but it looks like last week, the people finally began to trust in God. But now, suddenly, idolatry? What happened? How did the people fail so quickly? Join us as we explore the perplexing story of Ba’al Peor.

The midrash tells us that Pinchas, the title character of this parsha, and Eliyahu, the prophet of Kings, are one and the same. In this week's parsha video, Rabbi Fohrman compares these two characters and asks, what does it mean to be zealous for God?

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.

There are stories, throughout the Bible, of people who experienced some kind of tension between their will and the will of the Almighty, and they took it upon themselves to argue (or at least “discuss” it) with God. Apparently they thought that it was “kosher,” that it was OK to do. Was it? And if it was “kosher” for them to argue with God, is it also kosher for us? In this sweeping 10-part audio series, Rabbi Fohrman grapples with those questions by examining three different “case studies:” the story of Chana, from the Book of Samuel, who suffered with infertility and let God know how she really felt; the story of the Mekalel, the “Blasphemer,” from the Book of Leviticus, who had the audacity to “curse” God; and the story of the daughters of Tzelophchad from the Book of Numbers, who boldly petitioned God to change the laws of land inheritance — and were granted a win.

In this Matot-Masei parsha video, Rabbi Fohrman discusses the interesting conversation between the children of Gad, the children of Reuben and Moses, as they are requesting to live on the other side of the Jordan – not in the land of Israel proper. Rabbi Fohrman analyzes their exchange to get to the core of true communication – trust and respect.

Remember when Moses let Reuven, Gad and Menashe settle outside of Israel... What? Menashe didn't ask to live there!? Why did Moses put them there?

The Torah is a book of great drama, why does the narrative ends with a seemingly-unnecessary story about a random conquest of some towns? In this week and next week, Rabbi Fohrman paints a picture of epic connections to the stories of Jacob, Joseph and Judah.

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.

God promises us dark, sadistic curses, if we don't live up to our responsibilities to Him. Parshat Ki Tavo is so difficult to read, how could God be so cruel to us? This video grapples with the incredibly difficult curses of Ki Tavo.

In this video, the first of a three-part series, we ask about God's odd prophecy to Moses at the end of the Torah. As Moses is about to die, why does God tell him about how the Israelites will ruin everything? Rabbi Fohrman hints that Moses has the power to help us get out of a vicious cycle.

Moses was barred from entering the land because he struck the rock, right? Turns out it's not so simple. Understand why our greatest leader was deprived of the opportunity to step foot in the Promised Land.

After taking a journey through this book, learning about The Creator’s choice to teach us how we can come close to Him and achieve purpose in our lives, how will it end?

In the Torah’s final parsha, Moshe is preparing to take leave of the nation he has been so devoted all of these years. He gives them blessings before taking his final departure. He then ascends a mountain and is laid to rest in an unknown burial place. Or is it? A careful reading of Moshe’s blessings may give us clues as to where he was buried. The significance of this is not so much about identifying the geographical location of his grave, as it is about teaching us a profound lesson in loyalty, brotherhood and redeeming unfulfilled dreams. Join us for a deep look at the Torah’s bittersweet ending.

While exploring Shavuot’s origins, Rabbi Fohrman uncovers a link between the Sinai experience, the Jubilee, and the fall of Jericho’s walls, revealing the deeper meaning behind this divine battle.

In part two of this audio lecture, Rabbi Fohrman explores how the language suggests that Joseph’s dreams are fulfilled during Joshua’s war against Gibeon.

In this Tisha B’av webinar, Rabbi Fohrman analyzes the Torah and haftarah reading for the fast day and what we can learn from Gideon’s story. 

In this podcast on Parshat Toldot, Adina Blaustein and Beth Lesch explore Isaac’s story and its surprising parallels to Samson, the hero of Judges, suggesting an unexpected definition for heroism.

In this episode of A Book Like No Other, Rabbi Fohrman and Imu explore the striking parallels between the story of Micah’s Idol in Judges and the season’s main topic, the Blasphemer.

In this epilogue to The Queen You Thought You Knew, Rabbi Fohrman delves into Pilegesh B’Givah, an infamous incident, exploring how these foundational moments shape Esther’s darkest and greatest hour.

In this Rosh Hashanah haftarah course, Rabbi Fohrman explores how the story of Hannah’s prayer reveals the tension between closeness to God and His holiness.

Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage and King Saul’s coronation seem unrelated, but are filled with parallels. In this video on Parshat Chayei Sarah, Rabbi Fohrman analyzes the connections and their meaning. 

Rabbi Fohrman analyzes how echoes of Saul and Jonothan’s tragic story resurface in the Chanukah story.

In this live lecture, Rabbi Fohrman analyzes Saul’s downfall in the battle with Amalek, exploring the roles of Joshua, Saul, Esther, and Mordechai—all Rachel’s descendants.

God gave King Solomon unprecedented wisdom, which Solomon used to build a glorious kingdom. But just a mere generation later, that kingdom splits and the road to Tisha B’Av begins. Why didn’t God give Solomon the wisdom he really needed… the wisdom to keep Israel united?

Pinchas is famously described as acting zealously for God – and so is Elijah the prophet. The Sages see these two figures as connected, one statement even claiming they're the same person. Watch to learn more about the Bible's other zealot.

A few generations before the destruction of the Temple, there was a king who, the Talmud tells us, could have been the Messiah. How did the Jewish people get so close to redemption, only to end in exile? If we can answer this question, perhaps we can come to understand the power of our own potential and to reshape our destiny.

In this interactive study session, Rabbi Fohrman analyzes how Jeremiah’s prophecies are layered with echoes of Genesis. 

In this Tisha B’Av course, Rabbi Fohrman explores Jeremiah’s famous prophecy of comfort, showing how Rachel’s weeping from the heavens offers hope to future generations.

In this video about Asara B'Tevet, Rivky Stern delves into the day's significance by examining the relevant themes in the Book of Ezekiel, highlighting its prophetic insights and the historical context of the siege of Jerusalem.

In this series, Rabbi Fohrman offers a novel approach to the problem of theodicy based on a mysterious passage in the Book of Isaiah.

In Parshat Eikev, Moshe outlines God's expectations, but Micah's later speech offers a different explanation on what it means to be good.

The Book of Jonah reads almost like a child’s story, and the message seems just as simple: “It’s good to do teshuva.” But a close read of the text reveals a much more sophisticated tale, with a profound lesson that has deep relevance for our modern lives. 

In this live lecture, Rabbi Fohrman explores how Psalm 30 connects to the sale of Joseph, and argues that David was hearkening back to his ancestor Judah to explain why Judah merited for his descendants to build the Temple.

In this lecture series on Psalms 113-118, the chapters of Hallel, Rabbi Fohrman reveals intriguing narratives hinted at within these texts

Can mourning bring us closer to redemption? This series dives deep into Shir Hama'alot (Psalm 126) to uncover incredible insights into dealing with grief, and the pivotal role mourning may play in building a connection with God. 

In this 2-part audio series, we explore how to read the Book of Job, and wrestle with the book's central question: Why does God let us suffer?

Shavuot is an epic holiday in which we received the Torah and became a nation! But why do we read the Book of Ruth on such an exciting holiday? Is it just because of the harvest, or because Ruth is the grandmother of King David? In this course, Rabbi Fohrman brings us on a grand journey across Bible and shows us that the Book of Ruth is a symbolic stamp on the mission of the Jewish people.

Rabbi Fohrman takes a closer look at the Book of Ruth, uncovering new ways in which Ruth's story is much deeper than it appears.

We don’t often talk about how the story of Lot and his daughters is a little risqué for Biblical literature. But looking back at similar illicit stories, of Yehuda and Tamar and Boaz and Ruth, a transcendent lesson emerges. Instead of sly sensuality defining the story, Rabbi Fohrman finds a redemptive love and kindness within the text, shedding new light and understanding on the concepts of kindness and recognition.

What does Eicha have to do with the garden of Eden? At first glance, not much. But if we look closer, it turns out that the Megillah is actually echoing language first used in the beginning of Genesis. Uncovering the deeper meaning of this connection can shift the way you think about Tisha B’Av. 

Besides for reading the book of Esther, Purim is primarily celebrated through two mitzvot: Mishloach Manot and Matanot la'evyonim. Mishloach Manot is the practice of giving gifts to friends and family and Matanot la'evyonim is the act of giving gifts to the poor. But what makes Mishloach Manot and Matanot la'evyonim so unique to Purim? Sure these are great mitzvot to do – but why do them on Purim, specifically? Through a careful examination of the Purim story, Rabbi Fohrman explores the subtle whispers and foreshadows of these two mitzvot in the text. What emerges is a unique story of the discrete dialogue shared between Queen Esther and Mordechai during this period in the turbulent, Persian Empire. Join Rabbi Fohrman as he explores this fascinating backstory – and never give Mishloach Manot the same way again.

Rabbi Fohrman introduces the question of why Mordechai doesn’t bow to Haman, dispelling common explanations by showing that bowing, itself, isn’t idolatrous, that the story of Haman’s wearing an idol is not actually in the text, and connecting the narrative to that involving Potiphar’s wife.

Reading the Purim story year after year sometimes feels just a little bit like being back in third grade. But when you look more closely, important questions pervade the megillah. Why did Haman describe the Jewish people so oddly in his request to have them killed? Why did Achashverosh plan huge, elaborate parties, and impetuously kill his wife? Why did Esther plan parties instead of telling Achashverosh what she needed? In this course, we will explore those questions and more, and uncover a richer understanding of the holiday, the book of Esther, and the meaning of it all.

What is the true meaning of the word Purim? Why would we name Purim after Haman's lots, which represent both Haman's method of destruction and his focus on chance, which is antithetical to our belief of God's Divine involvement? In this course, Rabbi Fohrman dismantles our understanding of the Hebrew word Purim with an intriguing Biblical narrative and a challenge to be more like Esther – remaining neutral is not an option. Discover the meaning of Purim.

Unlike most other Jewish Holidays, the story of Queen Esther is about God's hand in what seems like coincidence. But is that the whole story? Wasn't the victory in Esther political rather than spiritual? What lessons are we meant to learn, and how does the story of Purim have any relevance to us? In this course, Rabbi Fohrman takes you on a journey of discovery into the text - revealing layers of meaning that are both startling and profound. This course will transform your ability to read Bible carefully and appreciate the wisdom and profundity of the words of our sages.

Chapter 8 of the Book of Nehemiah describes the only instance of Rosh Hashanah observance in the entire Tanach. What does this unique celebration tell us about the holiday's significance—was it a time of judgment or a joyous occasion?