Seven Minute Torah

Rabbi Micah Streiffer

About

Making modern meaning from ancient texts! Each week Rabbi Micah Streiffer discusses the weekly Torah portion in about 7 to 10 minutes, through liberal Jewish eyes. We weave together philosophy, spirituality, tradition, and social justice - and derive meaning for today‘s life from our sacred sources. Longer episodes include a bonus interview with leading rabbis and Jewish thought leaders.

With questions or comments, please contact me at rabbistreiffer@gmail.com.

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212 episodes

We Need Each Other (Tzav)

In this portion we find an obscure rule about the thanksgiving offering: it must be eaten on the day that it is offered. Turns out there is an important lesson there about our need for community. --------------------------------- __ __  

10m
Mar 26
Does God Hear our Prayers... and Does it Matter?? (Vayikra)

This week's Torah portion is about sacrifice in the ancient Jewish Temple. It's a good opportunity for us to talk about the purpose(s) of prayer, and about how we can relate to prayer if we're not sure that God is on the other end listening. --------------------------------- __ __

12m
Mar 19
Building a Sanctuary; Building a World (P'kudei)

The book of Exodus ends with the completion of the Mishkan - the portable sanctuary in the desert. Why do the Rabbis compare the creation of the Mishkan with the creation of the entire world? --------------------------------- __ __

10m
Mar 12
A Good Name (Vayak'hel)

In this episode we explore a Midrash on the Torah portion, in which the Rabbis talk about what it means to have a "good name." --- __ __

12m
Mar 05
Xenophobia and the Golden Calf (Ki Tisa)

A midrash blames the Golden Calf incident on the "mixed multitude" that accompanied the Israelites in the desert. What can we learn from it about acceptance and xenophobia in Jewish life? --- __ __    

12m
Feb 27
Do You Have a Shirt That You Really Love? (T'tzaveh)

This Torah portion is about clothes: colors, fabrics, hems, designs - the details of the priestly clothing. We talk about why the Torah goes into such a meticulous description, and what it has to do with our own spiritual lives. (Plus I sing for you!) --- __ __

10m
Feb 21
Planting Seeds of Hope (Terumah)

In the midst of a tedious Torah portion, the Rabbis tell a story that connects the building of the Mishkan (the portable sanctuary in the wilderness) with an audacious act of hope by Jacob 400 years earlier. --- __ __

11m
Feb 13
An Eye for an Eye?? (Mishpatim)

We explore one of the Torah's most infamous laws - the "eye for an eye" passage in Exodus 21 - to discovery what it's REALLY about, and what it says about the imperative for building a just society. We also briefly explore how this law undergirds Jewish views of abortion. To sign up for Rabbi Leah Berkowitz's class on Reproductive Justice in Judaism (this Thursday, February 8), visit https://laasok.org/current-offerings/#repro --- __ __

11m
Feb 06
Recapturing the Silenced Voices (Yitro - A Conversation with Rabbi Dalia Marx)

We are traditionally taught that we ALL stood together at Sinai. And yet the Torah reveals that certain people and certain voices were excluded from that pivotal moment. I talk with Rabbi Dalia Marx about finding and recapturing those silenced voices, in order to create a more inclusive Judaism. Rabbi Dalia Marx is author of From Time to Time: Journeys in the Jewish Calendar http://time.ccarpress.org. --- __ __

40m
Jan 31
Making a Miracle (B'shallach - encore)

In this parashah, the Torah tells the story of the parting of the Red Sea. The Rabbis tell the story of the brave person who made that miracle possible. In doing so, they turn the story on its head - they make it about OUR capacity for miracle-making.  --- __ __

9m
Jan 23
Fear Leads to the Dark Side (Bo)

The story of Pharaoh and the plagues is a story of how fear leads us toward actions that don't reflect our best selves.   --- __ __

10m
Jan 16
Hardening Our Hearts (Va’era)

The idea that God "hardened Pharaoh's heart" is a major theological conundrum. Does it mean there's no free will?? We explore what some of the commentators have said about this, and what it means for our own lives. --- __ __

10m
Jan 09
AND These are the Names (Sh’mot)

As we start a new book of the Torah, why does it sound like we're right in the middle of something? We talk about the significance of this transitional moment for Jewish identity and continuity, and for both Jewish and Palestinian self-understanding. --- __ __

14m
Jan 02
Judah the Growing Hero (Miketz)

One of the subtexts of the Joseph story is the ongoing growth of Judah, who increasingly demonstrates an ability to take responsibility and to care about the needs and well-being of others. This makes him a secondary "hero" of Joseph's story. --- __ __

12m
Dec 12, 2023
Envisioning a Better World (Vayeshev)

Joseph's story is the story of how holding a vision of a better world helps us work toward a better world.   --- __ __

14m
Dec 05, 2023
Violence, Vengeance, and Voice in the Rape of Dinah (Vayishlach)

The terrible story of the rape of Dinah, Jacob's daughter, teaches about cycles of violence and vengeance, and about how victims' voices can so easily be erased or ignored. --- __ __

14m
Nov 28, 2023
Connection is an Act of Godliness (Vayetze)

What does it mean when Jacob exclaims, "God is in this place and I did not know it!" How can we work to recognize, and bring, the Divine into the world during dark times? --- __ __

11m
Nov 21, 2023
Sharing The Land (Toldot)

The story of Isaac quarrelling with the Philistines over the digging of wells is a reminder that living in the land of Israel has always meant sharing the land and its resources, making space for multiple peoples and multiple stories. --- __ __

13m
Nov 14, 2023
The Abrahamic Family (Chayei Sarah)

The story of the death of Sarah and Abraham is also a story about their children, and how we are all family. --- __ __  

14m
Nov 07, 2023
Seeing Each Other’s Humanity (Vayera)

Abraham's argument with God over the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah is actually a message - an eminently relevant message - about seeing the humanity in each person. --- __ __

15m
Oct 31, 2023
What’s in a Name? (Lech Lecha)

A prominent feature of this week's Torah portion is the name changes of Abraham and Sarah. We discuss the meaning of their names, and what it means to have a name. --- __ __

13m
Oct 24, 2023
The Earth Was Filled with Lawlessness (Noach)

The story of Noah's flood begins with a world "filled with lawless violence." With a nod to Donniel Hartman and the "For Heaven's Sake" podcast, we look at how this might apply to Israel's current moment. --- __ __

15m
Oct 17, 2023
Chaos, Order, and Words (Bereshit - A Conversation with Alden Solovy)

In the wake of last weekend's horrific acts of terror, and in the midst of a mounting crisis in Israel, I talk to poet Alden Solovy about life in Jerusalem, about Bereshit, and about how words can uncover layers of meaning and connection. --- __ __

43m
Oct 11, 2023
A Final blessing (V’zot Ha’brachah)

In his final blessing to the people of Israel, Moses leaves us with a message for moving forward. --- __ __

13m
Oct 03, 2023
Adversity and Growth (Ha’azinu - encore)

The Torah's penultimate parashah is a poem about covenant, fidelity, adversity and growth. A perfect message for the High Holy Days, and for every day. --- __ __

11m
Sep 19, 2023
Until 120 (Nitzavim-Vayelech)

Moses dies at the age of 120. In this episode, we explore the meaning of that "age" in Jewish tradition and Jewish life. Turns out it may not be about age after all. --- __ __

11m
Sep 05, 2023
Praying in Hebrew, Praying in English (Ki Tavo)

This week's Torah portion describes a ritual that, according to the Rabbis, must be recited in Hebrew. But what if not everyone knows Hebrew? We look at a Talmudic text and a Hasidic story about the importance of praying both in Hebrew and in words that we can understand. --- __ __

13m
Aug 29, 2023
Preserving the Earth (KI Teitzei)

In a parsha packed of laws, a series of statements about not "mixing" things (seeds, animals, materials) leads to a discussion about our responsibility to safeguard the world. --- __ __

12m
Aug 22, 2023
Judaism in Constant Evolution (Shoftim - encore)

This week's parashah is about various kinds of leaders in ancient Israel. It's also about the way Judaism is constantly evolving - and our ongoing responsibility to find new meanings in ancient traditions. (An encore of our 2022 podcast for Shoftim.) --- __ __

12m
Aug 15, 2023
Eating is an Act of Holiness (Re’eh - encore)

This parashah describes the dietary laws - what Jews traditionally may and may not eat. We'll talk about a liberal Jewish approach to keeping kosher. (An encore of our 2022 podcast on Re'eh) --- __ __

13m
Aug 10, 2023