 Listen to Tradition & Change
in the Torah World: A Religious and Social Perspective -
a fascinating conversation between Rav Aharon & Dr. Tova Lichtenstein in Skokie. | 11/15/11 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur-On-The-Run The Shofar - The shofar as an expression of prayer. | 9/28/11 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Megillat Esther, Chapter 6.
| 3/17/11 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Megillat Esther, Chapter 5.
| 3/11/11 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Megillat Esther, Chapter 4.
| 2/24/11 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Parshat Ki Tisa & Melachim I Ch. 18, Part 1 - Of Splitting & Unifying: Eliyahu & Sin of the Golden Calf - The haftara of Parshat Ki Tisa recalls the tensions within the Jewish People, and the manner in which Eliyahu, Moshe--and Ovadia--each grapple with the problem in the aftermath of an historic episode in Jewish History.
(Please note that the conclusion draws together the ideas of the shiur.)
| 2/18/11 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Parshat Ki Tisa & Melachim I Ch. 18, Part 2 - Of Splitting & Unifying: Eliyahu & Sin of the Golden Calf - The haftara of Parshat Ki Tisa recalls the tensions within the Jewish People, and the manner in which Eliyahu, Moshe--and Ovadia--each grapple with the problem in the aftermath of an historic episode in Jewish History.
(Please note that the conclusion draws together the ideas of the shiur.)
| 2/18/11 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Introduction to Chasidut, Part 3 - Explore the basics of how to cultivate a religious personality through the guidance of Torat ha-chasidut, with the help of R. Kalonymous Kalman Schapira, the Rebbe of Piacezno, hy”d.
| 1/20/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Introduction to Chasidut, Part 2 - Explore the basics of how to cultivate a religious personality through the guidance of Torat ha-chasidut, with the help of R. Kalonymous Kalman Schapira, the Rebbe of Piacezno, hy”d.
| 1/12/10 |
Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Beshalach, Helping Us to Serve Him.
This Dvar Torah heralds from Berditchev, but was recorded in Yerushalayim. | 1/28/10 |
Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Bo, The speech of Hashem seemed as if it emanated from the space in between Moshe and Aharon..
| 1/21/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur My So-Called Shabbat Emergencies, Part 3
- “The lights were left on in my room!” “The cholent is going to burn!” “I am stuck on the highway and Shabbat starts in 18 minutes!” “I am surrounded by automatic sensors!” - What can a Jew ask a non-Jew to do on Shabbat and Yom Tov? When and how is it permissible to “hint”? How does one cope with contingency situations in a Shomer Shabbat home? A practical approach.
| 1/20/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur My So-Called Shabbat Emergencies, Part 2
- “The lights were left on in my room!” “The cholent is going to burn!” “I am stuck on the highway and Shabbat starts in 18 minutes!” “I am surrounded by automatic sensors!” - What can a Jew ask a non-Jew to do on Shabbat and Yom Tov? When and how is it permissible to “hint”? How does one cope with contingency situations in a Shomer Shabbat home? A practical approach.
| 1/13/10 |
| Listen to the second half of Rabbi Engel's Shiur My So-Called Shabbat Emergencies, Part 1
- “The lights were left on in my room!” “The cholent is going to burn!” “I am stuck on the highway and Shabbat starts in 18 minutes!” “I am surrounded by automatic sensors!” - What can a Jew ask a non-Jew to do on Shabbat and Yom Tov? When and how is it permissible to “hint”? How does one cope with contingency situations in a Shomer Shabbat home? A practical approach.
| 1/6/10 |
| Listen to the first half of Rabbi Engel's Shiur My So-Called Shabbat Emergencies, Part 1
- “The lights were left on in my room!” “The cholent is going to burn!” “I am stuck on the highway and Shabbat starts in 18 minutes!” “I am surrounded by automatic sensors!” - What can a Jew ask a non-Jew to do on Shabbat and Yom Tov? When and how is it permissible to “hint”? How does one cope with contingency situations in a Shomer Shabbat home? A practical approach.
| 1/6/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Introduction to Chasidut, Part 1 - Explore the basics of how to cultivate a religious personality through the guidance of Torat ha-chasidut, with the help of R. Kalonymous Kalman Schapira, the Rebbe of Piacezno, hy”d.
| 1/4/10 |
Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Vaera, Extended Freedom: How receiving the Torah enables the Jewish people to know that Hashem took them out of Mitzrayim.
| 1/14/10 |
Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Shemot,Stars Over Mitzrayim.
| 1/7/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Vayechi, Bnei Yaakov to Yisrael Avichem
- The bestowal of the neshama yeteira reflects the renewal from above that is bestowed on the Bnei Yaakov every shabbat when they join with their 'father' identity Yisrael.
| 12/16/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Sparks of the Aish HaKodesh, Part 2 - The life and legacy of Rav Kalonymous Kalman Shapira hy"d, the Admo"r of Piacezna, who perished in the Shoah and whose writings were found buried under the rubble of the Warsaw Ghetto after the war. | 12/16/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Sparks of the Aish HaKodesh, Part 1 - The life and legacy of Rav Kalonymous Kalman Shapira hy"d, the Admo"r of Piacezna, who perished in the Shoah and whose writings were found buried under the rubble of the Warsaw Ghetto after the war. | 12/16/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Vayigash, Frames of Unity
- Despite the differences in their paths to serving Hashem, all of Bnei Yisrael unifies in the context of His revealed presence--whether in the space of the Beit HaMikdash, or within the timeframe of Shabbat.
| 12/9/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Miketz, Day of Unification
- The inherent duality (shniyut) within the human being of the yetzer hatov (good inclination) and the yetzer hara (evil inclination)--and a vision of the end of the days of duality ("miketz shnatayim yamim") by experiencing peace and coming to realize the illusory nature of evil. Can we catch a glimpse of this every seventh day on Shabbat?
| 12/2/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Vayeshev, Adding Shabbat
- The relationship between Shabbat and Tosefet Shabbat: properly anticipating the onset of shabbat is an even greater challenge than experiencing Shabbat itself. Even though this sense of anticipation is a "child" of Shabbat, it exists independently. As such, it must be developed in its own right, during the mundane days of the week.
| 11/25/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Vayishlach, The Whole Yaakov
- Refining the physical self establishes a balance between the body and the soul, which is experienced each shabbat via the neshama yeteira (additional soul)--depending on the degree of striving throughout the previous six days of the week.
| 11/18/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Vayetze, The Well and the Stone
- The be'er mayim chaim (well of living waters) lies just beneath a large stone. On Shabbat, the mouth of the well is revealed to the world, providing ease of access to its depth. Those who live on a high spiritual plane--following the lead of Yaakov/Yisrael--can behold the imprint of Shabbat upon the rest of the days of the week.
| 11/11/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Toldot, Clothing the Soul
- The link between wearing distinctive clothing in honor of Shabbat, and the garments of the soul that result from good deeds.
| 11/4/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Chayei Sara, The Blessing of the Vessel
- Avraham blesses everything in the world, and this ability stems from Hashem's blessing of each of the avot with the attribute of kol (everything). We refer to these Divine blessings as ba-kol, mi-kol, kol, based on psukim (verses) that invoke these words in the context of each of the avot (Bava Batra 17a). Each of the avot are represented by each of the three shabbat meals on Shabbat--the day Hashem blesses as the day of the week which holds the blessing of shalom (peace).
| 10/28/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Veyera, The Vow & The Gift
- The shvua (vow) at the end of the akeida (Binding of Yitzchak), like the gift of Shabbat, transcend the worthiness of the Jewish People to receive them. Shabbat invites us to re-connect with the inspiration of the Avot (Patriarchs), and with the or ha-ganuz (hidden light) implanted within us.
| 10/21/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Lech Lecha, Seeing A Palace On Fire
- Understanding the spiritual journey of Avraham Avinu, and its link to zachor v'shamor of Shabbat.
| 10/14/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Noach, The Tzadik & the Covenant of the World - The tzaddik guards the "covenant of the world" by revealing the inner point (nekuda pnimit) within every aspect of Creation; in withdrawing from creative acts of labor on shabbat, the Jewish People guard this covenant on a weekly basis.
| 10/7/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur on Talmud Torat HaRav: Reading The Emergence of Ethical Man, Chapter 4 - Man As Animal and the Emergence of the Ethical Norm
| 10/6/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Breisheet, The Spiritual Linchpin - The human being is physically created on Friday, then serves as the connector of the World to its Creator--and testifies to this spiritual connection by observing Shabbat.
| 9/29/10 |
Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shabbat Shuva Drasha 5771 Theodicy on the Days of Awe
Source material
| 9/11/10 |
Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur Talmud Torat HaRav: Reading Catharsis
Source material
| 6/10/10 |
Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Bechukotai, Merit and Covenant.
Zocher Ha'brit v' Zocher Chasdei Avot - He remembers the covenant, and He remembers the kindnesses of the Patriarchs. | 5/7/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Emor, Counting and Accounting. The spiritual aspiration of Sefirat Ha-Omer is expressed in the opening words of the mitzva. |
4/30/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Kedoshim, Only One is Holy Alone. The ideal setting for the mitzva of striving to be holy.
| 4/23/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Shmini, Simcha Within. In contrast to an ecstatic worship flowing from a wine-induced joy, Aharon Ha-Kohen is instructed to find internal happiness.
| 4/9/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Vayikra, Leaving Space to Think. Even Moshe Rabeinu needs to think about the lessons taught to him by Hashem.
| 3/18/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Vayakhel, The Principal Name. While spiritual identity may include external influences, the most enduring influence must emerge from within. Betzalel carries the names of his parents and of his tribe--but he merits overseeing the construction of the Mishkan on account of the identity he acquires for himself.
| 3/11/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Ki Tisa, Guilty, and Yet.... The greatness of Moshe Rabeinu's response to Hashem's claims against Bnei Yisrael. | 3/4/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Tetzaveh, Shouldering Memory. The unity of the Jewish People is symbolized by the relationship between Yosef and his brothers, and is carried on the shoulders of its most empathic representative. | 2/25/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's Shiur With Open Arms or Clenched Fists: Could Haman Convert? | 2/21/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Teruma, The Likeness of a Handsome King.
| 2/18/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Mishpatim, The opportunities and pitfalls presented by the relaxed atmosphere of Shabbat.
| 2/11/10 |
| Listen to Rabbi Engel's 2-minute Shiur on Parshat Yitro, Yitro wants Moshe to listen for the messages contained in his family's names.
| 2/4/10 |
Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on Techias HaMesim.
Source material | 7/07 |
Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on Shimshon.
Source material | 7/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on conversion. | 7/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on the Bayit Sh'lishi. | 7/07 |
Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on Yiftach, Sefer Shoftim, Perek 11.
Source material | 7/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on the Melech HaMoshiach. | 7/07 |
Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on Sefer Shoftim, P'rakim 17 & 18, "Pesel Michah".
Source material, Perek 17 Source material, Perek 18 | 7/31/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on Maaser Kesafim. | 7/30/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on the Messianic Era. | 7/25/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on the War at Gog & Magog/Eliyahu. | 7/18/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on Sefer Shoftim, Perek 4. Source material | 7/17/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Shiur on Magic & the Supernatural. | 7/16/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Introduction to the Messianic Age. | 7/11/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Rapp's Yoreh Deah shiur on Kibud Av V'Em. | 7/9/07 |
| Listen to Rabbi Well's shiur on Business Ethics. |
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