Rav Joe's 929 Tanakh Podcast

Megillat Esther Bonus: President Yitzchak Herzog on Megillat Esther

Bonus episode, President Yitzchak Herzog on Megillat Esther!

Esther Ch. 10 Part 2 by Rabbi Joe Wolfson | Esther & Yosef

Esther #10 - one of the shortest chapters in Tanakh I'm excited to share two different audios on the chapter which connect its 3 verses to two very large themes in the me

Esther Ch. 10 Part 1 by Rabbi Joe Wolfson

Esther #10 - one of the shortest chapters in Tanakh I'm excited to share two different audios on the chapter which connect its 3 verses to two very large themes in the me

Esther Ch. 9 by Calev Ben Dor

Esther Chs. 8+9 - the Jews fight against their enemies and after the victory begin the celebration which will become known as Purim. Calev Ben Dor explores the connection

Esther Chs. 8 by Rabbi Sam Lebens

Esther Chs. 8+9: The Jews fight against their enemies and after the victory begin the celebration which will become known as Purim. Sam Lebens explores the apparently gen

Esther Chs. 6 &7 by Rafi Addlestone

Esther 6 and 7 - where Mordechai is paraded through the streets and we reach the dramatic high point of the story with Esther’s banquet and petition to the King. Rafi br

Esther Ch. 5 by Ilana Stein

Ilana Stein considers the heroism of Esther through the prism of her clothing and the significance of learning Esther before Yom Kippur. Text here: https://www.sefaria.or

Esther Ch. 4 by Aliza Libman Baronofsky

Aliza Libman Baronofsky considers what sort of feminist hero Esther is and what we can learn from her about women's voices. Text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.4?la

Esther Chs. 3-5 by Rabbi Dr. Sam Lebens

Sam Lebens unpacks the nature of Mordechai's antipathy to Haman. https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.3?lang=bi

Esther Ch. 2 by Calev Ben Dor

Chapters 1 and 2 introduce us to Achashverosh, the feast, Vashti's demise, and the rise of Esther. Calev Ben Dor, on chapter 2, provides historical context to the book o

Esther Ch. 1 by Rabbi Joe Wolfson

Chapters 1 and 2 introduce us to Achashverosh, the feast, Vashti's demise, and the rise of Esther. In my recording on chapter one, I consider the character of Vashti - a

Kohelet Ch. 12 by Rabbi Joe Wolfson | What is Hevel?

Kohelet #12 - the dramatic conclusion of the book and of Kohelet’s wisdom on human mortality. Kohelet appears to end where he began - all is hevel? But what does this wor

Kohelet Ch.11 by Rafi Addlestone | Joy & Loss

Kohelet #11 - 'Rejoice in your youth... but know that God will bring you to judgement for all this' Rafi Addlestone shares thoughts on the interwoven nature of joy and l

Kohelet Ch.10 by Rabbi Dr Sam Lebens

Rabbi Dr Sam Lebens offers reflections on the many possible reasons why the wise man turns to the right but the fool turns to the left. Text here: https://www.sefaria.o

Kohelet Ch.9 by Tzivia Appleman

Kohelet 8 & 9: wisdom, kings, enjoying this life even if you can't take it with you. Tzivia Appleman considers what Kohelet has in common with Ted Danson in The Good Pla

Kohelet Ch. 8 by Aliza Libman Baronofsky | Kohelet & Tishrei

Kohelet 8 & 9: Wisdom, kings, enjoying this life even if you can't take it with you. Aliza considers the links between ch.8 and the festivals of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur

Kohelet Ch.7 by Rabbi Joe Wolfson | Kohelet & the Environment, That which is broken cannot be fixed

Kohelet 7 - see the works of God, for who can fix that which has been perverted What does our tradition have to say about human-induced damage to our environment? What c

Kohelet Ch.6 by Rabbi Gamliel Shmalo | Paradox of Plenty

Kohelet #6 - the paradox of plenty as Kohelet grapples with too much abundance and success Rabbi Gamliel Shmalo marshalls insights from Rashi to the Dalai Lama to the hea

Kohelet Ch.5 by Rabbi Joe Wolfson | What we take with us

Kohelet #5: The dangers of dreams, vows and of speaking too freely - and the risks that wealth brings 'for one who loves money will never be satisfied with money.` In o

Kohelet Ch.4 by Calev Ben Dor | Pursuit of material gain, envy, falsehood, violence and futility

Happiest are those never born and there is no end to the tears of the oppressed. Calev Ben Dor shares a midrashic teaching on the tears of the oppressed, mamzerut and a m