Parshat Ki Tavo lists the blessings that will come if we keep God’s commandments and the curses that will follow if we don’t. But it also says that to be blessed, we need to serve God “with joy.”

In Parshat Eikev, Moses tells the Israelites he’s got breaking news to share about what God wants from us: to fear, love, and serve Him, and to do all the mitzvot. But what’s so new about that? We’ve been hearing that since humanity was first created. What could Moses really be telling the people?

In Parshat Devarim, Moses rehashes the sin of the Spies. The Spies did exactly what Moses told them to do. They reported back on every question Moses asked them, so why does God decide to wipe out that whole generation and only their children would enter the land?

When the tribes of Reuben and Gad say they prefer not settle in the Land of Israel, Moses is concerned, but accepts their request and decides that half of the tribe of Menasseh should join them. Why would Moses do that? How would the tribe of Menasseh make things any better?

In Parshat Pinchas, the daughters of Tzelafchad mysteriously gloss over the reason for their father’s death, but the Sages of the Talmud clue us into Tzelafchad’s true identity and surprising backstory.

From a prophet-for-hire, to a talking donkey, to an invisible angel, Parshat Balak sports quite the interesting cast, but all these characters seem to be one hit wonders. It seems like Parshat Balak is almost entirely unrelated to the rest of the Torah and the Torah would be perfectly complete without it. But what if Parshat Balak is really the sequel to a much earlier story in the Torah?

Why did Korach rebel? What if there was something in Korach’s family history that was motivating his revolt? This week Rabbi Fohrman joins Ami Silver to uncover the hidden backstory of Korach and his family, searching for exactly where he went wrong.

Parshat Shelach teaches us the mitzvah of Tzitzit. How are we to understand these little fringes? Sounds like a perfect job for the crew at "Meaningful Judaism," our new podcast dedicated to uncovering the meaning in mitzvot, so we invited them to take over "Into the Verse" this week.

Parshat Beha’alotecha marks the tragic turning point in the Israelites’ journey, but is there any silver lining in the beginning of this generation’s downfall? Join Ami Silver and Rivky Stern as they explore the shifting dynamics of the Israelites’ desert story. 

What does Tzara'at have to do with the revalation at Sinai? Why did Miriam get tzara'at? In this week's episode Tikva Hecht untangles a web of intertextual parallels, that all revolve around the transformative power of speech.

There's a saying that Purim has a lot in common with a certain other Jewish holiday. But unlike Purim, that other holiday isn’t exactly known for parties, costumes, and sweet treats. No, it’s Yom Kippur, a day of fasting and atonement. So where’s the similarity?

Parshat Terumah kicks off the "not so exciting" section of the Torah all about the detailed construction of the mishkan (tabernacle). But what if those details contain the secret key to understanding one of the greatest questions facing any 21st-century believer: How do we reconcile the creation story in Genesis with everything we know about modern physics and the Big Bang?

Parshat Mishpatim tells us what should happen if people get hurt because of someone else's actions – fighting, stealing, keeping dangerous animals around the house. In each case, the Torah explains what should happen to the offender, but what's interesting is that the same injury doesn’t always carry the same penalty. Sometimes it depends on the person's intentions: Were they actually planning to cause the harm or not?

Parshat Beshalach tells the story of the end of the Exodus and the crossing of the Red Sea.

Parshat Bo is where the Exodus really happens. God sends the last plagues and tells the Israelites to prepare for liberation, and on the night of the tenth plague, Pharaoh finally gives the order: Leave now. But just when the Israelites are gearing up to get out of Egypt, there are a few details that seem to slow the action down. For one thing, there are God’s instructions: “Get your shoes on, be ready to leave… but don’t walk out of your houses!” And for another, God specifically picks a longer road out of Egypt, because the other one is “nearby.” What should we make of these strange facts?

In this week's parsha, God introduces Himself to Moses as YHVH, but then He says something surprising: "I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as Kel-Shakai, but My name of YHVH, I didn't make known to them." If we have been reading the Torah up to this point, we will have heard the name YHVH countless times! So what does God mean by saying that the forefathers only knew Him as Kel-Shakai?

Why is the Fast of Asara B'Tevet significant today? The 17th of Tammuz, 9th of Av, and Tzom Gedaliah all commemorate conquest, destruction, exile, and the downfall of a kingdom. They're horrible, and of course we mourn those days. But on the 10th of Tevet, we’re remembering when the Babylonian armies surrounded the walls of Jerusalem… and then waited… for two and a half years.

Parshat Vayera includes one of the Torah’s most memorable conversations: God and Abraham negotiating about whether God will destroy the city of Sodom. But there’sanotherfascinating conversation right before that one.

Why doesn’t the Torah ever mention dinosaurs or other prehistoric creatures? Does this mean that according to the Torah there were no dinosaurs? Is this a sign that the Bible doesn't match up with history and science?