In last week's Ki Tavo video, Rabbi Fohrman introduced us to the farmer with first fruit, the individual with tithes stored in his house, and the person who might be cursed. In this video, Rabbi Fohrman makes the argument that perhaps these three people are actually one person, going through three stages of an ongoing story. As we go through the stages of this potential downfall of an individual, Rabbi Fohrman shows the importance of serving God with happiness.

How does the Bible help us find personal happiness in our lives, and what is true happiness anyway? This week’s parsha can be broken into two main sections. The first section is about the declarations a farmer needs to make after he brings Bikkurim, the first fruit, and tithes to the Temple. The second section is all about the blessings and curses that will befall the nation of Israel depending on whether they keep their covenant with God. How do these sections fit together? Is there a common thread that unifies our parsha? Join us in this two-week series, spanning Ki Tavo and Nitzavim, where Rabbi Fohrman addresses the greater theme of what the Bible says about finding true happiness.

This audio series was recorded in a live class given by Rabbi Fohrman. Enjoy, and as always, please leave thoughts and questions in the comments below.

Last week, we found that to understand God's curses at the end of the Torah, we have to follow a trail all the way back, to Creation, and the Garden of Eden Watch more: "The Right Way To Find Happiness According To The Bible."

In this video, Ami and Imu take a deeper look into the origins of one of the four species, and find a mysterious connection.

Sukkot is called the “Festival of Joy””, but what exactly is so joyful about it? The other major holidays are named after their very essences - Passover is the “Festival of Our Redemption,” Shavuot is the “Festival of the Giving of Our Torah.” What’s the deep connection between joy and Sukkot? The answer is something you might not expect. Join Ami Silver and Imu Shalev as they discover what it is.  

Now that we’ve uncovered the connection behind the four species, we’re still left to wonder - how does this joy relate to Sukkot, our harvesting festival? Join Ami and Imu in the final video of this series as they discuss what it means to find joy during this time.

If you’re quarantined, click here for a free Aleph Beta account. To subscribe to Aleph Beta Quarantined in your podcast app, click <a href="https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/928261.rss">here</a>, or add this link: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/928261.rss You’re listening to the newest episode in our podcast, Aleph Beta Quarantined. To catch up on earlier episodes, click here. There’s a lot going on, and we all need to talk about it. Join us on Aleph Beta Quarantined for Torah-infused, open and timely discussions on life in quarantine. From Passover hacks to spiritual reflections, we’re covering it all with compassion, community and a Torah perspective. In the past weeks, life has changed for all of us. Even if we're not sick or caring for those who are, we're home, taking care of children full-time, barely leaving the house... it’s mentally and emotionally exhausting. Janet Hod, a long-time member of the Aleph Beta community, shares her own story of the past two weeks - making a wedding, the YU Maccabees’ miracle NCAA run that was abruptly ended, and more. With humor, earnestness, and faith, Janet shows us how to follow the log flume of life: to go wherever the ride takes us, and try to enjoy the ride. Aleph Beta is doing everything we can to be here for you through these difficult times. If you believe in what we’re doing, it would mean the world to have your support. Please consider <a href="https://www.alephbeta.org/subscribe">upgrading your account</a> or joining our <a href="https://www.alephbeta.org/producers-circle">Producers Circle</a>. Of course, if a donation isn’t something you can do right now, don’t think twice about it. The most important thing is for all of us to stay connected and keep our community strong.

How does Joseph relate at all to the redemption from exile?

The Haggadah plays such a large part of the Seder, that sometimes we don't ask the big questions about why we celebrate Passover: Why do we read the Haggadah, when the backbone of the text is from Deuteronomy, rather than Exodus itself?  Or, why do we celebrate that God took us out of slavery, if He was the one who let us become slaves in the first place? Regarding the first question, in the Haggadah, the Sages point our focus to a personal telling of the Exodus in Deuteronomy, rather than the actual account of the Exodus story. Does this imply that we should also take a personal perspective when retelling the Exodus on Passover?  Regarding the first question, the Haggadah points to God's promise to Abraham that He would save his descendants – but first the Israel nation would become captive for four generations. 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?  In this course, Rabbi Fohrman re-examines the Haggadah text in search for answers, finding a new perspective behind the Haggadah's meaning, and deeper understanding as to why we have so much to be thankful for during our Passover celebrations. Discover other great passover videos at Aleph Beta, including ‘The Hidden Structure of The Ten Commandments’, ‘Why Did God Harden Pharaoh's Heart?’, and ‘The Spiritual Meaning of Crossing The Red Sea’.

This is part V of the audio series about Acher and R' Meir.

Learn more about the Mishloach Manot and their fascinating hidden story in the book of Esther with this webinar.

From Hatred to Jealousy

God promises us dark, sadistic curses, if we don't live up to our responsibilities to Him. It's so difficult to read, how could He be so cruel to us? Join us as we grapple with the incredibly difficult curses of Ki Tavo. Dig Deeper: For more on Ki Tavo, click here. For more on Bereishit, click here. For more on the Garden of Eden, click here. Want More? Join our growing community