Bereshit
- The Sabbath, Israel, and the NationsFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- On the Need for SeparationSeparation is a central motif in creation – a condition for order, life, and developmentFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- The Sabbath, Israel, and the NationsThe Sabbath is universal at its foundation, but acquires the meaning of holiness among the people of IsraelFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- The Tree of Knowledge of Good and EvilEating the tree of knowledge’s fruit separated humanity from animals and drew it closer to God; violating the command established human independence before HimFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Behold, the Man Is Become as One of Us”The Torah narrows the gap between humanity and the sons of God, making eternal life the decisive questionFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Unto Thee Is Its Desire, but Thou Mayest Rule over It”The LORD’s words to Cain concern his standing as the firstborn before Abel, rather than the evil inclinationFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Noach
- The Calendar of the FloodFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”About 15 min readPodcast (Hebrew)
- On Sex and MoralityFish, unlike land animals but like plants, are not moral creatures and were therefore not punished in the floodFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Of the Fowl Also of the Air, Seven and Seven”The command to bring birds seven and seven was intended to maintain ecological balance between speciesFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- A New World OrderAfter the flood, humanity did not change; the LORD’s approach changed, and moral law became necessaryFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- NimrodNimrod is a positive figure – history’s first heroFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Lest We Be Scattered Abroad upon the Face of the Whole Earth”The fear was of remaining earthly, rather than of dispersal throughout the earthFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Podcast (Hebrew)
Lech Lecha
- “And in the Fourth Generation They Shall Come Back Hither”From the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”About 13 min readExtended studyPodcast (Hebrew)
- Land for Peace?Lot, who accompanied Abraham, deserves an inheritance in the land the LORD designated for AbrahamFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “In the Fourth Generation They Shall Come Back Hither”The verse means the fourth generation among those leaving Egypt would enter the land, rather than the fourth generation of those descending to EgyptFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”About 5 min readShort studyPodcast (Hebrew)
Vayera
- “Three Men”From the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- “Three Men”The LORD Himself visited Abraham accompanied by two angelsFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- The Argument from MoralityGod is bound by morality rather than being its sourceFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”About 3 min readPodcast (Hebrew)
- Emotional BlackmailAbraham uses manipulative arguments to try to save Sodom’s people despite their wickednessFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Thou Wilt Not Deal Falsely with Me, nor with My Son, nor with My Son’s Son”Biblical nin and nekhed are general words for descendants, rather than a hierarchy of generationsFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Chayei Sarah
- Abraham's Servant at the SpringFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- Why Were Sarah’s Years Counted?Sarah afflicted Hagar, so Ishmael lived ten years longer than she did – measure for measureFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”About 2 min readPodcast (Hebrew)
- EliezerThe Torah avoids naming Eliezer to emphasize his submission of personal wishes to Abraham’s willFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Abraham’s Servant at the SpringThe servant sought a sign to convince Rebekah’s family, rather than proof for himselfFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Sarah’s TestamentSarah recognized that gradual selection and refinement were necessary before the family could fulfill its vocationFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “It Is My Master”Out of respect for Rebekah, the servant called Isaac “my master,” while meaning “your master”From the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Toldot
- “And the Elder Shall Serve the Younger”From the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- “Abraham Begot Isaac”Abraham begot Isaac, whereas Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bore Ishmael to AbrahamFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “The Elder Shall Serve the Younger”The enigmatic prophecy described a struggle, rather than determining its outcomeFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “That My Soul May Bless Thee”Isaac’s soul blessed, expressing his true wish; Isaac therefore accepts its decisionFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”About 5 min readPodcast (Hebrew)
- Abraham’s and Isaac’s AgreementsGenesis and Deuteronomy present two approaches to foreign peoples in the land of IsraelFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Vayetzei
- Why Did Rachel Steal the Teraphim?From the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”About 13 min readExtended studyPodcast (Hebrew)
- Of All That You Give Me, I Will Give You a TenthFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- A Sleepless Night – Lailah LavanLeah thought she would marry Jacob; he failed to detect the deception because he returned to his tent drunkFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Why Did the Matriarchs Give Their Handmaids?Giving a handmaid could awaken the mistress’s own fertility, beyond providing children through the servantFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Why Did Rachel Steal the Teraphim?Rachel stole the teraphim to force Jacob into confrontationFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”About 4 min readShort studyPodcast (Hebrew)
Vayishlach
- Of All That You Give Me, I Will Give You a TenthFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- “And There Wrestled a Man with Him”From the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- Why Does the Torah Ignore Rebekah?The Torah hints that Jacob abandoned the deceptive course learned from his motherFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Esau Thy First-born”The Torah hints that Jacob’s actions were improper and Esau remained the firstbornFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- An Angel’s MissionGod prevents Jacob from fleeing again and compels him to meet his brotherFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “And the Rings Which Were in Their Ears”Jacob’s removal of earrings implicitly criticizes Beth-el’s calf worshipFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Vayeshev
- “Eleven Stars Bowed Down to Me”From the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- “Eleven Stars Bowed Down to Me”Joseph dreamed of the stars in childhood, while the youngest son and while Rachel still livedFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- The Sun and Moon in Joseph’s DreamAn alternative interpretation: the sun represents Pharaoh and the moon his viceroy JosephFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “The Kedeshah”The story becomes clear when Tamar is understood as disguised as a cultic prostituteFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Miketz
- Joseph Meets His BrothersFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- Every Person Has His HourThe chief cupbearer forgot Joseph so he would reach thirty, the age required for high office in EgyptFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- How Does One Interpret a Dream?Joseph reverses the Egyptian conception: interpretation reveals the future rather than determining itFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Egypt Arms ItselfVe-ḥimmesh means organizing Egypt in a military hierarchy, rather than taking a fifth of its produceFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Joseph Meets His BrothersJoseph treated his brothers as strangers despite remembering his dreamsFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Why the Goblet?Joseph recreated Rachel’s theft of the teraphim to make her son Benjamin the immediate suspectFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Vayigash
- Joseph Meets His BrothersFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- Seventy SoulsThe biblical list expresses completeness rather than precise historical dataFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- “Few and Evil”Life’s years are measured by fulfillment and meaning, rather than numbersFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Extreme EfficiencyJoseph’s solution suited the Egyptian spirit: cold, efficient, and lacking a moral dimensionFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
Vayechi
- Jacob’s Burial JourneyFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- Jacob’s LegacyFrom the book “In Search of Lost Meaning”
- Life Falls into Three PartsThe patriarchs’ ages at significant milestones divide their lives symmetricallyFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- When Did Jacob Bless Ephraim and Manasseh?The Torah placed their blessing later to include it among Jacob’s final actsFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Jacob’s Serpent and Israel’s LionJacob-Israel’s sons embody his personality’s two extremes: cunning and direct confrontationFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- One FamilyJacob includes those who sin, founding one multifaceted peopleFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Who Knows Twelve?One completeness, many faces: tribal membership varies while the number remainsFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”
- Jacob’s Burial Journey – The Fathers’ Deeds Foreshadow Their Children’sJacob’s funeral journey sets out the pattern of the future exodusFrom the book “Peshat in Brief (working title)”