The JLC Torah Podcast

Counting the Omer - Why 7 Weeks?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:15:11 GMT

Why wasn't the Torah given straight away after the exodus from Egypt? (14 minutes)

Yom Hashoah

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:21:49 GMT

What message can we take from the commemoration of Yom Hashoah? What are the implications of the Shoah for us? (12 minutes)

Does Kiddush in shul count?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:44:51 GMT

Looks at the issues associated with making kiddush not in the context of a proper meal. (15 min)

From Purim to Pesach

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:56:46 GMT

What is the connection between Purim and Pesach? What should we be feeling in the period between these 2 festivals? (16 min)

Drinking on Purim - how much and what for?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:07:39 GMT

What is the purpose of drinking on Purim? How much should one drink? (14 min.)

Havdala - Part 1

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:34:26 GMT

Is Havdala a biblical obligation or a rabbinic one? What difference does it make? Do women actually have to make havdala? (17 minutes)

The 10th of Tevet - What is its significance?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:46:49 GMT

Why do we have 4 different fast days relating to the destruction of the First Temple? What is the specific significance of the 10th of Tevet? (7 minutes)

Halacha - The meaning of a minyan

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:23:20 GMT

What is the significance of praying with a minyan? How does one do it properly? What if the minyan man comes late? (14 minutes)

The Garden of Eden Series: Part 2 - Work

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:11:23 GMT

How are we to understand man's punishment of manual labour? How were things supposed to be, and how did that change? Will things always remain that way? (17 minutes)

Series: Understanding the Garden of Eden - Part 1

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:50:38 GMT

What is the Garden of Eden? Is it a physical place, as the Torah describes, or a spiritual one where the souls of the departed rest? Or is it both? In this series of shiurim, we will show that this question has fundamental implications for our understanding of Judaism.(13 minutes)

Self Improvement - Being vs. Doing (Chayei Sarah)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:58:46 GMT

Understanding the unique legacy of Sarah. (11 minutes)

Mishna Shiur - When two mitzvot compete (Brachot 2:5-8)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:37:13 GMT

What if you are involved in one mitzva and then another mitzva needs to be done at the same time? (14 minutes)

Hilchot Shabbat in Depth - Kiddush (Part 2)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:31:18 GMT

This time we look at how much one should drink and the different options as to who may do the drinking. (15 minutes)

Hilchot Shabbat In Depth - Kiddush (Part 1)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:59:02 GMT

Is Kiddush a Biblical commandment or a Rabbinic law, and what are the halachic implications of this issue? (Length: approx. 21 minutes)

Self Improvement - The Purpose of Life's Tests (Vayera)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:20:10 GMT

Why does G-d test Abraham if He already knows that he will succeed? What is the purpose of a test? (9 minutes)

Self Improvement - Understanding Emuna [Faith] (Parshat Vayera)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:31:49 GMT

What does it mean to have faith in God? Is it merely to believe in His existence, or is there more to it? (16 minutes +/-)

Fundamental Questions - Why Did God Create The World?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:25:35 GMT

Before we can really understand what Judaism has to say about life, we must first try to understand what God had in mind in creating the world. (10 minutes)

Mishna Shiur - Davening while otherwise preoccupied (Brachot 2:4)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:20:44 GMT

If a person is busy, and needs to say Shema, to what extent must they stop what they're doing to say it. (5 minutes)

Alcohol Consumption - What's the Jewish View?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:40:15 GMT

What does Judaism have to say about alcohol consumption? (Based on a study of Parshat Noach) (12 min)

Self Improvement - In the footsteps of Abraham (Lech Lecha)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:39:21 GMT

G-d doesn't appear to people every day with a special mission. What was so unique about Abraham? What implications does this have for us? (14 minutes)

Mishna Shiur - How Shema must be said (Brachot 2:3)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:38:47 GMT

Various laws about how Shema must be said. (12 minutes)

Practical Laws of Shabbat - Heating up food - Part 4 (final)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:57:36 GMT

What activities come under the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat, and how does one avoid these prohibitions when heating up food on Shabbat? In this final episode we deal with issues of returning food to the fire, mixing and serving hot food. (14 minutes)

Practical Laws of Shabbat - Heating up food - Part 3

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:32:10 GMT

What activities come under the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat, and how does one avoid these prohibitions when heating up food on Shabbat? In this episode we deal with the question of what heating devices may be used on Shabbat and in what ways. (13 minutes)

Practical Laws of Shabbat - Heating up food - Part 2

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:53:38 GMT

What activities come under the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat, and how does one avoid these prohibitions when heating up food on Shabbat? In this episode we deal with the question of whether reheating food is considered an act of cooking on Shabbat. (16 minutes)

Practical Laws of Shabbat - Heating up food - Part 1

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:49:20 GMT

What activities come under the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat, and how does one avoid these prohibitions when heating up food on Shabbat? In this episode we look at the principles of kli rishon, kli sheni and kli shlishi and their implications for food preparation on Shabbat. (Length: approx. 9 minutes)

Self Improvement - The Importance of a Good Environment (Noach)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:12:37 GMT

Self Improvement messages from the weekly parsha. (6 minutes)

Why Does The Torah Start The Way It Does?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:44:27 GMT

Why does the Torah begin with a detailed description of creation? As we will explain, it carries a powerful message as to the purpose of our lives and how we are to live them. (10 minutes)

Mishna shiur - The Laws of Interruptions to Davening (Brachot 2:2)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:59:24 GMT

In this shiur, we study the Mishna and use it as a springboard for discussing the laws associated with interruptions during davening. (12 minutes) For the Mishna text and translation, go to: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Zeraim/Tractate_Berakhot/Chapter_2/2

Ask the Rabbi - Women's Exemptions from Mitzvot

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:34:32 GMT

Why are women not obligated to keep the same mitzvot as men, such as wearing tefillin and eating in the sukkah? (11 minutes)

Sukkot - Making Sense of the Festival

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 07:22:26 GMT

Out of all the festivals, Sukkot is perhaps the most mysterious. How do we explain this strange festival that requires us to camp outside and shake vegetation? What's it all about? (13 minutes)

Self Improvement - Positive thinking and the Power of Commitments (Nitzavim)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 03:13:45 GMT

Self-improvement messages from the weekly parsha. (8 minutes)

Parsha Overview - Parashat Nitzavim

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:11:28 GMT

Provides an overview of the weekly parsha. (13 minutes)

Thu 25/09/08 - Brachot 1:5 - 2:1

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:24:28 GMT

Deal with Shema (11 minutes) Mishna text with English translation and notes available at: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Zeraim/Tractate_Berakhot/Chapter_1/5 and http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Zeraim/Tractate_Berakhot/Chapter_2/1

Daily Mishna - Wed 24/09/08 - Brachot 1:3-4

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:14:44 GMT

Deal with Shema and its brachot (10 minutes) Mishna text with English translation and notes available at: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Zeraim/Tractate_Berakhot/Chapter_1/3 and http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Zeraim/Tractate_Berakhot/Chapter_1/4

Daily Mishna - Tue 23/09/08 - Brachot 1:1 - 2

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:35:00 GMT

Deal with the laws of when one must say Shema at night and in the morning. (11 minutes) Text of the Mishna with English translation and commentary can be found at: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Zeraim/Tractate_Berakhot/Chapter_1/1 and http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Mishnah/Seder_Zeraim/Tractate_Berakhot/Chapter_1/2

Daily Mishna - Introduction

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:26:08 GMT

We are going to start learning a couple of mishnayot every day (bli neder) with the aim of gradually making our way through the whole mishna. It's a great opportunity to have some fixed learning everyday in-sync with other members of the community. Get involved today! (4 minutes)

Saying Selichot - What's it all about?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:21:32 GMT

Many Jews are waking up early or staying up late to say Selichot before Rosh Hashana. But what is it all about? (8 minutes)

Preparing for the High Holy Days - Is Rosh Hashana Fair?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 04:13:46 GMT

Is it fair that God should judge us for all our faults? After all, we are only human! Isn't teshuva (repentance) a humiliating experience? Why does God put us through that? (9 minutes)

Self Improvement for Elul

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:51:09 GMT

How are we to prepare ourselves for the month of Elul? (7 minutes)

A Parsha Overview - Parashat Ki Tetze

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:20:13 GMT

Provides an overview of the weekly parsha. (15 minutes)

The Big Questions - Why Prayer?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:03:05 GMT

Why does God want us to pray? And what difference does it make if we do? (10 minutes)

Self Improvement for the Week - Humility (Parashat Shoftim)

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 05:08:32 GMT

Insights from the weekly parsha which facilitate self-improvement. (7 minutes)

A Parsha Overview - Shoftim

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:59:54 GMT

An overview of the major topics addressed in the weekly parsha. Each week we will try to find the common thread that unifies the parsha. Parshat Re'eh (11 minutes)

A Bite of Jewish Philosophy - What does God do all day?

Rav Danny Eisenberg — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:26:29 GMT

We know God created the world, but what's He been doing since then? (Length: approx. 4 minutes)