When the Past and the Present Meet | Beit Avi Chai

Educator and writer Lior Tal Sadeh offers a fresh, contemporary perspective on the Weekly Torah Portion. Join him each week for an insightful and original reading of the Parashah, inspired by his daily Source of Inspiration podcast, produced by Beit Avi Chai.

Parashat Ki Tavo: The Crisis of Liberalism

Parashat Ki Tavo: The Crisis of Liberalism An ancient harvest ritual reminds us that rights alone are not enough – we need shared stories and responsibilities to sustain identity and community By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Vayelech: The Art of Letting Go

Parashat Vayelech: The Art of Letting Go Moses faced every leader’s ultimate test: stepping down gracefully. He chose radical honesty about his limitations, prepared his successor, and created institutions that outlasted empires, transforming potential failure into enduring legacy By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Nitzavim: It Is Not in the Heavens

Parashat Nitzavim: It Is Not in the Heavens As Rosh Hashanah approaches, Moses’ counterintuitive teaching becomes urgent: the ability to change isn’t rare like gold but accessible like water. Repentance requires no extraordinary effort – only recognition of our natural capacity for renewal By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Re’eh: The Question of Vegetarianism

Parashat Re’eh: The Question of Vegetarianism Why does Jewish law emphasize separating meat and milk but permit eating animals? HaRav Kook’s controversial answer challenges everything vegetarians believe about ethics By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Eikev: “Beware Lest Your Heart Grow Haughty and You Forget”

Parashat Eikev: “Beware Lest Your Heart Grow Haughty and You Forget” On the eve of entering the Land of Israel, Moses evokes the memory of slavery to issue a warning to the people of Israel: Do not become a new Egypt By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Vaetchanan: Reflections on the Ten Commandments

Parashat Vaetchanan: Reflections on the Ten Commandments Following in the footsteps of poet Yehuda Amichai, I would suggest adding two more commandments to the original Ten: “Treat every person as a human being regardless of who they are and what they are,” and “Treat every person according to who they are and what they are.” By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Devarim: These are the Words

Parashat Devarim: These are the Words The first verse in the Book of Deuteronomy marks Moses’ transition from a vessel of God’s speech to a man of his own words – and therefore, a leader. By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Matot: On Vows, Regret and Forgiveness

Parashat Matot: On Vows, Regret and Forgiveness When desperate words become sacred bonds, the consequences can be devastating. From Jephthah’s tragic sacrifice to the rabbis’ revolutionary annulment mechanisms, this exploration of biblical vows reveals profound questions about identity, transformation, and the price of change. Can we truly become new people – and if so, what do we owe our former selves? By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Pinchas: Reform over Revolution

Parashat Pinchas: Reform over Revolution When five sisters stood before Moses demanding their father’s inheritance, they weren’t just challenging ancient law – they were pioneering a timeless strategy for social change. The daughters of Zelophehad chose patience over protest, working within the system to create lasting reform. Their biblical story offers profound lessons for modern activists navigating the tension between revolution and gradual progress By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Balak: Listen to Your Donkey

Parashat Balak: Listen to Your Donkey What can a talking donkey teach us about trust in relationships? In this Torah story, Balaam’s donkey delivers a profound lesson about giving those closest to us the benefit of the doubt, even when their behavior seems inexplicable By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Chukat: The Lion’s Roar

Parashat Chukat: The Lion’s Roar Why do we follow rules we don’t understand? From the mysterious red heifer ritual to modern military operations, this exploration of ancient wisdom reveals how the nation that rules over its soul like a lion faces its greatest battles not on external battlefields, but within the human heart By Lior Tal Sadeh

I Will Be What I Will Be: The Mystery of God’s Name in Parashat Shemot

I Will Be What I Will Be: The Mystery of God’s Name in Parashat Shemot In Parashat Shemot, God first appears to Moses in the burning bush, leading to a pivotal moment when Moses dares to ask God for His name. God responds in a manner that has been the subject of profound theological reflection. By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat VaYechi:
A Lie for the Sake of Peace

Parashat VaYechi: A Lie for the Sake of Peace Lies can shatter our world, eroding the trust that forms the bedrock of society and wounding the dignity of those deceived. Yet, in this week’s Torah portion, Parashat VaYechi, we learn that not all lies are created equal By Lior Tal Sadeh

I Will Harden Pharaoh’s Heart:
The Question of Free Will in Parashat Va’Eira

I Will Harden Pharaoh’s Heart: The Question of Free Will in Parashat Va’Eira Free choice is a cornerstone of moral responsibility—without it, concepts like judgment, blame, and punishment become meaningless. Yet, the notion of free will is not as straightforward as it seems. Even if we believe humans possess free will, what happens when it is repeatedly misused? Can it diminish over time, or even disappear altogether? By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Bo: When the Gates of Hell Open

Parashat Bo: When the Gates of Hell Open The Plague of the Firstborn and the Limits of Power in the Weekly Torah Portion By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Yitro: We All (Sometimes) Take God’s Name in Vain

Parashat Yitro: We All (Sometimes) Take God’s Name in Vain Rethinking the Third Commandment By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Beshalach: No Need for Schadenfreude

Parashat Beshalach: No Need for Schadenfreude On the morality of celebrating the downfall of an enemy in the Weekly Torah Portion By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Mishpatim: I Feel Your Pain

Parashat Mishpatim: I Feel Your Pain How can we feel the other’s pain and reach a state where we cannot rest until we succeed in helping them? By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Terumah: Ask Not What Your God Can Do For You

Parashat Terumah: Ask Not What Your God Can Do For You The moment the Torah shifts from the discourse of rights to the discourse of duties By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Ki Tissa: A Question of Consent

Parashat Ki Tissa: A Question of Consent If the Torah was indeed received under threat, then the Israelites have a very serious argument against their obligation to fulfill it By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Tetzaveh: Don’t Behave Like Amalek!

Parashat Tetzaveh: Don’t Behave Like Amalek! Remembering Amalek is remembering the temptation that exists in forceful superiority, a superiority that has corrupted many nations. We must behave differently, conduct ourselves with Hillel-like humility and overcome coarseness and violence By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Vayakhel: It’s Time to Open the Second Eye

Parashat Vayakhel: It’s Time to Open the Second Eye Today, as women reclaim their place in the halls of Jewish learning, we are witnessing nothing less than the restoration of Judaism's stereoscopic vision—a tradition that can finally see with both eyes open By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Pekudei: The Ego and Decision-Making

Parashat Pekudei: The Ego and Decision-Making Why does Moses need to be told to anoint Aaron’s sons as he anointed their father? Wouldn’t it have been enough just to tell him to anoint them? It might have something to do with the fact that the ego is a fragile thing By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Vayikra: Sacrifices and the Psychology of Worship

Parashat Vayikra: Sacrifices and the Psychology of Worship Maimonides offers a profound perspective on the biblical sacrificial system, addressing a fundamental question: Why were sacrifices necessary, and what psychological role did they play? By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Shemini: A Deafening Silence

Parashat Shemini: A Deafening Silence From Aaron’s biblical silence to the nationwide standstill during the Holocaust memorial siren – discover how stillness became our most authentic language of grief By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Kedoshim: Actions Given to the Heart

Parashat Kedoshim: Actions Given to the Heart In Parashat Kedoshim, we discover why certain commandments include ‘you shall fear your God—because our true intentions remain hidden from others but never from the Divine. Explore how the concept of “actions given to the heart” challenges us to examine our deepest motivations By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Emor: The Children of Sabbath

Parashat Emor: The Children of Sabbath The Torah once barred those with ‘defects’ from sacred duties. Today, we accept each person as created in God’s image. Discover how religious and legal perspectives on disability have transformed over time By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Behar: The Fifty-Year Reset

Parashat Behar: The Fifty-Year Reset The biblical Jubilee – a fifty-year economic reset that cancels debts and redistributes land – found an unlikely champion in Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the anti-socialist founder of right-wing Revisionist Zionism. Discover how this fierce defender of economic freedom came to embrace an ancient model of periodic wealth redistribution, and what his vision might teach us about balancing markets with morality today By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Bamidbar: The “Journey To” Is More Difficult than the “Journey From”

Parashat Bamidbar: The “Journey To” Is More Difficult than the “Journey From” Explore how the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness reveals surprising insights about tribal identity and national unity in today's Israel By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Naso: Drinking the Bitter Water

Parashat Naso: Drinking the Bitter Water The Torah’s ritual of the Sotah – where a woman suspected of adultery must drink a mixture with supernatural characteristics – represents one of scripture’s most disturbing passages. This ancient trial by ordeal forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about jealousy, patriarchy, and the persistence of domestic violence from biblical times till today By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Behaalotecha: “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets”

Parashat Behaalotecha: “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets” True greatness isn’t measured by how indispensable we make ourselves, but by how successfully we cultivate the very gifts that might render us unnecessary. Moses understood that the highest calling of any leader is to dream of a day when everyone can hear the divine voice for themselves By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Korah: Timeless Political Strategy

Parashat Korah: Timeless Political Strategy The biblical story of Korah’s rebellion offers striking lessons for today’s politics. This wilderness uprising shows how populist leaders use sacred language to flatter audiences and challenge authority – ancient tactics that remain dangerously relevant in our divided times By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Shlach: Through Trusting Eyes

Parashat Shlach: Through Trusting Eyes The story of the twelve spies in Parashat Shlach raises a puzzling question: How can the same reality be interpreted so differently? Modern psychology offers insights into this ancient tale of trust, fear, and the power of perspective By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Shoftim: Society Bears Responsibility

Parashat Shoftim: Society Bears Responsibility When violence strikes, we blame individuals. But what if society bears responsibility? Through ancient biblical wisdom and a shocking Temple murder, we explore our collective accountability for bloodshed – forcing the question: Can we honestly say “our hands are clean”? By Lior Tal Sadeh

Parashat Ki Teitzei: Snakebite

Parashat Ki Teitzei: Snakebite When debt feels like venom, the Torah offers a cure: lending without profit, rooted in love and mutual responsibility. A timeless vision of brotherhood in an age of business By Lior Tal Sadeh