Advertise on podcast: Seven Minute Torah

When the world feels like it’s unraveling, where do we find strength and direction? Rabbi Micah Streiffer turns to Moses and his unwavering sense of justice, offering a framework for grounding ourselves and navigating an increasingly unstable world. Notes and Links: Seven Minute Torah is a production of Laasok: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (tax-deductible donation) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

What does it mean when the Torah tells us that God “hardened Pharaoh’s heart”? Rabbi Micah Streiffer explores a contemporary interpretation that understands Pharaoh’s stubbornness as a return to entrenched, harmful habits—and considers how this reading speaks to our own era of geopolitical uncertainty and our enduring responsibility to pursue justice. Notes and Links: Seven Minute Torah is a production of Laasok: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (tax-deductible donation) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected].   

In this week’s Torah portion, Joseph tearfully reunites with his brothers after two decades of separation, and many more years of pain and animosity. Rabbi Micah Streiffer speaks with Rabbi Steven Garten about how this powerful story can serve as a model for repentance and redemption in our own lives. Cross-posted with the Jewish Faith and Facts podcast. Notes and Links: Seven Minute Torah is a production of Laasok: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (tax-deductible donation) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

When Abraham dies, the Torah surprises us by revealing that his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him together. What lessons can we learn from this surprising moment in Torah? What does it teach us about family, about our own relationships, and about relations between nations. An encore presentation of Rabbi Micah's 2021 podcast on this parsha. Per the episode, the short story "A Wind From the South," can be found here: https://jewishliteraryjournal.com/fiction/a-wind-from-the-south/. Notes and Links: Seven Minute Torah is a production of Laasok: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. For weekly, live study of the torah portion through Zoom, visit https://laasok.org/studygroups/  To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected].   

The Torah tells us we can’t see God—yet this week’s portion, Vayera, begins with the words, “God appeared to Abraham.” What does it mean to “see” a God who has no image? In this episode, Rabbi Micah explores how Vayera—filled with stories of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and Isaac—turns the act of seeing into a spiritual theme. The challenge is not that God can’t be seen, but that we so often forget to look. Notes and Links: Seven Minute Torah is a production of Laasok: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

The Torah begins with a question: "Am I my brother's keeper?" And although it never answers it directly, the rest of the Torah IS an answer to that question. In this episode, Rabbi Micah Streiffer discusses why the answer is a resounding "Yes!" and what that means for our Jewish lives today.   Notes and Links: Seven Minute Torah is a production of Laasok: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

A Yom Kippur reflection with Rabbi Micah Streiffer -- exploring a Talmudic story, the book of Jonah, and the lessons of a gourd plant. What does Jewish tradition really teach about forgiveness, and how can seeing the humanity in others move us toward healing? --------------------------------- Seven Minute Torah is a production of LAASOK: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

How can we respond when the world feels chaotic—when society seems to be unraveling around us? Join Rabbi Micah Streiffer in exploring what Torah teaches about finding responsibility and purpose in challenging times. --------------------------------- Seven Minute Torah is a production of LAASOK: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected].   

One of Judaism’s most famous teachings is that every person is created B’tzelem Elohim—in the image of God. But what does that really mean for how we see and treat each other, especially those who have done wrong? In this episode, Rabbi Micah Streiffer digs into a surprising Torah passage and rabbinic midrash to explore dignity, justice, and the limits (or lack thereof) of seeing the divine in every human being. --------------------------------- Seven Minute Torah is a production of LAASOK: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected].   

This week’s Torah portion is full of laws—about food, tithes, debts, sacrifice. Hard to relate to? Maybe. But beneath the rules lies a profound truth: the Shema’s declaration that God is Oneness. What happens when we see the divine not as a distant lawgiver, but as the sacred unity that connects us to everything and everyone? --------------------------------- Seven Minute Torah is a production of LAASOK: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

As two and a half tribes choose to settle outside the Promised Land, Moses asks: Will your siblings go to war while you stay here? This week's Torah portion raises timeless questions about what we owe each other as Jews—especially across distance, disagreement, and diaspora. Rabbi Micah Streiffer explores ancient texts, modern Israel-diaspora dynamics, and the Talmudic idea that all Israel are guarantors for one another. What does that really mean in 2025—and what happens when we stay silent? --------------------------------- Seven Minute Torah is a production of LAASOK: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

How do we respond when the Torah condones violent extremism? How might our response shape our own Jewish lives, not to mention our relationship with Israel? In this episode, Rabbi Micah Streiffer argues for the importance of acknowledging when extremism is present, rather than trying to explain it away.   --------------------------------- Seven Minute Torah is a production of LAASOK. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

What does a donkey have to do with your soul? In this episode, Rabbi Micah Streiffer explores stories from Midrash and Torah about donkeys - and how they teach people about our ethical and spiritual responsibilities.   --------------------------------- Seven Minute Torah is a production of LAASOK. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

Korach is not just a rebel. He's the embodiment of what the prayerbook calls "the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth." The Torah comes to remind us that we have a lot left to learn - even from people we disagree with. --------------------------------- Seven Minute Torah is a production of LAASOK. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected]. 

Many of us know very little about the biblical figure of Caleb. But he is a model of positivity, faith, and believing in what's possible - even when the world around you doesn't. Rabbi Micah Streiffer explores some midrash about Caleb, and asks what we can learn for the bleak world we're living in. --------------------------------- Seven Minute Torah is a production of LAASOK. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email [email protected], or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at [email protected].