The Tanakh Podcast

What is the concept of the chosen people?
It is mentioned by our chapter. Are we chosen because we are better? Or we called to act better?

Today we address three major topics:
1. The first line of the Shema - What does it mean that God is "one"? What is the connection between "shema" and the "love" of God?
2. The notion of "you shall teach your children" and the power of Talmud Torah as a major principle.
3. Is there an ethic independent of Halakha? - "You shall do that which is just and good"

Did God speak to the people or did Moses act as an intermediary, due to the people's fear of God's fire?
Are the Ten Commandments in Devarim the same as Shemot or different? If they are the same, why is the text different? If they are different why is this an accurate rendition of the law?

In this chapter Moshe advocates for adherence to the covenant and warns against idolatry.
We evoke the central themes and ideas of the chapter which read like a list of the key faith principles of Judaism. And we discuss two diverse motives for idolatry.

Today we discuss the story - according to peshat (the biblical text) and derash (Jewish legend) and try to probe the intriguing persona of Og, King of the Bashan.