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This philosophical discussion examines whether language differences create genuine conceptual barriers or merely surface-level translation challenges. The core argument is that while different languages and cultures may use…

Overcoming yourself vs. Pretending to be a good person

Sins of the eyes or of the sense of touch using eyes

This lecture examines the philosophy of fasting through multiple frameworks: as a time-management strategy that creates space for spiritual focus by removing daily obligations, as a protest against…

This lecture examines Aristotle's distinction between natural/common pleasures and chosen/specific pleasures in Jewish ethics, focusing on food and sex as the two bodily pleasures subject to temperance. The…

This lecture examines Aristotle's hierarchy of human goods and the virtue of temperance, distinguishing between natural bodily desires (shared by all humans) and cultivated, qualitative preferences (specific to…

Dialectic restricting temperance to pleasures of body and to sense of touch (NE III.10)

This shiur examines the virtue of zehirus (temperance/self-control) as presented in Rambam's Shemonah Perakim, tracing how abstract virtue-language developed from Biblical Hebrew's verb-based expressions to the Sages' philosophical…

Religious truth operates across three distinct dimensions that are often confused: authority (the source of truth), content (what is being taught), and form (how it is expressed and…

This lecture examines Shavuot's true meaning as an agricultural festival celebrating the wheat harvest and economic prosperity, rather than simply commemorating the giving of the Torah. The speaker…

This shiur examines the fundamental distinction between virtues (character excellences) and mitzvos (commandments), arguing that mitzvos function as teachers for those who lack proper virtues rather than as…

The Rambam's approach to supporting Torah scholars is not a prohibition on fundraising but a specific economic model based on business partnership. According to Maimonides, Torah scholars should…

This lesson examines why character development (middos) must precede Torah learning and investigates the fundamental question of which virtues are most essential. The discussion reveals that creating a…

This lecture addresses the question of why Jews should remain Jewish rather than assimilate, examining Leo Strauss's argument that assimilation fails because one can only be a "Jewish…

Religious questioning follows predictable stages: initial rejection of obvious absurdities, attempts to connect with those who've left observance, and eventual recognition that the "simple" religious person may understand…

This lecture covers Bamidbar Chapter 23, focusing on Bilam's first two prophecies and the setup for the third. The chapter reveals that sacrifices serve as a vehicle for…

This lecture examines the fundamental shift in Jewish ideals from the classical emphasis on Torah study and mitzvah observance (the Talmid Chacham ideal) to modern movements that prioritize…

This lecture covers Bamidbar Chapter 22, the beginning of the Balak and Bilaam narrative. The story fulfills the prophecy from Shirat Hayam about nations fearing Israel, serving to…

This lecture covers Bamidbar Chapter 21, examining the fragmentary narratives at the threshold of entering the Promised Land. The chapter includes the war with the King of Arad,…

This lecture covers Bamidbar Chapter 20, marking the transition to the 40th year in the desert as the generation prepares to enter the Land of Israel. The chapter…

This shiur covers Bamidbar Chapter 19, the laws of the Parah Adumah (red heifer) and purification from corpse impurity. The chapter appears out of sequence with the surrounding…

Bamidbar Chapter 17

Bamidbar Chapter 16 covers the rebellion of Korach, the most significant and explicit challenge to Moshe and Aharon's leadership in Sefer Bamidbar, involving three distinct groups: Korach and…

The modern split between "inner" and "outer" goodness stems from the loss of natural teleology — once you deny that things in the world have inherent purposes, goodness…

Bamidbar Chapter 13 covers the story of the scouts (commonly called the Meraglim, though that word never appears in the text) sent to assess the Land of Canaan.…

Bamidbar Chapter 12

Bamidbar chapter 11 presents the trials in the desert not simply as failures of faith, but as a crisis of leadership — the people's complaints about the manna…

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Bamidbar Chapter 9 covers the command to perform the Korban Pesach in the desert and the origin of Pesach Sheni — a second chance in the second month…

This shiur examines the prohibition of Lo Tachmod (do not covet) through two competing readings: one that treats desire itself as the root of all evil and calls…

Bamidbar Chapter 8 covers the mitzvah of placing the lamps on the menorah — a command repeated multiple times in the Torah, likely because it belongs to the…

This deep dive into Bamidbar Chapter 7 explores why the Torah dedicates its longest chapter to repeating the identical offerings of the twelve tribal princes during the Mishkan's…

This chapter explores the laws of the Nazir — a person who voluntarily takes on a form of priestly holiness through vows of abstaining from wine and grape…

This deep dive into Bamidbar Chapter 5 explores why a seemingly random collection of mitzvos—from sending away the impure to the dramatic sotah ritual—appears right in the middle…

This chapter explores the unique role of the Levites, detailing how they replaced the firstborn as those dedicated to God's service following the events in Egypt. The shiur…

This lecture explores the distinction between authentic and false interiority in Jewish ethics, arguing that true inner virtue must always be directed toward external action rather than being…

Discover how the census in Bamidbar Chapter 2 transforms into a divine blueprint for organizing the Israelite camp, with the 12 tribes strategically positioned around the Mishkan like…

This deep dive into Bamidbar Chapter 1 explores why the Torah preserves detailed census records and tribal genealogies, revealing their significance for Jewish identity, military organization, and the…

This deep dive into Vayikra's final chapter explores the fascinating laws of voluntary dedications to the Temple—covering how people, animals, and land could be consecrated to God and…

Vayikra Chapter 26 Originally published on February 8, 2026 at 6:03 PM, reissued on February 8, 2026 at 12:02 AM

Being a good person internally doesn't mean wanting to be a good person 📌 Related Content 📺 Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/_DSWVR5X6Zc 🎬 Video Post https://yitzchoklowy.com/english/being-a-good-person-internally-doesnt-mean-wanting-to-be-a-good-person-video/ 📝 Read Transcript…

Vayikra Chapter 25 📌 Related Content 📺 Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/TLGtFhijz9w 🎬 Video Post https://yitzchoklowy.com/english/vayikra-chapter-26-video/ 📝 Read Transcript https://yitzchoklowy.com/english/vayikra-chapter-26-transcript/ Originally published on February 5, 2026 at 12:19 AM,…

Vayikra Chapter 24 📌 Related Content 📺 Watch on YouTube 🎬 Video Post 📝 Read Transcript Originally published on February 3, 2026 at 5:13 PM, reissued on February…

Vayikra Chapter 23 📌 Related Content 📺 Watch on YouTube 🎬 Video Post 📝 Read Transcript 🌐 Hebrew Translation Originally published on February 2, 2026 at 11:44 PM,…

Vayikra Chapter 22 📌 Related Content 📺 Watch on YouTube 🎬 Video Post 📝 Read Transcript 🌐 Hebrew Translation Originally published on February 1, 2026 at 11:20 PM,…

Originally published on November 30, 2025 at 10:50 PM, reissued on November 30, 2025 at 12:02 AM

Originally published on October 22, 2025 at 11:32 PM, reissued on October 20, 2025 at 12:02 AM

Originally published on October 19, 2025 at 11:20 PM, reissued on October 19, 2025 at 12:02 AM

Originally published on November 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM, reissued on October 7, 2025 at 12:02 AM

Originally published on October 16, 2025 at 5:17 PM, reissued on September 25, 2025 at 12:02 AM

Originally published on September 29, 2025 at 2:27 AM, reissued on September 24, 2025 at 12:00 AM

Originally published on September 26, 2025 at 4:21 PM, reissued on September 23, 2025 at 12:00 AM