Rabbi Ari Kahn graduated Yeshiva University with a BA in psychology and an MS degree in Talmud. A renowned speaker, he has lectured worldwide. Currently Rabbi Kahn is a Senior lecturer at Aishs Essentials, Fellowships and Executive Learning Center pragrams as well as the Director of the Foreign Student Program for Bar Ilan University. Rabbi Kahn is the author of the recently published book, Explorations, an in-depth analysis of the weekly Torah reading.
It is terribly difficult to understand the sin of the spies that gave over a negative report about the Land of Israel. Could it be possible these great people were motivated by their own honor? Rabbi Kahn gives a deeper understanding of why the heads of ten of the tribes wanted to stay in the desert, and proves his point by analyzing the silence of Joshua as the other ten slandered the land.
Moses sent the spies to the Land of Canaan hoping they would fall in love with it and bring back a great report. They misunderstood the assignment and botched the job. If that wasn't bad enough, a group of Israelites attempted to force their way into the land which resulted in a catastrophe. The keys to successfully enter the Holy Land is what this talk is about.
Miriam whispered to her brother Aaron about Moshe's marriage. The spies returned from the Land of Israel with a dismal report. Reuven cried when he heard Joseph was sold by his brothers. Is there a common denominator here? Rabbi Kahn presents a compelling argument on how just one seemingly small act can affect the moral compass of so many people in so many powerful ways.
The strongly manipulative Korach convinced all his followers that each member of the Jewish family is holy without needing Aaron’s priestly leadership. Where did Korach find the audacity to mount such a challenge? Rabbi Kahn shows how the combatants in this conflict is a rerun of an earlier unfinished dispute.
Among the most difficult episodes of the Torah is understanding why Moses didn't merit entering into the Land of Israel. A recent great Torah commentator, the Meshech Chochmah, develops a brilliant and innovative understanding of why Moses hit the rock. Join Rabbi Kahn as he unravels this important lesson.
What a unique Torah portion. Finally, get a glimpse what the anti-Semites say about us when we're not around. Rabbi Kahn explores how the roots of Balaam's powers stem from his power to evoke the 'ayin horah', the evil eye. He also compares this with other Tanach characters.
How do non-Jews view the Jews? Rabbi Kahn analyzes the qualities that Abraham bestowed on his descendants, and how Balak desperately tried to undermine their influence and crush their strength of character. Through which weakness was he able to cause the Jewish nation a terrible fall, and why was his plan able to work?
This saga chronicles the account of two fanatics - who clashed. The fervent act of history's most-famous vigilante was actually a reincarnation of an earlier struggle.
The portion of Pinchas seems to be a followup to the previous story of Bilam, plus a hodgepodge of ideas with odd bits that discuss vows and sacrifices. Rabbi Kahn ties these loose threads together by looking at the glut of spoken words in today's world. Hear a new slant on the sanctity of speech and the profound effect it can have on your wellbeing.
Ever wonder about the sequence and organization of the Torah, and how the structure at times seems to make no sense? Rabbi Kahn puts these two Torah portions into context while shedding light on the theme of ‘spiritualizing the physical world’.