Jerusalem Lights

This enigmatic month is called in Hebrew "Menachem Av,' which means 'The Consoling Father.' Ostensibly the name doesn't fit the reality of these days leading up to the fast day of Tisha B'Av, observed next week, which marks the destruction of the Holy Temple. Yet the vision of this month is the secret of the absolute Oneness of God, the vision of true reality: a loving Father calling His children back to Him with kindness and compassion. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore the inner meaning of the cycles of our lives that lead from destruction to rebuilding.

_________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on the paradoxical character of the heathen prophet Bilaam, who despite being a great philosopher and ostensibly very 'religious,' was actually evil incarnate. For Bilaam, the greatest religious experience was anger and negativity. NOTE: This podcast is being published late and out of sequence due to Rabbi Richman's recent family circumstances. Rabbi Richman's daughter passed away just a few hours after this podcast was recorded and the family began their mourning period, and thus it was not aired on time. Next week with Hashem's help we expect to return to our regular scheduling of broadcasts.

This week's Jerusalem Lights podcast ponders the paradox of the Torah portion of Chukat, featuring the proverbial 'para aduma,' the Red Heifer, Torah's greatest mystery. Moses was the only person who understood its secret...yet this very same Torah portion records Moses' greatest blunder, his striking of the rock to bring forth water....a mistake that cost him the privilege of entering into the Land. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share fascinating insights of Torah wisdom, showing that it's all about connection vs. disconnect, and stagnation vs. spiritual growth. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

The Living Hell of Ego, Aaron's Staff of Eternal Life, and The Call For Transformation

This week's Torah portion introduces us to Korach, Moses' power-hungry cousin who led a dramatic rebellion against him, under the guise of campaigning for the rights of 'the little guy.' Korach was a man of renown and influence, but nothing was good enough for him…ultimately he went downhill, literally…and was plunged into the belly of the earth. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share insights and perspectives that frame the Torah's eternal, cautionary lesson about the dangers of ego in a fresh contemporary light. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Who were the 'fallen angels' of Genesis and why did the 12 spies of the Book of Numbers, sent out by Moses on a mission of reconnaissance, just happen to bump into them in the Land of Canaan? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss this ancient episode of Israel's history, plugging it into today's reality with alarming, sobering relevance, and share some amazing Torah insights, from the secret of the 'wood-gatherer' in the desert, to the secret of tzizit, and why G-d commands that fringes be placed on the corner of a Jewish man's clothing. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Standing Up For the Truth

Jim Long is back in Israel and joins Rabbi Chaim Richman in Jerusalem to share perspective and both political and spiritual insights on Israel's war with Hamas and its global repercussions, drawing contemporary parallels and lessons from the Book of Numbers and the enigmatic Generation of the Desert that foretell and illuminate the unprecedented challenges we are facing. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Finding Love As A Noahide, Two Conversion Attempts & Making Aliyah

In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman host Hillel Penrod, a righteous convert to Judaism who has traversed many worlds on his way to his home in the Land of Israel with his wife and children. Hillel shares their personal and inspiring story which includes their transition from Christianity to Noahide to Judaism, studying in a yeshiva, their conversion and wedding experiences, moving to Israel and much more. Hillel is a cartoonist who seeks to educate children in traditional Torah values, and he creates 'Torah comic books' for kids. You can read about his comic book heroes here:

https://linktr.ee/newherocomics _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

If G-d is love, then why does He allow evil in the world? Does He create it? Why do bad things happen to good people? Does G-d need our praise? Responding to viewers' email questions, these are some of the issues that Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman consider in this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, examining the sources of Torah and seeking answers to some of humanity's most ancient and poignant existential dilemmas. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

This week Israel marks a muted, somberly reflective Independence Day, even as the Jewish state continues to fight for its very survival. When the prophets of old speak of the time leading up to the Redemption, they seem to be describing these very days. How do each of us understand our role in God's ultimate plan for the good of humanity? How do we figure out where we fit in? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss these questions, in the light of a fascinating discussion focusing on the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel...who are they, where did they disappear to...and are they coming home? _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

As the State of Israel observes Holocaust Memorial Day, the rising, global tide of anti-Semitism reveals an alliance of evil. There are those who control and fund university protests, leaders with political agendas, complicit media and useful idiots. It's time for the Jewish people to rise to their collective task of bringing the knowledge of G-d to the world...and time for all good people everywhere to get off the fence and take a stand. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

Iranian Missiles, the Passover Experience, and Biblical Integrity

This Jerusalem Lights pre-Passover roundup, Rabbi Richman shares his perspective on Iran's unprecedented missile attack against Israel, as both Jim Long and Rabbi Richman discuss Hashem's miraculous intervention on the backdrop of a complex and unsavory political reality. Our hosts reflect on the Festival of Passover's theme of escaping false beliefs, and the purity of Hashem's Biblical commandment of the Passover offering. Jerusalem Lights wishes everyone a Chag Kasher V'Sameach, a joyous Festival of Passover! May we truly merit to leave the exile behind us and prepare to receive the light of the ultimate Redemption. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman welcome the month of Nisan, first month of the Biblical year and the time of past and future Redemption. Archeologist Hillel Richman joins our podcast and shares some unique insights into a fascinating and little-known chapter of Israelite pre-Exodus history involving the descendants of Joseph and the Land of Israel. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

What is the purpose of the Torah's commandments, and what is accomplished by keeping them? Why should God be concerned with such details...what does He care? How does their observance improve our relationship with God? And: How do the offerings in the Temple help to refine a human being? In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast episode #197, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss these questions, received from our viewers. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Who is Amalek, the ancient ancestor of the wicked Haman? Why are we commanded never to forget that we must blot out his memory? Why does G-d call this ‘His’ battle, and what is Torah’s intention in the mysterious words ‘there is a hand upon the throne?’ This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast #196 reflects on this Shabbat’s special Torah reading of ‘Remembrance’, and shares some amazing insights from the Scroll of Esther that touch upon past and present variations of the Amalekite spirit. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman help us prepare to receive the light of Purim, drawing contemporary parallels from the story of Purim that resound with a startling modern-day wakeup call. Blessings for a Happy Purim! _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Recorded on Rosh Chodesh, this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast # 195 celebrates the new month of the 'second Adar,' and explores the secret of the great joy that is associated with this month, which comes to a crescendo on Purim. How do we relate to Purim joy during these dark and troubled times? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discover that the answer is 'concealed' in plain sight, in the Scroll of Esther! Our hosts also discuss Sabbath observance as it relates not only to Israel, but to all humanity. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman are joined by long-time friend Mrs. Yocheved Woodward, who shares the inspiring story of her life-long devotion to G-d, which led to her departure from Christianity, through the stages that ultimately led to her Orthodox conversion to Judaism and aliya to Israel, where together with her dedicated husband, she makes her home in the Golan Heights and serves G-d every day with all her heart. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: PayPal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, we are privileged to welcome Dr. Melanie, an amazing woman of remarkable faith, strength and love of Hashem. From her home in Alaska, Dr. Melanie shares the inspiring and personal story of her life’s spiritual journey. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel

Why does Torah spend so much time on the details that Moses received at Mount Sinai for the construction of the Tabernacle? In this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman take a deep dive into the amazing world of the Tabernacle and Holy Temple, exploring topics like the spiritual significance of the incense offering, and the enigmatic scientific research on the priestly DNA which is unique to the descendants of Aaron, the first High Priest of Israel. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman welcome this week's special guest, musical composer and recording artist David Schommer. In addition to being a student of Torah, David is an extraordinarily accomplished producer and musician...and an initiated 'Wisdom Holder', possessing the traditional knowledge of the healing power of plants, as taught by elders of a Peruvian tribe in the Amazon rainforest. David records under the name 'Tete Bero' ...look for his music on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify... _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week's edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast honors the ancient holiday of Tu B'Shevat, New Year of the Trees, a day that resonates with the themes of gratitude, renewal, and faith in G-d. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman take these themes further, and explore inspiring life lessons from the enigmatic Book of Job that give new and bold insights in the true meaning of faith, as personified by the righteous Job, who dared to question G-d...and was singularly praised by G-d -- not in spite of the questions he asked...but because of them.

_________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, Inc., a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Rabbi Chaim Richman welcomes a special guest, Mrs. Katy Holladay. Katy is a dedicated Noahide wife and mother, a true woman of valor who loves Hashem and Torah. Katy is also an accredited Energy Healing therapist, who practices a Torah-based approach to healing and healthy spiritual balance. Katy is passionate about her beliefs and goals, and shares her empowering and inspiring story with us in this week's edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast. For inquiries about Katy's energy therapy healing, she can be reached at [email protected]

Jim Long was visiting with family and was unable to join the podcast this week.  _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Our sages teach that on a spiritual level, the Egyptian exile is the root source of all Israel’s exile experience…and the miracles of the Exodus are a Divine template for the future, ultimate Redemption. The key to the final Redemption is in overcoming slave mentality with the faith to declare that G-d alone is king. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the parallels between Egyptian sorcery of old, and the machinery of modern media and government manipulation. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

In this week's edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman welcome special guest Yochanan (John) Castellanos to the program. Yochanan, a Texas native, shares the story of his personal spiritual quest for truth which led him on a journey from childhood, to becoming a Christian pastor, and finally converting to Orthodox Judaism and moving to Israel, leading a life centered around the G-d of Israel and becoming a sincere student of Torah study. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

Joseph’s brief career at the pinnacle of power in Egypt was Divinely ordained, and it was he who provided sustenance during the years of famine, granting him the status of a hero. But as the book of Genesis begins to draw to a close and the family of Yaakov descends into Egypt, Yosef will soon be forgotten and the next chapter of the nation’s history is about to begin…the Egyptian exile. Are there similarities between Egypt’s rapid decline into Pharaoh’s genocidal plans, and the voices heard today – from street mobs to university presidents – calling for the end of Israel? In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder this question and reflect on the remarkable attention that the story of Yosef receives in the Torah’s narrative....and it's relevance today. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook:   / rabbichaimrichman  

Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman welcome a special guest to the Jerusalem Lights studio for this week's podcast. Mitch Houston is the Director of Technology for Unity Warriors, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the Land of Israel and the people of Israel through life-saving security and safety, ecological, and social welfare projects and initiatives. Mitch is a non-Jewish seeker of spiritual truth and also an accomplished musician. He shares the story of his personal journey to find the G-d of Israel and his experiences raising a family based on the values of Torah. You can learn more about Unity Warriors at https://unitywarriors.com/ and you can visit Mitch and his music at https://www.mitchhouston.com/

Jim Long is back in Israel this week and unites in Jerusalem with Rabbi Chaim Richman for an edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast that focuses on the holiday of Chanukah. Jim is not on vacation…he’s here to lend a hand as a volunteer, and to help the people of Israel as the IDF's Swords of Iron war with Hamas terrorists continues. Why is Chanukah so beloved to Jews all over the world? And why is this holiday so unique to the essence of the Land of Israel? Jim and Rabbi Richman reflect on Chanukah and its resounding lessons of faith and action, as Israel is once again fighting a war against evil. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Our sages teach that much of the book of Genesis is symbolic of the future, as expressed in the teaching, 'that which the fathers experienced is a sign for their children.' This is especially true regarding the patriarch Yaakov, whose life and family are highlighted in the Torah portions of these weeks. If we are able to correctly interpret the events of this righteous man's life, we can gain insight to understand the arc of Israel's history...and how to prepare for the challenges of the future. This week's Jerusalem Lights podcast looks closely at Yaakov's life and the challenges he faced. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman transpose these lessons to our current reality in the war against Hamas terror, and explore the intersection of these current Torah readings with the upcoming Festival of Chanukah and its message of spiritual victory in the name of the G-d of Israel. _________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week's Jerusalem Lights podcast examines the connection between the amazing month of Kislev - a time of miracles and dreams, and yet also a time of courage and heroism - and Israel's war against terror, operation 'Swords of Iron.' This war is Israel's battle for truth, but as our current weekly Torah portions remind us, we live in a world dominated by the spirit of Esav, a world of lies and deceit. Esav, Laban, the Greek invaders of the Chanukah story, and all those who have come against Israel throughout the ages, are all motivated by the same goal: to stop Israel from exposing the truth. Today there are massive forces aligned that are attempting to drown out the truth of what is going on in Israel. And every person will have to make their own choice about what they believe. The consequences for all humanity are staggering. Jim Long's scholarly and well-researched book, 'Blood Brother: Israel's Ancient Enemy,' is an invaluable tool for understanding the Torah's timeless lessons about Yaakov and Esav and its eternal and universal significance. It is available in print edition through Lightcatcher Books (http://lightcatcherbooks.com/Authors/Long.htm ) or in digital format on Amazon Kindle. ____________________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

The unlikely twins Yaakov and Esav are locked in a struggle that began while they were as yet in Rebecca’s womb. What is this struggle all about? What are they fighting over, and how does this effect us today? These children are not children at all, but as G-d informed Rebecca, ‘two nations are in your womb, two regimes from your insides shall be separated.’ This week's episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast examines how the eternal conflict between the powers of Yaakov and Esav reflect on Israel's battle with Hamas, an existential struggle for survival, and the worldwide phenomenon of growing anti-Semitism. Jim Long offers vast scholarship, research and deep understanding on this subject in his book, 'Blood Brother: Israel's Ancient Enemy,' (http://lightcatcherbooks.com/Authors/Long.htm) also available on Kindle through Amazon. ____________________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

It was a full month ago that 3,000 Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israeli communities and murdered 1400 of its citizens with a brutality and cruelty that is beyond human comprehension. This event plunged Israel into a war for its very survival, and nothing remains the same. All over the world Jewish people are under attack by those who celebrate the the inhuman savagery of the terrorists, and turn a blind eye to the suffering of the hundreds, including babies and children, that have been kidnapped and are being held hostage in the terror enclave of Gaza. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman provide updates and insight, connecting these days with the themes of this week’s Torah portion of Chayei Sarah: the sanctity of life, the continuation, hope and legacy of the family unit…and our unshakeable faith in the Creator of the Universe. photo credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit: https://www.idf.il/ ____________________ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Israel’s war against the Hamas terrorists who hold Gaza in a stranglehold, now in its third week, is a war that Israel must win – because her very survival is at stake. With each passing day and the skyrocketing, virulent anti-Semitic incidents that are taking place all over the world, it is becoming increasingly clearer that the right of the Jewish people as a whole to exist is once again the real issue. The genie of anti-Semitism is out of the bottle. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman present and analyze these events in the light of the teachings of the eternal Torah and Israel’s Divinely-appointed message for humanity. We present our best efforts and apologize for the technical aspects of this podcast, as our producer is currently called to active military duty in defense of the State of Israel. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jerusalemli... Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Abraham, forefather of the Jewish people, was the real deal – a true spiritual seeker to whom God revealed himself. Abraham was an iconoclast who risked it all – separation from his family, ostracization and even attempts to kill him – in order to bravely declare and teach to all the world that God is One. How did he become this person, and what profound influence does the template of his life have over the lives of his descendants, the Children of Israel? In this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the legacy of Abraham in the context of Israel’s ongoing war against the Hamas terrorists who savagely murdered 1400 Jews on October 7th, raping women, decapitating babies and burning families alive, and kidnapped 222 people, taking them to the terrorist enclave of Gaza. Our apologies for the diminished broadcast quality of this episode, as our producer is currently away in active military duty in this war. This is our own effort to remain in touch with you. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...https://www.facebook.com/groups/28244...

Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman, together in Jerusalem, recorded this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast on the 12th day of Israel’s war against the Hamas terrorists that savagely butchered over 1300 people in one day, kidnapped hundreds of men, women and children of all ages to Gaza as hostages, and wounded thousands more. How are we to attempt to understand atrocity that is literally incomprehensible? What are the implications of this upheaval for Israel and the world, within the framework of Biblical prophecy and G-d’s purpose in creation? What can we learn from the world’s reaction? A time of great testing is here…and everyone's masks are falling away, preparing the way for the Final Redemption. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...https://www.facebook.com/groups/28244...

A Special Jerusalem Lights Broadcast On Shabbat, Saturday October 7th 2023, during the Festival of Shimini Atzeret, Israel was attacked by Hamas terrorists who brutally murdered over 800 people, committed unspeakable, inhuman atrocities, and kidnapped an untold number of Israelis and foreign nationals, bringing them to the terrorist enclave of Gaza. Israel has declared war on Hamas. Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long share an update from Jerusalem and provide firsthand knowledge and perspective, facts, and vital spiritual insights. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...https://www.facebook.com/groups/28244...

The experience of joyous 'dwelling' in the sukkah manifests a sublime level of faith that has significance for the renewal of prophecy, the messianic era and the ultimate redemption of humanity. Sukkot is a time of celebration -- and testing! -- for all the nations of the world. This week, Jim Long joins Rabbi Chaim Richman in Jerusalem for a Sukkot edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...https://www.facebook.com/groups/28244...

Yom Kippur, the awesome Day of Atonement, begins this Sunday evening September 24. This week's Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at this amazing day of forgiveness and atonement…. but how does Torah define sin, and what constitutes true and sincere repentance? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman begin to prepare for Yom Kippur with illuminating insights into this beautiful day, as well as the nature of sin and the fine art of repentance – a gift G-d gives to man which can literally help us become new people. May we all be sealed in the Book of Life for a long life of health and every blessing, amen! A Good and Sweet New Year to all! ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

The holiday of Rosh HaShana ushers in a new year, bringing a Divine embrace of love, renewal, and a new light for the whole world. But what does it mean for each and every one of us? In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman prepare for Rosh HaShana, birthday of Adam and time of momentous judgement - and awakening to G-d’s sovereignty - for all his descendants. Jerusalem Lights wishes everyone blessings for a Good and Sweet New Year! ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

The beloved month of Elul is the last month of the year and during these special days, charged with a unique spiritual energy, we focus on preparation for the upcoming Days of Awe. These are days of special Divine mercy, designed for repentance and deep spiritual work. Elul stands for ‘I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me,’ and rapprochement with our true Beloved – our Creator – is the theme of this month. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on everything Elul! Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman contemplate the great challenge of Elul for all seekers of G-d. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsrabbichaimrichman   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week's Jerusalem Lights podcast is in honor of the ancient, unsung Biblical holiday of Tu B'Av, the fifteenth day of the month of Menachem Av, called by our sages 'the happiest day of year.' What is the source of the great joy, and customs of matrimony, associated with this day? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share Torah wisdom and insights that illuminate the inspiring and revealing lessons of our sages for Tu B'Av, and every day of the year. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsra...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week the house of Israel observes Tisha B’Av, the day of national mourning for the destruction of the Holy Temple and the tragic template of suffering throughout Jewish history. With so much upheaval in Israel and all over the world, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine Tisha B’Av from a fresh perspective that emphasizes the Temple’s role in social justice, human compassion, and the spiritual elevation of all humanity. Our hosts provide insight into what is going on behind the headlines, and examine the dual nature of this month of ‘the Consoling Father,’ as we transition from Tisha B’Av to the joyous celebraation of Tu B’Av. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsra...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week’s Torah reading cycle begins the book of Deuteronomy, and Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the transition to this unique book of Torah in this week’s podcast. Our hosts discuss the essential and indispensable Oral Tradition, misunderstood by some as ‘traditions of men’ but in reality, G-d’s own authoritative, sacred wisdom as revealed to Moses at Mount Sinai and passed on through every generation, from teacher to student; an inseparable and integral unit of Torah. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / jerusalemlightsra...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

In this week’s rousing episode, hosts Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman focus on the trailblazing work of Biblical archaeologist and Torah scholar Vendyl Jones, Jim’s mentor of blessed memory. Vendyl brought many non-Jews to a recognition of the G-d of Israel and a love for Torah, and Jim reports his experiences after attending an inspiring conference that was recently held in his memory. Rabbi Richman expounds upon Maimonides’ ‘Thirteen Principles of Faith,’ a universal credo that expresses the fundamental articles of faith cherished by Jew and Gentile alike. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

In this week’s Torah portion of Pinchas, we meet the High Priest Aaron’s grandson, for whom the portion is named. Pinchas suddenly emerges as a bold new leader for this new generation of the Children of Israel, and his unprecedented strike against the heinous immorality calculated by the wicked Bilaam and King Balak to destroy Israel, earned him a Divinely-appointed 'Covenant of Peace'… and a covenant of 'Eternal Priesthood.' This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on the unusual step taken by Pinchas to save his people from the abyss of immorality. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman connect the themes of the portion with our contemporary reality, and offer some deep insights into the existential separation anxiety and spiritual roots of the annual ‘Three Weeks’ of mourning for the Holy Temple, which begin with the Fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz, observed this year on July 6th. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

(Due to technical issues, this week's podcast is available in audio format only) The Torah portion of Balak introduces Bilaam, the infamous heathen prophet. In addition to being a sorcerer of darkness, he was also a great philosopher and humanitarian, and a glib spinmaster who fancied himself to be a close confident of G-d. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast examines the nature of this ancient prophet, who used words to hone antisemitism into a fine art, and his legacy in action today. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

The Hebrew month of Tammuz has now begun, and this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at some of the mystical, as well as practical dimensions of this month, whose main spiritual challenge is associated with the healing of our vision. Things are not always as they appear to be in this life, a theme also expressed in the Torah readings in the book of Numbers. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine the elusive thread that connects the Red Heifer, Moshe’s striking of the rock, and AI…only to discover, like the old song goes…how little we know. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

The Torah portion of parashat Korach introduces us to the first rebellion mentioned in Torah (or was it the second?) – the insurgence against Moshe led by the illustrious Levite, Korach. Who was this man and what life-lessons does Torah impart to us through this remarkable episode? Why Did Korach’s showdown with Moshe feature 250 Talitot of pure sky-blue color? In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share Midrashic, spiritual and psychological insights that provide backstory and context to illuminate this fascinating and compelling story. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at the enigmatic Generation of the Desert, that generation of Israelites who participated in the Egyptian exodus, were present at the transformative Sinai experience, and rose to a great level of holiness, yet ultimately failed dismally, as we learn from the sin of the spies. How do we understand the extreme dichotomy of people who could be so righteous and yet, so flawed at the same time? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine this question in the light of fascinating Torah insights into the nature of the human condition, the essence of true leadership, and the natural desire that pulls towards materialism, vs. the spiritual hunger for closeness to G-d. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Now that we have completed the spiritual goals of the Omer and experienced the re-giving of Torah at Mount Sinai on Shavuot, how can we keep up our zeal and enthusiasm in serving G-d all the time? In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share practical advice, wisdom and insights on the Torah’s concept of living with intent, and how important it is that we learn to focus on Hashem’s presence in our lives all year round. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Jerusalem Day, coinciding this week with Friday May 19, marks the 56th anniversary of the liberation and unification of Jerusalem in the miraculous Six Day War. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at the trajectory between this emotionally-charged day of prophetic promise, and Shavuot, the upcoming Festival of Weeks. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on the dual nature of this powerful festival, the anniversary of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and its relevance to Israel and to the entire world. Rabbi Richman also shares truth – and facts – about the recent Islamic Jihad attacks against Israel, during which over 1200 missiles were launched at Israel within the period of a few days. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This past week, we celebrated ‘Lag B’Omer,’ the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, a day of great joy which is traditionally observed as the anniversary of the passing of the holy 2nd century sage, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Rabbi Shimon is credited with authoring the Zohar, the book of mystical teachings that illuminate the deepest wisdom of Torah and the secrets of creation, and G-d’s interaction with the universe. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast ponders the question: Who is a 'tsaddik', Hebrew for a truly righteous person, and what is the Torah’s ideal of what a righteous person should be? What is the role that these people fill throughout history, and how can we relate today to this ideal role model of perfected human behavior? Is the 'tsaddik' other-worldly, or is he a regular person, just like us? ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

Within the framework of this healing month of Iyar, and smack dab in the midst of these days of the counting of the Omer – days of great potential for spiritual growth – this week we encounter the unique and unsung holiday of ‘the second Passover,’ called by our sages the Holiday of Second Chances. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on the theme of the universal hope that underlines and uplifts the human condition. It’s the hope in G-d’s promised Redemption – both personal and global – that the whole world is longing to express on every level. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, recorded on the eve of Israel Independence Day, is in honor of Israel’s 75 birthday! Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share their perspectives and give their personal thanks to G-d for the State of Israel, discussing its significance in prophetic fulfillment, and its unique mission in the saga of human history. Our hosts reflect on Israel’s role in the life of both the Jewish people and the nations, and talk about the signs and promises of the messianic era, and true meaning of the anticipated Redemption.

___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week’s double Torah reading of the portions of Tazria and Metzora focuses on the mysterious ailment known as ‘the affliction of tzarat,’ which the Torah sages understand to be a consequence of the widespread sin of ‘lashon hara,’ evil speech in its various forms. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman focus on the Torah’s outlook on gossip, talebearing, and other forms of speech which are forbidden –even if true – because they can cause damage to another person. This is a beautiful example of the high standards of sensitivity that Torah seeks to instill in a caring, sensitive society. This is in diametric opposition to the widespread insensitivity, public shaming and cancel culture that takes place daily on social media platforms ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast welcomes the Festival of Passover. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the eternal covenant of the Passover offering, the seder night, the unique prohibition against chometz (leaven) – and the significance of Passover for all mankind. Passover is a uniquely Jewish holiday but at the same time, it is the birth of freedom for all mankind and is of great importance for all non-Jews who love the G-d of Israel. Note: The Jerusalem Lights podcast will be taking a break during Passover week. Our next broadcast with G-d’s help, will be Wednesday, April 19th, 2023 Wishing you blessings for Chag Kasher V’sameach, joyous Passover blessings to the whole world! ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

This week, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman host special guest Dr. Bernie Kastner, a Jerusalem-based psychotherapist, rabbi and author of numerous books about life after death and the journey of a soul. What is the Torah's view on the immortality of the soul, life after death, and reincarnation? Are there parallels between ancient Torah knowledge and modern research? Tune in to this fascinating edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast for the answers! Dr. Kastner's books are available on Amazon, and he can be reached at [email protected] ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi

This week, we prepare to welcome the month of Nisan, time of the Exodus from Egypt as well as the promised future Redemption. International headlines are focused on Israelis demonstrating against the government’s proposed ‘judicial reform,’ and all the while, devastating terror attacks against Jews continue unabated. What is really going on in the midst of this upheaval and who is behind it? In this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman take spiritual stock of the situation and focus on what is stake and how it all connects to this month’s theme of the Divine plan for Redemption and renewal of faith. ___ Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow: Paypal: [email protected] or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... In the USA: Jerusalem Lights Inc. Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490. In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395 Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel:    / @jerusalemlights-...   Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbiChaimRi...

The book of Exodus comes to a finale this week with the reading of its last two Torah portions, Va’yakhel and Pekudei. The grievous sin of the Golden Calf resulted in the first Yom Kippur: the expression of the Creator’s eternal love and forgiveness for His people. On the day following Yom Kippur, Moshe instructs all those ‘who have heart’ to come forward and donate towards the building of the tabernacle…but first he delivers G-d’s declaration to observe Shabbat. The Sabbath and the Tabernacle are two expressions of the same concept: how to hold on to the true reality of the Creator, in an illusory world of doubt and materialism. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore and illuminate these vast and compelling concepts and their significance for all people today.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  

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In recent weeks, multiple terror attacks have been perpetrated in the Land of Israel against the Jewish people.  Families are being destroyed by these murderous attacks. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast looks to set the record straight and examine the root and cause of what Israel is currently facing. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman present a reality check of current events transpiring in the Land of Israel, examining the spiritual dimension and the historical and political roots and implications of this era. The truth is far from the media’s hypocritical, agenda-driven portrayal.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]  or: https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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This week marks Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the new Hebrew month of Adar, whose apex is the holiday of Purim. This is a time of year especially associated with joy – but what is the secret of Adar joy, and how can we tap into it all year long? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore the unique spiritual dimensions of the month of Adar and its confluence with the Torah portion of Terumah, featuring the fascinating concept of the Ark of the Covenant. As the Book of Exodus shifts its focus to building a home for the Divine Presence in this elusive world of illusion, we ask: if G-d is indeed playing ‘Hide and Seek’ with us, where and how can He be ‘seen?’  

___ Rabbi Chaim Richman  

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Jim Long’s current visit from Arkansas to Israel gives our hosts an opportunity to broadcast the Jerusalem Lights podcast face to face. United in the rabbi's studio in Jerusalem, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the close-to-home pain of a recent terror attack, and examine the urgent events of the day... trying to make sense of Israel’s current imbroglio of ‘judicial reform’ on the backdrop of this week’s Torah portion of Mishpatim: the Divine laws for a just society bequeathed by G-d at Mount Sinai.  ___ 

Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:

Paypal: [email protected]  or:

https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?locale.x=en_US

In the USA:

Jerusalem Lights Inc.

Post Office Box 16886

Lubbock Texas 79490.

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395

Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel

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This week’s rousing edition of the Jerusalem Lights Podcast is up-close and personal, as Rabbi Richman shares his recent experiences in the context of this month of Shevat and its theme of constant renewal – as well as the Redemption from Egypt, and the freedom it brings from the fear of human vulnerability. Join our hosts for a lively discussion on Torah’s unique concept of the sanctity of time, and the gift of time as a partnership between man and the Divine. Consummate Egyptologist Jim Long rivets our attention on ancient sources that provide Egyptian perspective on the Biblical account of the plagues and the exodus of Israel.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:    Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.    

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel    

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The ten plagues that were visited upon Pharaoh and all of Egypt, as they unfold in this week’s Torah portion of Va’era, testify to the true meaning of G-d’s name: The One who brings all of reality into being, and the One who can rock the very foundations of creation by changing that reality. These plagues were not a punishment for Egypt; they were a tool for the revelation of G-d’s presence in a world where everything appears to be happenstance. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long presents fascinating historical proof from the annals of ancient Egypt that provide eye-witness accounts of the Torah’s description of the ten plagues, and the devastation that was wrought on Egypt. Rabbi Richman presents an amazing, visual etymological analysis of the Hebrew terms for ‘exile’ and ‘redemption,’ and the spiritual implications of these vast ideas – forces that move through history in the Divine plan leading to the Ultimate Redemption.   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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The Book of Exodus begins with severe climate change: A ‘new king’ arose who did not acknowledge the debt of gratitude that Egypt had to Joseph, and with the passing of Joseph, his brothers, and that generation – the bondage and exile of Israel in Egypt began. Pharaoh’s goal was to destroy the nation even before it’s creation, and to that end he embarked upon a campaign to destroy the family unit and prevent the birth of the Israelite children, through means that included the force separation of man and wife, as well as elements of psychological warfare that have an eerily contemporary ring. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long gives us a fascinating virtual tour of the Land of Goshen against the background of modern Egypt, and we explore the past and present spiritual dimensions of Pharaoh’s Final Solution to the Jewish problem. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

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This week’s Torah portion of Miketz opens as Joseph quickly rises to power in Egypt. His purity and righteousness will endow him with Divine guidance, and enable him to provide sustenance during the years of famine that Pharaoh foresaw in his dream. This week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast celebrates Joseph and his connection to Chanukah, the beloved Festival of Lights that we are observing this week. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share Torah insights, archeological discoveries and most importantly, parallels to our contemporary reality, that emphasize the wisdom, depth and eternal relevance of this inspiring time.   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.  

 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  

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This week’s Torah portion of Va’yeshev begins the story of the righteous Yosef, maligned, misunderstood and betrayed by his brothers and brought down to Egypt, where he will rise to the pinnacle of power. The life of Yosef, replete with exile and redemption, and touched by the Divine providence of personal miracles, shares many themes with the upcoming Festival of Chanukah, and foreshadows our own lives today.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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The Torah portion of Vayishlach depicts the patriarch Yaakov’s struggle with a mysterious figure understood to be the archangel of Esav…a struggle that lasts ‘until dawn…’ – alluding to Israel’s eternal struggle with the spirit of Esav until the dawn of Redemption. In this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights Podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore the multiple dimensions of the face-off between the forces of Yaakov and Esav that have reverberated throughout the generations of Israel’s struggle, now blatantly manifest in a sharp rise of unchallenged and unchecked anti-Semitism, and personified by high-ranking representatives of the United Nations openly expressing hatred and incitement against Israel. Calling on Jews and Gentiles who love the G-d of Israel to unite! 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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A palpable tension forms the backdrop of this week’s Torah portion of parashat Vayeitzei, ‘And he went out’ – Gen. 28:10), as the patriarch Yaakov (Jacob) and his wives begin to have children, and establish the foundation for the nation of Israel. Everything about bringing these children into the world is marked by struggle. In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights Podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman talk about the forces that were at work to prevent the Children of Israel from forming. Lavan sought to destroy the family of Israel. Our hosts reflect upon the similarity between the wicked Lavan’s machinations and the agenda of those today who declare war against the family and family values. What is their agenda, and where is it leading to? Plus: Rabbi Richman talks about Divine intervention and personal miracles as he shares some news you haven’t heard about the Jerusalem bombings that took place last week.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone  Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

In this week’s Torah portion of parashat Toldot we witness the beginning of the saga of Yaakov and Esav, two non-identical twins who are polar opposites. From their earliest age, these two individuals represent diametrically opposing world views. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast introduces their story, which manifests throughout world history as they seek to achieve their goals. It’s a story which is as yet unfolding, and the redemption of mankind hangs in the balance.  Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman also talk about a unique aspect of prayer, and ask, ‘what happens to prayers that go unanswered? Where do they go?’ 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone  Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

This week’s Torah portion of Chayei Sarah opens with the death of the matriarch Sarah, and a detailed accounting of the painstaking arrangements that Abraham made for her burial. Why the great detail? What does Torah teach about death, and what happens to the soul when we leave this world? How do we deal with the subject of death while remaining ever joyous about life? This week’s eye-opening Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at one of the greatest challenges we face as mortal beings: reconciling with the end of life. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss Torah traditions and teachings emphasizing that death is not the end at all, but a new stage for the eternal soul, the spark of God we have been entrusted with.    

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone  Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

The patriarch Abraham was a true man of kindness, emulating that Divine attribute and teaching the value of doing good for others unconditionally…a trait that Torah urges us to strive to achieve. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect upon how a simple act of hospitality can be an experience of holiness…. literally becoming the road that leads to paradise. Our hosts talk about Political Correctness, media distortion and the demise of democracy. So much about contemporary society today, especially the political climate, is predicated on demeaning and degrading others;  those who go against the stream of PC and stand up for the truth are even dehumanized…just like in Abraham’s time.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone  

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  

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In this week's episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts discuss some of the deeper spiritual dimensions of this Hebrew month of Marcheshvan. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman are also intrigued by the Tower of Babel, which was the flagship project of Nimrod, the world's first king, a master manipulator whose goal was total mastery over everyone...even over G-d Himself. The 'Dark Tower' of Nimrod was the capital of the brave new world he sought to create, a godless, dystopian society where progress and technology were worth more than human life. This week’s Torah portion of parashat Lecha Lecha introduces the patriarch Abraham, the one man who stood up to this evil despot. Jim shares his inimitable archeological knowledge, which as always, sheds fascinating light on these subjects and more.  _________

Rabbi Chaim Richman  

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone  

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

Blessings for this new month of Marcheshvan! During this month we look forward to the beginning of  the much-anticipated rainfalls of blessing in the Land of Israel. Water is life itself, and the most basic manifestation of faith rewarded. Yet water is also the instrument of Divine retribution, and the great flood in Noah’s time began during this month of Mar Cheshvan. How does that work? In this week’s Torah portion of Noach, we learn about the flood that was brought upon the earth to reset all life. Mankind’s rampant, incorrigible evil had corrupted every aspect of life on earth, and Noah was given the responsibility of saving humanity. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine the spiritual aspects of water and the mystique of the righteous Noah, lone hero in a world gone mad.   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone  Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

This week's Jerusalem Lights podcast celebrates the restart of the yearly cycle of weekly Torah readings this Shabbat, with the first portion of B’reishith, the Book of Genesis. Exploring the remarkable confluence of Torah knowledge and scientific discovery, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman’s fascinating discussion touches upon everything from the elusive mystery of G-d’s name, to the Torah’s view on pre-historic man (were there people before Adam?) Our hosts' amazing and animated discussion moves swiftly from the age of the universe, to the pagan origins of Halloween, to little-known aspects of the lives of literary giants Edgar Alan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle…and Conan Doyle’s unlikely relationship with the famed illusionist Harry Houdini. An amazing kick-off for the new year of 5783! 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

The powerful spiritual experience and cathartic relief of Yom Kippur propels us into the Sukkah! The Festival of Tabernacles is the crescendo of the Tishrei holidays and dwelling in the temporary booth of the sukkah provides an opportunity to spend some intimate quality time with G-d during this formative time of the year. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman look forward to Sukkot in this week's Jerusalem Lights podcast, and ponder the Biblical significance of this beautiful festival not only for Israel, but as the prophets declare, for all the nations of the world. 

Chag Sameach, blessings for a joyous festival! 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:    Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...   

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  

Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

This week's edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on the universal reset of Rosh HaShana, birthday of Adam and time of momentous judgement - and joyous awakening - for all his descendants. Rosh HaShana isn’t just for Israel, but for the whole world…so how do we prepare for it? How do we observe these sacred days, and get the most out of this powerful spiritual opportunity?  Warmest wishes and blessings from Rabbi Chaim Richman, Jim Long and everyone at Jerusalem Lights to all, for a Good and Sweet New Year!  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

Parashat KiTavo

In this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect upon the commandment found in this week’s Torah portion of Ki Tavo, to bring the first fruits of one’s produce in the Land of Israel to the Holy Temple as a special offering. This unique experience, seen as the embodiment of true joy, is rooted in a profound sense of thanks and recognition of G-d.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

Parashat Ki Teitzei

In this week’s episode, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman crank up the Elul spirit with a delve into the dynamics of the fine art of repentance…return to sender! Before discussing what it means to repent, we need to re-define the elusive and misunderstood concept of ‘sin.’

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  

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Parashat Shoftim 

The Analogy of the Glassblower: Man’s Soul is the Breath of G-d

What  is prophecy? Is there such a thing today? How can we tell the  difference between a true prophet, and a fake? In this week’s Jerusalem  Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman present a comprehensive  analysis on Biblical prophecy, replete with fascinating insights on  Biblical texts and the promised return of prophecy as a prelude to the  Messianic Era.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  

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Parashat Re'eh - Jerusalem Lights Podcast # 130: Lost Generation

This week’s Torah portion of parashat Re’eh calls upon Israel to develop a deep sensitivity to all of creation. But what about the Divine image of man and woman in which we were all created? What about the Creator’s purpose for humanity? This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast examines our generation’s unprecedented obsession with Gender Dysphoria and the growing demand for gender reassignment surgery…even for little children. What is a Torah perspective, and a proper Torah response?  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

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Parashat Eikev

The Torah portion of parashat Eikev features some of the most beautiful praises of the Land of Israel, and this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast takes a look at the skewed and hypocritical media coverage of events in Israel seen against the backdrop of the Land’s inherent sanctity and spiritual beauty.   From Adam to King David: Is belief in reincarnation found in Torah? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman respond to a listener’s question with a profound discussion on this compelling and widely misunderstood aspect of Torah knowledge.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  

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Parashat Va'etchanan

Operation Breaking Dawn was a military operation launched by the Israel  Defense Forces which achieved its objectives within 66 hours –  the destruction of the military leadership of the Iranian-backed  terrorist organization Islamic Jihad. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share accurate information  about what is really happening in Israel, as well as much-needed  Torah-based, spiritual perspective that shows how these events are  clearly part of the framework of the as yet unfolding Divine process of  Redemption.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

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Parashat Devarim 

The Fast Day of Tisha B’Av is the apex of national mourning for the Holy Temple. In an episode that combines fascinating Torah insights, harsh reality check and personal experience, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share new dimensions of understanding, pain, faith and hope in this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast.    

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:    Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...   

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490   

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This week as we prepare to welcome the month of Menachem Av, the ‘Consoling Father,’ we conclude the weekly Torah reading cycle in the Book of Numbers – and bid farewell to the inscrutable Generation of the Desert. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the life lessons to be learned from the Book of Numbers, and have a frank and informative discussion in response to a listener’s comments regarding the true Torah belief in the G-d of Israel – and how this belief differs fundamentally from non-Jewish perspective.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

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Th Holy Temple as Interface: Redefining Reality   

From the Theory of Relativity to String Theory, the science of physics discovers the breathtaking imprint of the Creator on every level of reality – paralleling concepts that are foundational in Torah thought, revealed by the sages of Israel through the millennia.     

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

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Parashiot Balak/Pinchas

The prophet Daniel, the righteous Mashiach, the wicked Bilaam, and the James Webb telescope…how are they all connected? 

In the inspiring tour de force of this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman take another look at the nature of reality in the quantum realm and find that indeed, the universe is pointing to the Creator, and the stars map the way…to the dawn of Creation.   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel  Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.rabbirichman.com

Parashat Balak

The mysterious Bilaam, a well-known mystic has-been, tried his best use prophecy to curse the Children of Israel for profit, only to have the words Divinely changed to beautiful blessings on his lips. Who is a true prophet? Why is this incident recorded in Torah, and what can we learn from it today? 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:    Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...   

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490   

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel    

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The Torah portion of Chukat marks the transition between two generations. Everything that happens in this world in the course of human events, is an instrument of Divine purpose, a part of the unfolding of prophetic promises and the revelation of G-d’s Name in the world, as we approach the time of Redemption. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at the spiritual side of the vitriolic reactions to the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, and assails society’s loss of sensitivity to the sanctity of all human life, created in the image of G-d.

The Secret of Tzizit and Fixing the Garden of Eden  

How do we understand the transition from the grievous sin of the spies against the ‘precious land’ (Ps. 106:24), to the insatiable and tragic envy of Korach? The Book of Numbers, called ‘The Book of Mistakes,’ challenges us to overcome our own insecurities and negative feelings, and reestablish the Garden of Eden on earth.   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Reunited once again in Jerusalem, Rabbi Richman and Jim Long share joy, inspiration and the profound spiritual insight of seeing Hashem’s anonymous signature on the events in our lives, in this very special and personal wedding edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Man and Wife and the Divine Presence: Fixing the Garden of Eden  

This week’s episode introduces the inscrutable Generation of the Desert, as Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the fate of this amazing, misunderstood generation, and share unique Torah insights and life lessons to accompany the Book of Numbers.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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The 49 days of counting the Omer reach their conclusion this Shabbat, and the Festival of Shavuot, called by Torah 'The Festival of the First Fruits,' begins at the conclusion of Shabbat. Shavuot is the anniversary of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and we prepare to receive Torah anew, with great joy and anticipation!  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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As we transition in our weekly Torah readings from the Book of Leviticus to the Book of Numbers, this extraordinary episode in honor of next week's commemoration of Jerusalem Day connects the songs of the Levitical choir in the Holy Temple to Quantum Theory, Black Holes and the breathtaking natural phenomena of Aurora Borealis. What do they all have in common? The answer will surprise you!  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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What is the significance of ‘Lag Ba’Omer’, the 33rd day of the Omer  counting? 

Why do thousands stream to the Galilee tomb of the renowned  second century sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, and what is the Torah  concept of prayer at the grave of the righteous?  

In this week’s  Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the  main lesson that we can learn from the lives of the righteous.

___ Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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The Temple Mount and Freedom of Worship in Israel    

This week our hosts discuss the recent spate of terror attacks in Israel in the light of history and the Torah's emphasis on the importance of the Land of Israel and the key role it plays in the redemption of Israel and all mankind. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman present a scathing analysis of these painful events as they are falsely portrayed in the media and manipulated by the political echelon. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Israel, Hashem’s Witness Throughout History      

This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast celebrates Israel Independence Day. What is the secret of Jewish existence…and what is Israel’s message for the world?   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Can People Emulate G-d, and Bring Light into the World?  This week’s Jerusalem Light podcast focuses on the spiritual work of the days of the Counting of the Omer….’clearing the field of stones.’  Why was ancient Egyptian society so obsessed with death? The answer provides an insight into today’s culture of woke.   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Passover is the birthday of freedom. But what does it mean to be free?  This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast is a Passover special, as Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on the powerful spiritual dynamics of this beloved festival: the eternal covenant of the Passover offering, the haggadah and the seder night, the unique prohibition against chometz (leaven) – and the significance of Passover for all mankind. Our hosts answer a listener’s question: Should non-Jews celebrate Passover?    

Jerusalem Lights wishes you chag kasher v'sameach, a joyous and kosher Festival of Passover!  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Parashat Metzorah

Shabbat HaGadol, the ‘Great Sabbath’ which precedes Passover, ushers in this season of miracles. The moving backstory of how this Sabbath gets its name, reminds us of our own mission – and challenge – to rise up in defiance of the woke agenda of the modern-day Pharaohs who seek to enslave our minds and subjugate our souls. As Passover approaches, the promise of true freedom and redemption beckons us all to take a bold stand for the One True G-d!   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

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Parashat Tazria - 

Will Smith & the Vacuous, Morally Bankrupt Media: The Slap Heard Around the World  

As Israel reels from the worst wave of Arab terror since the second Intifada, the upcoming Hebrew month of Nisan, called by Torah ‘the first of all the months’ (Ex. 12) and known as the ‘time of redemption,’ coincides with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman focus on this dichotomy and provide sensitive and penetrating Biblical perspective and real-time analysis, asking difficult questions and offering honest and thought-provoking insights.    ___ 

Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

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Parashat Shmini - The Red Heifer: Faith that Transcends Knowledge     

In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on the convergence of the Torah portion of Shmini with the ‘Sabbath of the Red Heifer,’ and the eternal truths we learn from the untimely deaths of Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu. What does it mean to really serve G-d in this world? 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490 

 In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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The Historical Record of Purim and the Struggle to Rebuild the Holy Temple   

In honor of Purim, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman shed light on the Purim story as told by the Scroll of Esther, beginning with the Fast of Esther and its remarkable power of prayer. Our hosts present unique Torah thoughts, fascinating historical and archeological information, and spiritual insights that motivate us all towards spiritual growth, challenging all people to internalize the universal lessons – and redemptive promise – of this ‘highest of all days,’ wherein the true nature of our relationship with our Creator is revealed. ___ 

Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Parashat Vayikra - Secrets of Leviticus: Sensitivity to the Sanctity of Life    

This week we begin our weekly Torah readings in the book of Leviticus, called ‘the heart of Torah,’ featuring the much-misunderstood Temple offerings, which teach man to be sensitive to the sanctity of all life….especially to human life, for man was created in the Divine image. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on the magnificent intersect of Leviticus with the themes of the upcoming holiday of Purim, and the Divine mandate to eradicate evil from this world.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Parashat Pekudei

As the world witnesses Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and its terrible cost in lives, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the prophets’ vision of the unity of all mankind, and pray for the plight of all who are suffering from this devastation. Our hosts examine the patterns of Divine synchronicity that connect the Tabernacle, the Month of Adar…and Vladimir Putin.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel

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Parashat Shekalim: Only a Half Can Become Whole  

The construction of the tabernacle in this week’s Torah portion of Vayakhel was a work of the heart: Israel’s response in coming forward with the materials to build the sanctuary is described as ‘everyone whose heart motivates him; every wise-hearted person, everyone whose heart inspired him…’ – Why is this commandment, more than any other, seemingly dependent on the heart?  Jim Long has been visiting in Israel for several weeks and on the eve of his departure back to Arkansas, Jim and Rabbi Chaim Richman recorded this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast and share their hearts as well, responding to a viewer’s comments about how people reconcile with G-d. What do the sacrifices in the Holy Temple accomplish, and does the messiah have a role in each individual’s relationship with the Creator? 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Parashat Ki Tisa

Shema Yisrael: One G-d Acknowledged by the Whole World  Is Torah study only for Jewish people, or can non-Jews access its wisdom freely? Is it permitted or forbidden? Is it merely tolerated, or warmly encouraged? There seems to be lots of confusion and many opinions. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman weigh in on this vitally important question, and look to the Torah itself and the prophets of Israel, to examine the relationship between Israel and the nations, and the role of Jews and Gentiles together in bringing about the ultimate Divine plan of redemption -- the redemption of all humanity. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Parashat Tetzeveh

Plain Talk about the Jewish Belief in the Coming of the Messiah  

Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman answer a listener’s email and share a frank, direct and informative conversation about the Jewish belief in the coming of the messiah…what does Torah teach us about who he is, who he isn’t, what he does, and how we will know that he is the real thing? A podcast not to miss!   

Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Parashat Terumah

It’s a joyful return to the Land of Israel for Jim Long! Our hosts are united and broadcast this week’s podcast side by side, together from  Jerusalem. Jim provides a unique Noahide’s perspective on why the Land  of Israel should be important to non-Jews, and Rabbi Chaim Richman  explains the challenge that we all face during these dark, dystopian  days: Whose side are you on?

Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490  

In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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PARASHAT MISHPATIM

This week’s Torah portion of Mishpatim (Ordinances) is firmly anchored in this very physical world…but yet, it is a perfect continuation of the  thunderous, Divine Sinai Revelation. Torah was given for people to keep in this world! These commandments are an expression of G-d’s will for  Israel to establish a just, caring society, and they infuse our everyday  lives with the light of G-d’s presence.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    

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Parashat Yitro

As the newly freed nation of Israel prepares to receive the Torah at Mount Sinai, enter our portion’s namesake…Yitro, the father in law of Moshe. Yitro, a man with seven names, was once the world’s most accomplished idolatrous priest…but his true sincerity, humility and integrity lead him to embrace the One G-d of Israel, and the inspiring tale of his life is the timeless story of a true iconoclast and hero…a role model for all those non-Jews who seek to cling to the G-d of Israel. A perfect focus to celebrate this week’s 100th episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast!  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    

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Parashat Beshalach

What was it about the Splitting of the Red Sea that caused Moshe and the Children of Israel to burst into song, for the first time? And why doesn’t G-d perform miracles for us today? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share thoughts and exchange views about Hollywood movies, the challenge of making a living…and faith in G-d! Especially when it comes to belief in the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the dead!  ___ 

Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:    Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

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Parashat Bo

The final three of the ten plagues, locusts, darkness and the slaying of the firstborn, are visited upon Egypt....leading directly to the Exodus. What is the significance and meaning that these Divinely-orchestrated wonders have for us today? Pharaoh is not just an ancient Egyptian king, but an archetype that still seeks to control us through fear and doubt. Our portion teaches us that Rosh Chodesh, the sanctification of the New Moon, represents the Torah’s deepest secrets of the true nature of time. Hashem challenges us to be masters over time, beckoning to us to rise above the debilitating despair that Egyptian exile represents, and to become truly free. Jim Long continues to elucidate us with his amazing knowledge of ancient Egyptian texts that plainly corroborate details of the Exodus experience, including fascinating historical testimony of the ten plagues. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Va'era

The Torah portion of Va’era features seven of the ‘Ten Plagues’ that the Creator brought upon Egypt. Pharaoh, called by the prophet Ezekiel ‘the great alligator of the Nile,’ was the King of Denial – he denied G-d’s existence altogether. In this week’s episode of Jerusalem Lights, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman illuminate that the primary purpose of these plagues was to demonstrate G-d’s unparalleled power…it was about knowledge of G-d, not about punishment. Rabbi Chaim Richman explains why the Egyptian exile and redemption is a such an important Torah concept, and Jim Long provides stunning testimony from the annals of classic Egyptology that describe the plagues and their aftermath – from the unique perspective of the Egyptians themselves.    

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

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Parashat Shemot

This week’s Torah portion of parashat Shemot (‘Names’) begins the Book of Exodus. In a flash, the generation of Joseph and his brothers have passed, and a new king arises in the land of Egypt ‘who did not know Joseph.’ The children of Israel ‘were fruitful, teemed, increased….and the land became filled with them,’ much to the chagrin of Pharaoh, who began to devise a solution to his Jewish problem – and thus began the servitude of Israel in Egypt. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast examines the Egyptian exile, and Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman fast-forward to today, and draw uncanny parallels between the deep, dark exile of ancient Egypt, and today’s lethal new normal of cancel culture.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

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Parashat Va'Yechi

The book of B’reishith reaches its conclusion this week in the Torah portion of Parashat Va’yechi. The time draws near for the patriarch Yaakov to depart from this world, and he seeks to bless his children and prepare them for their upcoming exile and future Redemption. The era of Yosef is coming to an end. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts share some plain and frank Torah talk about ‘Sins of the Flesh’ and the Torah’s attitude about sexuality. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman focus on what we can learn from Yosef’s power of purity, and how his righteousness, especially in the area of sexual purity, conveys a crucial message to our own generation. Jim Long also presents a fascinating summary of the historical record of Yosef in Egypt according to ancient Egyptian records and archeology. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Va'yigash

The dramatic, destiny-driven ‘close encounter’ of Yosef and his brothers in the Torah portion of Va’yigash coincides with three ‘days of darkness’ coming up next week: the 8th, 9th, and the Fast Day of the 10th of this Hebrew month of Tevet. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast ponders the significance of the historical events recalled by these days: The forced translation of the Torah into Greek; the death of Ezra the Scribe; and the start of the Babylonian siege against Jerusalem, which ultimately led to the destruction of the Holy Temple. Yet Tevet, having begun with the light of the waning days of Chanukah, continues to shine forth a light that illuminates Torah’s universal message: finding Hashem in a world of concealment. Plus: the inimitable scholarship of Jim Long once again finds harmony between the Biblical narrative of Yosef, and ancient Egyptian historical and archeological records. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

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Episode # 93

The Torah portion of Parashat Miketz focuses on Joseph’s meteoric rise to power. Joseph’s dreams earned him the enmity of his brothers, and the special garment that his father Jacob presented to him was a major source of their ill-will towards him. But the Torah’s secrets reveal that this was no ordinary coat, and the amazing backstory of Joseph’s famed ‘coat of many colors’ is the key to a deeper understanding of what Joseph’s descent into Egypt and his separation from Jacob was really all about…  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Va'yeshev

The beloved holiday of Chanukah, the ‘Festival of Lights,’ always coincides with the reading of the weekly Torah portions that focus on Yosef, the ‘Master of Dreams,’ favorite son of the patriarch Jacob. This week’s Torah portion of Va’yeshev introduces the young Yosef and we witness the treachery inflicted upon him by his own brothers, and his descent into the idolatrous, licentious darkness of Egypt. Yet throughout his ordeals, Yosef never for an instant lost sight of G-d’s constant, intimate providence. What is the connection between Yosef and Chanukah? How did this handsome young man, in the fullness of his youth, withstand the temptation of his master’s wife's attempts to seduce him? Why is Yosef identified with a messianic force of redemption? Tune in this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast for a pre-Chanukah Yosef special! Plus: Archeological Discoveries in the Land of Israel: The Eternal Truth of Chanuka

___ Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

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Parashat Va'yishlach

This week’s Torah portion of Vayishlach presents a sprawling array of  many of the seminal events in the life of the patriarch Jacob. This  amazing, towering figure, a paragon of truth and righteousness, had  angels at his command and was the recipient of many Divine miracles. Yet  by own admission he felt ‘diminished,’ ‘small’ in his own eyes…unworthy  and undeserving of all Hashem’s kindness. In this week’s Jerusalem  Lights podcast, our hosts reflect on the profound, universal message  that we learn from Yaakov’s great appreciation for all of G-d’s  kindnesses, and how thankful we should be at all times for everything He  does for each and every one of us. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman  offer up a fascinating discussion of Jacob’s battle with a mysterious  angel, and reveal some amazing details that shine a beacon on the inner  meaning of this elusive Biblical account…and how we can all do battle  with our own angels, and win!

Jerusalem Lights Mission Statement: Jerusalem Lights seeks to provide and share the wisdom of traditional Torah teachings with all sincere spiritual seekers regardless of their race, religion, or gender, emphasizing the ennoblement of the human spirit, the brotherhood of mankind, and the nurturing and development of each individual’s personal faith and relationship with the Creator.    Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:    Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...  

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Parashat Va'Yeitzei

A sense of urgency and a strong pull of Divine providence direct the events in this week’s Torah portion of parashat Va’yeitzei, as Yaakov Avinu, the patriarch Jacob, goes from the proverbial frying pan into the fire. Seeking to escape the wrath of his brother Esav, he must contend with the conniving, manipulative Laban. The children of Israel are born to Leah, Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah, and despite Laban’s ill-will, the nation of Israel begins to emerge. This week’s portion coincides with the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass which marked the beginning of the Holocaust. Our Jerusalem Lights podcast examines Yaakov’s confrontations with Esav and Laban as portents for the nation’s future, and delves deeply into the connection between the birth of Yosef, the defeat of the force of Esav, and the hidden light of Chanukah. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Toldot

To sleep, perchance to dream… This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast takes a look at dreams, as we prepare to welcome the month of Kislev, the month of the spiritual ‘fixing’ of sleep and dreams. Some dreams are prophetic, and the energy of this upcoming month is focused on the miraculous…as embodied by the upcoming Festival of Chanukah. This week’s Torah portion of parashat Toldot documents the beginning of the eternal struggle of Yaakov and his brother Esav, a struggle that began while the two were yet in their mother Rebecca’s womb. It’s a face-off that will last until the time of the ultimate Redemption, and the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the Torah's mysterious account of these twins and the elusive meaning and universal significance of their encounters over the birthright and blessings.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

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Parashat Chayei Sarah

The Torah portion of Chayei Sarah features only two concepts: the death of Sarah and her burial at the ‘double cave’ in Hebron, and Eliezer’s mission to find a wife for Isaac. Yet a major theme connects these events: the true meaning of the continuum of the generations, and a deeper understanding of Hashem’s promise of life after death. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share some fascinating ideas about this Torah portion and the secret of Sarah’s tent: lessons on life and death, love and marriage, the spiritual preeminence of women, and above all, the legacy bequeathed to us by Abraham and Sarah for all generations.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Va'yera

Abraham’s very essence was a reflection of G-d’s attribute of kindness, and by bestowing acts of kindness – by emulating his Maker --  Abraham was able to bring others to awareness of the Creator and bring G-dly light into the world. In our illusory world wherein everyone seems to be looking out for themselves and putting each other down, Abraham teaches us that a simple act of kindness, in imitation of G-d’s own love, can change the world. In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, we learn that through such a simple act of kindness, Abraham discovered the entrance to the Garden of Eden…thus demonstrating that the road to paradise is literally paved with good deeds! We also learn about Sodom, the Facebook capital of the World.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

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Parashat Lech Lecha

This week’s Torah portion of parashat Lech Lecha introduces Avraham Avinu – the patriarch Abraham, the original iconoclast and spiritual revolutionary who discovered the One True G-d on his own, and singlehandedly battled against a world sunk in idolatry. Abraham bequeathed the knowledge of Hashem to the world, brought faith to humanity, and rekindled hope for mankind. What fueled this great man’s desire for truth, and what gave him the courage to stand alone against the whole world? This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at stories of the road: the early life of Abraham and what led him to embark upon the long and winding road to self-knowledge, truth, and belief in the One True G-d. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Noach -  The Universal Noahide Laws, the Bedrock of Human Existence     

This week we welcome the new month of Mar Cheshvan, a time of inner spiritual transformation. It’s the month of the beginning of the rainfalls of blessing in the Land of Israel, and yet it's also the time in which the Great Flood began…and this week’s Torah portion of parashat Noach focuses on that flood.  The flood was G-d’s retribution against a humanity that had grown so wicked, it had lost all semblance of the Divine image in which man was created. But where did the world go wrong? This week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast provides a veritable ‘flood’ of background information and Biblical knowledge on the generation of the Flood as well as the nature of this remarkable month of MarCheshvan. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share fascinating insights on the Torah portion of Noah and the urgent messages it conveys for our time. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat B'reishith

With the conclusion of the festivals of Tishrei, this week we begin the weekly cycle of Torah readings at the beginning again, with the first portion of B’reishith, the Book of Genesis. What a Divine Big Bang! What an amazing, all-inclusive, expansive Torah portion. Here are all the most profound secrets of life. Hashem created the world from nothing, all for His love of man and His desire to bestow kindness. This week’s Torah portion affirms to us that there is a Creator who created this magnificent world, and who created each of us…and that like the world, each of us has a new beginning. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the power of restarting the Torah readings this week, coming in from the Sukkah, and tapping into the Divine energy of beginning all over again.   

___ Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

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After the cleansing catharsis of Yom Kippur, we are commanded to joyfully begin the New Year outside the house…by spending a week in the intimate, Divine embrace of our sukkah, the temporary structure that commemorates the booths erected by the Children of Israel when they departed Egypt, as well as the Divine clouds of glory that enveloped them throughout their desert wanderings. The Festival of Sukkot is also observed with special prayers of thanksgiving accompanied by the ‘four species’ (Lev. 23). But why does Sukkot follow Yom Kippur, and why is Sukkot, more than any other time of year, known as ‘the Time of Our Joy?’ This week’s Jerusalem Lights Podcast focuses on the Sukkah, the ultimate symbol – and test—of faith...and finds that the answer is blowing in the wind. This edition of our podcast is a veritable Sukkot special, as our hosts explore and share deep insights and eternal Torah truths of the Sukkah, for Jews and Gentiles alike. Jim Long, a righteous Noahide, explains the importance of the Sukkah for non-Jews, and Rabbi Chaim Richman shares his personal story of the recent loss of his father and the unique confluence in his life of bereavement, mourning, and the Torah’s commandment to be ‘only joyful’ during the Festival.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

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Yom Kippur Insights: How Does Torah Define Sin, and What Makes Repentance Real?

In this week’s Torah portion of Ha’azinu, Moshe calls upon heaven and earth to bear witness, as he delivers his prophetic song of rebuke, consolation, and ultimate redemption. And Yom Kippur, the awesome Day of Atonement will be observed beginning this coming Wednesday night – September 15-16. May non-Jews also participate in the Yom Kippur experience? Should they? How…and why? What do we all seek to gain from Yom Kippur, Jew and Gentile alike? This week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on the meaning and power of Yom Kippur forgiveness and atonement…. but how does Torah define sin, and what constitutes true and sincere repentance? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman begin to prepare for Yom Kippur with illuminating insights into the nature of sin and the fine art of repentance – a gift G-d gives to man which can literally help us become new people. May we all be sealed in the Book of Life for a long life of health and every blessing, amen! A Good and Sweet New Year to all!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:

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Jerusalem Lights Inc.

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The Universal Message of Rosh HaShana Unites Jews and Gentiles     

The themes of this week's Torah portion of Nitzavim help to prepare us for our passage into the coming new year -- just as the portion of Nitzavim opens with the awesome scene of the entire nation of Israel preparing to 'pass into' the covenant with G-d and into the Land. Our portion feature so many foundational ideas that directly relate to the coming days of Rosh HaShana, time of judgment for all humanity, including repentance, warnings against the lure of idolatry, and the call to choose life and cling to the commandments. In this week's special edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman focus on the universal reset of Rosh HaShana, birthday of Adam and time of momentous judgement - and awakening - for all his descendants. Rosh HaShana is for the whole world! Jerusalem Lights wishes everyone blessings for a Good and Sweet New Year!  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    

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Parashat KiTavo / Offering the First Fruits of Our Lives: Everything I Have is Yours  

This week’s Torah portion of Ki Tavo, ‘When you enter,’ seems to be one of extreme, even diametric contrasts. It opens with the quintessential experience of unparalleled joy and ebullient thankfulness – the ceremony of bringing the first fruit offering to the Holy Temple. Yet this very portion also features the ‘curses’ that would befall Israel if they do not hearken to their commitment to observe G-d’s commandments. How do we account for such a vast dichotomy? In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, we learn that these curses are the product of our own self-induced concealment of Hashem in our lives. Our choice is between sweet and constant renewal born of appreciation and acknowledgement, or its polar opposite: the ultimate Amalek-like nightmare vision of vulnerability, fear and isolation...to be a prisoner in a world gone mad. Fortunately – happily – our Torah portion provides the antidote that helps us overcome the peril of existential angst and fear: serving Hashem with joy and appreciation.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Ki Teitze

The Torah portion of Ki Teitzei opens and closes with the theme of battle, and in between, it features more commandments than any other portion – 74 in all. How do we understand the purpose of these commandments in our lives?  It’s Elul, and our world is in a state of chaos and bewilderment…perfect timing! So many people are fearful, and unsure of the future, as we witness more and more violence, natural disasters, and upheaval all over the world. Our world is shaking, but that's right on schedule...this month of Elul is all being shaken up; about crying out to Hashem and finding Him in our lives. It’s a time of inner spiritual upheavals as well – a different, and very personal, type of battle…with one’s own negative traits. The Divine commandments affords us an enhanced, inner vision into the true essence of reality, providing the toolkit we need to win our most difficult battle. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Shoftim: ‘You shall be Wholehearted with Hashem your G-d:’ Don’t be Afraid of Tomorrow     

The beloved month of Elul has arrived! Elul is the last month of the year and in preparation for the upcoming Days of Awe, these are days of special Divine mercy, designed for repentance and deep spiritual work. Elul stands for ‘I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me,’ and rapprochement with our true Beloved – our Creator – is the theme of this month. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on the great challenge of Elul for all seekers of G-d. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss some of the intriguing ideas and special, unique commandments in this week's Torah portion of Shoftim that reflect the nature of this very special month.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    

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Parashat Re'eh

This week’s Torah portion of Parashat Re’eh (‘See’) presents a call for the Children of Israel to become a just, sensitive society in the land promised to the forefathers, always to remain focused on the presence of G-d in their midst. The whole Torah is about developing a heightened sensitivity to ‘avodat Hashem’…serving G-d through everything that we do. And in our Torah portion this week, the concept of the permanent location of the Holy Temple begins to emerge and take shape: for the first time we are told about ‘The place that Hashem your G-d will choose from among all your tribes to place His Name, there shall you seek out His presence and come there.’ (12:5) In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine the challenge of ‘seeing the blessing and curse’ presented in parashat Re’eh, connecting these timeless truths with the fabric of our contemporary reality. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Eikev - 'The Eyes of Hashem, your G-d, are always upon it...' - Deut. 11:12 

The Torah portion of Eikev takes its name from the Hebrew word for ‘heel,’ and this week’s Torah portion begins with an allusion to those commandments that people tend to be less mindful of…perhaps considering them to be of less importance. But how do we know what’s really more, or less, important in G-d’s eyes? In this week’s episode of Jerusalem Lights, our hosts ponder this question. The observance of all G-d’s commandments is greatly emphasized in our portion…and their performance, by Divine design and intention, is irrevocably bound up with Israel’s life in the Land of Israel. We learn much about the remarkable nature of the ‘Good Land’ in this week’s parashat Eikev. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share wisdom and inspiration, elucidating the connection between the Divine covenant, and the Divinely-chosen Land, sanctified above all others – the land where ‘Hashem commands His blessing, life forever’ (Ps. 133:3). 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Va'Etchanan - Ben and Jerry’s, BDS, and the Myth of ‘Occupied Palestinian Lands’:  It’s Not About Ice Cream    

This week’s Torah portion of Va’Etchanan features many fundamental Torah teachings, including the Shema Yisrael and the Ten Commandments. This Shabbat is also ‘the Sabbath of Consolation,’ and coincides with the ancient holiday of Tu B’Av – the 15th of Av, a day of rejoicing. In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on Moshe’s recollection of his heartfelt plea to the Almighty to be allowed to enter into the ‘Good Land.’ For reasons of His own, G-d denied Moshe’s request to enter into the Land, and although unable to enter, Moshe understood the holiness of the land and loved it ....a powerful and ironic contrast to those today who display contempt and disdain for the Land that G-d chose. Our hosts fume at ice cream giant Ben and Jerry’s politically-motivated decision to boycott ‘occupied Palestinian lands.’ It isn’t about ice cream…it’s about an insidious attempt to delegitimize Israel. Rabbi Richman also reviews recent events on the Temple Mount and asks: to pray or not to pray?  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Devarim - How Can We Stop the Cycle of Tisha B’Av Mourning?  

This week we begin to read the book of Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Torah, called ‘Devarim’ in Hebrew. Devarim means words, and this book presents the parting words of Moses to the people of Israel. The man of G-d who had been described in the book of Exodus as ‘not a man of words…heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue’ has now become a man of many words, and Deuteronomy features Moshe’s compassionate rebuke, inspiring ethical discourse, instruction for living, and the Torah’s major articles of faith. The first portion of Devarim is always read immediately prior to Tisha b’Av, the Ninth of Av, and this Shabbat is known as ‘the Sabbath of Vision.’ Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore some intense connections between this week’s Torah reading and the upcoming fast day of Tisha B’Av, and share their thoughts and insight on what Torah’s conception of mourning for the Holy Temple is really all about. How we can stop the cycle of mourning and ensure that this is the last Tisha b’Av without the Holy Temple?  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   

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Parashat Matot-Masei

In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Rabbi Chaim Richman reports about the attempted terror arson attack which took place against his community this past week, and shares his personal pain and insights regarding the heroes who truly risk their lives every day for the sake of the Land of Israel, and the twisted way in which the media portrays them.  This Shabbat is Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the new month, and as we conclude the Book of Numbers with the reading of its last two Torah portions, Matot and Masei, we also usher in the month of Menachem Av – the ‘Consoling Father.’ Although we will soon be observing the fast of Tisha B’Av , the day on which the Holy Temple was destroyed, we are ready to rebuild, and the profound message which the very name of this month conveys is that everything that happens is orchestrated by G-d for the ultimate good. Our hosts share profound Torah thoughts, and Jim Long shares an amazing archeological insight in this week’s Torah reading, as well as reflections on the significance of the first day of this new month being the anniversary of the death of Aaron, the High Priest.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   

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Parashat Pinchas 

The namesake of this week's Torah portion is Pinchas, a grandson of the High Priest, Aaron. Pinchas suddenly emerges as a bold new leader for this new generation of the Children of Israel, readying to enter into the Promised Land. Gone is the Generation of the Desert, characterized by passivity -- Pinchas is a man of action. His bold and unprecedented strike against the heinous immorality calculated by the wicked Bilaam and King Balak to destroy Israel earned him a Divinely-appointed 'Covenant of Peace' and a covenant of 'Eternal Priesthood.' This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on the unusual step taken by Pinchas to save his people from the abyss of immorality. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman connect the themes of the portion with our contemporary reality, and offer some deep insights into the spiritual roots of these annual ‘Three Weeks’ of mourning for the Holy Temple. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   

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This week's Torah portion of Balak focuses on the unholy alliance  between the Moabite king of that name and Bilaam, the infamous heathen  prophet. In addition to being a great philosopher and humanitarian,  Bilaam is an accomplished sorcerer endowed with a unique quality -- his  curses always come true. Balak hires Bilaam to curse the Children of  Israel, to prevent them from entering into their land. Why? What had the  Israelites done to provoke his ire? Nothing. Just because they exist.  G-d turned Bilaam's curses into blessings, but we sure learn a lot from  Bilaam's intentions. Rabbi Chaim Richman and co-host Jim Long have a spirited, learned discussion on the man Bilaam, shedding much light on this amazing Torah portion and  it's powerful relevance for today's world!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?locale.x=en_US 

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This week’s Torah portion of Chukat begins with the ordinance of the Red Heifer, a Divine decree considered to be the Torah’s most inscrutable mystery. This commandment is a ‘chok,’ meaning a decree that is incomprehensible to human intellect. Even the wise King Solomon could not understand the concept of the Red Heifer…yet Moses alone did understand its secret. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast asks, how and why was Moshe able to grasp a concept that no other man can hope to know? And what does this mean for us today? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on the teaching of our sages that ‘the goal of all knowledge is to know that we do not know,’ and our hosts connect this theme to the many ideas in this week’s Torah portion. Also in parashat Chukat: Why did Moses strike the rock instead of speaking to it, and why was his punishment so severe? Tune in to this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast for an elucidating discussion, offering fascinating insights! 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   

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Parashat Korach

The man Korach, for whom this week’s Torah portion is named, led a rebellion against the authority of Moses and Aaron…as camouflage for his true intent, which was nothing less than a mutiny against G-d Himself…a denial of His existence. His power-hungry, ego-driven rebellion couldn’t conceal his real motivation, though…and ultimately, the earth concealed him, as he and his cohorts were swallowed up by ‘the mouth of the earth.’ What does this really mean, and how to we understand this elusive account and the many fascinating, enigmatic traditions and teachings about Korach and his end? This week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights Podcast features Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman exploring the amazing account of Korach and its implications, for Jew and Gentile alike, for our modern world.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:    

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This week’s Torah portion of Shelach begins a turning point in history. The spies returned from their mission of scouting out the Land, and ten of them delivered an evil and false report which slandered the ‘precious land’ (Ps. 106:24) that The Al-mighty had promised to the Children of Israel. What caused this crises of faith? Whatever it was, the act of speaking against the Land set into motion a cycle of suffering which reverberates to this very day. Every disparaging, anti-Israel tweet, every vacuous anti-Israel statement made by ‘celebs’ whose arrogance is matched by only by their ignorance, every lie propagated by the anti-Semitic media in the name of ‘diversity’ – all has its roots in the slander of the spies against the Land of Israel, the Land which ‘G-d’s eye is upon from the beginning of the year to year's end’ (Deut. 11:12).  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   

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Parashat Behalotcha  

This week’s Torah portion of Behalotcha focuses on the enigmatic Generation of the Desert, providing a snapshot of their ups and downs as they traverse through the wilderness, making camp and breaking camp to travel further according to Divine signals. Fast forward to today, as we too traverse through the wilderness of this world…our Jerusalem Lights podcast examines and reviews shocking examples of the sharp rise in anti-Semitic attacks that have taken place in the last month throughout the USA and the world, and the deafening silence of the most of the world’s media platforms and political leaders. Is it just ‘anti-Zionism’ – or is it much deeper? This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast is a rallying call for unity and taking a stand for truth. The G-d of Israel is an unabashed Zionist! Where do you stand on the matter?  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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This week’s Jerusalem Lights Podcast once again focuses on Israel’s defensive war, ‘Guardian of the Walls,' now in its second week. Hamas, the Iranian-backed terror organization that rules Gaza and oppresses its own people, has bombarded Israel with 4,000 missiles, shooting hundreds of missiles each day.  This onslaught continues to be augmented by terrorists of Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah of Lebanon…and has been supported by violent riots and murderous terror attacks against Jewish Israelis terror perpetrated by Arab citizens of Israel. The State of Israel continues to be roundly condemned for defending itself with ‘disproportionate response’ against those who want to wipe it off the map. And then there is the other war…the war of public opinion, characterized by media ignorance, indifference to the truth, and misleading reporting, while fanning the flames of increasingly violent anti-Semitism all over the world. But what does all this means for the average person, a world away, and why should the world care what happens to Israel? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman examine this question, paying special attention to the spiritual repercussions for all humanity: the outcome of this struggle will impact the future of the whole world.    

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Bamidbar

This week, Israel defends itself from an unprecedented barrage of missiles launched from Gaza. Over 1,000 missiles were fired at Israel just in the days leading up to this broadcast, between May 10 -12, resulting in loss of life and extensive damage, and sending hundreds of thousands of Israelis to bomb shelters. At the same time, mobs of local Arabs are rioting in numerous Israeli cities, attacking Jews, and burning down synagogues, stores, cars…while much of the world’s governments hypocritical response, condemning Israeli defensive action but ignoring the attacks against Israel, are predictably hypocritical, and the media’s one-sided portrayal is a showcase of lies, ignorance…and just plain evil. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights Podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman delve deeply into the truth behind these events, shedding much light and dispelling falsehood. As we usher in the month of Sivan, begin the book of Number and prepare for the upcoming Festival of Shavuot, this episode provides vital knowledge, understanding and inspiration.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Facing Tragedy with the Silence of Aaron  

This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on our hosts' struggle to understand the tragedy of Mount Meron. Though we still reel from the unbearable pain of the loss of life, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman reflect on the eternal nature of Israel’s unity: the entire nation shares the pain of every bereaved family. What is the source of this unique sensitivity? Our hosts share their insights, bare their feelings, and pose their own questions as well, especially in the light of this week’s closure of the Book of Leviticus with the reading of its final two Torah portions, as they attempt to frame this terrible tragedy within the context of Torah and Israel’s unique mission of responsibility and moral stewardship.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:    

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This week’s Torah portion of Emor begins with a whisper to the kohanim, the priests who serve in the Holy Temple, instructing them to refrain from exposure to death. What is the reason for the unique rules that govern the lives of those Divinely-appointed men who serve in the Holy Temple? In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts engage in an elucidating discussion on the Torah’s perspective of life, death and the eternity of the soul. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman present a tour de force that demonstrates how this week’s Torah portion is a celebration of life over death…and how the sacred seasons of the Hebrew calendar present us with an opportunity to rise above the banality of the human condition, and constantly renew our lives with meaning and Divine purpose.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...​ 

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The Holiness of Being Connected to This World    

This week’s double Torah portions of Acharei Mot – Kedoshim features G-d’s calling to Israel, ‘You shall be holy, for I, Hashem your G-d, am holy’ (Lev. 19). What does that mean? How can people be holy in this world, and what is a life of holiness? Is this elusive concept a mystical idea, or can it be translated into everyday, practical terms? 

Listen to Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman’s fascinating conversation about revealing the G-dliness in every area of our lives, in this week’s inspiring Jerusalem Lights podcast.   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   

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Understanding the Unique Language of the Book of Leviticus:  At 73, Israel’s Prophetic Message for the World

This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, recorded on the eve of Israel Independence Day, celebrates Israel’s 73 birthday! Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share their perspectives and give their personal thanks to G-d for the State of Israel, recount the miracles of its rebirth, contemplate its significance in prophetic fulfillment, and reflect on its unique mission in the saga of human history.  Our hosts reflect on Israel’s role in the life of both the Jewish people and the nations, and connect the often misunderstood concepts of spiritual sensitivity found in this week’s twin Torah readings of the portions of Tazria and Metzora with our contemporary reality.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Shemini: The Transcendent Power of Keeping Kosher

The tragic and untimely death of Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu appears in this week’s Torah portion of Shemini. How are we to understand the ‘strange fire’ that these righteous men brought as an offering on the special day of the tabernacle’s inauguration? This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast finds our hosts pondering this question, especially as it relates to our own aspirations and enthusiasm for true spiritual experiences. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman connect the dots between the story of Nadav and Avihu, the laws of kashruth, and these unique days of counting the omer.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast is a Passover primer! Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman offer an amazing and inspiring analysis of the eternal covenant of the Passover offering, the haggadah and the seder night, the unique prohibition against chometz (leaven) – and the significance of Passover for all mankind. Can Passover be observed by non-Jews? Should it be? Are non-Jews who love the G-d of Israel encouraged to make a Passover seder? Tune into this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast Passover special for the fascinating and uplifting discussion! Plus: The Torah portion of Tzav continues the theme of Temple offerings with which Vayikra began, but the vantage point changes and the perspective is from that of the Kohen. What are the connections between this week’s Torah portion and Passover?   Note: The Jerusalem Lights podcast will be taking a break during Passover week. 

Our next broadcast with G-d’s help, will be Wednesday, April 7th, 2021   

Wishing you blessings for Chag Kasher V’sameach, Passover blessings to the whole world! 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...​ 

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This week’s Torah portion of Parashat Vayikra begins the book of Leviticus, called by our sages the very ‘heart’ of Torah, which focuses on the korbanot – the offerings that are made in the Holy Temple. Contemporary man has suffered a disconnect from the spiritual foundations of this vastly misunderstood subject, and many misconceptions need to be unlearned -- many ‘sacred cows’ have to be slaughtered in order for us to gain a proper understanding of the system of Temple offerings. In reality, the Divine ‘service’ of the offerings provides us deep insight into humanity’s pivotal role in creation.  The korbanot beckon man to the refinement of his character and urge him to strive for victory in his own constant inner struggle between his G-dly soul and his base animal nature. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone    

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:    

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Jerusalem Lights Podcast #57 - Standing Between the Staves of the Ark of the Covenant  

This week the book of Exodus is concluded with the reading of the last two Torah portions, Vayakhel and Pekudei. On the day following the first Yom Kippur, Moses assembled the entire nation together and conveyed G-d’s message of forgiveness, giving over to them G-d’s commandments of observing the Sabbath and building the Tabernacle—the twin elements for the sanctification of time and space. In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast our hosts reflect on the transcendent, eternal beauty these concepts impart. The tabernacle, with the Ark of the Covenant at its center, is the very expression of man’s participation in the miraculous process of creation. This Shabbat also heralds the arrival of the new month of Nisan, ‘the head of all the months,’ the time of Israel’s past and future redemption, and the great future redemption of all humanity. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman warmly welcome this new month and give testimony to the great spiritual revolution taking place that is embodied by the growing Torah-study community of Jerusalem Lights.   

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...​ 

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This week’s powerful Torah reading of Ki Tisa features so many concepts that speak to man’s perennial search for a true and meaningful relationship with the Creator, even as he grapples with his own limited humanity. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore the universal meaning of the horrendous Golden Calf episode and it implications for contemporary man, and share knowledge and insight in the wide array of connected topics in our parasha that have great meaning for all true spiritual seekers, such as repentance, humility, G-d’s Divine attributes of mercy….and the secret of the Temple's copper laver, which is all about washing away yesterday. And just why did Moses break the original tablets, anyway? 

Listen and be amazed!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...
 

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Purim Parallels and Universal Lessons from the Scroll of Esther

The beloved holiday of Purim will be celebrated this week! In this special edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman delve deeply into the multi-faceted dimensions of the Purim story as told by the Scroll of Esther, presenting unique mystical insights, fascinating historical and archeological information, amazing contemporary parallels, and spiritual insights that motivate us all towards spiritual growth, challenging Jew and non-Jew alike to internalize the universal lessons – and redemptive promise – of this ‘highest of all days,’ wherein the true nature of our relationship with our Creator is revealed.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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The Divine Presence vs. the Spirit of Amalek

This week’s Torah portion of Terumah gives expression to the Creator’s desire to be welcomed into this world – and this changes everything. The message of G-d’s desire that we create a Mikdash – a sanctuary for His presence, first fulfilled with the desert tabernacle and later, through the Holy Temple in Jerusalem -- is a message of love and faith which infuses human existence with purpose and hope. This Shabbat of parashat Terumah is also the special Sabbath known as Shabbat Zachor, wherein, in preparation for the upcoming holiday of Purim, we will read an additional Torah reading: G-d’s commandment to remember the evil Amalek, and to obliterate its memory from the face of the earth (Deut. 25:17​-19). As we discover in this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, these two ideas are polar opposites. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman conduct an exciting and moving exploration of the connection between Amalek’s battle against G-d, and the true meaning of building a sanctuary for G-d in this world.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc...​ 

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Jerusalem Lights Podcast #53 - Parashat Mishpatim

Just last week in the Torah portion of Yitro, we stood at Mount Sinai and witnessed the transcendent experience of the Giving of the Torah. This week’s Torah portion of Mishpatim (Ordinances) is firmly anchored in this very physical world…but yet, it is a perfect continuation of the thunderous, Divine Sinai Revelation. This portion contains 53 mitzvoth, and features commandments that relate to the rights, responsibilities and obligations of the individual, as well as the individual as a member of society. This week's Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on how these commandments, very much about infusing everyday life with moral standards and a proper system for human interaction, are an expression of G-d’s will for a just, caring society. Fulling the Divine commandments in every situation fills the world with the light of G-d’s presence. G-d’s intention is for Israel to receive the Torah at Mount Sinai, and become a nation who lives with G-d in its midst, to be an example to the world.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?locale.x=en_US 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

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Jerusalem Lights Podcast #52 - Parashat Yitro: TORAH FOR EVERYONE!

This week’s Torah portion is named for Yitro, former advisor to Pharaoh and idolatrous priest par excellence. The very same Yitro who became Moses’ father-in-law, and turned with all his heart to follow the One G-d of Israel. What’s more, Yitro was also the architect of ancient Israel’s judicial system. Why is this week’s Torah portion, featuring the most important event in human history – the giving of the Torah known as the ‘Sinai Revelation’ – named after this man? In this week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman explore the many dimensions of the Sinai experience – with particular emphasis on the significance of Torah in the life of the nations. Jim Long provides a unique Noahide perspective on non-Jewish love of Torah in this ‘Happy Anniversary’ edition of our Jerusalem Lights podcast. 

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   

Paypal: [email protected]   

https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?locale.x=en_US 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   

Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel   

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Parashat B’shalach: Walking Through the Sea Towards Our Eternal Destiny

With Pharaoh and the Egyptian army in hot pursuit, the Children of Israel face the Sea of Reeds in this week’s Torah portion of B’shalach. Walking through the water that had miraculously split before them, the Israelites experienced the great saving of Hashem, and collectively rose – man, woman and (even the as-yet unborn) child, to the highest level of revelation. This prophetic illumination resulted in the entire nation bursting forth with the very special ‘Song of the Sea.’ This song sums up their experience as a clear vision of the true nature of reality…they understood that this event was not an exception to the rule, not the temporary suspension of reality—but the suspension of the illusion of this world. This week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast explores the depth and beauty of this seminal event in history as described in this week’ Torah portion and in the teachings of the Sages of Israel. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman also connect the portion’s theme of faith in G-d to the events transpiring currently in our tumultuous world.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Bo: The Torah Concept of Time vs. Pharaoh’s Mind Control Slavery: A Lesson for Our Time  

This week’s Torah portion features the final three of the ten plagues: locusts, darkness and the slaying of the firstborn. It also contains the commandments of the Passover offering, and Rosh Chodesh...the sanctification of the New Moon, which is the foundation of the Hebrew calendar. In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts explore the authentic Torah concept of time, and the opportunity that is given to us – through the sanctification of time – to rise above the debilitating despair that Egyptian exile represents, and to become truly free. In a callout to all who love the G-d of Israel, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman relate to today’s headlines through the Torah portion and focus on the parallels between ‘the narrow place’ of our forefathers’ bondage in ancient Egypt, and our own contemporary reality. Or is it reality? Jim Long continues to elucidate us with his amazing knowledge of ancient Egyptian texts that plainly corroborate details of the Exodus experience.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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PARASHAT VA'ERA

The Modern-Day Egyptian Exile of Psychological Warfare, Fear and Control  G-d’s plan to redeem Israel from Egyptian bondage begins in this week’s Torah portion of Parashat Va’era, which features the first seven of the ten plagues that were visited upon Pharaoh and all of Egypt. But why did G-d take the long way around? Why did the Master of the Universe deem it appropriate to wreak the havoc of these ten strikes, rather than just deliver His people to freedom immediately? This week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast examines this question. Culling from their rich Torah knowledge, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share illuminating insights into the purpose and nature of the plagues. Pharaoh’s rule was based on sowing fear and doubt, and his magician spin masters propped up a world of illusion and kept it up through control and manipulation. Fast forward to today and the description is all too familiar. NOT TO MISS: Jim Long reveals breathtaking historical proof from the annals of ancient Egypt testifying to the Torah’s account of the ten plagues and the devastation that was wrought on Egypt.    

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

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Parashat Shemot: Ancient and Modern Cancel Culture

This week our Torah portion is parashat Shemot, beginning the Book of Exodus. In a flash, the generation of Joseph and his brothers have passed, and a new king arises in the land of Egypt ‘who did not know Joseph.’ The children of Israel ‘were fruitful, teemed, increased….and the land became filled with them,’ much to the chagrin of Pharaoh, who began to devise a solution to his Jewish problem – and thus began the servitude of Israel in Egypt. This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast examines the Egyptian exile, which caused Israel to strive for perfection in the face of adversity. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman fast forward to today, and draw uncanny parallels between the deep, dark exile of ancient Egypt, and today’s mob-rule enforced, lethal new normal of cancel culture, where all can be sacrificed on the altar of inclusion and diversity. A timeless Torah lesson on the recurrent template of exile and redemption.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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Our Jerusalem Lights podcast this week features a special tribute to the memory of an extraordinary man. Spiritual trailblazer, archeologist, author and teacher, Vendyl Jones of blessed memory was a true pioneer of bringing the light of Torah to the non-Jewish world. Jim Long fondly recalls his mentor and shares some of Vendyl’s fascinating personal history, and highlights some of his remarkable achievements. The reading of this week’s Torah portion of Vayechi brings the book of B’reishith (Genesis) to a close with the happy reunion of the family of Jacob in the Land of Egypt. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman look at Jacob’s deathbed prophecy-turned blessings, and the dark clouds that are already on the horizon, preluding the bitter exile and servitude of the Children of Israel that is about to begin.  

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Rabbi Chaim Richman  Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone   

Please support the work of Jerusalem Lights, a USA recognized 501 ( c ) 3 non-profit organization to enable these productions to continue and grow:   Paypal: [email protected]   or:  https://paypal.me/JerusalemLights?loc... 

In the USA:  Jerusalem Lights Inc.  Post Office Box 16886 Lubbock Texas 79490.   In Israel: Tel. 972 54 7000395  

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The Tenth of Tevet and the Septuagint: King Ptolemy, Torah Translations and the Golden Calf of Intellectual Arrogance

The dramatic reunion of Yosef and his brothers in the Torah portion of Vayigash coincides with three ‘days of darkness’ this week: the 8th, 9th, and the Fast Day of the 10th of this Hebrew month of Tevet. Our Jerusalem Lights podcast focuses on the events in history that these days recall: The forced translation of the Torah into Greek; the death of Ezra the Scribe; and the start of the Babylonian siege against Jerusalem which ultimately led to the destruction of the Holy Temple. Yet Tevet, having begun with the light of the waning days of Chanukah, continues to shines forth with light even in the darkness. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the contemporary, universal significance of these events and how their messages ring forth like a clarion call to action in our time, in these days of political, social, economic – and most importantly, spiritual upheaval. There is turmoil – but we are transitioning towards a new era. Plus: the inimitable scholarship of Jim Long once again finds harmony between the Biblical narrative of Yosef, and ancient Egyptian historical and archeological records.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Yosef the Dreamcatcher, Making the World’s Dreams Come True

From Yosef in Egypt to the Hasmonean Priests of Chanukah: Fighting Against Illusion

As we welcome the new month of Tevet and the beloved holiday of Chanukah reaches its illuminating crescendo this week, our hosts enthusiastically relate to the action-packed Torah portion of Miketz which features themes whose messages resonate with the urgency of the unique, ‘uncertain’ times in which we are living. These days may seem uncertain, even chaotic…but Hashem knows exactly what He is doing! Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder Yosef’s unprecedented rise to power and his interpretations of Pharaoh’s dreams against the backdrop of the Egyptian mindset of a divided universe – and the Chanukah struggle of reality vs. illusion. The duality of reality is itself an illusion, and only a manifestation of the perfect Oneness of G-d. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Jim Long share from his vast knowledge of ancient Egypt, pointing to fascinating references to the Biblical figure of Yosef in ancient Egyptian historical and archeological records.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Vayeshev: Yosef and the Beginning of the Descent into Egyptian Exile

The light-filled holiday of Chanukah begins this week, converging with the Torah portion of Vayeshev, which focuses on Yosef (Joseph) the dreamer – the patriarch Yaakov’s beloved son of his old age. To put it mildly, Yosef doesn’t get along with his brothers – and they waylay him, throw him in a pit, and sell him as a slave. He winds up in Egypt as a servant to one of the Pharaoh’s officers. But as our hosts discuss in this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, all the events in our Torah portion are part of a Divinely-orchestrated progression that will ultimately lead to Israel’s exile in Egypt, a necessary step towards Torah and Redemption. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman find that the concepts and mysteries of Parashat Vayehsev, and the enigma of Yosef himself, are inexorably bound up with the themes of Chanukah, the Festival of Light. An illuminating, must-listen Chanukah special!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Vayishlach and Plain Talk About Israel, Iran and the Fakhrizadeh Assassination

The Stain of Esav’s Influence on the History of Western Culture

The Torah portion of Vayishlach includes an exciting array of many of the seminal events in the patriarch Yaakov’s life, including Yaakov’s struggle with an angel; his much-anticipated reunion with Esav, the rape of Dina by Shechem and the revenge of brothers Shimon and Levi on the city, and more. In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman ponder the relationship of the brothers Yaakov and Esav throughout the ages, and the nations who are their descendants. Our hosts examine Biblical and historical references that trace Esav’s influence on the development of Western culture, and find that so many of these historical forces converge together, as reflected by the upcoming festival of Chanukah.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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This week’s Torah portion of Vayeitzei recounts the adventures of the patriarch Yaakov, who fled from Esav and worked for Lavan for 20 years. Yaakov married Lavan’s daughters Rachel and Leah, who together with Bilhah and Zilpah became the mothers of the Children of Israel. But it was Rachel whom Yaakov felt was his true soul mate. Why did he kiss her and cry when they first met? How did Lavan manage to trick Yaakov by substituting Leah in Rachel’s stead? In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts share some amazing background of Torah tradition that fills in the blanks, and gives us an entirely new perspective of this intriguing Torah portion. Plus: Jim Long and Rabbi Richman discuss some dilemmas faced by Noahides and their families based on insights from our Torah portion.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Toldot: Plain Talk about the Birthright, the Blessings, and the Legacy of Abraham and Esav, the Progenitor of Western Culture

This week we usher in the new month of Kislev, whose energy is informed by its crescendo, the Festival of Chanukah, with its theme of the revelation of the hidden light of creation. Indeed, light and darkness is a major theme of this month, and features prominently in this week's Torah portion of Toldot, as Yaakov and Esav emerge and begin a face-off which will last until the end of time, while the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. In this week's episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the Torah's mysterious account of these twins and the elusive meaning and universal significance of their encounters over the birthright and blessings.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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All About Life and Death - and Love and Marriage

The Torah portion of Chayei Sarah features only two concepts: the death of Sarah and her burial at the ‘double cave’ in Hebron, and Eliezer’s mission to find a wife for Isaac. Yet in this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts discover that a major theme emerges from the connection of these ideas – namely, the true meaning of a life well lived. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share some fascinating ideas about this Torah portion and its lessons on life and death, love and marriage, and above all, the legacy bequeathed to us by Abraham and Sarah for all generations – our responsibility to change the world.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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The Incomprehensible Test of the Binding of Isaac :  A Defining Moment at the Crossroads of History

In a show not to be missed, this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast was recorded on the 17th day of MarCheshvan – the day that marks the beginning of the Great Flood in the time of Noah – as the election ballots in the USA are being counted and tension mounts. All sides are in agreement that we are now reaching a defining moment in history, and our hosts reflect on the deeper meaning of the timing of this important election falling out in the week of the Torah portion of Vayera. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman find compelling historical comparisons and contrasts to our contemporary reality mirrored by the life and mission of our patriarch Abraham and alluded to by the epic themes of both this week’s Torah portion and this month of MarCheshvan.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Also, The Amazing Merit of our Mother Rachel

In  this week’s Torah portion of Lech Lecha (“Go to yourself”), the patriarch Abraham bursts upon the scene. He begins a career of teaching  a world that was in denial of G-d, that there really was a Creator. Abraham literally stood up against the whole world, confronting  and exposing the fallacy of idolatry and confounding the evil establishment,  and he reinstated belief in the One G-d, bequeathing this knowledge to  all humanity. But where did Abraham come from? How did he find the Creator? What motivated Abraham to begin his spiritual quest? In this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman focus  on the patriarch Abraham and examine fascinating and inspiring Torah teachings about the founder of the nation of Israel, the great spiritual seeker Abraham. Our program also features a compelling teaching about the virtuous deeds and shining  humanity of our mother Rachel, whose yahrtzeit (the anniversary of her death) is  observed this week on 11 MarCheshvan (Oct. 28-29) and is reckoned as a day especially  propitious for heartfelt prayer.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Noach: The Waters of Marcheshvan: Blessing or Retibution

Water, water everywhere: This week’s Torah portion of Noach tells the story of the Great Flood, G-d’s retribution against a humanity that had grown so wicked, it had lost all semblance of the Divine image in which man was created. The flood began during this very month of MarCheshvan, and yet this month also begins the much-anticipated rainfalls of blessing in the Land of Israel. This week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast provides a veritable ‘flood’ of background information and Biblical knowledge on the generation of the Flood as well as the nature of this remarkable month of MarCheshvan. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share fascinating insights on the Torah portion of Noah and the urgent messages it conveys for our time.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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B’reishith: The Constant Renewal of All Creation

Is the World on Auto Pilot, or is G-d Still Running the Show?

The festivals of Tishrei have concluded and this Shabbat we begin the yearly cycle of Torah readings once again, starting over with the first portion of the book of Genesis – parashat B’reishith. The process of renewal that we have all participated in during this intense holiday season, is now manifest as the renewal of all creation. But the truth is that just as G-d brought forth all of creation from nothing, so too He continues to create the world anew each day. This belief is the secret of our own renewal – and our connection with G-d in our lives. Is man in search of G-d, or is G-d in search of man? Tune in to this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast as our hosts, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman, ponder the mysteries of creation, and discuss lessons of this Torah portion against the backdrop of the modern yet timeless mysteries of contemporary man’s inflated ego and society’s desperate effort to deny G-d’s involvement in our lives.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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The Essence of Sukkot: Prophecy, Prayer and Peace for the World

The Exquisite Beauty of Hoshana Rabbah: Our Chance to Change the Final Sealing of Judgment

This  week's Jerusalem Lights special Sukkot podcast is a tale of two sukkot,  one in Jerusalem and one in Northwest Arkansas, as our hosts reach out  to you with inspiring Torah insights on many aspects of the  holiday, personal sukkah experiences and life lessons, and  festival joy!  Jerusalem Lights wishes all our listeners Chag Sameach, a  joyous festival of Sukkot!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Dwelling in the Sukkah: The Secret of True Joy

Zechariah’s Prophecy and the Nations’ Special Relationship with the Festival of Sukkot

Fresh from the cleansing catharsis of Yom Kippur, we busily prepare for the glorious seven-day Festival of Sukkot, which begins this Shabbat. During Sukkot (the Tabernacles) Torah commands every citizen to dwell in a temporary booth. Why now? What is the connection between Yom Kippur and Sukkot? Sukkot is called ‘the time of our joy,’ and Torah commands us ‘…and you will be only joyous’ (Deut. 16:15). What is the secret of the all-permeating, inimitable joy that is felt so deeply on this holiday? In this inspiring edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts share the very special reason for the deep joy felt on this amazing festival. Jim Long and Rabbi Richman emphasize that the Sukkot experience and its lessons are for Jew and non-Jew alike, and as the prophet Zechariah exhorts, in the future the whole world will be celebrating Sukkot! Chag Sameach, blessings of a joyous Festival of Sukkot!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Change Your Spiritual DNA/ How Does Torah Define Sin, and What Makes Repentance Real?

In this week’s Torah portion of Ha’azinu, Moshe calls upon heaven and earth to bear witness, as he delivers his prophetic song of rebuke, consolation, and ultimate redemption. This Shabbat is known as the ‘Sabbath of Repentance,’ and Yom Kippur, the awesome Day of Atonement will be observed this coming Sunday night – Monday, September 27-28. May non-Jews also participate in Yom Kippur observance? Absolutely yes! Our hosts discuss the concept of Yom Kippur forgiveness and atonement…. but how does Torah define sin, and what constitutes true and sincere repentance? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman begin to prepare for Yom Kippur with illuminating insights into the nature of sin and the fine art of repentance – a gift G-d gives to man which can literally help us become new people. May we all be sealed in the Book of Life for a long life of health and every blessing, amen! A Good and Sweet New Year to all!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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Preparing for Rosh HaShana: Rejoice with Trembling: Making Hashem King on Rosh HaShana: Not Just Lip Service

The year 5780 is about to depart, and we prepare to welcome the New Year of 5781, may it bring every blessing! Rosh HaShana is the birthday of man and a special holiday with universal relevance and meaning for all humanity. In this week’s special edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman emphasize this universality, declaring that 'you don’t have to be Jewish to observe Rosh HaShana!' Our hosts share some tips, and deep Torah insights, on how everyone – Jew and Gentile alike – can make the most of this special time of spiritual portent, promise and renewal. Plus:Israel, the UAE and Bahrain declare peace and understanding…is this prophecy fulfilled? Jerusalem Lights wishes all our listeners a wonderful, peaceful, healthy and Sweet New Year!

Rabbi Chaim Richman Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone  

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Rosh HaShana: Preparing to Receive a New Light and the Transformative Sound of the Shofar

Themes of this week's double Torah reading of the portions of Nitzavim and Vayelech set the stage for our passage into the coming new year  -- just as the portion of Nitzavim opens with the awesome scene of the entire nation of Israel preparing to 'pass into' the covenant with G-d and into the Land. Our portions feature so many foundational ideas that directly relate to the coming days of Rosh HaShana, time of judgment for all humanity, including repentance, warnings against the lure of idolatry, and the call to choose life and cling to the commandments. This week's episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast finds Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman connecting the dots between these concepts and the shofar blasts that signal the universal reset of Rosh HaShana, birthday of Adam and time of momentous judgement - and awakening - for all his descendants.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Torah is the People of Israel’s Deed to the Land of Israel: 

Serving Hashem in Gladness is the Key to Every Divine Blessing

For the nation of Israel about to enter into the promised land, this week’s Torah portion of Ki Tavo presents the quintessential formula for a G-d-centered life: Thankfulness and acknowledgement, commandment and covenant. This week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast finds our hosts pondering the nature of the stark dichotomy featured in this portion: from the sublime joy of the experience of bringing the first fruits offering up to the Holy Temple, to the existential angst and relentless sadness that befalls one who rejects Hashem. What is the connection between these two seemingly disparate sections of our portion? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the Torah’s universal proclamation of thankfulness to Hashem as the foundation of life for all people. Plus: the Great Stones of Mount Ebal and peace with the Emirates…what’s the connection?

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Universal Torah for a World Gone Mad

Grabbing Hold in the Month of Elul: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

The shofar-blast of the month of Elul serves to rouse us out of our lethargy. Elul is the time to wage spiritual battle against everything holding us back from developing our full potential! In this week’s edition of the Jerusalem Lights Podcast, Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman delve into this week’s Torah portion of Ki Tetzei, which opens and closes on the theme of battle, and in between features more commandments than any other Torah portion. Our hosts ponder this plethora of commandments and their significance for all people, Jew and Gentile alike, against the backdrop of the sense of desperation that permeates our current reality.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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Parashat Shoftim: The Month of Elul, a Spiritual Workshop for the Whole World

The Transformative Experience of Torah Study: It's Not Just for Jews

This week's edition of the Jerusalem Lights Podcast ushers in the month of Elul, the last month of the year and a time of repentance, tikkun and deep spiritual work. Our hosts focus on the great challenge of Elul for all seekers of G-d, and the special opportunity it presents us to prepare ourselves for the upcoming Days of Awe. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss how this week's Torah portion of Shoftim (Judges) demonstrates the exquisite nature of the Torah's concept of justice, always based on compassion and geared toward the formation of a just and compassionate society.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Seeing the Blessing and the Curse – and Getting with the Program

Parashat Re’eh: Which Way Are You Going?

Science, Prophetic Torah and the Holy Temple

This week’s Torah portion of parashat Re’eh is a call for the Children of Israel to become a just, sensitive society in the land promised to the forefathers, always to remain focused on the presence of G-d in their midst. The Land of Israel, Moshe teaches, is the physical embodiment of holiness by Divine decree, from the beginning of time, by its very nature, and thus it will naturally nurture this people to become this sensitive society. The whole Torah, especially the action oriented mitzvoth, and particularly in the Land of Israel, is about developing a heightened sensitivity to ‘avodat Hashem’…serving G-d through everything that we do. And in our Torah portion this week, the concept of the permanent location of the Holy Temple begins to emerge and take shape: for the first time we are told about ‘The place that Hashem your G-d will choose from among all your tribes to place His Name, there shall you seek out His presence and come there.’ (12:5) In this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts examine the challenge of ‘seeing the blessing and curse’ presented in parashat Re’eh, connecting these timeless truths with the fabric of our contemporary reality.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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The Past and Future Circle Dance of Tu B’Av: Lessons of Tu B’Av for Today: Love and Unity in a Time of Testing and Uncertainty

The confluence between this week’s Torah portion of Ekev and the ancient Biblical holiday of Tu B’Av provides much inspiration for this week’s rousing edition of the Jerusalem Lights podcast. Our hosts Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman delve deeply into the rich teachings of the sages that illuminate the fascinating history – and prophetic future promise – of the holiday known as the 15th of Av, called by the sages ‘the happiest day of the year.’ What is the source of this happiness, and what relevance does it have in our post-modern world of shattered dreams? What is the ‘heel’ alluded to by the name of our Torah portion, and how can we avoid trampling on the important things in life? Tune in to this week’s Jerusalem Lights Podcast!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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What Will You Be Doing on Tisha B’Av?

The Relevance of the Holy Temple Today – And the Temple Mount Revolution

This week’s Torah portion of Va’Etchanan, with its emphasis on love of G-d and the Land of Israel, opens with a subtle allusion to the Holy Temple. The observance of the fast day of Tisha B’Av this week (July 30) will mark 1951 years since the destruction of the Holy Temple. What relevance does the distant memory of the Holy Temple have for our modern world today? Should we be mourning the past, or preparing for the future? Tisha B’Av means different things to different people…what does it mean to you? In this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts discuss the significance of the Holy Temple for all people, and the promise of hope that it brings to humanity. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share an inspiring, exciting update of the new reality on the Temple Mount, heralding the beginning of a new era for Israel and the world.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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Life Lessons of Menachem Av, the Month of the Consoling Father

Torah for Everyone: Fixing a Damaged, Despairing World with Love and Kindness

This week we begin the month of Menachem Av, and next week on the fast day of Tisha B’Av we will mark 1950 years since the destruction of the Holy Temple. On the backdrop of our brave new world of confusion and doubt, corruption and anarchy, exploitation and manipulation, this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast looks at the world through the eyes of the Torah’s principle of striving to see the good, and understanding that everything is part of a Divine plan for humanity. Our mystic sages inform us that this new month also presents us with an opportunity to ‘rectify’ our hearing…to really listen to what the other is saying with an open heart. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman share Torah wisdom for everyone in this frank discussion, shedding light upon today’s headlines in the light of this week’s Torah portion of parashat Devarim, and the amazing confluence of events that takes place as this new month of Menachem Av enters.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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True Leadership: Responsible, Prayerful, and Selfless

This week we conclude the book of Numbers with the reading of its last two Torah portions, Matot and Masai. The two portions present a vivid portrait of the Generation about to enter the Promised Land. They are instructed in the power of the spoken word in the form of vows and oaths that can render sanctity; they are shown unparalleled examples of the meaning of true leadership; they are commanded to battle against Midian; their journeys are summarized; the borders of the Land are delineated…  Fast forward to our day, as we witness the complete devaluation of the spoken word; the moral bankruptcy of leadership, the harassment and bullying of truth, the delegitimization of Israel…the crossroads facing the Generation of the Land that we read about this week is reflected in our own contemporary reality. Tune in for a resounding message of Torah truth for Jews and non-Jews alike.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Breaking the Template: Do We Have Free Will or is Everything Predetermined?

This week the Hebrew calendar marks the Fast Day of Tammuz 17, which begins a three-week  period of introspection and mourning for the destruction of the Holy Temple. Is there a message in these days for Gentiles as well as Jews? In this week’s episode of the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts relate to this question against the backdrop of the preeminent Torah principle of free will. In this week’s Torah reading, Pinchas, grandson of the High Priest Aaron, single handedly staves off a devastating plague by striking a zealous blow against immorality, earning him a unique, new status of priesthood…and a ‘covenant of peace.’ Who was Pinchas and what was his unique contribution to the nation of Israel? Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long share the fascinating background of this week’s Torah portion of Pinchas, and find chillingly timely, precise parallels between these lessons, and events currently taking place in America and throughout the world.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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The Heathen Prophet Bilaam vs. the Existence of Israel - World Hypocrisy and Israel’s ‘Flagrant Violation of International Law’

This week’s double Torah reading outside the Land of Israel, of the portions of Chukat and Balak together, brings the Diaspora back in sync with the Torah reading in the Land of Israel. The two portions together form an amazing tapestry of the new generation, poised to enter into the promised land. Parashat Chukat begins with the elusive Divine decree of the red heifer and continues with vast ideas and precedents: the passing of Miriam and Aaron, Moshe’s inexplicable striking of the rock, and more. The portion of Balak focuses on the evil alliance of King Balak with the heathen prophet Bilaam, a man whose curses were usually fatal. Yet G-d changed his curses upon Israel into blessings. What was the motivation behind this ancient anti-Israel movement? Why did the entry of the Children of Israel into their land pose such a perceived threat to the balance of power? What was the true motivation behind these curses, and who was Bilaam? This week on the Jerusalem Lights podcast, our hosts delve deeply into both Torah portions and find intriguing, eternal truths that impact upon the destiny of Israel as well as the  lives of all those who cherish the G-d of Israel… and mirror the chaos reflected in today’s headlines.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights |Torah for Everyone

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Narcissism in the Garb of Civil Rights Activism

And, the Dilemma of Israel’s Annexation Question and Lessons of the Month of Tammuz

The charismatic Korach, a Levite of distinction, leads a rebellion against the authority of Moses, ostensibly championing equality and social justice…but it is quickly revealed that his incitement is not directed against Moses alone, but against G-d Himself. His ego-driven rebellion is actually a manifestation of his own myopic, narcissistic world view. Pretending to be concerned about the welfare of the nation, he is only concerned with himself; he is the very opposite of Moses, who is altogether without ego, and places the nation above his own life.  In this week’s podcast Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long ponder the incident of Korach and discuss remarkable parallels to our own time. Throughout history and today as well, we are witness to movements that purport to represent social justice, and are willing to re-write the narrative of history to fit the requirement of their agenda.  Our hosts deliver a fitting lesson for all who love the G-d of Israel, Jew and non-Jew alike, to connect to the energy of this month of Tammuz, with its special qualities and the opportunity it presents to us…the challenge to heal our vision.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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In the USA:

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In Israel:

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The Sin of Evil Speech and the Law of Reciprocity - Speaking Against the Land of Israel: An Ancient Sin with a Modern Twist

The Torah portion of Shelach begins a turning point in history. Moses sends 12 upstanding, righteous men to spy out the Land of Canaan in preparation for the Children of Israel's entry into the Land. Ten of these men come back with an evil, slanderous report that causes the people to despair and cry. This was the first Tisha B'Av, and the disastrous sin of speaking evil against the Land of Israel became the precipitant of countless generations of suffering. What caused these men to undergo such a crisis in faith, and what is the message for our generation? In this week's podcast, Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long ponder the perplexing, painful episode of the spies' slander against the Land, and examine why G-d considered this to be a sin of such magnitude -- more serious than even the transgression of the Golden Calf -- that He decreed this generation would not enter into the Land, but would wander in the desert for forty years. Our hosts connect this untoward incident with the other aspects of this Torah portion, and offer some fascinating insights that can aid us in doing our part to rectify the sin of the spies against the Land of Israel.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

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In the USA:

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The Annexation Question and the Book of Numbers: Do Jewish Lives in the Land of Israel Matter?

The Torah portion Behalotcha read this week in the Diaspora features an incident that shares a theme with the portion of Shelach, read this week in Israel: rebellion against the Land of Israel and a lack of faith in G-d’s promise that Israel can enter the Land and prosper…yet love and devotion to Hashem shines through as well. Rabbi Chaim Richman and Jim Long closely examine a thread that connects between these Torah portions and the burning issues of the day, from Covid-19 to George Floyd protests to the contentious issue of Israeli annexation. Our hosts find that the template and pattern of the challenges facing us today is foreshadowed by the teachings of these Torah portions, shedding bright light on the foibles of human nature which Hashem’s Torah empowers us to overcome.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

Donate to help support the work of Jerusalem Lights at [email protected] or:

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In the USA:

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Priestly Blessing of Peace for a World Gone Mad:   Torah Presents Hashem’s Vision for A Just and Loving Society

As both peaceful as well as violent demonstrations, marches and incidents of looting and killing have plagued American cities, this week's edition of the Jerusalem Lights Podcast focuses on the Torah's concepts of society to be founded on justice for all, compassion, acts of kindness, and above all, the value of peace, as Hashem's greatest blessings for humanity...but as in every area of human endeavor, it is up to us to make the right decisions. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss themes of this week's Torah reading of the portion of Naso as they relate to these as-yet unfolding events.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

Donate to help support the work of Jerusalem Lights at [email protected] or:

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News Flash: G-d Gave Israel the Torah at Sinai Because He Loves This World…and He Loves Man

This week, with the completion of the counting of the Omer, we welcome the Festival of Shavuot, anniversary of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. This week’s Jerusalem Lights Podcast is a veritable Shavuot primer, as our hosts explore many layers and levels of the multifaceted festival and open new dimensions for us on this eminently important time, a time of joyous renewal for all who love Hashem, Jew and Gentile alike. Jim Long and Rabbi Richman discuss amazing Torah insights, and Jim Long shares some moving aspects of the personal story of how he came to Torah and declared himself to be a Noahide….a non-Jew who loves Hashem, Torah and Israel.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

Donate to help support the work of Jerusalem Lights at [email protected] or:

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In the USA:

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Is Torah for everyone, or only for Israel? What does the festival of  Shavuot mean for the spiritual seekers of the nations of the world?

The Jerusalem Lights podcast celebrates the holy city this week, in honor of Jerusalem Day (the 28th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar), which will take place this year on Friday May 22nd. Jerusalem Day marks the day on which Jerusalem was liberated and unified during the Six Day War of 1967, and this year marks the 53rdanniversary. Our hosts reflect upon the spiritual power and preeminence of this special city and its unique distinction as the city chosen by G-d. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman also introduce the Book of Numbers which we begin reading this week in our annual cycle of the Torah portions. The book of Numbers is all about the desert – a fitting segue to the topic of the upcoming Festival of Shavuot. Why was the Torah given in the middle of the desert? And for that matter: Is Torah for everyone, or only for Israel? Tune into this week’s episode for insights and inspiration.

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

Donate to help support the work of Jerusalem Lights at [email protected] or:

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In the USA:

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In Israel:

Tel 972 54 7000395

Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel

The Unbreakable Connection of the People of Israel with the Land of Israel: One Living Unit…and a Message for the World

We bid farewell to the book of Vayikra (Leviticus) as the cycle of this third book of the Torah draws to a close this week with the reading of its two final Torah portions, Behar and Bechukotei. Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman focus on the commandment of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, an amazing bisect of time and space that demonstrates holiness on even the most physical level of earthiness. Our hosts explore the idea that the ‘shemita’ Sabbatical year is both a manifestation of the continuation of the Sinai Revelation experience, as well as a powerful demonstration of Israel’s irrevocable bond with the Land. But these concepts convey a wonderful message for all those of the nations who love the G-d of Israel as well!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

Donate to help support the work of Jerusalem Lights at [email protected] or:

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In the USA:

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In Israel:

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Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel

The Kohanim and the Calendar: Striving Towards an Elevated Perception of Reality

This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast celebrates Pesach Sheni (14 Iyar – May 8), the Biblical ‘Second Passover.’ What is the story behind this elusive, unsung day, and what are its messages for us today? Jim Long and Rabbi Chaim Richman discuss the amazing background of this day, and the eternal life lessons that it brings us. This week’s Torah portion of parashat Emor focuses on the ‘kohanim’ who serve in the Holy Temple and their mandate to live on a heightened level of awareness. Our hosts offer their thoughts about the nature and calling of the Temple priests, and why they are commanded to separate themselves from exposure to death.
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Rabbi Chaim Richman
Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

Donate to help support the work of Jerusalem Lights at [email protected] or:

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In the USA:

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Post Office Box 16886
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In Israel:
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Mail: PO Box 23808, Jerusalem Israel

Independence Day, An Event of Biblical Proportions

Parashat Kedoshim: The Call to be Holy – What Does It Mean to be ‘Holy?’

This week’s Jerusalem Lights podcast was recorded on Israel’s Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers, just hours before the commencement of Israel’s 72nd Independence Day. Our hosts share heartfelt sentiments, experiences and personal insight about what Israel means to us, for the Jewish people as well as for the whole world, and why it should be important to every person who loves the G-d of Israel. This week’s double Torah reading of the portions of Acharei Mot and Kedoshim resonate with a call to holiness… ‘you shall be holy, for I Hashem your G-d am holy’ (Lev. 19:2). But how can we be holy? Our hosts suggest that it’s by connecting with G-d in this world of ours, and by connecting with each other as a reflection of G-d. Jim Long and Rabbi Richman share a moving and powerful discussion about what it truly means to be holy, and bring it all back to what the State of Israel is really all about. Happy Independence Day, and may we merit the Ultimate Redemption of all mankind!

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Rabbi Chaim Richman

Jerusalem Lights | Torah for Everyone

Donate to help support the work of Jerusalem Lights at [email protected] or:

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In the USA:

Jerusalem Lights Inc.

Post Office Box 16886

Lubbock Texas 79490.