Celebrating Pesach in Challenging Times: Haggadah Insights from Eight Teachers of Torah (245)

I'm doing something a little different this week. Instead of discussing an issue in the Jewish world, I want to offer some inspirational words about the Seder as we enter the final week before the beginning of Pesach. To that end, I invited several of my podcast guests from the past year to present ideas that they find meaningful, with the hope that they will enhance your own Seder as we navigate celebrating Pesach during this challenging moment in Jewish history.

In this episode, you will hear divrei Torah from Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble, Olivia Friedman, Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin, Rabbi Dr. Judah Goldberg, Rabbi Ben Kelsen, David Bloom, Rabbi Dr. Rafi Zarum, and Rabbi Chayim Soloveichik. You can look in the show notes that accompany this podcast to see the time signatures for each dvar Torah. I hope and expect that their words of Torah and encouragement will resonate with you, and that they will give you additional ideas to think about as we prepare for the Pesach Seder this year.

Timestamps for the divrei Torah:

2:06 - Rav Kook on internal freedom (Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble)

4:49 - Israel as God's first born child (Dr. Yosefa Fogel Wruble)

11:12 - Ha Lachma Ana (Olivia Friedman)

19:37 - Starting with disparagement and ending with praise (Rabbi Yitzchak Shurin)

28:11 - V'hi She'amda (Rabbi Dr. Judah Goldberg)

38:12 - The Ten Plagues (Rabbi Benjamin Kelsen)

55:13 - Dayeinu (David Bloom)

1:00:24 - Pesach, Matzah, u'Maror (Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum)

107:23 - Miyagon l'simcha (Rabbi Chayim Soloveichik)

This week's episode is sponsored by Jewish Communal Fund, where strategic philanthropy meets impact. Visit https://jcfny.org/orthodoxconundrum/ to request an information kit.

Check out Orthodox Conundrum Commentary on Substack and get your free subscription by going to https://scottkahn.substack.com/.

Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108).

Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse.

Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast.

Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com