Mechon Hadar Online Learning

Chapter 12 of the Book of Vayikra deals with the sacrifice of the woman who has given birth.

When we think of the Holocaust, we can only be silent.We are incapacitated emotionally, morally, theologically.  At times it seems that the countless museums and memorials, the ceremonies and journeys, the songs and the prayers, are but a desperate attempt to break free from the paralysis that grips us in its shadow.The Torah, too, knows such a moment when children are consumed by fire, and their surviving family is left with nothing but silence.  

The opening scene of Parashat Shemini is both brief and dramatic.  It depicts the final day of the dedication of the mishkan (tabernacle)—the very day on which Nadav and Avihu die.  

The stories transmitted in the Talmud and midrash present contemporary readers with a rich and delightful entry point into the Rabbinic worldview and mindset, offering moral insights and memorable lessons. At the book launch for How to Read a Talmudic Story, Dr. Jeffrey L. Rubenstein and R. Aviva Richman explore how these narratives illuminate rabbinic values, struggles, and creativity. Together, they consider not only how to read these stories, but what they continue to teach us today.  Recorded in March 2026. Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mh_torah_source_sheets/TalmudicStoryBookTalk2026RichmanRubenstein.pdf

Midrash Vayikra Rabbah offers an extensive homily on the shelamim (peace or well-being offering) based on the linguistic affinity between the Hebrew words shelamim, sheleimut (wholeness), and shalom (peace).  By examining both the technical details of how the offering was brought and the linguistic potential inherent in its name, the midrash transforms a discussion of ancient ritual into an exploration of the very nature of peace.

The exodus is nothing less than the "orienting event" of Jewish life. But Exodus memory also has another, much more painful side: amidst suffering and devastation, Jews remember the exodus and wonder why, if God redeemed us then, God does not do so now. In this lecture, R. Shai explores the double-edge of memory: exploring how it can sustain us in hope and how, sometimes, it can deepen our despair.This lecture was delivered in memory of Jerome L. Stern z"l in March 2026.Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mh_torah_source_sheets/SternPesahLecture2026HeldLivingWithoutExodus.pdf

The Book of Leviticus, Vayikra, begins: “God called (ויקרא) to Moshe and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1).  Why does God begin with a call?  What is the essence and context of this kind of summoning?

What is the value and beauty of Tanakh? And how are biblical texts aware of, and in conversation with one another? In this class, Rabbi David Kasher investigates the Tanakh's conception of Kingship as it is first formulated in the Torah and then recalled and reconsidered by the prophets and kings. Recorded at the Tanakh Intensive 2026.Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mh_torah_source_sheets/TI2026KasherReadingTanakh.pdf

The Torah portions of VaYakhel and Pekudei describe the practical implementation of the construction plans for the tabernacle (mishkan), originally detailed in Terumah and Tetzaveh.  

The absence of a leader creates a vacuum, and this vacuum invites a question: What kind of leadership are we seeking?  At the beginning of Parashat Ki Tissa, Moshe is absent.  When he ascended the mountain at the end of Parashat Mishpatim, he entered the cloud, and left behind an alternative leadership structure, appointing two individuals in his stead: Aharon and Hur.  Who are they, what happens to them—and what do we learn from them about the essence of leadership?

From a theological perspective, the most striking feature of the Book of Esther is God’s absence.  God’s name does not appear anywhere in the megillah, which—at least on the level of peshat (the simple, contextual meaning)—presents an entirely human story.

Being in a relationship is both an opportunity and a challenge.  Relationships with others have the potential to be life-expanding, but to achieve this they must be built with delicacy and intention of mind and heart.  The Torah portions of Terumah, Tetzaveh, and VaYakhel-Pekudei present various opportunities for encounter and connection—with others in general, and the connection between the Holy blessed One and humanity in particular.

Traditional Jewish exegesis and modern academic scholarship often speak in different languages—one theological and reverential, the other historical and critical. In this public conversation, Rabbi Shai Held and Rabbi David Kasher reflect on how these frameworks shape our reading of the Bible, how they challenge one another, and how thoughtful engagement with both can lead to a richer, more responsible understanding of sacred scriptures. Recorded at the Tanakh Intensive 2026. 

Parashat Terumah opens with a divine request. God asks the Children of Israel for a contribution to achieve a specific goal: “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). The entire parashah, along with its layers of midrash, serves as a blueprint for how God seeks to be together with us—and how we can be together with others, even in an encounter that might otherwise seem impossible.  

In addition to loving God and loving our neighbor, the Torah also commands us to love the stranger-sojourner (ger). This lecture delves into this surprising biblical mandate to love the stranger-sojourner and seeks to understand its relationship to more foundational ideas in Jewish theology, ethics, and spirituality. R. Shai considers questions like: Why does the God of the Torah love strangers-sojourners? How does a truly Torah-based society respond to its most vulnerable members? What is the relationship in our lives between our own memories of suffering and vulnerability and the ways we engage with others? Recorded in January 2026. Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mh_torah_source_sheets/HeldLovingTheStranger2026.pdf

Parashat Mishpatim shines a spotlight on human beings and their responsibility for the rest of others on Shabbat. 

Do you love midrash? Hate it? In this class, Rabbi Ethan Tucker delves into this unique rabbinic genre to try and understand its essence: Reading the Torah like a love letter, poring over every phrase, while also allowing our deepest values and concerns to come to the fore. Out of this alchemy, midrash is born and the traditional canon is never the same. Recorded at Hadar's Tanakh Intensive 2026. Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mh_torah_source_sheets/TI2026TuckerMidrashRabbinicImagination.pdf

The Torah describes a moving encounter between Yitro and Moshe, in which Moshe shares his journey and experiences.  A close reading of the details reveals that the Torah offers us a model for meaningful human connection—a way of meeting another person with openness, allowing space both to show and to be seen, to listen deeply and to receive with empathy.

Tu Bishvat is often called the “birthday of the trees.” There is also a reactionary trend to reject this framework of “birthday” and go back to its original, technical and halakhic purpose, which is found in the Mishnah.

The Torah describes: “Amalek came and fought with Israel at Refidim” (Exodus 17:8). Where does Amalek come from? What is the context out of which this war begins?