Pardes from Jerusalem

What if letting go of control is actually the key to joy?

In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Reuven Margrett explore why Sukkot, coming on the heels of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is called zman simchateinu—the time of our joy. They consider how the holidays form a single journey: from confronting judgment to accepting that we are not ultimately in control. The sukkah invites us to discover how that vulnerability can open the door to gratitude, closeness with God, and joy.

What does it mean to teach without knowing what will take root?

In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Dr. Ales Weiss explore Moshe’s transformation from a reluctant speaker into the poet of Parshat Ha’azinu. They consider the poetry of Ha’azinu as an act of acceptance: after a lifetime of leading, teaching, and trying to shape Israel’s future, Moshe must ultimately let go of control. Their conversation turns to teaching, Jewish life in Prague, and the optimism it takes to plant words whose impact you may never see.

What can the absence of the shofar teach us about how we approach God?

In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explore what happens when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat and the shofar—the holiday’s defining sound—is absent. Looking beyond the practical rabbinic concern about carrying, they consider the shofar as a wordless cry to God: an expression of fear, longing, and the hope that someone is listening. Shabbat offers a different way of approaching God, suggesting that sometimes connection can be found not in crying out, but in quiet trust and love.

This Rosh Hashana podcast is sponsored by Ricki and Dr. David I. Bernstein in memory of Ricki’s parents, Beatrice and Murray Kirschblat z”l, survivors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, respectively. Beatrice and Murray were each the sole survivors of large families which perished in the Shoah. Their resilience and courage in building a family after such loss is a powerful testament to their strength. May the Torah we explore today serve as a blessing to their memory.

What do we hope will remain of our teachings when we are no longer there to teach them?

In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Deborah Anstandig explore Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech through Moses’ final days as teacher and leader. As Moses prepares the people for a future without him, he offers more than instructions—he creates a legacy meant to endure through gathering, teaching, writing, and honest reflection. The conversation asks how we pass on the values that matter most and how the people who shape us continue to guide us even after they are gone.

How much of our responsibility belongs to us alone?

In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Daniel Reifman explore Parshat Iand the covenantal ceremony at Har Gerizim and Har Eval. Comparing it with Sinai, they ask how Torah balances individual choice with collective responsibility. What changes when the people become active participants in the covenant, and what might that teach us about shared identity and obligation in a polarized world?