The Spark Torah podcast is a weekly parsha shiur given over by Chana Miriam Bouskila. Each week we dive into the weekly Torah portion with curated insights that delve deeper, help you understand the parsha, and give you tools to carry away with you into your life.
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Why is a parsha that begins with Sarah’s death called “the life of Sarah”? This week, we explore how her influence continues through Avraham’s choices, Rivkah’s kindness, and the spiritual light of the Jewish home.
We will discuss:
* Living al kiddush Hashem: Sanctifying Hashem’s name through the everyday choices of a Torah life.
* Avraham’s grief and faith: Different explanations for why he eulogized Sarah before crying, and the challenge of serving Hashem without regret.
* The purchase of Machpelah: Avraham’s acceptance of a lasting spiritual responsibility.
* Rivkah at the well: Why her extraordinary generosity made her the right wife for Yitzchak.
* The deeper meaning of Rivkah’s pitcher: A kabbalistic connection between the Written and Oral Torah.
* Our place in the generations: Building on our ancestors’ foundations and recognizing why we are needed in our own time.
* The light of Shabbat candles: Sarah and Rivkah’s legacy and the influence of Jewish women and girls in their homes.
We close by returning to Sarah’s enduring presence throughout the parsha—and the ways a person’s life continues through the people they have shaped.
Parsha: Chayei Sarah | Bereshit 23:1–25:18
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26 Oct 2026
Ep. 90 - Vayera 5787
Vayeira is packed with drama: angelic visitors, the destruction of Sodom, the birth of Yitzchak, and the Akeidah. Through it all, we find lessons about kindness, moral courage, balance, and what it means to serve Hashem in both extraordinary moments and everyday life.
This week, we explore:
* Hospitality without an agenda: What distinguishes Avraham’s welcome from Lot’s, and what can we learn about welcoming ordinary people?
* Standing up for others: Avraham pleads for Sodom, showing us the importance of acting when another person needs help.
* When values become distorted: Lot’s disturbing choices and Sodom’s cruelty reveal the dangers of losing our moral bearings.
* The foundation of our actions: Avraham’s encounter with Avimelech opens a discussion about fear of Heaven and moral accountability.
* The birth of Yitzchak: Sarah’s long-awaited blessing, Hagar and Yishmael’s departure, and Hashem’s care in the wilderness.
* Understanding the Akeidah: Whose test was it? Why was it necessary? We explore several commentators’ perspectives on faith, sacrifice, and the purpose of spiritual challenges.
Throughout the episode, we return to a question that reaches into our own busy lives: How do we carry the devotion of our biggest spiritual moments into the way we live each day?
Torah portion: Vayeira | Bereshit 18:1–22:24
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparktorahpodcast.substack.com/subscribe (https://sparktorahpodcast.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)
21 Oct 2026
Ep. 89 - Lech Lecha 5787
Welcome to the Spark Torah podcast! I am Chana Miriam Bouskila and today we will be learning parsha Lech Lecha. We will talk about: Do our small deeds matter? Why doesn’t Avraham get an introduction? Why so much discussion about Avraham’s age? How should we handle disputes? How should we handle wealth? And other life lessons we can carry from the parsha…
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This is an entirely listener supported podcast, so I encourage you to become a paid subscriber on Substack which not only supports the podcast financially, but also allows you access to subscriber exclusives like bonus episodes, behind the scenes content, and more.
Thank you for learning with me today!
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sparktorahpodcast.substack.com/subscribe (https://sparktorahpodcast.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)
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