In this week’s episode we continue our Ten Plagues series with the plague of darkness. We explore the stark power imbalance in Egypt, where Pharaoh holds all the agency while his people are rendered immobile, drawing a parallel to our modern struggle where those most affected by climate change often lack the power to enact the changes that those in authority refuse to make. We look at the plague’s unique nature—though not inherently deadly, its disorienting and isolating effect move Pharaoh more than any previous plague. We analyze this darkness as a poignant metaphor for climate despair, representing the feeling of being paralyzed and cut off from one another in the face of an overwhelming crisis. Ultimately, we find hope in the Israelites' transition from their own historical despair toward a new-found purpose, concluding that the antidote to such darkness is to gather a community of like-minded people to take collective action. Follow along with the source sheet here: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/694340

In this week’s special Chanukah episode we study a text from the tractate Shabbat, noting how the Rabbis shift the narrative focus from military victory to the miracle of a single jar of oil lasting eight days. We explore the Menorah as a symbol of energy, drawing a parallel between the miracle of olive oil efficiency and modern technological miracles like LEDs that allow us to move away from fossil fuels. We discuss the difficulty of appreciating such slow developments, emphasizing the need to cultivate "thanksgiving" for slow technological progress. We conclude by celebrating the unnamed heroes—then and now—who take a leap of faith to act despite daunting circumstances, finding that hope is the necessary fuel to fight climate change. Follow along here: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/694339.1

In this week’s episode we continue our Ten Plagues series with the plague of locusts. We observe the pivotal shift in Pharaoh’s courtiers, who finally use their proximity to power to lobby for a change in policy rather than clinging to the status quo. We analyze the unique threat of this plague—the total and permanent destruction of agriculture—and the terrifying imagery of locusts covering the ground, severing the connection between the people and the earth. This parallels the modern climate reality where the greatest driver of mass migration is not temporary disaster, but the permanent loss of arable land and sea level rise. We conclude by noting the inability to "shut the door" on a food supply crisis, while finding a glimmer of optimism in the courtiers' new-found courage to push back against Pharaoh and the resilience of nature between plagues. Follow along with the source sheet here: www.sefaria.org/sheets/692164