We look at a strange Jewish ritual that takes place after a murder victim is discoverd and what it tells us about communal responsibility, blame & personal responsibility00:28 The Strange Ritual01:21 Who Is Accountable01:53 Hosting the Stranger04:06 Communal Responsibility05:06 Blame vs Responsibility06:10 The Boat Parable07:45 Honor System Erosion11:27 Yom Kippur and We11:52 Justice and Prevention12:57 Systems Behind Tragedy15:06 Small Acts Save Lives19:14 Closing and Farewell

What if the difference between righteousness and corruption is not action, but something else? Gila Ross unpacks a surprisingly unsettling comparison between Avraham and Bilaam that reveals why two seemingly similar journeys lead to radically different spiritual outcomes.

The real revelation comes when the episode traces their parallel journeys, their repeated conversations with God, and the subtle difference between truly seeking truth and merely trying to get permission.

You'll discover:

• How Avraham struggled with Hashem
• Why Bilaam’s “I’m listening” is so infuriating

• How Satan often shows up

Gila also connects these ancient stories to a modern problem you know well - the gap between saying you want the truth and actually wanting to hear it when it costs you something.

That tension is what makes this teaching so sharp, so relevant, and so hard to shake.

If you’ve ever wrestled with a hard decision, questioned what God wants from you, or wondered why two people can look equally “religious” on the surface but live in completely different worlds underneath, this conversation will hit home. It’s thoughtful, challenging, and full of insights that change how you read the Torah - and how you read yourself.

The evil eye, or ayin hara, is it real or is it superstition? the red string, the 'kenehara' is there anything to it? Can someone else give you negative energy? What does Torah say about all of this.

Listen to this fascinating episode!!