The Great Students of Hillel | June 1, 2026

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Beha’alotcha, Hilchot Talmud Torah, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about the transformative power of Torah learning.The parashah section focuses on the construction of the menorah from a single piece of gold. Rabbi Rubenstein recounts the Midrash that Moses struggled to understand how to make the menorah even after God showed him its design, and that Bezalel ultimately completed the task. The lesson is that fulfilling mitzvot can be difficult and often requires the talents and expertise of others.The Rambam section discusses women and Torah study. Rabbi Rubenstein examines Rambam’s view that women were not obligated in Torah study and critiques his exclusion of women from advanced learning, arguing that such views reflect historical assumptions rather than enduring Jewish values.The Menorat HaMaor section highlights the greatness of Hillel’s students, especially Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai and Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel. Their examples teach that Torah learning involves both mastery of knowledge and the ability to spiritually influence and elevate the world around us.Learn more at exploringjudaism.org/thedailyderech and reach out to Rabbi Rubenstein here.