On this week's episode, Modya and David are joined by Rabbi David Jaffe, a writer, Mussar teacher, and organizer, to discuss lessons on the middah of harizut (decisiveness) in parshat Beshalah (Ex. 13:17-17:16). Some questions discussed: What does the midrash about Nachshon bring the first to wade into the sea teach us about the line between divine providence and human agency? Why must God garden Pharaoh's heart and seal his fate, and the fate of the Egyptians? How should we understand the situatedness of our decisions, large and small, in the context of our relationships, our obligations, and our communities? Thanks for listening!Modya Silver is an author and psychotherapist based in Toronto. David Gottlieb is a faculty member in the Jewish Studies program at Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in Chicago.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices