Category Archives: Uncategorized

This week on the show we’re discussing Esau, including the time when he traded his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentil stew. The Talmud tells us that Jacob had prepared the stew for his father, Isaac, because his father, Abraham, had just died that day, and it was customary to serve lentils toContinue reading “Birthright Stew”

The following is a meditative exercise designed to enhance one’s sense of purity. It can also be used to better relate to those around us, and to understand our interconnectedness as children of Hashem. Sit with your eyes closed, imagining that you have X-ray vision and can see inside yourself as if you were composed ofContinue reading “Tehora He: An Exercise in Purity”

There has been much talk lately about how the current pandemic is going to affect the Jewish denominational system in both the U.S. and abroad. Most of us have been unable to visit with our communities for months, unions have had to lay off workers, and synagogues have had to make concessions on longstanding issuesContinue reading “To Merge or Not to Merge?”

It’s going to be a different Passover for all of us this year… truly unique, and with Hashem’s providence, under circumstances that do not return any time soon. Hopefully everyone will find some way to connect with others during this season, even if it is only virtually. However, if you are not able to connectContinue reading “Chag Pesach Sameach”

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, many of us throughout the world are under quarantine or self-imposed isolation. Most shuls have been closed, and even private minyans have become inadvisable. Needless to say, we’re all going to be spending a lot more time alone. This can be a difficult thing for those who thriveContinue reading “Staying Busy in a Time of Isolation”

Wishing everyone a happy Purim! With concerns about coronavirus growing worldwide, many people are questioning how they will go about hearing the Megillah this year. Is it safe to go out? What if I’m quarantined? Can I listen to it online? Obviously it is ideal to hear the Megillah read aloud in person. Chabad recommendsContinue reading “Chag Purim Sameach”

It’s a bit of a late notice, but in case you didn’t hear, a new Daf Yomi cycle just began on January 5. This is, of course, a chance to read through the entire Babylonian Talmud in a 7 ½ year period, along with thousands of others worldwide. One page a day is all itContinue reading “Daf Yomi is off and running!”

(Actually, you can’t be, because they’re extinct) Ever been called a “pharisee”? Even know what one is (or was, as is the case)? For the next few weeks we’ll be covering the history, society, and philosophy of the three major Jewish sects during the Second Temple Period: The Sadducees, Pharisees, and Essenes. Not only didContinue reading “Don’t be a Pharisee! Or maybe you should…”

Wishing everyone safe travels, good times, and a Happy Hanukkah!

We spoke on the show this week about Ezras Nashim, an all-female Orthodox EMS service in Brooklyn who was recently denied a license for an ambulance. A documentary about the group’s formation and the difficulties they encounter was released last year. Check out the trailer: If you get a chance to see the documentary, letContinue reading “93Queen”