Episodes
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Kabbalah the mystical teachings of Judaism have become very popular in recent years. With its popularity have come the many charlatans, frauds and quacks looking to cash in on unsuspecting students of Kabbalah.
How do you know who is teaching real Kabbalah and who is a fraud? Often the fakes look very real and convincing. How can the uninitiated easily differentiate those teaching the real thing from the garbage?
A presentation of some simple rules to know which Kabbalah teachers are real.
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In 830 BCE, King Solomon completed building the First Temple in Jerusalem. At the time, during the Iron Age, it was the grandest and largest building to be built. The Temple would serve as the center of Jewish service for 410 years until it was destroyed by the Babylonians.
A fascinating discussion about how the first Temple was built, what it looked like and its role in Jewish life.
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Missing episodes?
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There are many medical treatments that are not part of conventional medicine. Many of these unconventional treatments are very popular. What does Judaism say about alternative medical treatments? Are we allowed or perhaps even encouraged to seek alternative medical treatments? May we use them instead of conventional medicine? May we use them to complement conventional medicine?
Generally, we can violate most laws of the Torah to save a life. Could alternative medical treatment also be used in violation of Torah laws to save a life?
A fascinating discussion about the Jewish approach to alternative medicine.
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G-d gave the Jewish people 613 Commandments that we committed to follow as part of our covenant with Him. What are the 613 Commandments? Where can we find a list? What do the Commandments include?
For more than 1,000 years Jewish scholars have debated over how to define Commandments, what exactly the 613 Commandments are and how to count them.
A fascinating discussion about the 613 Commandments and the debate over exactly what are the commandments.
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Starting in the 1960's, the Rebbe started public Mitzvah campaigns as a call to encourage Jews to readopt many of the important Commandments in Judaism that they were not observing. Over the Years the Rebbe launched 10 Mitzvah campaigns raising awareness and increasing observance of some of the most central Commandments.
A fascinating discussion about the 10 Mitzvah Campaigns and how we can be part of them.
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While the Torah bans us from eating all insects, the Torah makes an exception for locust. The Torah lists certain types of locust that we are allowed to eat. Why did the Torah allow us to eat locust? Which types of locust are kosher? Can we eat them today?
A fascinating discussion about the kosher status of locust.
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Jews have lived in Tunisia since Roman times and built strong communities in Tunis, Djerba and other cities. While most Jews left after independence, there is still a Jewish community in Tunis and a close knit community on the Island of Djerba.
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The Torah and Tanach refer to G-d thousands of times but switches between many different names for G-d. Why does G-d have so many names, what do they each mean? How do we know which name of G-d to use? When do we pronounce and correctly spell G-d's name and when are they mispronounced and misspelled?
A fascinating discussion about G-d's various names, what they all mean and how they are used.
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One of the saddest and horrific moments in our history took place over 3,000 years ago when all the tribes joined forces to fight against the tribe of Benjamin. The horrific civil war and massacre that followed it almost led to the annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin.
Learn the story of this civil war and its aftermath and its implications for us today.
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One of the traditions of Chanukah in Ashkenazic communities is playing with a dreidel, a spinning top that has 4 sides with the Hebrew letters Nun, Gimmel, Hei and Shin. What is the origin of the dreidel? Does it contain mystical significance? What is the connection to Chanukah?
A fascinating discussion about the Dreidel and its significance.
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For most people, their right arm is their dominant arm that they use for most activities. For some it is their left arm. In Judaism, there is a distinct role for the right arm (such as washing first, holding a kiddush cup) and for the left arm (wearing Tefillin). What happens when someone is left handed? Which arm do they use?
A fascinating Chanukah themed discussion about right-handed and left-handed people in Judaism and the mystical significance behind each one.
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When a couple marries, Jewish law gives certain obligations and rights to each spouse. Those rights and obligations are written up in a document called a Ketubah which every married Jewish couple must have.
A fascinating discussion about the Ketubah, what it contains, how it is written and the various traditions and customs of the Ketubah that have developed over our long history.
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Bonus Episode:
Our biblical ancestors Abraham, Jacob, David and Solomon all had multiple wives. Is Polygamy moral? How can our great heroes have practiced it? Does Jewish law forbid polygamy? Should it be forbidden?
A candid discussion about one of the most controversial questions in Jewish thought; how can our biblical figures have practiced polygamy?
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Our ancestor Jacob was tricked by his uncle Laban into marrying Laban's 2 daughters Rachel and Leah. While the Torah allows for polygamy, it does not allow for marrying two sisters. How then was Jacob able to marry two sisters in violation of Jewish law?
This classic question has been asked and addressed by countless commentaries over our long history.
A fascinating discussion addressing this classic question of how Jacob could have married two sisters.
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In a fascinating episode, the Torah tells us how Jacob dreamed about a ladder standing on the ground with its top reaching the heavens and he saw angels going up and down the ladder. The meaning of the dream remains cryptic with countless explanations offered by different Torah commentaries and Jewish thinkers.
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Tehillim (Psalms) is one of the most read books of Tanach (the Scriptures) with 150 poems and songs covering historic events, prayers and inspiration. Jews throughout history have read Tehillim as the go-to book whenever they were in trouble or needed help.
Who wrote the book of Tehillim? What do the poems speak about? Why has it become so central to Jewish prayer?
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Happiness is important for us to function well and to succeed. Happiness makes us pleasant people and helps us build relationships. Happiness is a goal for most people. In Judaism, it's a mitzvah to be happy!
But how do we become happy? What can we do to make ourselves happier?
A fascinating discussion about happiness, why it's so central to Judaism and the unique Jewish approach to finding true happiness!
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Hospitality has always been a strong Jewish trait and a Mitzvah. Jewish communities have always had hospitality housing and food for travelers while Jewish families opened their homes to strangers.
Why is hospitality so important in Judaism? What should good hospitality include? Are there limits to hospitality?
A fascinating discussion about the Jewish value and Mitzvah of hospitality.
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After the Exodus from Egypt, Jews continued to go back to Egypt for most of our history. Jews lived in Egypt continuously from the time of the destruction of the First Temple around 421 BCE until the mid 20th century, making it possibly the longest continuous Jewish community in history.
A fascinating discussion about the history of the Jews of Egypt.
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Since modern science developed, there has been a long-standing tension between religion and science as many scientific discoveries contradicted long-standing religious beliefs and many scientists believed that new scientific wisdom made religion unnecessary.
What does Judaism say about modern science? Can Jewish beliefs be reconciled with modern science? Do we embrace science, reject it or tread carefully around it? Does science weaken or strengthen our faith?
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