Best Rabbi Simi Lerner Podcasts (2025)

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Eulogies and Boundaries: Orthodox Jews and the Legacy of Charlie Kirk (264) 1:05:38

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12h ago1:05:38

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Charlie Kirk’s assassination is a shocking, tragic act of violence. Murder is a desecration of the image of God, full stop. We condemn it unequivocally, and we pray for comfort for his family and for all who were harmed. At the same time, Charlie Kirk was a complicated public figure. He was outspokenly pro-Israel and often advocated for Jewish safe…

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Are We Literally Judged? Fear and trembling over the Days of Awe 31:18

9d ago31:18

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The rabbis go at each other on whether the old-time image of a predetermination of the coming year is accuate, and useful. As well as some thoughts about Charlie Kirk's assassination as the Oct. 7th of serious Christians.By Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Simi Lerner

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Mitzvah #80 - Marriage with a Mission - Shared Purpose Leads To Unity 12:18

13d ago12:18

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Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch's on marriageBy Rabbi Simi Lerner

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God's Loyal Opposition: Anger, Faith, and Divine Confrontation, with Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum (263) 1:15:41

18d ago1:15:41

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Is it possible—maybe even Jewish—to be angry at God? From Abraham’s challenge at Sodom to Job’s cries of despair, Tanach is filled with voices that confront the Divine. But what does that mean for us today, when we struggle with personal tragedy, global antisemitism, and the ongoing pain of the seemingly endless war against Hamas? In this wide-rang…

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Suppressed, Rediscovered, Essential: Rav Kook’s Lost Guide for Modern Faith (262) 1:12:21

23d ago1:12:21

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This episode is partially a detective story, partially an analysis of daring ideas, and partially an invitation to discover new methodolgies of confronting challenges to Orthodox Judaism. Rav Kook drafted L’Nevuchei HaDor over a century ago—then the manuscript largely disappeared from view, resurfaced piecemeal, and sparked debates about redaction …

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Conscience at War: Moral Relativism, Jewish Law, and the Crisis of Truth in Israel 32:58

29d ago32:58

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Does one's inner moral voice count, or are all moral questions adequately addressed in halachic sources? Especially since those sources already have plenty to say about going beyond the letter of the law? Does a Torah-honed conscience add to - or interfere with - Hashem's expectations of us?By Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Simi Lerner

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Mitzvah #79 - The Moral Frame Of The Home - How to Do It Right 12:18

28d ago12:18

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Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch's vision of Setting Up a Home We explore the timeless call to raise families, sustain the Jewish people, and secure the moral mission to humanity rooted in the practical wisdom of financial stability and the spiritual weight of home.By Rabbi Simi Lerner

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Learning Tanach Daily Through 929: Opportunities, Challenges, and Dangers, with Rabbi Benny Lau (261) 58:13

30d ago58:13

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As one 929 cycle ends and the next begins, Scott talks with Rabbi Benny Lau—founder of 929—about why the project started, what it hopes to change in Jewish life, and what a shared, chapter-a-day cadence can build across communities. They also tackle the harder questions: the risks of using Tanach as a direct guidebook without the mediating lens of …

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Orthodox Parents and Their LGBTQ Children, with Rabbi Yakov Horowitz (260) 1:06:58

1M ago1:06:58

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When a child shares something deeply personal about his or her sexual orientation, Orthodox parents can feel love, concern, and uncertainty all at once. In this conversation, Rabbi Yakov Horowitz reflects on what he’s learned working with families and communal leaders: how to approach the first conversations, which words can prevent hurt, and where…

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When Mitzvot Lose Their Meaning: Rabbi David Stav on Reconnecting Orthodox Youth to Jewish Law (259) 1:04:23

2M ago1:04:23

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Why do so many young Modern Orthodox and National Religious Jews embrace the community but drift from halacha? In this episode of Orthodox Conundrum, Rabbi David Stav, head of Tzohar, joins Scott to confront the growing gap between identity and observance. Together they tackle the hard questions: Are we teaching halacha in ways that feel lifeless a…

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The Pitfalls of Believing Your Own Rhetoric 47:49

2M ago47:49

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So many groups couch their arguments in overheated exaggeration. It works wonders for the adoring base. When people begin believing their own rhetoric, they cease to become people who can win the sympathies of others... as in the recent meeting between two gedolei Yisrael and Mike Huckabee.By Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Simi Lerner

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The Bible, the Beasts, and the Big Lies About Israel, with Rabbi Dr. Natan Slifkin (258) 57:10

2M ago57:10

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From biblical lions to the bizarre “Zionist crocodile plot,” Israel’s wildlife tells a story that shatters modern anti-Israel myths. In his new book Lions of Zion, Rabbi Dr. Natan Slifkin reveals how the animals of the Land of Israel — past and present — reflect the Jewish people’s deep, indigenous connection to their homeland. Scott and Rabbi Slif…

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Mitzvah #78 - Repentance - Sin as a Feature & The Inner Confrontation of Teshuvah 9:53

2M ago9:53

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Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch vision of Teshuvah What if repentance isn’t about apologising to God but confronting yourself? In this episode, we explore Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch’s vision of Teshuvah as radical self-honesty: confession not as ritual, but as recognition of your own capacity to change. And what if sin itself isn't a flaw in the system, b…

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Dial-a-Kabbalist 31:23

2M ago31:23

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Even if you are not usually into the world of segulot, berachot from holy men et al, there's no harm in trying it occasionaly, right? Or is there? Are we becoming more preoccupied with the metarational, and does it matter? Listen as the two rabbis go at each other.By Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Simi Lerner

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Disagreeing Like Moses: A Torah Blueprint for Conflict Resolution (257) 1:08:29

2M ago1:08:29

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As we approach Tisha B'Av — a day that mourns the devastating consequences of internal strife and baseless hatred — we must ask: is there a Torah model for constructive conflict resolution? Rabbi Alex Israel joins Scott to explore a striking example in Bamidbar chapter 32, where Moses engages the tribes of Reuben and Gad in what Rabbi Jonathan Sack…

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Must Every Jew Be Shomer Shabbat? A Fresh Perspective on Kiruv, with Rabbi Simi Lerner (256) 1:08:52

2M ago1:08:52

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What is kiruv really about—and what should it be about? In this thought-provoking conversation, Scott speaks with Rabbi Simi Lerner, a kiruv professional who challenges conventional assumptions about Orthodox Jewish outreach. They explore the core goals of kiruv, the philosophical and ethical pitfalls it can fall into, and how to ensure it respects…

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Missing the Point? Jews, Mamdani, and the Politics of Panic 37:23

3M ago37:23

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When a politician like Zohran Mamdani speaks out against Israel, should the Jewish community sound the alarm—or take a step back? Rabbi Lerner and Rabbi Adlerstein debate whether Mamdani’s ideology is utterly without merit. In a perfect world, how would the Torah want us to deal with the concerns he raises? Does any of that carry over to our imperf…

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Overeating, Obesity, Ozempic, and Orthodox Jews, with Dr. Sharon Grossman (255) 1:01:53

3M ago1:01:53

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Obesity is now responsible for more deaths in the United States than smoking—yet the Orthodox Jewish community rarely addresses it as either a public health emergency or a halachic concern. In this eye-opening episode, Scott speaks with Dr. Sharon Grossman to explore the medical, hashkafic, and halachic dimensions of obesity, overeating, and eating…

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Horeb – Mitzvah #78 - Rabbinic Authority - Structure Over Charisma 12:18

3M ago12:18

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Rav Hirsch, Horeb, Mitzvah 78 – Rabbinic Authority As we explore in this episode, Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch understood ancient legal authority not as personal influence, but as the outgrowth of a divinely mandated structure a system rooted in Sinai that gives form to our mission in life. Drawing on his analysis, we reflect on the nature of our own …

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Will Charedi Society Face Reality? Dayan Yehoshua Pfeffer on Work, Faith, and the Future of the Torah Community (254) 1:06:50

3M ago1:06:50

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Is the Charedi community prepared to confront the demands of real life—economic, civic, and national—or has it built a worldview that prizes withdrawal over responsibility? In this provocative and thoughtful episode, Dayan Yehoshua Pfeffer joins Scott to explore what happens when religious ideology collides with practical reality. Drawing on his in…

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It's A Miracle! 31:42

3M ago31:42

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There are dangers and pitfalls in seeing too many things as miraculous - and in seeing too few. Your hosts get into the weeds about this, including of course an examination of what our mesorah says. By the end, they are not disagreeing. Too much. Miraculously.By Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Simi Lerner

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Faith, Prayer, and the Impossible: Rabbi Shlomo Brody on Emunah, Miracles, Reality, and the Power of Tefillah (253) 59:39

3M ago59:39

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In the wake of Israel’s stunning victory over Iran—an event many have called miraculous—Jews around the world are reflecting on the nature of divine intervention and the power of prayer. Can we, and should we, pray for miracles? In this deeply thoughtful episode, Rabbi Shlomo Brody joins Scott to explore the halachic and emotional dimensions of tef…

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Emergency Episode: The U.S. Attacks Iran — What It Means for Israel, Hamas, and the Future of the War (252) 39:04

3M ago39:04

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When the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear sites this week, the Middle East—and the world—entered a new phase of conflict. In this urgent episode, Scott speaks once again with Yaakov Katz, former editor of The Jerusalem Post, about what these strikes mean for Israel’s war effort, the potential consequences of regime change in Iran, the risks of e…

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Horeb – Mitzvah #77 - Intermarriage - Why Judaism Isn’t Racist, and What Makes a Marriage Sacred 13:01

3M ago13:01

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Horeb – Mitzvah #77 - Intermarriage - Why Judaism Isn’t Racist, and What Makes a Marriage Sacred In this episode, we tackle a common misconception: that Judaism's opposition to intermarriage is rooted in ethnic exclusivity. Drawing from the insights of Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch’s Horeb, we explore how Judaism views identity through ethical and mora…

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The New Face of American Antisemitism: Violence, Politics, and Denial (BONUS EPISODE) 1:00:20

3M ago1:00:20

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Two Israeli embassy staffers shot in Washington. Jewish activists burned in Boulder. A mayoral candidate in New York who refused to condemn the Holocaust gaining momentum. Antisemitism in the United States is no longer hiding in the shadows — it’s on the march, in broad daylight. In this urgent bonus episode of Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn speaks…

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Unscripted Reflections: Israel, Iran, and the Challenge of Faith in Wartime (251) 35:30

4M ago35:30

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In this spontaneous and unfiltered episode of Orthodox Conundrum, Scott shares heartfelt reflections on Israel’s war against Iran—not from a political or military perspective, but through personal experience and the lens of faith. What does it mean to believe in Divine providence during a time of fear and uncertainty? How should we grapple with the…

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Who Is Leaving Yiddishkeit: A Conversation with Dr. Moshe Krakowski 43:32

4M ago43:32

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Dr. Moshe Krakowski reports on the findings of the first part of a research project commissioned by the OU to study attrition from Orthodoxy. A professor at the Azrieli graduate school at YU, Dr. Krakowski also studies charedi education, consistent with his own roots. We speak about his own journey, the reasons why the community needs to invest in …

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Horeb – Mitzvah #76: Your Moral Environment - Snared by Influence (and what is חֵרֶם) 12:26

4M ago12:26

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Horeb – Mitzvah #76: Your Moral Environment - Snared by Influence (and what is חֵרֶם)By Rabbi Simi Lerner

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What Comes Next? Yaakov Katz on Israel’s War, Netanyahu’s Calculations, and the Search for an Endgame (250) 1:13:20

4M ago1:13:20

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Twenty months into the war with Hamas, many Israelis and supporters abroad are asking the same urgent question: how will this end? In this in-depth episode of Orthodox Conundrum, Scott Kahn is joined by Yaakov Katz, one of Israel’s most respected journalists and author of While Israel Slept, to examine whether Israel’s military goals are still real…

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Living In The Bubble: The Pros and Cons of Insularity and Isolation 36:46

4M ago36:46

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Does living a truly engaged Torah life require shielding ourselves from all foreign influences? Are there greater - or fewer - reasons for advocating insularity at the moment? Are there different answers for different communities - and individuals? Can you filter out the undesirable without blocking out the good as well?…

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From Beit Lechem to the Royal Ball: Comparing and Contrasting the Book of Ruth and Cinderella, with Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman (249) 48:48

4M ago48:48

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Megilat Rut — the Book of Ruth — is one of the most beloved and widely read books in the Hebrew Bible. Because we read it annually on Shavuot, many people are familiar with its basic storyline. But its very familiarity can sometimes obscure its most powerful messages. In this episode, I’m joined by Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman of Bar Ilan University, wh…

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Can Physics Demonstrate God's Existence? (248) 1:14:33

5M ago1:14:33

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Can science be a vehicle to get closer to God? The Rambam famously answered in the affirmative. In the second of the 1000 chapters of his Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah chapter 2, the Rambam writes, “What is the method towards loving and fearing God? At the moment that a person investigates His wondrous and massive actions and creations, an…

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Mitzvah #75 – תלמוד תורה - Learning as Calling (Rav Hirsch Horeb ) 11:55

5M ago11:55

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Mitzvah #75 – תלמוד תורה Learning as Calling in Rav Hirsch's Horeb Exploring Rav Hirsch’s vision of study as transformation and mission.By Rabbi Simi Lerner

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Having “The Talk”: How Should Jewish Parents Talk to Kids About Sex? (Co-produced with Intimate Judaism) 1:04:18

5M ago1:04:18

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Please note that this episode discusses sensitive topics and uses explicit language. Listener discretion is advised. Today, the Orthodox Conundrum is releasing a new episode of Intimate Judaism that my Intimate Judaism co-host, Talli Rosenbaum, and I recorded with Yonina Rubinstein, where we explore how parents can approach conversations about sexu…

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Rethinking Segulot 34:58

5M ago34:58

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A thoughtful, balanced exploration of segulot uestioning their origins, meaning, and role in our lives. We dig deep, stay respectful, and don't shy away from the tough questions.By Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Simi Lerner

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The Pope, the Jews, and Israel: What to Anticipate From Pope Leo XIV, with Dr. Malka Simkovich (BONUS EPISODE) 21:54

5M ago21:54

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Last Thursday, Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago became Pope Leo XIV. While Jews may believe that this shouldn’t matter to us at all, this is most likely false. The pope commands the allegiance of well over a billion Roman Catholics worldwide, and his ability to help shape their opinions about the Jewish people and Israel should not be underestima…

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"You Can't Suppress the Light": The Radical Messages of Rav Kook for Orthodox Jews Today, with Professor Marc Shapiro (247) 1:20:16

5M ago1:20:16

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The thought of Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, who died in 1935, remains extremely influential today in religious Zionist circles. Rav Kook’s ideology, particularly as interpreted by his son, Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, in books like Orot, has helped to set the agenda for much of the dati leumi world. Over the past couple of decades, however, addition…

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Do You Really Need a Hashkafa? 44:20

5M ago44:20

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Do You Really Need a Hashkafa? Plus- Why not all Anglo charedim are walking lockstep with the American Moetzes. A spirited defense. Read Rav Adlerstein's writings at www.cross-currents.com.By Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Rabbi Simi Lerner

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Inside the Real Rules of War: Colonel John Spencer vs. Media Myths About Israel and Hamas (246) 1:04:56

5M ago1:04:56

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Colonel John Spencer, one of the world's leading experts on urban warfare, joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about Israel’s war against Hamas. We dive deep into the realities of modern combat, the strict standards of international law, and the false accusations of "genocide" being leveled against Israel. Colonel Spencer also shares insights …

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Mitzvah #74 – מפני שיבה תקום Age, Wisdom & Virtue: AI and the Illusion of Insight 12:07

5M ago12:07

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Mitzvah #74 – מפני שיבה תקום Age, Wisdom & Virtue: AI and the Illusion of Insight How do we honor the ripened wisdom of age in an age of instant answers? This episode explores the mitzvah of “מפני שיבה תקום” through the lens of Rav Hirsch and the digital age—contrasting earned maturity with artificial knowledge. As AI offers the illusion of depth w…

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OTD, Datlash, and the Religious Spectrum: When Orthodox Jews Leave Orthodoxy with Rabbi Alex Israel (CLASSIC EPISODE) 1:20:13

5M ago1:20:13

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The Orthodox Conundrum Podcast is off this week, and we'll be back next week with a brand new episode. In the meantime, enjoy this classic episode about Orthodox Jews who leave Orthodoxy. There’s a phenomenon in the Orthodox world which is called by various names, though most commonly “Off the Derech” or OTD, and “Datlash,” short for “Dati Leshe’av…

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Rav Hirsch Mitzvah #28 Pesach - Haggadah Imbue The Spirit & Flood Their Minds (Archives) 8:51

6M ago8:51

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Rav Hirsch Mitzvah #28 Pesach - Haggadah Imbue The Spirit & Flood Their MindsBy Rabbi Simi Lerner

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Celebrating Pesach in Challenging Times: Haggadah Insights from Eight Teachers of Torah (245) 1:17:26

6M ago1:17:26

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I’m doing something a little different this week. Instead of discussing an issue in the Jewish world, I want to offer some inspirational words about the Seder as we enter the final week before the beginning of Pesach. To that end, I invited several of my podcast guests from the past year to present ideas that they find meaningful, with the hope tha…

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"There Are No Shortcuts to a Healthy Jewish Education": Empowering Growth Without Guilt or Fear, with Rabbi Dr. Judah and Rabbanit Shayna Goldberg (244) 1:40:09

6M ago1:40:09

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We are now less than two weeks away from the night of the Seder, which is almost certainly the most widely practiced example of Jewish education in action. And that raises the issue of how we should define healthy Jewish education in general, and how best we can achieve it. These questions are doubly important because while there are many wonderful…

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Critical Thinking: The Price We Pay When Ignoring It 42:16

6M ago42:16

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Charlatans promoting spiritual snake-oil, newfangled segulos, stifling creativity. All are part of a disturbing trend away from critical thinking. We allow this at our own peril. Want more? Tune in to Rabbi Lerner's podcast here, and Rabbi Adlerstein's weekly Maharal shiur (Thursday evenings, 8:30 PM at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/76700528687). We'd …

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A Moral Voice for Religious Zionism: The Profound (and Profoundly Human) Thought of Rav Yehuda Amital, with Rabbi Moshe Taragin (243) 1:14:41

6M ago1:14:41

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This conversation with Rabbi Moshe Taragin presents an introduction to the profound - and profoundly human - religious philosophy of Rav Yehuda Amital zt'l, the founding rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion. Rav Amital's ideas fill a unique niche in the Religious Zionist world today, and in many ways stand as a corrective to some of the ideology tha…

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Mitzvah #73 - כבוד אב ואם - Honor Thy Father and Mother: A Bridge to Transcendence 9:42

7M ago9:42

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Mitzvah #73 - כבוד אב ואם - Honor Thy Father and Mother: A Bridge to Transcendence In Gratitude to My Own Parents, Who Showed Me the Path Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch on the rational of Jewish lawBy Rabbi Simi Lerner

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Chutzpah - and Illegal Activity - in the Service of Dodging the Draft, with Sam Sokol (242) 1:08:28

7M ago1:08:28

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When hundreds of students enthusiastically sing and dance about dodging the draft, while thousands of others protect those same students by spending more and more time in the IDF because of a manpower shortage... something has gone seriously wrong. When institutions that receive millions of shekels of government money actively undermine the State o…

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The Mainstreaming of Meir Kahane: A Halachic, Moral, and Theological Mistake, with Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Sinensky (241) 1:00:32

7M ago1:00:32

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Several recent articles have raised a troubling question: Is Rabbi Meir Kahane making a comeback? In the wake of the horrific murder of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, some influential pro-Israel voices have turned to Kahane’s ideas, reviving a debate that many thought was long settled. In this episode, Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Sinensky and I dive deep into wh…

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Mitzvah #72 - Mitzvah as Love: The Jewish Religious Consciousness in Action 11:13

7M ago11:13

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Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch Mitzvah as Love: The Jewish Religious Consciousness in Action Mitzvah is more than obligation—it is love made real. In this episode, we explore how Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch sees mitzvah as the embodied expression of divine love, shaping not just our actions but our very consciousness. What does it mean to approach God thr…