Q&A: Microdosing, Minhagim & AI Authorship

Sep 19, 2025

A lively conversation about microdosing, psychedelics and how they compare to psychiatric meds. Debates on communal customs, how a minhag becomes binding, and navigating different prayer nusachim. Ethical questions about AI misuse in academia and fake rabbinic endorsements. Reflections on human challenges, sexual impulse, fitness as spiritual preparation, and historical questions about canonization and shofar laws.

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ADVICE

Cautious Use Of Psychedelics

If considering psychedelics, prioritize legality, proper supervision, and honest self-monitoring.
Use them only to augment Torah learning and spiritual work, not to replace genuine effort.

INSIGHT

Balance Separation With Kiddush Hashem

Guarding personal kedushah can require separation when engagement risks spiritual harm.
Still create Kiddush Hashem within safe boundaries through conduct and small public acts.

INSIGHT

Spiritual Risk Of Altered States

Altered states can be spiritually real yet sourced in either godliness or sitra achra.
Without Torah foundation, experiences risk being pseudo-spiritual or dangerous.

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Q&A

0:00 is there a difference between taking anxiety medication and micro dosing on hallucinogenics 3:45 how do we balance separating ourselves from secular people with the need to make a kiddush Hashem 9:30 is there any religious purposes to psychedelics 16:00 to what extent are traditional Jews held accountable for not being shomer mitzvot 22:15 why does the lack of a bet hamikdash absolve secular Jews for not attaining clarity 26:05 why didn't the lubavich rebbe come to eretz yisrael 31:20 what is the criteria for something to become a minhag on the community 40:00 how is a physical attribute like lust that's necessary for human procreation be so destructive at the same time 45:50 what's the point of creating a world of challenges rather than a world of angels 52:15 what is das Torah and has it been changed over time 59:05 is fitness important to making oneself a vessel more suited to receiving holiness 1:01:55 why is order in nusach Ashkenaz of the 2nd ashrei of shacharit different on weekday Torah reading days vs on Shabbat 1:04:40 were the sefarim of neviim and ketuvim all canonized at the same time 1:50:20 why can't we make a shofar from a parah and was Oct 7 connected to not being able to blow shofar that year 1:11:00 if everyone is using AI to cheat on academics, does it become permissible to do likewise to avoid a disadvantage 1:14:20 how does one navigate halachic disagreements of whether one must daven the nusach of the minyan he's in 1:16:30 what does the Rav make of tzedakah organizations that promote alleged tzedakah habits of gedolei yisrael

Q&A 9-10-25

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PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS