JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED | A Guide for Today's Perplexed: Torah Foundations, Reason, and Tradition

Rabbi Mark Wildes shares his journey in Kiruv and delves into the reasons behind the lack of engagement of many Jews with Judaism. He argues that a lack of proper Jewish education is a major contributor to this and that many people are not turning away from their faith, but simply never had it instilled in them in the first place. What can Ashkenazim and Sephardim learn from each other in terms of how we deal with these matters? Rabbi Wildes sheds light on the current state of Kiruv, which is largely Haredi or Haredi-lite, and acknowledges that it may not have mass appeal. He makes the case for why there is no one-size-fits-all solution and that some people may be drawn to spirituality or neo-Hassidism, while others prefer a more rational approach. The Rabbi challenges the notion that mysticism is effective for everyone and highlights the importance of teaching fundamentals, such as having a better understanding of the God we worship and basic philosophy. He also discusses the difficulties faced by the post-Kiruv Baal Teshuvah who eventually loses his/her initial inspiration. We explore the notion of whether blind faith is even a Jewish idea, as we analyze the Midrash about Abraham in the Fiery Furnace. The Rabbi engages us in a thought-provoking conversation about the appeal of Judaism to modern, secular individuals and the why the suppression of technology, information, and secular education sometimes plays a role in the frum world. He emphasizes the importance of substance over fluff and critiques the use of fearmongering in Kiruv, which we point out is largely a Sephardic phenomenon. Regarding this issue, we draw lessons from the story of Eliyahu HaNavi and how it teaches us about the importance of cultivating a thoughtful and effective approach to outreach and inspiration.

Dr. Brian Keating's book 'Losing the Nobel Prize' is a memoir about his scientific and personal journey. In one of his talks, he said, "searching for God was in a way searching for my father." He explains how being estranged from his father impacted his relationship with God. Raised Catholic by his stepfather, he spent a year as an altar boy, but his spiritual search eventually led him to becoming a Baal Teshuva. We discuss how Judaism requires one to ACT, not necessarily to BELIEVE. Discover how this particular fact about Judaism shaped who he is, why he returned to his roots after becoming an atheist, and how he reconciles the seeming tension between religion and science. Also, it seems that scientists are reverting to the Eternal Universe Model to avoid the implications of the Big Bang (via the Multiverse theory). Many scientists insist that if God were to exist, something MUST have created Him, yet they don't apply the same logic to the universe. In this sense, is science any different than dogmatic religion? On another note, he explains how space and time are related and why this is so fundamental. We also touch on the big question about mathematics: Is it hardwired into the fabric of the universe, or are we creating it to understand and navigate our world? Lastly, we ask the professor if he thinks aliens exist, which is always a fun topic. (His talks with Ben Shapiro, Lex Fridman, Avi Loeb, Dennis Prager, Eric Weinstein, and Neil Degrasse Tyson are available on all major platforms.) • Thank you to friend of the podcast Zev Gotkin of Zev Media for guest co-hosting this episode!

Rabbi David Fohrman has changed the game of online Torah learning with AlephBeta.org, a remarkable and innovative tool for the modern age. In this episode, he describes his methodology in learning the biblical text, of which he brilliantly draws a parallel to the complex interconnectivities of the worldwide web. Additionally, since Midrash is often misunderstood in today’s generation by both the Orthodox and secular world, he advocates for the healthier, classical approach to learning Chazal's lessons. He gives some incredible textual examples of how to "crack the code" of what Midrash is and how it is to be understood. In the second segment of the podcast, we discuss the fact that the unity of the biblical text has sadly been scrutinized with the advent of modern biblical scholarship i.e., Source Criticism. Thankfully, his profound methodology includes noticing literary constructs, chiastic structures, and intertextuality littered throughout the biblical texts, which heavily undermine the assertions made by biblical critics. He shares his favorite examples of intertextuality that showcase the fact that seemingly disjointed biblical texts are in fact utilizing sophisticated literary devices that serve to induce meaning, inspire interpretation, and deepen understanding of the verses. His presentation dismantles the Documentary Hypothesis, proving that the Torah cannot possibly be the work of multiple authors. He ends with a powerful slideshow analyzing the supposed "disharmony" of Genesis 1 and 2 (for this part, switch over to the video version on YouTube so you can view his slideshow).

In his book 'Maimondes' Confrontation with Mysticism', Professor Menachem Kellner presents the vision and values that Maimonides promoted in his understanding of Judaism, as well as the proto-Kabbalistic cultural climate he campaigned against and tried to uproot. Additionally, no area in Judaism is as fundamental or more essential than Halakha. Kellner provides the framework for Maimonides’ characterization of the institutional value and purpose of Halakha. This is crucial to understanding the larger context of Rambam’s conception of Jewish ideals. Another important topic is Holiness, which has become a buzzword in Judaism today. We use this word loosely and without much thought going into its actual meaning. Nowadays we attach it to people, places and objects with a sort of assumed “intrinsic” quality. In the time of the Rambam this mistranslation of Kedusha as "holiness" was a widespread phenomenon, an idea Rambam tried to refine. We discuss what holiness meant in the Rambam’s time, and how he polemicized against these sorts of misconceptions. Similarly, the Hebrew language has long been thought of as the “holy tongue,” to the point that there is a belief that certain words have power (amulets, etc.). What was the Rambam’s understanding of the Hebrew language against the cultural backdrop of his time, and how does that jive with today’s mystical obsession with letters and words? Also, Angelology is probably the most challenging concept to comprehend. The idea creates problems in various ways from biblical anthropomorphism, intermediaries, independence of a spiritual entity, and so on. How did the Rambam reshape the concept of angels in light of the dearth of seemingly mixed messages about angels that pre-existed the Rambam’s time? Lastly, some scholars and laymen who have read Kellner's book have come away with the impression that his portrayal of Maimonides depicts him as the “anti-mystic” philosopher. Said differently, Kellner's focus on Maimonides' polemics against mysticism implies he did not believe in mysticism in any capacity. Is this characterization true? Does Kellner really believe that the Rambam completely rejected mysticism in every sense or that there's a dichotomy of Rambam the philosopher and Rambam the mystic? We discuss Hakham Jose Faur's phenomenal book Homo Mysticus, which leaves no doubt that Rambam was both a philosopher and mystic, as it showcases Rambam as carrier of the Maaseh Merkaba tradition.

Rich Cohen is an American non-fiction writer. He is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone. He is co-creator, with Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger and Terence Winter, of the HBO series Vinyl. His works have been New York Times bestsellers, New York Times Notable Books, and have been collected in the Best American Essays series. In 2022, Cohen became a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. Given his expertise on so many subjects, we asked him to impart some of his knowledge about a particular historical phenomenon: 20th Century Jewish-American Mobsters. His fascination with Jews in the mafia and his father's upbringing inspired him to write 'Tough Jews'. When people think of Jews, they don't usually associate it with toughness (except for maybe Israelis). There's a misconception that the Jewish-American mobsters of the last century were the accountants or the "brains" behind La Cosa Nostra (the Italian mafia), but in reality, they were often the muscle. Learn about Murder Inc. and notorious Jewish criminal masterminds such as Rothstein, Lepke, Lansky, Segel, Schultz, and more. Cohen explains why Jews and Italians worked so well together, leading to the creation of 'The Commission', which turned territorial rival gangs into an organized crime syndicate that spanned across the US and beyond. We wondered why the children of Jewish gangsters didn't join "The Life," yet the sons of Italian gangsters followed their fathers' footsteps — and Mr. Cohen offered insights that'll surely pique your curiosity. The allure of "The Life" is understandably very strong. In a strange way, it's similar to being part a religious community (as crazy as that sounds), in the sense that it requires its members to live by an unbreakable Code, to follow rules that supersede the law of the land, to have a deep sense of loyalty and care for family and community. The story of the Jews is that of triumph over tragedy, which is the definition of "tough." Enjoy these lesser-known stories of Jewish history.

In his book 'Eternally Yours', Rabbi Reuven Mann makes an important observation: that most religions and political, intellectual, and social movements trace themselves back to a single founder. Yet as great as our Patriarch Avraham was, his legacy is shared by his family and descendants. In this episode, he points out that the Torah doesn't include the concept of "sainthood" (in the Christian sense) but rather the fallibility of our leaders so that we remain faithful to God alone. Avraham went to great lengths in order to destroy the spiritual disease of idolatry, of which Maimonides says the entire purpose of Torah is to uproot idolatry from the world. Yet there are those who claim idolatry has already been uprooted from our midst. Rabbi Mann addresses this point clearly and with precision. He also discusses the doctrine that all people are created "in God's image" and are thus entitled to be treated with compassion — which is a major tennet of Judaism. We asked what this "Tzelem Elokim" entails and in what way does it implore us to take action, especially in regards to justice and compassion? Additionally, the Torah does not provide much information about the personal aspects of our great leaders, in terms of their physical appearance and emotional makeup. Why is that the case, considering that many great non-biblical works of wisdom utilize those aspects to paint a picture of their heroic figures? Lastly, the Rabbi goes on to explain how the gut-wrenching story of Joseph teaches us about optimism and faith.

Who was Rabbi Leon de Modena and why did he dedicate much of his life to fighting against the Zohar and its influence? Dr. Dweck explains how Modena's reputation within traditional Judaism suffered for a number of reasons, including an unyielding criticism of emerging sects within Judaism. Though he failed to rise to real distinction, one of his most effective works was his attack on the Kabbala (Ari Nohem, first published in 1840). In it, he attempted to demonstrate that the "Bible of the Kabbalists" (the Zohar) was a modern composition. He also writes that the name "Hochmat HaKabbalah" (the wisdom of Kabbalah) is misleading, since it is neither "wisdom" nor a Kabbalah — a tradition going back to Moses — but a mere fabrication. Other notable great Hakhamim like Rabbi Jacob Emden considered it a forgery, whereas Mori Yihyah Qafih famously rejected the Zohar as heresy. What were their main arguments against it? We discuss the Zohar's pseudepigraphic and suspicious origins (authored by Moses De Leon but written in the name of R. Shimon Bar Yohai to gain authoritative status), how this anti-Maimonidean book changed Judaism forever, and differed from the Maaseh Merkava described in the Talmud and by Maimonides. Just as Modena was met with backlash for going against the tide, so too was the legacy of Rabbi Jacob Sasportas. In the latter part of our interview, Professor Dweck briefly touches on the life of Sasportas (who he also wrote a book about), who was one of the most violent antagonists of the Sabbatian movement. He wrote many letters to various communities in Europe, Asia, and Africa, exhorting them to unmask the impostors and to warn the people against them, thus saving many Jews from being swept away by the heretical movement. Sasportas is arguably one of the most courageous and important figures in Jewish history, and yet he (sadly) remains an obscure figure. In light of some of the major mystical trends that have taken shape over the last few centuries, Modena and Sasportas certainly deserve our attention.

As a teenager, Bernd Wollschlaeger uncovered a very dark secret about his family: that his father was a decorated, high-ranking Nazi who was very proud of his role as a tank commander in Hitler’s army and played a part in the mass murder of innocent people, including children. This discovery, coupled with the murder of Jewish athletes by Palestinian terrorists at the Olympic games in Munich, led Bernd to study history and question everything he was taught. Dr. Wollschlaeger tells us what compelled him to connect to and work for holocaust survivors in Germany, convert to Judaism, make aliyah, join the IDF, marry a Jewish woman and eventually write a memoir, A German Life: Against All Odds Change Is Possible, and how he explained his journey to his own children. As a successful doctor, proud American citizen and Zionist, he dedicates his time to speaking about the dangers of antisemitism in the modern age and repenting for the sins of his father. His unlikely story is one of inspiration in a time when we really need to hear it. 

Rabbi David Rosen makes a passionate case for a new (yet old) approach to building a strong, sustainable Jewish identity, and how rallying around a flag or conjuring up the holocaust must not be the determining factors of who we are. Today we are seeing a major rise in antisemitism but now it has mutated into something entirely new. The latest iteration of this phenomenon is a bigotry that aims to strip us of our identity. Like when our haters say "antisemitism isn't exclusive to Jews since Arabs are semites too" or "Jew hatred isn't accurate since we are not even the real Jews." How do we respond to Kanye West and all the Jew hatred that is coming from both the far right and far left? Also, how important is interfaith and intrafaith dialogue? What are the benefits of engaging with Christians and Muslims but also with Reform and Conservative Jews? Should Modern Orthodoxy become self-governing and break away from the Haredi-led power structure? As Rabbi Sacks pointed out, the issues confronting contemporary halakha is not due to "lack of creativity but the sociological divorce between the centers of Pesak and the centers of congregational life." Lastly, is there hope for ending the Israeli/Palestinian conflict? If there's going to be an official peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, will that have a trickle-down effect on the conflict? The Rabbi gives his assessment of the Abraham Accords and more.

Gematria is one of the methods of Aggadic interpretation but unfortunately it has developed a bad reputation as something that can be easily manipulated to "prove" any idea. As a respected mathematician and a critical thinker, Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder initially did not find it to be compelling at all. That is until a particular gematria piqued his interest. In this episode, he discusses his journey from skeptic to believer. But what are we to make of Gematrias that are seemingly intellectually dishonest, which he refers to in his book 'Gematria Refigured' as "patchwork" or "almost the same" gematrias? The Rabbi presents us with the brilliance of Chazal and explains why they utilized a method of derash specifically focusing on quantity. His approach really blew us away, giving us a newfound appreciation for the Sages.