Xai, how are you?
Queer Jews Michael Sokolovsky and Rabbi Xava De Cordova play with the multi-millennial dialectic that is the Talmud. Join them as they throw drash, seek prophetic insight and uncover the rabbinic smuttiness inherent in the system.
Latest episodes
Dec 19, 2021 • 24min
97a. What if I can't be honest with my Rabbi?
Today's listener question is about conversion under a Rabbi who seems to view Zionism as mandatory. Michael and Xava bring a relevant Talmudic tale and our own experiences to answer. Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
Dec 12, 2021 • 25min
96a. Is Human Flesh ever Kosher?
A listener wrote in to ask us whether anthrophagy was ever allowed by halaxa, so we're diving into the range of scenarios it might be, and the many situations where it's definitely not. Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
Dec 5, 2021 • 25min
95a. Can you be a practicing non-Jew?
Goy Goth Girl wrote in to ask about practicing while not Jewish, which helped us discuss the concept of commandedness as it applies to a lot of different folks! Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
Nov 28, 2021 • 28min
94a. Severing the Emotional Yo-Yo
A listener wrote us a question about their ex, who only wants them when they're not there, so we're doing our best to answer it with a little piece of divorce contract law. Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
Nov 21, 2021 • 29min
93a. Kink and BDSM in Talmud
We got an awesome listener question/response to our anal sex episode, so this week we're finding sources we can use to reflect on BDSM and Kink in the tradition! Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
Nov 14, 2021 • 21min
92a. How do we deal with problematic yahrzeits?
We got a wonderful listener question this week about how to handle the memories of widely beloved figures who also behaved quite badly during their lives. Weirdly enough, the Talmud has something straightforward to say about this! Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
Nov 7, 2021 • 29min
91a. Why do the Best Doctors go to Hell?
On Kiddushin 82a, we find some wild anti-doctor sentiment. A listener was wondering how to square that with the iconic status of the Jewish Doctor, so we're doing our best to find an explanation. Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
Oct 31, 2021 • 28min
90a. What do Jews believe about Hell?
Shockingly, the answer is complicated! Thanks to a wonderful listener question, we're diving into the punishments and practicalities of the Jewish afterlife. Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
Oct 24, 2021 • 27min
89a. What about secular-religious collaboration?
A wonderful listener asked us our opinion on the Spring 2021 DSA shabbat scandal, so we're doing our best to use Talmud as a way to understand secular-religious relations in Judaism. Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
Oct 17, 2021 • 27min
88a. Why is Talmud full of minutiae?
Why does the Talmud care if we wash our hands after cutting our hair? How did they even decide what shoe we are supposed to put on first? And why should we care, today? We do our best to answer on this episode. Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail! Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.
