

Xai, how are you?
Michael Sokolovsky and Xava De Cordova
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 26, 2024 • 26min
212. Smells Like Holy Spirit
Michael returns us to the topic of charisma with a fascinating exploration of the holy spirit in Torah, how it appears linguistically, what kind of powers and effects it gives, and its potential pitfalls. Become a Shel Maala Member here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalajoin, Sign up for Heeling Our Soles here: https://bit.ly/heelingoursoles, Sign up for Thorns in the Vineyard here: https://bit.ly/thornsinthevineyard
To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

Apr 19, 2024 • 26min
211. Shammai Circumcision Blues
We're finally answering a listener question! In this case, what's the deal with hatafam dam brit for NB and trans folks and why does it seem like we're following Shammai when the halakaha is like Hillel?! Sign up for Heeling Our Soles here: https://bit.ly/heelingoursoles
To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

Apr 11, 2024 • 17min
210. Rizz
Oops! Both of us forgot who was actually supposed to prepare this episode, so enjoy this minisode about charisma, our personal issues and hints at what our next actual episode will be about.
To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.

Apr 4, 2024 • 59min
209. When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven
Author and scholar Rafael Neis joins us to talk about their book, "When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven: Rabbis and the Reproduction of Species", featuring a riveting discussion of furries, gender, what happens if your brother is a bird, gay demon divorce and much more! Keep up with them on insta @postrafelite and on their website at https://rachelrafaelneis.com.
To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.

Apr 2, 2024 • 28min
208. Anger Management
Michael brings a bounty of sources from Talmud to Kabbalah to Xasidut on anger and what the Rabbis say we should do about it (but often don't do themselves).
To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.

Mar 26, 2024 • 21min
207. Foxy Loxy
Part 2 of Xava's spontaneous series on foxes! Featured are Babylonian pedagogy, greedy wolves, overzealous interpretation and selfishness in the Rabbinate. Sign up for Sacred Wiggles here: https://bit.ly/sacredwiggles
To ask us questions, text or leave us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured. Music by Ben Schreiber.

Mar 22, 2024 • 23min
206. Our Purims, Our Selves
Michael has brought us some luscious Xasidic and Kabbalaistic wisdom on the soul, two major Jewish holidays and the extremes of human experience. Sign up for Building Our Brakhas here: bit.ly/3IsrEBj
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.

Mar 7, 2024 • 24min
205. Fox News
Something's fishy as frenemy of the pod Rabbi Akiva returns with a parable about a fox...maybe the start of a fox series? We'll see! Also featuring: love of Torah and struggling with loving Judaism. Sign up for Sacred Wiggles at https://bit.ly/3IsrEBj
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.

Feb 27, 2024 • 29min
204. A Tomb with a View
Michael continues his archaeology rampage with some tales and tidbits about burial practices in the first century, which sheds some light on social structures, Jewish denominations in the time and collaborative funeral cookouts. Sign up for Building Our Brakhas here: bit.ly/buildingbrakhas
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.

Feb 20, 2024 • 27min
203. Body Horror
Xava brings a source sheet from friend of the pod Olivia Devorah Tucker about bodies, fluids, clay and the strange ways they mix. Sign up for Building Our Brakhas here: https://bit.ly/buildingbrakhas
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.