Orthodox Conundrum

As we approach the first night of Pesach, many people are looking for ideas that will enhance the Seder, and divrei Torah that will be meaningful to people who sit with us around the table. To that end, Scott spoke with the morning seder faculty of Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah, the yeshiva that he directed alongside Rabbi Pesach Wolicki for eleven years. Along with Rabbi Wolicki, he was joined by Rabbi Yaakov Arram, Rabbi Yisrael Herczeg, Rabbi Adi Krohn, and Rabbi Moshe Lichtman.  In this conversation, the panel offered short divrei Torah that they find meaningful, and also gave some insights into how to make the Seder engaging for people - adults and children - who might be less enthusiastic than others at the table. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

Israel is in crisis, and Israeli society is deeply torn over the government's proposed reforms to the judiciary. However, while many people talk about what the Likud-led government is trying to do, there is less information about what is actually happening and its ramifications. With the dramatic events of this past week, when Defense Minister Yoav Gallant publicly suggested that the government needs to pause the reforms, then was fired by Prime Minister Netanyahu the next day, which then led to unprecedented protests and strikes by a huge percentage of the population, which in turn led to Netanyahu’s calling for a temporary halt to the judicial reforms while both the coalition and the opposition try to work out a compromise, it became obvious that people need to know what’s really going on, why these events are taking place, what they mean, and what we can expect in the near future. For that reason, Scott was honored to speak with senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur of the Times of Israel, who offered a clear-eyed approach to explain the story in its entirety. Because events are moving at a very fast pace, we're releasing this episode the day that it was recorded. Our hope is that it will provide information and context that, very often, are lacking from public discourse. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

More than any other Jewish holiday, Pesach is associated with questions. That’s obviously true for the Seder, but it’s also true when it comes to the intense preparations that precede the chag. Jewish law regarding cleaning for Pesach is very extensive, and the misconceptions are often very prevalent. For that reason, we're proud to present a conversation with Rav Chayim Soloveichik shlit’a, where Scott asked some of the most common questions people ask as they prepare for Pesach. We thank Rav Chayim for generously giving his time and expertise, and hope that this episode can serve as a valuable resource and guide as people throughout the Jewish world get ready for Zman Cheiruteinu. Among the issues Rav Chayim addressed are: 8:54 - Crumbs and vacuuming 10:39 - Purchasing milk and eggs before Pesach 12:43 - Medicines on Pesach 14:29 - Defining "Nifsal M'achilat Kelev" (something inedible to a dog) 18:24 - New lipstick or ChapStick on Pesach 18:38 - Canola oil 20:28 - At what point do kitniyot become forbidden on Erev Pesach for Ashkenazi Jews, and can they be cooked in a kosher for Pesach pot 23:10 - Egg matzah 23:42 - Checking books for crumbs 24:50 - Selling chometz 27:46 - Preparing the house if you're going away for the entire holiday 29:33 - Roommates who jointly own chometz 30:10 - A car wash before Pesach 30:48 - Foods that don't require special Pesach certification 31:35 - Dismantling pots and pans before kashering them 31:57 - Kashering a pot with a stain 32:21 - Kashering a gas stove 33:55 - Kashering a non-self-cleaning oven 35:16 - The 24 hour rule regarding an urn used to kasher counters and sinks  35:50 - Lining the refrigerator 36:43 - Kashering a metal sink 36:58 - Kashering dishwashers Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

As Orthodox Jews, we usually find the experience of mitzvah observance and participation in the Orthodox community to be a source of great religious meaning, comfort, and fellowship; Torah Judaism is the way that Orthodox Jews interact with G-d, and that reality, alongside the communal and social aspects, has made Orthodoxy a source of pride and joy. We must also recognize that aspects of Orthodox life can be a real source of anxiety and stress. This includes the pressures associated with shmirat hamitzvot, as well as stresses that arise from the everyday requirements of following the Torah. The sense of being commanded, and the concomitant fear of shame and guilt if we fail, can be weighty. And then, of course, there are the other anxieties that are simply associated with observance - such as the very high financial cost of living an Orthodox life, and the perhaps less defensible high financial cost of living in an Orthodox community with increasingly high material standards, as well. Is there a way to deal with this anxiety, and - more to the point - how can we prevent it in the first place so that it doesn’t become debilitating? How can we work on preventing other mental health crises? Is the apparently increasing number of people suffering from mental illness a result of greater awareness, or is there something going on in our communities that is exacerbating the problem? Conversely, are we sometimes guilty of relying on therapy too much? And is the assumption that we can lead perfect lives in perfect communities - and inability to accept imperfection - causing serious problems with long-term ramifications? Scott was honored to speak to Rabbi Dr. Eitan Eisen about these and other important issues relevant to Orthodoxy, anxiety, mental health, and prevention. To order Rabbi Dr. Eisen’s book, Talmud on the Mind: Exploring Chazal and Practical Psychology to Lead a Better Life, go to https://kodeshpress.com/product/talmud-on-the-mind/ Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

Nietzsche said, “When you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.” Today's episode deals with a horrible situation where someone retained his sense of meaning, faith, and belief despite staring into the abyss. Ephraim Rimel experienced just about the worst thing that a person could experience, and somehow moved forward with his belief in G-d and Torah intact. He acknowledged that his values were updated, but the same values that drove him before still drive him today. This was a very difficult discussion, and frankly it is not easy listening. Yet Ephraim's experience is a testament to belief that survived in the face of unimaginable challenges. If we are to face life honestly and boldly, we need to listen to Ephraim’s story of tragedy and faith, a story that is simultaneously painful and inspiring. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

In preparation for Purim, the Orthodox Conundrum is rereleasing an episode from 2020 with Dr. Zev Ganz, dealing with teenagers and alcohol abuse. Purim is, if not the most joyous holiday on the Jewish calendar, then certainly the most "fun." And therein lies the problem: are we teaching our children and students that having fun requires alcohol? Is teenage alcohol abuse a real danger, or is it healthy to let loose given that it's only one day a year? Is worrying about Purim drinking and the effects of kiddush clubs alarmist, or necessary? What should be done if you suspect that your kid has a problem, and how is "problem" even defined? With only a couple of days until Purim, we hope this episode gives you food for thought. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

In preparation for Parashat Zachor, the Orthodox Conundrum is rereleasing an episode from last year with Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, dealing with questions surrounding Amalek. How should Orthodox Jews relate to the mitzvah of wiping out Amalek - a Torah law that might seem immoral? What are we remembering when we think of Amalek, and is there a message within that resonates with committed Torah Jews living in the 21st century? We hope this episode will give you food for thought as we move toward Parashat Zachor and Purim. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Read an article by Rabbi Klapper about Amalek here: http://torahleadership.org/categories/beshalach_5780.pdf http://torahleadership.org/ https://moderntoraleadership.wordpress.com/  Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

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’avar” - that is, formerly religious. For a community which prides itself on continuity and on passing the tradition from one generation to the next, the idea that people leave Orthodoxy is simultaneously painful and threatening. Why did he or she leave? What didn’t work? Why don’t they see what I see… or perhaps, if we’re being truly honest with ourselves, what do they see that I may be missing? And when the people who reject an Orthodox way of life are members of our family, the difficulties are compounded. Rabbi Alex Israel has given a lot of thought to this issue and these questions, and his insights are humane, generous, and rooted in Torah. Rabbi Israel and Scott spoke about whether the terms OTD and Datlash - and even “dati,” religious - are helpful or misleading, whether the phenomenon of people moving away from Orthodoxy is becoming more common, how it may be different in Israel and in the United States, whether we should actively try to bring those who have left Orthodoxy back into the Orthodox fold, if an emphasis on dogma is partially to blame, how parents should navigate having a child who is less religious than they are, what we can learn from those who leave Orthodoxy, and more. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). The Orthodox Conundrum is looking for sponsors - either to promote your business or organization, or in someone’s honor or memory . If you want to reach thousands of listeners every week, then write to us at scott@jewishcoffeehouse.com. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com  

It is widely assumed that Jewish law requires the acceptance of certain principles of faith - most commonly associated with the thirteen foundational principles that the Rambam wrote about in his Commentary on the Mishnah in Masechet Sanhedrin. These principles, very broadly summarized, include G-d’s existence, His unity and incorporeality, the fact that G-d is the eternal first cause and that prayer must be directed to G-d alone; that prophecy exists, that Moses was the greatest prophet, that the Torah was given to Israel through Moses, and that the Torah will never be changed or exchanged; that G-d is omniscient, He rewards and punishes, that there will be a messiah and that the dead will one day be resurrected. Again: this is a broad summary, and the actual writing of Maimonides on this matter is more nuanced. Still, these are the principles of Jewish belief that everyone is supposed to assert and, according to the Rambam, not only accept as dogma but also thoroughly understand. What happens, however, when a Jewish person says that he or she cannot accept all of these thirteen principles, or even parts of them? What, for example, if someone believes that G-d communicates with humankind, but doesn’t accept the literal transmission of every word of the Torah through Moses? How should a committed Jew continue observing the Torah when doubts emerge? Rabbi Pesach Sommer experienced these doubts, and it led to a crisis in faith. Crucially, his crisis took place while he was a rabbi teaching in an Orthodox school. And while the crisis for him was very real, he also was able to emerge from it with a more nuanced and, perhaps, stronger faith than before. Today Pesach tells us his story, from how he became a rabbi, to what sparked his doubts, how far down the rabbit hole of doubt he went, and what he was able to do to reinvigorate his faith so that he was able to develop a more mature and in fact deeper connection with G-d and Torah than before. The Orthodox Conundrum is looking for sponsors - either to promote your business or organization, or in someone’s honor or memory . If you want to reach thousands of listeners every week, then write to us at scott@jewishcoffeehouse.com. Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast.  Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com

In our previous episode, Scott talked with Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll about the challenge to faith that takes place when some rabbis betray their calling by not acting as they should. When leaders fail us, they leave wreckage in their wake - the wreckage of failed expectations, of disappointment, of crisis, and of course the practical issues like, as Shoshanna related, needing to wait years for a get and more.  This episode is a type of follow-up to last week’s. The Israeli Chief Rabbinate was formed with positive goals in mind, and there are some wonderful representatives of Torah Judaism who work for that institution. But as Lord Acton said in 1887, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” We’re certainly not there yet, but political power in the hands of the Rabbinate - which is the case in Israel in certain  areas of Halacha, such as marriage, divorce, conversion, and kashrut - has led to serious problems that are themselves violations of Torah. And while presumably most rabbis in the Rabbinate have noble goals, the reality of the Rabbinate brings to mind a different aphorism: The road to hell is paved with good intentions.  Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, the founder and President of Hashgacha Pratit, decided to do something about it. You might agree with his solutions, and you might not. Some of what he suggests may sound quite radical. But either way, remember that we often witness a repeating pattern: that there’s a serious problem that leadership fails to address, so someone else decides to do something - and then is condemned by the leadership that failed to act. Our response should be that if leadership wants a response or solution that it can accept, then leadership shouldn’t drag its feet and wait for someone else to do something.  Please listen to and share this podcast, and let us know what you think on the Orthodox Conundrum Discussion Group on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/432020081498108). The Orthodox Conundrum is looking for sponsors - either to promote your business or organization, or in someone’s honor or memory . If you want to reach thousands of listeners every week, then write to us at scott@jewishcoffeehouse.com. Thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers, who have access to bonus JCH podcasts, merch, and more - we appreciate your help, and hope you really enjoy the extras! Visit the JCH Patreon site at https://www.patreon.com/jewishcoffeehouse. Check out https://jewishcoffeehouse.com/ for the Orthodox Conundrum and other great podcasts, and remember to subscribe to them on your favorite podcast provider. Also visit https://www.jchpodcasts.com/ to learn all about creating your own podcast. Music: "Happy Rock" by bensound.com