Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 27, informs us that, on Shabbat, we're gifted with just a touch of extra soul. Rabbi Yosie Levine joins us to explain this mystical concept, and how it can inspire even the most ardent rationalists among us. Why should you never fast on a Sunday? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and produce...
Dec 09, 2021•8 min•Season 10Ep. 27
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 26, advises us that we should never give thanks to God when we're hungry. Magazine editor and author Dorothy Kalins joins us to talk about what she learned about living, loving, and believing from watching some of the world's greatest cooks in action. What is the connection between stomach and soul? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook g...
Dec 08, 2021•13 min•Season 10Ep. 26
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 25, gives us a lovely domestic miracle, making vinegar burn as long as oil throughout Shabbat in a scene reminiscent of the famous story of Hanukkah. What does this little tale teach us about the Festival of Lights? And why did the rabbis change a bloody story of military victory into an intimate one that takes place indoors? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation...
Dec 07, 2021•9 min•Season 10Ep. 25
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Taanit 23 and 24, introduce us to the magical Choni Ha'Me'agel, one part Gandalf and one part Rip van Winkle. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to discuss Choni's super-sized character, and what this Talmudic hero still has to teach us today. Did Choni really force God to make it rain? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hoste...
Dec 06, 2021•11 min•Season 10Ep. 23
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Taanit 21 and 22, tell us the gruesome story of Nahum of Gam Zu, who prayed to God to amputate his limbs, make him blind, and cover him with boils. Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone joins us to shed some light on this tale, and teach us what we, too, can learn from Nahum about the true meaning of charity. What does God expect us to do when it comes to kindness? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi an...
Dec 03, 2021•9 min•Season 10Ep. 21
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 20, gives us a deeply moving story about beauty, pride, and sin. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to parse this magical tale and remind us that, often, our toughest critics are we ourselves. Why should we learn the subtle art of being as soft as a reed? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and pr...
Dec 02, 2021•11 min•Season 10Ep. 20
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 19, tells us a beautiful legend about a man whose charitable heart was so great God himself rewarded him with not one miracle but two. Who was Nakdimon Ben Gurion, and why was he only one of three people in the Bible to make time itself flow backwards? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and p...
Dec 01, 2021•9 min•Season 10Ep. 19
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 18, kicks things off with a story of a vanquished enemy of the Jews, the general Nicanor, and his brutal end. Jonathan Schanzer, vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the author of a new book about Israel's 2021 conflict with Hamas, joins us to talk about war, moral obligations, and Israel's military and political choices. Why so much criticism of the Jewish state in the international press? Listen and find out. Like the show? S...
Nov 30, 2021•10 min•Season 10Ep. 18
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Taanit 16 and 17, inform us that God is suffering when we suffer. Rabbi Leon Wiener Dow joins us to explain this difficult idea, and why two different interpretations give us two radically different accounts of the Divine. Is God merely by our side, or does God, too, suffer? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Lie...
Nov 29, 2021•10 min•Season 10Ep. 16
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Taanit 14 and 15, give us an extraordinarily powerful image that unleashes a deep theological discussion. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to speak about the nature of prayer, how it works, and when we need it most. Is prayer a special occasion or a daily occurrence? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovit...
Nov 26, 2021•9 min•Season 10Ep. 14
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 13, compels unmarried women to make themselves attractive even when mourning the death of a loved one. Shira Hecht Koller joins us to make sense of this uncomfortable exhortation, and explain what it says about the rabbis' concept of living life to the fullest. Is it a good idea to try and set up romantic matches at a shiva? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation ...
Nov 25, 2021•11 min•Season 10Ep. 13
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 12, finds the rabbis debating that most pressing of all halachic questions: What, exactly, does one mean by "taking a nap"? Stephanie Butnick and Mark Oppenheimer, co-hosts of Unorthodox, join us to parse the difference between napping, dozing, and closing your eyes, and discuss the metaphysical importance of shut-eye. What, exactly, is a "ha-shoo"? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi a...
Nov 24, 2021•10 min•Season 10Ep. 12
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 11, instructs us that the righteous always choose to suffer together with their fellow Jews, even when they can extricate themselves and escape into comfort. Justin Hayet, host of a new podcast searching for modern-day tzadikim, or righteous people, joins us to talk about community, compassion, and making the world a kinder place. Are there really 36 hidden tzadikim who keep the world from imploding? Listen and find out. Find more about Thirty-Six here. Like the sho...
Nov 23, 2021•10 min•Season 10Ep. 11
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Taanit 9 and 10, make us a strange financial promise: Give ten percent of your wealth to charity, and you'll become rich quick. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain this strange idea, its origins, and why it remains the best piece of financial advice you'll ever get. Why is God asking us to test Him? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook g...
Nov 22, 2021•8 min•Season 10Ep. 9
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Taanit 7 and 8, warn us that studying Torah alone makes you foolish. What is the Hevruta method, and what advantages does it have, according to a recent Korean study about education? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and produced by Josh Kross, Sara Fredman Aeder, and Robert Scaramuccia. Check out...
Nov 19, 2021•9 min•Season 10Ep. 7
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 6, tells us that rain is at its most blessed when it is not angry but compassionate. Adit Romano, the founder of Israel's Freedom Farm Sanctuary, joins us to discuss why we should listen to today's daf and refrain from eating meat. What does a vegan lifestyle have to do with being Jewish? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take ...
Nov 18, 2021•10 min•Season 10Ep. 6
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 5, shares a charming little story about one rabbi blessing another that he may be like a tree. Shuli Karkowsky, Executive Vice President at Hazon, joins us to explain this blessing, and what it means to Jewish environmental activists today. How is caring about the earth essential to Judaism? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Ta...
Nov 17, 2021•8 min•Season 10Ep. 5
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Taanit 4, asks us a thorny question: Can studying Torah make you angry? Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky joins us to unpack this problematic provocation, and deliver a lesson that feels particularly timely. How can anger be a good motivator for righteous change? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and produc...
Nov 16, 2021•8 min•Season 10Ep. 4
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Taanit 2 and 3, usher in a new tractate, Tractate Taanit. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain what this unfortunately named tractate is about, and how it is acutely relevant for us moderns. Why pray for rain? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and produced by Josh Kross, Sara Fredman Aeder, a...
Nov 15, 2021•8 min•Season 10Ep. 2
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Rosh Hashanah 34 and 35, bring us to the end of Tractate Rosh Hashanah. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to sum up what we've learned, and give us a moving lesson about the sun and the moon, being and becoming. What's the holiest Jewish object you have in your house? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovit...
Nov 12, 2021•8 min•Season 9Ep. 34
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Rosh Hashanah 33, ponders our responsibility to teach our children how to perform mitzvot. Producer Josh Kross joins us to tell a moving story of his son's second Bar Mitzvah. Why the do-over? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and produced by Josh Kross, Sara Fredman Aeder, and Robert Scaramuccia. ...
Nov 11, 2021•7 min•Season 9Ep. 33
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Rosh Hashanah 32, invites us to think about the true meaning of Rosh Hashanah. Rabbi Willie Balk joins us to shed light on the complicated nature of the holiday, and why it's both demanding and deeply joyous. How is Rosh Hashanah like a high school test? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and produc...
Nov 10, 2021•8 min•Season 9Ep. 32
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Rosh Hashanah 31, kicks things off on a heavy note, discussing the end of the world. What does it look like? When will it come? How do we know? And what can we do to prepare? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and produced by Josh Kross, Sara Fredman Aeder, and Robert Scaramuccia. Check out all of T...
Nov 09, 2021•8 min•Season 9Ep. 31
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Rosh Hashanah 29 and 30, inform us that one may say some blessings on behalf of others. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain how the system works, and why it's soulful and inspired. Does this mean you can simply engage someone else to recite all of your brachot for you? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Lie...
Nov 08, 2021•7 min•Season 9Ep. 29
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Rosh Hashanah 27 and 28, ponder which shofar shape is right for which holiday. Jeff Cahn, the executive director of Romemu in New York and a master shofar blower, joins us to share what goes through his mind and his heart when he's standing in front of the congregation and getting ready to blow his shofar. How do you practice with such an instrument? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and jo...
Nov 05, 2021•7 min•Season 9Ep. 27
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Rosh Hashanah 26, waxes poetic about the shofar. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to riff on the majestic role the shofar, and music in general, play in Jewish spiritual life. What is the shofar blast supposed to make us feel? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One is hosted by Liel Leibovitz and produced by Josh Kross, Sara Fredman...
Nov 04, 2021•6 min•Season 9Ep. 26
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Rosh Hashanah 25, shares an astonishing story of two feuding rabbis learning to set aside their differences for the sake of communal unity. Rabbi Leon Wiener Dow joins us to expound on this heartwarming tale and the very urgent lessons it has for us today. What should our modern-day leaders learn from the wise, ancient rabbis? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in th...
Nov 03, 2021•10 min•Season 9Ep. 25
Today’s Daf Yomi page, Rosh Hashanah 24, tells us that when the new moon was sanctified by the rabbinic court, the entire Jewish people had to answer "Amen" in unison. Can collective prayer really impact the world today? Dr. Gary Onik joins us to share his own experience as a long-time cancer doctor who was diagnosed with incurable cancer himself. A lifelong atheist, he nonetheless took to the Internet and asked strangers all over the world to pray for him. What happened next? Listen and find ou...
Nov 02, 2021•9 min•Season 9Ep. 24
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Rosh Hashanah 22 and 23, ask a thorny question: Is there a real structural difference between wisdom and prophecy? Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to entertain this conundrum, and explain what it has to do with truth, knowledge, and justice. What did King Solomon get wrong about human affairs? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in the Take One Facebook group. Take One...
Nov 01, 2021•8 min•Season 9Ep. 22
Today’s Daf Yomi pages, Rosh Hashanah 20 and 21, get to the bottom of the Jewish calendar, a complicated creation that's one part lunar and one part solar. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to talk about the meaning of Jewish time, and how its symbolism continues to inspire us today. Why did the rabbis refer to the calendar as "the secret of pregnancy"? Listen and find out. Like the show? Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitter at @takeonedafyomi and join the conversation in t...
Oct 29, 2021•9 min•Season 9Ep. 20
